The San Francisco call., 1899-12-10
HOLMES To LEAD
MORE SYMPHONY
CONCERTS SOON
Will Be Engaged by
Old Society.
FRITZ SCHEEL REPORTED SICK
SUFFERING FROM PNEUMONIA
IN PHILADELPHIA.

The symphony concert given under the
direction of Henry Holmes was so sue
cessful that IL will result in series of
symphony concerts under the auspices OF
the San Francisco Symphony Society. The
directors have been approached in the
matter and have expressed their salts
faction regarding the ability of Mr..
Holmes. and within a few days a meeting
will be called whereat the question OF the
engagement OF new leader will be fully
discussed. Judging from the expressions
Of the most prominent members of the
board of directors, there is not the slight
est doubt that Mr.. Holmes will be elected,
and thus San Franciscans may look for
ward to another series OF symphony con-
certs.
While the concert was an artistic sue
cess, If one may Judge from the applause
of the immense audience, the grouping OF
the instruments was unsatisfactory. The
violas were stretched out in one line be-
hind the cellos. which prevented solid
tone mass from this group. Such arrange
ment may be all right when a shell is
placed over the orchestra, but upon an
open stage it is certainly detrimental
Another piece of interesting musical
news, which Will at the same time be
greeted with sorrow by many admirers
Of genius, is the fact that Fritz Scheel
the former symphony leader, Is danger
ously Ill with pneumonia at his residence,
ter arrived from Vienna at most oppor-
tune time. and is now taking care of him.
From last accounts he is somewhat i'm
proving.
The regular concert OF the Century
Club which took place at Century Hall
last Wednesday afternoon was particular
ly interesting. Miss Meta Asher, very
clever pianiste, who played here in con-
cert with much success, won once more
the approval of her audience: and Samuel
Savannah delighted his listeners with his
exceedingly artistic violin solos. Miss
OF execution and Miss Bessie Wall played
the accompaniments with much taste.
have just received a letter from
poser whose work THE Smugglers Of
BadayeZ," proved such tremendous sue
cess East that he is at work on another
great opera, TO which Dunham Curtis. the
Eastern critic and author. has written the
libretto. Ii will be a romantic opera. not
a comic opera like his first work. Sew
eral extracts from The Smugglers OF
BadayeZ" which came TO hand lately
show a melodious and effective style.
The third concert OF the Minetti Quartet
will take place next Friday afternoon at
Sherman & Clay Hall. The most promi-
nent number on the programme will be
the Mendelssohn string quartet In + fiat
major. with its magnificent canZonetta,
and also Goldmarks piano quintet in b
fiat major, famous because Of its poetic
sentiment. Hermann Genss will be the
pianist and Miss Margarethe Bruntsch the
vocalist.
The local musical cult is now talking
about the appearance OF Vladimir de
Pachmann at the California Theater on
December 26. 2s and %. He made a tre-
mendous hit since the commencement OF
MS american tour anu All Ine CTIIcS dre
enthusiastic about his fiawless and char
acteristic exposition OF the works OF
Chopin. His concert viii be one Of the
sensational musical events of the season.
ALFRED METZGER.