The sun., 1901-11-10
I AN ORCHESTRAL MATINEE.
The Boston Symphony Orchestra Green
Another Great Audience.

Wagner, then, il not the only lodestone
Of the Boston Symphony Orchestra! This
organization gave its first matinee of the
season yesterday In Carnegie Hall Tor the
edification OF an audience almost az large
as the one which assembled there last
Thursday evening. Such a gathering was
eloquent evidence Of our admiration for
this unique band. And il there was much
to fault in its work on this occasion there
was more fire in its playing than at the
previous concert. Mr. Gericke did not
quail before his own thunder-and the
man behind the THm PAM wore contented
expression. The programme was popular
one. for Beethoven now comes within TINS
category: Volkmanns overture to -kich-
ard H." op es; Edouard Lalos concerto
for voloncello and orchestra, the seventh
symphonic poem by Franz Iiszt called
Fest Klaenge," and Beethoven's A major
symphony. Mr.. Jean Gerardy took the
solo part in the cello concerto.
The symphony was rather roughly played
for nv. Gericke. whose usual treatment OF
it's content has hitherto been anything
but brusQue. For one thing his brass was
often coarse; nor can the woodwind choir
be praised for all Of its work during the
afternoon. The allegretto was smoothly
executed, and there was too much ndesfoso
and not enough ripace In the first move
ment. But vigor there was in the finale
while the scherzo and trio were delightfully."-
delivered. The coloring OF the last Few
bars of the coda was almost magical.
Yolkmann's well-construoted overture
was very well done. Up to the battle scene
the writing is clear. the form well knit and
logical. But TO our Strauss-attuned ears
the conflict that follows. with its scraps OF
THE Campbells Are Comm. is childish
sort of an ARRAY. Javeln and arquebus
were used in Richards day; 1t remained Tor
later musical Richard TO picture IN his
scores reproduce is better word-all the
hellish detonations of modern warfare.
Volkmanns music is clever, never great;
his introduction of this old English Cor
GaelicD air was patterned after by Saint
SGenS in his Henry VIII. music.
There Is little to be said OF Lszt g effective
and pompous conglomeration Of Meyerbeer
and Weber-surely "Freischutz' was levied
upon for that bathetio section. II is we'll
scored music and might serve TO inaugurate
a Fourth ward Alderman az well az play
the professional part at kingly corona
ton In word, IL absolutely lacks dis
tiDction. The plea that the so-called gym
phonic poem cannot he "a harbor for dihuse
phrasemaking. as are often the cyclic forms,
falls TO earth after hearing the yards OF
padding" and empty sorority in this
least interesting Of Llszt's poems,
Mr.. Gerardy, an artist whose every tone
is sheer sensuous pleasure, gave a finished
performance OF the picturesque Lalo con-
certD, n work he played here fow years
ago. Brilliant. not without the deeper
note Of pathos. this concert piece for cello
afforded the handsome young Belgian every
chance for the display of his lovely art
and instrument. He never "fiddles in
rapid passage work, while his Cdnhfend,
rich a. II j., never degenerates into nasal
sentimentality. Those few bars before
the rondo we're purc lyric joyl Mr.. Gerardy
was recalled half dozen times. Little
wonder that such a concert attracted a
large audience. The Boston symphony
Orchestra has embarked upon an unusu-
ally prosperous season.