Evening star., 1901-01-18
AMUsEMENTS.

Mr.. Herman Rakemann has done great
deal toward increasing the love of cham
Der music in this city. His string quartet
has obtained a firm hold upon the music
loving community, and last night, notwith-
standing the inclement weather, the BAN
quet hall of the Shoreham was well hllea
with cultured audience to listen to the
second concert this season. The program
the quartet Op. 1 of Svendson. In -FOUR
movements; the andante from Tschalkows-
ky's quartet Op. II; the presto movement
from Schumann's quartet OPP. II. No l, ana
Brambach's piano quartet Op. no. IN tnree
movements in all of which the quartet
played with admirable precision and intel
ligence of Interpretation. Whiie praise
should be accorded for all the ensemble
work, perhaps the TschaikowSky andante
was the most enjoyed. the Russian music
with its weired, passionate rhythm, appeal
ing to the audience by the superb manner
in which it was played. The piano quartet
brought into prominence Mr.. S. M. Fabian,
who increased the favorable impression he
has made at former recitals, not only by
his sympathetic playing and unusual tech
nique, but by his discriminating Judgment
in not forcing his work into undue promi-
nence Mrs. Nellie Wilson Shir-Cliff was
the other assistant, and she sang Lisa Leh-
mann's beautiful 'Endymion, accompanied
by the quartet and Mr.. E. H. Droop at the
piano, In such manner to call forth
rapturous applause. She also sang two
Chaminade songs, Eyes of Blue and
"Whereer Love Has Passed" to Mr.
Drcop's sympathetic accompaniment. Mr..
Rakemann and his associates, Messrs.
Green, Finckel and Villalpando, have cause
to congra tulate - themselves upon last
nights work and can look forward with
confidence to brilliant audience at their
closing concert, which will be February IL
PITTSBURG ORCHESTRA. - The ad-
vance sale of subscription tickets for
~, - ,ovnhn
ira has opened auspiciously at Sanders
& Stayman's music house. The work OF the
orchestra has been very highly spoken OF
everywhere, and as one of the metropolitan
newspapers states, ut is a superb organi-
zation." Mr.. Victor Herbert has shown
that he is a born conductor, and combines
youth, energy and trained musical gifts. AS
a conductor he is at times very quiet ana
self-contained, and again active, nervous
exacting, with an incisive beat and an ami
mated manner that is very effective His
personality is magnetic. More beautiful
pianissims playing would be difficult to inn
agine. The steady, smooth tone through
out, the prompt markings of accents, the
artistic gradatons of tone and the magnifi-
cent climaxes were more than satisfying:
In fact, the climax in the rhine Journey
was fairly electrical 1t was magnificent.
Great loveliness characterized the perform
ance of Schubert's symphony (untinished);
Wagner's "Traume" and his own group
played here for the first time BerlioZ
Cid,' and Rossini's William Tell were
played with an impetuous, an amazing bril-
liancy. The soloist on January D is to be
Schumann Heink. probably the greatest liv-
ing contralto. Subscriptions from the pub
lie will be received until tomorrow evening.
BERNHARDT AS LA TOSCA.-Bern-
hardt retraced her footsteps to tread more
familiar ground, and produced La Tosca'
at the New National Theater last night.
The play is one of the finest examples of
the craftsmanship of that master melo-
dramatist, Sardou, and. despite the eminent
talents that have been bestowed on its per-
formance by English players, It's full merits
cannot be appreciated except by a study of
Bernhardts performance of the leading
role. The performance is a vivid demon
stration of the fact that melodrama may be
refined to point where it represents real
and lofty art. Indeed, tragedy may be con-
sidered a highly developed form of melo
drama, and La Tosca' marks the place
where melodrama ends and poetic tragedy
begins. The part gives Bernhard opportu-
nifty to run the gamut of moods and emo
tons; the tenderness of love- the fiercenesS
of hate and the delirium of despair. Coque-
Inns portrayal of the villain, Scarplo was
well worth attentive considerable from every
admirer of polished art. This single pro-,
duction of La Tosca" afforded valued op-
portunity to a large number Of people to see
Bernhardt in one of her greatest roles and
TO admire the splendid versatility of Coque-
lin. Coquein will be the pre-eminent star
Of the cast in tonights performance, when
he will enact the title role in ''Cyrano de
Bergerac," although Bernhardt will find a
heroine not unworthy Of her art in Roxane.