The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1901-12-14
FIRST SYMPHONY
CONCERT PLEASES
Paul Steindorf Wins
New Laurels as a
Leader.

The first concert of the San Francisco
Symphony Society. given yesterday after
noon at the Grand Opera-house, must be
voted a genuine success The compare
lively large house that greeted the new
leader and his men shows highly en-
couraging interest in the society, and the
work done yesterday afternoon by the con-
ductor and the orchestra more than JUS
titles all the interest shown. 1t is not
quite the kind Of thing that was expected
from Mr. SteindOrff as a leader, but 1t is
something Just as good and perhaps safer.
He surprised even his best friends yester-
day afternoon by the general excellence
of the work done under his baton as well
as by its unexpected conservatism, and 1t
was found lacking only in those qualities
that time alone can furnish.
Mr.. SteindOrff has a particularly good
orchestra at his command, strong in the
strings and well balanced throughout,
though through the exigencies of the
Grand Opera house stage accommodations
the wood wind loses its weight ana the
whole tone of the orchestra Is signify
thinned and deadened. But practically all
Of the best orchestral material in town as
to be found in the orchestra, though there
are still a few names that should not pc
among the missing. Yesterdays WorK IN
its solid grip, balance, precision and sin
cerity amply proves that the orchestra
has found a fitting leader in Mr.. Stein
GOrff. 1t Is less spirited leaQSESnlp
than had been looked for from the enthu-
siastic conductor of the Tivol, but that
the spirit is there Mr.. Steindorfs efforts
during the TivOh grand opera season wit
ness to full satisfaction, and that he has
thought fit to sacrifice the easier enthu-
siasm for a more classic correctness at
the outset of his symphony career prom
Uses wen, indeed, for his future work in
the society.
The programme of yesterday was a
modest one-rather a lightweight pro
RTamme, in fact, and perhaps insufficient
IL varied in character. The Academic
Overture" Of Brahms came first, with its
ingeniously interviewer student melodies,
rhythmic fun, noble harmonies and large
joyful spirit, well interpreted by the or
chestra, though on the whole 1t was tech
nically the least satisfying number on the
programme. There was admirable work
done in the Ran symphony I'm Wade, ~
that followed, delicate, well poised, finely
balanced work, that showed Mr.. Stein
dOrff in his newer light to best advantage:
The Largo Traumerei." with its muted
string accompaniment and lovely echoing
flute and oboe melodies, was charm1ngly
given, and the dainty scherzo was also
given with elegance and spirit. One felt
q lack Of climax in the heavy finale, but
it was an excellent reading on the whole
and most promising. Two light numbers
of MOszkOwskys warmed the house up TO
encore point and the Spanish dance was
repeated to its evident enjoyment. The
pretty, abrupt VOlkmann serenade, for
strings, came next, and the Slavic color
and braSsy richness of List s ''RakOcSky
March" closed the enjoyable programme.
Considering the refrigerator-like atmos-
phere Of the Grand Opera-house-like
every other symphony concert-house, By
the way-the audience was an enthusiast
tic one, though on the whole it would
have been better satisfied with heavier
fare. It will get that at the next concert,
on January 10, when the following pro-
gramme will be given: Overture, "Ueber
Zwei Thueringische Volkslieder" (hrst
ttme), Lassen; symphony No. s.. c minor,
i. Won Beethoven; scherzo, Midsummer
Nights Dream" Mendelssohn; prelude
from die Meistersinger," Wagner;
Rouet d'Omphale," symphonic poem,
Saint-Saens.
Meantime there is everything to be
hoped from the new band and its leader.