New-York tribune., 1901-12-01

a novelty will be brought forward in the shape Of
a symphonic prologue to 'd1dipus. the King by
Max Schillings. The symphony will be Tschai-
kowskv's Pathetic and the second of 'Beetho-
ven's 'Leonore'' overtures will he played. Mr..
Gerardy will play Sant-Saens's concerto for vfo-
lonceIlo in A minor.
Another new name will ne added to the Philhar
monies list at the concert to be given next Sat
urday evening There more to follow, also.
though the others do not belong to the category
which includes Won Hausegger and Schilnss
These young were developed out of the Wag-
merriam and stress. So far as they represent
instrumental music at all they represent it
outgrowth Of The lyric DRAMA sort CT grating of
The dramaIist Wagner on the symphonist List
Music by Max Schings has been heard in New
York. Boston. Cincinnati and Chicago To Mr..
Frank der Stucken belongs the credit Gf
credit it be} OF having introduced the
composer TO the American people. At concert in
Cincinnati in December. 1895, he brought forward
prelude for orchestra-au instrumental excerpt
from an oFera entitled -'Ingwelde.'' This ne then
placed the programme Of the New-York Sym
phony Society at q concert which he conducted in
the absence of Mr. Waiter Damrosch in January.
1896. Mr.. Paur next in order. with the num-
her in Boston in November. 1896 and Mr. Theodore
Thomas brought up the procession in Chicago in
January, 1897. Meanwhile the fame of the young
composer had been growing in Germany. and when
he came forward with the present work. a prelude
10 the .G5dipus. King" of Sophocles. Mr.. Thomas
was first in the field had been his custom for
many years: he performed the prelude at a con-
cart Of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra last Jan
uary-
Max Schngs was born April 10. 1858. in the
little manufacturing town Of Duren. in the Rhine
country. He was well born, in the German sense
Of the word his mother being niece of Clemens
Brentano. the German poet. and his father wealthy
enough enable him to crafty his desires and
ambitions without thought of the morrow. His
mother had turned his thoughts toward art as a
child. and lad B. Hilgers, the Musikdirector at
Dtiren, a champion of Wagner, directed his studies.
When old enough he entered the Gymnasium
Bonn. there took violin lessons from Professor
Otto K6niglow, formerly concertmeister of the
Giirzenich concerts. and lessons in harmony and
composition from Musikdirector K. Joseph Braun
bach After graduation from the Gymnasium he
went 20 Munich ostensbly to study law. but it
more likely, to judge by the outcome, TO hear
much of Wagners music possible At any
rate. after n few semesters he exchanged law for
philosophy, and after a short time more philosophy
for music. In the musical circles Of Munich he
made the acquaintance Of Count Ferdinand Sporck,
who had written an opera text entitled 'Ingwelde"
The count encouraged him in his musical studies.
and gave him a scene from his libretto which TO
try his prentice hand at opera, he having already
entered the orchestral field with Marines"
the painters would y''Afeeresgruss' and See
roorgen." The result 50 gratifying both
l:brettist and composer that the latter asked
undertake the setting of the entire book. He
now put aside philosophy he had put law aside,
1882 he assisted the direction of the rehears
ais the Bayreuth festival but he managed
complete the of -Ingwelde' by the summer
OF 1893 The opera brought forward at Carls-
rune in November, 1894 Motif conducting
The symphonic prologue to ''CEdipus" COM
posed for 4 performance of Sophocles's tragedy.
given two years ago at the Schiller Theatre,
in Berlin The story OF that gloomy play need not
be rehearsed in detail here. 1t is the elimination
of the horrors known to the Greek stage An oracle
has foretold that d5Gipus shall become the muir
derer Of his father and the husband of his own
mother. Through his wisdom and virtue he
raised the pinnacle OF happiness and power,
only TO he nurled thence into mmeasurable
abyss of wretchedness and In all he is blame
less nor indeed is he conscious of the significance
Of the awful chain of circumstances by which he is
led to destruction until the final catastrophe is
reached. The last link is forged by shepherd, who
compelled tell the tale which convinces
filed. The echo OF his awful cry is still ringing
in the worlds more than thousand years
after they first uttered:
Woe: Woe; Woet Woe. All cometh clear at
last.''
He rushes Off to slay his wifely mother (as inno-
cent OF guilty knowledge himself. but finds that
she has forestaled him by hanging herself. Then
he tears the golden buckle from her robe, punges
the sharp points into his and with faith
full daughter Antigone both sight and star
sets ont upon those wanderings which do not end
Until he finds rest at Colonus disappearing mirac-
uiousiy in the very presence of Theseus, leaving
''neitfler bones, grave. dust, epitaph"
II is after the truth has dawned on Gdipus and |
he has rushed Off in search OF Jocasta that the |
chorus utters the lines which sch!llings has set