New-York tribune., 1901-02-22
MUSIC.
THE BOSTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

The Boston Symphony Orchestra gave another of
its aristocratc at Carnegie Hall last night
Distinction marked the programme and spoke from
every measure of the performance There were
moments in the final number. Berlioz's Fantastic
Symphony" when more dramatic. not 10 say
drastic. Interpretation might have avoided some of
the monotouy which attuned TO latter day
preachments in the field of symphony and SYM
phOnc poem are likely to hear in this music. which
revolutionary half a century ago. but to make
amends had the superb finish of the technical
work and the fruits of Mr.. Gericke's marvellous
sense Of euphony.
delo' overture. Liszt's z Hat pianoforte concerto
rhe solo part played by Miss Aus der Ohe), now
city By a member Of the orchestra, and the SYM
phony already mentioned. Tho orchestra in
It's virtuoso mood. and the results in general.
easily be imagined by those who know its
pacity. Something more than offered might
reasonably have been expected from Miss Aus der
Ohe. who has often played better heretofore. Only
once In the first portion. did she develop climax
IN her oldtime manner. with that firm. unshaken
command OF all the elements. material and spir-
itual. which used always 10 be at her call. But
she gave great pleasure 10 multitude OF admirers.
nevertheless and only severity OF discipline made
necessary by the length of the programme pre-
vented her from yielding TO the enthusiastic de-
mandS for more which came from the audience
with that blithe Indifference to facts character
istic OF his writings, the editor of the programme
book Of the concert prepared a bewiIderment for
Aie duulehce IN connection with the novelty
which was brought forward On one page. vainly
blue penciled. were Informed that Mr. c. NJ
Loeiier's composition. THE Death OF TintagiIes''
was symphonic poem for orchestra and two
Violes damour obblgate-the Obbligato instru-
ments to be played by the composer and Mr. Knef-
sell From another page we learned that since the
work had its original production in Boston on
January s. 1885. the score had been entirely re-
modelled the second viola d'amour part eliminated
ana the INST reduced to such modest proportions
70 make the composition stand as a purely or
chestral work. AS for the poetic conceft under
lying the work. the audience was forced TO be con-
tent with whatever information it could derive
from the statement that The Death of Tintagies''
was symphonic poem after the drama of
maurice Maeterlinck." and the luminous hint that
from poettco-dramatic point Of view the music
might be taken 'as depicting struggle between
TWO opposing forces-say. the Queen and her hand
maids on the one hand and Tintagiles and YgraIne
on the other"
III Is - be feared that there was not much en-
hghtenment in this; for MaeterIinck's narionetta
drama does not belong TO popular literature and
those VINO might have been tempted by the names
to hunt for the meaning In the Arthurian tales
must have found themselves wofuIIy misIed In
the romances OF Arthur. TintageI IS the castle in
which the King born. and Ygraine ~ his
mother who was the wife OF the Duke OF TintageI
when Uther Pendragon liked and loved the lady
well and won her favor in the likeness OF the
Duke who was dead OF that very hour though the
lady knew IL not. and afterward marveIled who
That might be who came 70 her in likeness OF her
Iord- Maeterlncks drama is very different mat
ter. Tntagiles is the child brother of Ygraine He
Is boy prince. who is brought TO a ruined castle
on an Island where the old queen. his grandmother
lives, and also his two sisters. No one sees the
old queen. who has been crazed BY her desire 10
rule except her maids At night TintagiIes torn
from the arms OF his sister who loves him passion
ately. and murdered while she Is nadly attempting
20 force open an iron door which separates him
from her. The last dialogue Of the two and their
eager kisses upon III. cruel barrier form the climax
OF the piece. which begins with delneation Of
the gloomy place 10 which he had been brought that
ne might be put out OF the way. the stormy sea
dashing against the rocks below and the unhappf-
ness which has filed their little lives Mr. Frost IN
his charming book. The Court Of King Arthur"
has given rs a picture OF the old castle and of
Just such storm Mr.. Loefier depicts IN his
music: The water beat and dashed against the
rock itself and the wind caught the water and
hurled IL as high the castle towers
IL needed rot the rhythmic rhetoric Of Maeter-
inck 70 make such subject pathetic. or TO Hfs
II into the province OF music. but IL played part
In Inspiring Mr.. Loefrers music. as did also the
death OF young brother OF the composers what
time he was reading the drama. and the pro-
gramme should have told US something OF the
story. The Tribune's music reviewer heard the
symphonic poem at It's first performances IN Bos-
ton. and was much impressed by the composers
device OF using the two violes d'anour obbligate 20
emhody the feelings OF the star-crossed children
Whether or not the revision has made an improve
ment in the work II would be idle 10 discuss for
people who did not hear IL in it's original form.
1t has lost much OF the novel color which the
two obbugato Instruments lent II, but has also
gained in eompactness. and IN the elimination Of
some effects which. fascinating at first. are al
ways In danger OF becoming mOnotonous What is
more 10 the purpose Is grateful record Of the
fact that Mr.. Loefisrs composition is a strikngIy
beautiful work. full OF high imagination. dis
tin guished far bevond the general run OF modern
works in its logical developments. its proclama-
ton of a poetic mood, its harmonic and instrument
tai refinement and its melodic ideas. II was de-
light and an edIhca ton to hear it, and must have
been a matter Of pride in the orchestra play H.
The audience awarded the composer by repeated
rounds Of applause