New-York tribune., 1902-04-06
MUSIC.
THE rH1LHARMoNIC SOCIETY

THE PHILHARMONIC SOCIETY.
There was fine delight in the promise and large
amount of disappointment in the performance for
tho lovers of Beethoven and the friends the Phil
harmonic Society in the last concert OF that SC
cetv Yesterday The society ended its sixteth sea
son and two of it's ex-presidents and its present
executive head talked TO its patrons about the
mast and present of the organization. and in
dulged in some speculation about its future 1t is
a comforting reflection. after yesterdays concert
that such speculation is not enforced as duty to-
dsI unon the public reviewers of the city's mu-
s;ca1 actix,ities Pleasurable expectations
aroused by the circumstance that the programme
brought the first and last symphonies of Beethoven
into iuxtaposition. Here there was to be an op-
portunity to compare the beginning and end of the
last phase Of symphonic writing illustrated In
the works of the worlds master symphonst.
Beethoven was be the beginning. Beethoven the
end Such concerts have been given before-con-
certs planned in spirit Of devotion. carried out
reverentialv successfully. authortatively. Mr..
Psur saw fit to separate the two era-creating and
epoch-naking works by another of Richard
Strauss's compositions the third that has been in
iected into single season of eight concerts For
the second time 1t excerpt Of opera. the
significance of which granting what is claimed for
music of this class by its modern makers and ex-
pounders) depends upon its dramatc context ana
scenic furniture being presented, at least under
stood air from 'Guntram IN whlch the
hero apostrophizes and attempts a delineation OF
the blessings wrought by Peace for mankind In
the opera the air in scene copied after
the contest of minstrels in Wagners 'Tannhauser.
The meeting place is the court Of a tyrannical
monarch The knightly singers fiatter the tyrant
(as the minstrel WON'T and praise the glorious
estate into which he has raised himself by grind
ing the faces of the poor and trampling upon the
rights Of the humble Then Guntram arises and
presents his picture Of Peace and her benisons.
Strauss his poet. Pretty imagery inspired
his apostrophe literary expression is of that
strained distorted. repellant kind that has faunt-
ed itself for decades in the face of German poetry
and proud of being accepted bastard off
spring Of Wagner's muse. For twelve minutes the
song endures. and the judicious suffer The or
chestra stream which the words float is rich in
its polyphonic texture and golden in color. But.
alas! 1t Is this and nothing else from beginning to
end, No rhythmical variety. change of color.
development of theme. climax either spiritual
aterial Not one of the pictures fancied by the
poet moved him second to
The varying verse the full resounding line.
The long majestic march. and energy divine
All is smoothly flowing monotony. Strauss got
his hint OF the dramatic scene from '"Tannhauser.
but when he compose he turned to a later
drama and gave US a faccid. habby, Unconditional
copy of strains and harmonies from Tristan und
Isolde" The Germans have quotation from Goethe
which they in the habit of using in cases of
this kind it is ineegant but it is apt. and those
will pardon a reference it who failed to under
stand why Richard Strauss's operate maunderings
should. in defiance of sense and chronology. have
been associated with Beethoven's sublime sym
phonic utterances. Wagner's hawkings and ex-
pectorations have been successfully acquired by
Richard Strauss; and obviously they have been
made do service in "Guntram' But the people.
whom the great Richard always ready TO
appeal. would have OF the lesser Richards
opera "Guntram' a failure. and the critics
who have attempted defend II have been
apoIogsts and nothing else 1t easily be
imagined that under proper conditions the beautiful
music would compel admiration. but there ought to
have been presented something OF the militant brill
fancy OF the dramatic incidents which precede the
episode and a bit OF riot which follows. but
these things needful for the appreciation OF the
excerpt would only have emphasized the irrelevancy
Of such music in a concert OF the Philharmonic So
ciety.
This mood IS not congeniaI to a discussion or last
nights reading OF Beethoven's ninth symphony.
So heavy footed uninspIred. ineIastc, unpoetical.
unmeaning a performance as the first movement
received has not been heard here in twenty years
at least. The phrases heaved and lahored with
many weary step and many groan." when
they should have thundered impetuous in their
downward flight. Opening Allegro. the slow move
ment with the celestial variations and the orcnes-
trail exposition Of the choral theme were wofuly
dragged. The first movement was thirteen beats
the minute slower than the tempo which
Beethoven prescribed in the score. and reiterated in
a letter 20 Moscheles only seven days before his
death II Is pedantic OF course to appeal 10 metro
nomic marks but where license IS taken with the
known wishes of composer and traditional agree
ments they must justified by vital and beautiful
effects in the reading None OF Mr. Paur's predeces
sors as conductors of the Philharmonic Society was
conventional, but none weighted the work as he did
The choir composed Of members of the Rubinstein
and Apollo clubs made valiant attempt in the
choral finale and so did the solo singers-AIiss
Hike. Mrs. Black. Mr.. Hamlin (who also sang the
.'Cuntram" air. and Mr.. Bushnell-but the effect
was one Of struggle rather than achievement. II
is unhappy subject OF discussion under the cir
cumstances.