The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-03-11
THE SYMPHONY CONCERT
LAST PROGRAMME OF THE SEASON
GIVEN AT ENGLISH's.
OrcbcStra's Work and SoIoists
Keen Pleasure tn the
Large Audience.

BY applause. long continued and hearty.
the audience that filled EngIish's opera
House last night manifested its keen pleas
ure in the programme rendered by the In
dianapolis Symphony Orchestra. Beginning
with the sprightly Rosamunde overture by
Schubert and ending with the magnificent
funeral march by the same composer. it
contained also two of Richard Wagner's
most beautiful works-the Prayer of Eliza
beth and Dreams" The soloists were
Miss Elma Igelmann and Mr.. Hugh Nc
Gibeny. Karl Schneider was the conductor,
and his direction was admirable.
The Rosamunde overture, with which the
concert commenced, was known formerly
as the overture to alfonso and Estrella."
1t was first played when the opera Rosa
munde' was produced by Franz Schubert
in LeipsiC. The orchestration brings out
a tremendous volume of sound and illus
trates charmingly the effect of dialogue
music. The rendition of the overture by
the symphony Orchestra last night was
lawless.
Mr.. McGibeny's violin solo. the Second
Concerto" by Henri Wieniaswski, Opus %,
followed. The Second Concerto" was ded-
icated by the composer TO Sarasate and
thrills with gypsy spirit. Mr.. McGibeny's
rendition OF the concerto, while extremely
beautiful and effective, seemed perhaps to
expense of the spirit of the composition.
The romance is enchanting, and in the
last movement the composer writes "a la
Zingara.' In the last movement MIR. Nc
Gibeny's haste appeared to detract a triie
from the barbaric spirit of the movement.
but he produced "A tone of beauty and
volume. Responding to an encore Mr.. Nc
Gibeny played the "Sextet" from Lucia"
The violin he used did not permit of his
doing justice 10 himself in point of vol
ume of tone and marred a performance
otherwise creditable.
SCHUMANN OVERTURE.
The Schumann overture. Opus 81. which
followed, was rendered by the orchestra
in a manner that preserved its romantic
fire and chivalric sentiment. The compost
ton pictures knightly devotion to women,
and recalls Cherubini and Weber. The
second movement is rather grim and ex-
ceedingly difficult to render with accuracy.
In the movement the orchestra was, per-
haps. not UP to the standard il set for
itself in the overture and the finale. The
finale, which opens in fugal style, closes
with a tender little love theme. and brings
the whole s~ymphOny-which the compost
ton really is-to a brilliant conclusion.
Miss Elma lgelmann's soprano solo.
EiI5aPeth Prayer" from the third act
with the exception of one number on the
programme, Dreams the most pleasur-
able part of the concert. Miss Igelmann
bad had but little time to devote to the
song, and had practiced but once with
the orchestra The song pictures the sad
ness of Elizabeth when, after scanning
in vain the ranks of the pilgrims returned
from Rome, she fails to find her lover
among them. Feeling that her heart was
breaking she makes the famous prayer.
Miss lgelmann sang with deep religious
feeling and purity of tone. She rendered
the song in true Wagnerian style, and her
art was thoroughly appreciated by her
audience. The accompaniment lay entirely
with the wood winds. She received numer-
Gus encores.
The composition which was received with
the most delight, perhaps, was Richard
Wagner's Dreams" one of the group of
songs that he wrote as preparatory studies
TO the opera of Tristan and Isolde" The
orchestratiOn is by Svendson. 1t would
be quite impossible to describe the weird
ness of the song. Its haunting mystery
lies quite beyond the power of any form
OF expression. The dissonances which re-
solve themselves assist in the odd charm
of the work. The rendition by the orches-
ira last night was true and satisfactory.
The applause which followed the conclusion
of the number was unstinted. Conductor
Schneider responded to the call by repro
ducing the first part of the song.
Schubert's funeral march in E fiat minor.
orchestrated by his great admirer, List,
closed the programme. Its rendition was
no less Dleasurable than that of the pre-
ceding numbers.
1t is very greatly to be hoped that the
somewhat significant arrangement of the
numbers in last night programme will
rot prove prophetic of the indianapolis
Symphony Orchestra itself. Beginning with
"A composition of brightness, the programme.
passed to prayer, dreams, and finally to
the solemn Schuber funeral march. 1t
would, indeed, be regretable if the funeral
march which terminated the programme
last night were to mark the passing of the
orchestra.