The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-12-20
The PHILHARMONIC SOCIETY.
THE THIRD PlBLIC REHEARSAL
YESTERDAY AFTERNOON.
Berlioz, brahms. saint-saens and wagner
Make the Programme PuEno
plays the French Composers Minor
(OnccrtO-The Melodies Of brahms.

There was an air of triumphant glee in
the attack of the Philharmonic fathers
Yesterday. When they smote their harps
in the opening overture Of the third public
rehearsal al Carnegie Hail. they did 1t with
"a Joyous sweep and for an inst ant it seemed
a. II the Philharmonic Society of New York,
now in its sixty-frSt season, had renewed
it, youth. Doubtless the most potent,
grave and re, erend" seniors of our musical
fraternity We're moved 10y the happy thought
that they had squelched the permanent
orchestra scheme for at least four more
wears. They were n glad as LOT OF Wash
irgton osiceholdnrs over the rejection
of President
But all this Is aside from the proceedings
Of the rehearsal. The programme made
for this occasion by Walter Damrosch, the
conductor tbv and with the consent of tho
senate. consisted OF Bsrloz's "Bsnvenu'o
Cellini" overture, Brahms's second SYM
phony. Saint ->a'nss G minor concerto
for piano and orchestra and the familiar
concert arrangement OF the prelude and
finale Of Wagner's Tristan und Isolde.
The solo performer was Raoul Pugno. the
French pianist.
- programme Oh nl'lSlC Windy rtie''c'
from the works of romantic composers is
not a. likely 10 fall into monotony IA might
he thought without examination. There
il vast difference between the styles OF
Rerloz and Brahms, Saint SAens and
Wagner. Over a reflective after-concert
cigar the studous lover Of music. who seeks
for its n,imares and its humanity rather
than for its pretentious eNternals, could
not we'll avoid the conclusion that the
Brahms symphony stood out among yes
terday'S music like the keystone of an arch.
Let this not hurt the sensibilities Of the
Wagnerites. to whom the name of Brahms
* a. aloes upon the tongue To enjoy
thoroughly the tristan" music in concert
form one must recall the theatre and the
action. This j. imposing upon The listener
a task which takes him beyond the music,
hut to listen to the Brahms SYMPHONY one
needs no aid The n usic speaks for itself.
IL is an old story, this Brahms story
and the wonder of it is that so many peo-
pie can consent to tell IL over and over again
and 80 try to throw dust into their own
eyes. Brahms is so dry; Brahms is SO
scholastic Brahms is 40 austere in style;
Brahms haS so little melody: Brahms does
not write well for orchestra These things
have become formula for people who love
preCept DETER IMAM example
How can they say that Brahms u dry in
the presence of that luscious, second sym
phony? How can they say that he is scho-
las'ic when You have to dig the scholar
ship out Of the score? You hardly notice
il when YOU simply listen TO the neditative
strains of he first movement and let your
soul drift away on the sea of melody, melody
that il a. simple and Unaffected as II II
had proceeded from the pen Of Mendelssohn
himself
Austere in style? Why. this symphony
from beginning to end fairly bubbles with
sweetness, while the -cherzo and the last
movement are trimming with glee and
spirit As for orchestration, ther' let
u grant that Brahms is not model, yet
how would a different style suit his ideas
Would the garlsh, scintillant, shining veneer
of Rrloz he better for him, or should
Wagner? The same thought has occurred
TO some listeners to Beethoven; but let
some one try the experiment of reorches-
trating the seventh symphony and see
how much OF the essential Beethoven he
vii rave left when he is through.
TIu fathers played The symphony we'll
that H.. for them There il no Use Of dis
gusing the fact that there are some pretty
poor instruments in the Philharmonic. and
richness Of tone cannot be expected as
long as they remain there. IL the fathers
intend TO take the place OF a permanent
orchestra III this town. they will do well
u get RI II certail cheap fiddles and cer-
tain inferior wood winds, together with
the performers who cannot play the latter
in tune Some have been retired but
more must go If money is to be spent
on the Philharmonic. there must be
an equitable return The Philharmonic
strings can be improved, though they. are
the best part 81 the orchestra now, except,
perhaps, the trombones
Then let il be recorded that the SYM
phony was Philharmonically well played
So was the Berlioz overture, which had
dash and power in the tutti. The wood
wind passages were vinegary as usual
The Wagner excerpt went very tamely,
indeed, except in the climax Of the finale,
where the tone was equal to the needs Of
the music.
II is about time that Mr.. Saint -Saens's
G minor concerto, with its ecclesiastic
prediction in the first movement OF a jig
realized in the last was laid up for repairs
Except in the second half Of the first move
ment il is mighty poor stuff. II is Difficult.
10 understand why so many pianists like IL.
None OF them ever made a public success
with it, Even Mr. Pugno did not yesterday,
though he played it with evident Affection
He was called out several times, hut that
plainly meant that the audience was trying
for an encore. He was too warm To give
one. but there ought To he a rule compelling
Philharmonic soloists to give the encore on
the first call. II would save time and
gloves.