The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-11-15
The PHILHARMONIC SOCIETY.
THE SIXTIETH SEASON BEGJN
WITH PROMISE.
First Public Rehearsal at Carnegie Hall
Walter DamrOscii Makes Ills bow rs
uctOr-NO> city by Noble Roman.


The sixty-first season Of the New York
Philharmonic Society has begun. II opened
with the first public rehearsal Yesterday
afternoon nj Carnegie Hall, and tonight
the first concert will take place. There
was time when a difference between the
rehedrsals and the concerts existed. but
now there il none whatever. except that the
former are given on the afternoons proceed
ing the latter. To have maintained itself
for sixty years a. "A concert orchestra de-
voted 10 the performance of good music il
10 have placed this community under n
debt of honest gratitude, and the Phil
harmonic Society has been made to realize
that the debt is not dishonored. Not only
has its sIbsc rption steadily increased in
recent years. but attempts 10 establish
other orchcstras have failed to win con-
tinued support.
The changes wrought. a. Carlyle puts il
"not by time. vet in time" have given the
society another conductor. Emil Paur,
who was the director last winter is now
distinguishing himself by welding baton
in London. His successor il Walter Dam
ro-ch. who thus comes 10 the dictatorship
Of an organization led for a single season by
his father Whatever other comments may
he made on the select ion Of Mr. Damrosch to
FIJI the most important musical post in this
city, 1t is emnently appropriate that a per-
manent resident e New York should be at
the head Of our only permanent musical
Institution. That the new conductor has
entered upon his task wi u "arne~tncs- and
ambition was abundau,ly demonstrated
yesterday, and hc was received by his audi
cnce with a warm welcome.
The programme ~ the concert consisted
o: TschlikowsSvs fifth symphony, the
air An irn"m Tag" from MdrSchner's opera.
Hans l"iliny," new symphonic prelude
in T. Hat hv RrNredo tactani and the fare
we'll of Woiap to BrGnnhRde from Wagncrs
Die Walhure." The solo singer was Anton
Van Roov of the opera. In almost every
respect the concert was highly cr"ditablc
to the organi2atio ion and it, new conductor.
Almost every season -"n- some changes
i'm the constitution of the band, but this
ono secs only few, These are among the
brass choir. which has been strengthened
especially in IN" horn department. Other
wise tho Philharmonic remains tho same,
and the familiar inequalities Of intonation
in the wOodNinds hav" rot been Smoothrd
cut. But there vas an abundance of spirit
in the performance If the ' minor sym
vhuuy OF the great Russian Possibly
there wa, too much q. times tor oCca ION
ally the tone sounded forced ana the storm
and stress appeared To exceed the limits
of art i-tic refinement. But II may be that
this i hyp"rCil'ici"m. u" performance
wa filed with 'autiiUl earnest ness. and
il had tina, indc-crilOhlc vitality which
communicate. itself Ia thr auditor and
opens To him tn" secrets OF composers
message.
Technically il was distinguished by the
splendid muscullrity Of the strings and
the careful attention 80 phrasing on the
part of the entire orchestra. Mir Dam
rosch had made "A point II balance in his
rrhcarsal~ and had examined with much
care the salient Ia --tgcS allotted to the
inner voices. Th"s" parts were brought
out with fin" Judgment and with eloquent
eject.
In all the ,utti Their" was clean prcci ION,
hut not always perfect unauimlty after
the attack. When playing alone the wood
winds Were faulty in attack several times
The orchestra a. a whole was particularly
flexible, and its nuancing was carefully
graded The volume and shorty of the
tone in forte passages "ere noble only
IN the loudc-t forti--mi did iudeucss de-
vc,op. Mr. pamrosch deserves only warm
prai~" for his thoroughly sNmpa, hetic read
INK Of the symonorv and "ongratulation
on the results which IA" accomplished with
the orch"-. IA.
Tho uuyrtv of the afternoon, the sym
phouic prelude IN + na', j. the work of Don
Roffrodu, tdr'ani, second son of the Duke
Of Scrmouc'a, Of Rome. II" is pupil
Of Scamta'i. The symphonic premd"
heard yesterday i, one Of n set Of five. II
has no tirl". and might We n prelude 10 any
thing, play, opera or poem. Whatever
was In the composer mind. il embraced
vast arnaS Of abv-mal gloom.
So dark and dismal composition has
not been heard in many moons l. might
bo n prelude to tie grrwSome Francesca"
of Gabrielle d Annuu2io, or almost to Ihsen'S
A Dolls House" II il written in free
form Instrumental after the pattern of
Wagner. ard aims at being no more than
n broad orcho -tral color scheme. II is
not a work Of deep significance, and its
advent on Philharmonic programme
AZ the outset of the season was probably
due rather to IN" Conscript fathers re-
Gently acquired habit of seeking new gods
than TO any celebrity Of its own.
Mr. Van Roov, the popular basso Of the
opera, returns from lis summer pilgrim
age 10 Munich and other shrines of the true
art in fine state Of prcservation. He sang
the Hans HeilinE" air some what angrily,
a. if he were not pleased with himself for
being 50 much in love with the girl; but his
Wotdn's farewell was given with beautiful
tenderness and admirable management
of the voice. The whole programme will
be repeated tonight