Evening star., 1902-01-23
ANU SEMENTS.

Victor Herbert and his Pittsburg orchestra
made their third appearance in Washington
Yesterday afternoon at the Columbia Thea
ter They were accompanied by Miss Carrie
BrideweII of the Metropolitan Grand Opera
Company, who was very we'll received
They rendered a program Of Tschaikowskis 8
Pathetic Symphony and three Wagner
numbers, and they retired with the hearth
est approval of large and representative
audience. The concert was complete sue
cess and promises extremely we'll for the
second appearance of the orchestra In
March.
The audience filled the theater and was
most enthusiastic 1t was seated in such
good time that the faintest strains of the
Introduction to the symphony were heard
in the last row of seats. The applause was
general until the close Of the concert, when
the inspiriting and uplifting hymn of faith
from 'Tannhauser," the climax of the re-
cital, was permitted to pass with hardly
more than an acknowledgment of hand
clapping. But the judgment with which
the houseful greeted the four movements
of the Tschaikowski number and the spon-
taneous enthusiasm which the forest music
from "Siegfried'' excited indicated a more
general musical understanding than is
usual in Washington any other city
where music has become thing of fashion.
The work of the orchestra has excited a
great deal Of discussion here. Last year
it's performances were of very high grade,
and city compelled to forego the offerings
of the Boston and Chicago organizations
felt almost compensated by the two con-
certs Of the Pittsburg musicians. But Con-
ductor Herbert and his men have not been
idle meanwhile. The standard of their mu-
scal offerings has been noticeably raised.
Nothing more delicate or interpretative
could have been desired than yesterday
afternoons performance of the prelude
from 'Lohengrin'' and the Waldweben
from 'Siegfried." Both selections-the lat
tav- haty nrynf tl,ae Z,
opera-require most sensitive pianissimo,
and consequently test the ability of the best
orchestras. But Conductor Herbert's men
met that requirement confidently and
aroused the Wagner enthusiasts in the au-
dience-who fortunately constituted almost
the entire attendance-to an outburst of
applause.
From the comment heard at the close of
the concert it was the Pathetic Symphony,
however, which excited the greatest inter-
est. The work has been often included in
Boston Symphony concerts and was fairly
we'll known to many In yesterdays audi
ence. Its demands are manifold. It must
be performed delicately, with intermittent
bursts of spirit, with the utmost evenness
and with deep understanding of all the
unrest, distrust and uncertainty which
Tschaikowski and many others have re-
garded as characteristic of the age. In all
this the Herbert orchestra generally sue
ceeded. The adaglo movement with which
the work begins was marvelously impress
Sise. lhc SuCCeeulIS dHeSTO movements
took on much color and richness, although
the score, especially in the allegro con
grazio, possibly lacks both qualities. And
finally the adagio lamentoso with which
the work ends sank away in a spirit Of mel
ancholy and depression which enfolded the
entire audience. 1t was an admirable and
impressive Interpretation Of a remarkable
work. 1t might have been more effective,
however had one of the briefer Wagner
numbers been used as the initial work of
the program.
Miss Bridewell sang four numbers-the
aria from Samson and Delilah'' and three
songs In German. The first conveyed
sense of nasal tones, but was nevertheless
heartily approved by the contraIto's hear
ers. German seemed very much better
language for her voice. But Miss Bridewell
was most effective when, responding to an
insistent encore, she seated herself infor-
mally at the piano and sang Rogers 1.-THE
Sweetest Flower That Grows" The song
is unpretentious. but it was heard with the
most tense delight. After that, II the audi
ence could have had its way, all four of
Miss Bridewelrs numbers would have been
in English.