The Washington times., 1903-01-07

along the shore OF the gulf and found
marks varying and highly colored SAX
untala" overture Then came the ia
mi!iar Rubiustein concerto in D minor
for piano and orchestra. with Mr.. Ga
briIowitsch as the soIoist; two excerpts
from an unpublished suite in E fat BY
Conductor De Koven. four piano solos by
Mr. GabriIowitsch, and the weH-known
first symphony Of Schumann. This prov
ed to be too generous an offering The
audience was kept in the thsater until
about $50 O'Clock, and was manifestly
FESTIVE during the performance of the
schumann number. But no part of It
was sighted, the concert maintained
consistently d standard Of high excel
lence. and those who remained for the
last number we're amply rewarded,
Reference has been made to marked
Improvement IN the work of the Orches-
ira This was most manifest. Even the
horns. which have heretofore been DIS
cordant and untuneful. blended agree
ably with the strings and wood wind, so
that in the Schumann symphony the Ell
feet was as rich and warm as could be
desired. As with most bodies Of this
character. nervousness interferes with
the first offering. but yesterday this was
much less noticeable than in the other
| concerts of the symphony, and 1t entire
" disappeared before the GoIdmark
number was finished. The chief element
Of improvement. however, lay in q great
| er freedom OF movement. a fuller conf
dence. a marked force of attack. and that
unity Of tone and time which are even
the results solely Of careful. patient. and
capable training by the director For all
this. especially FOR the bright prospect
/ il discIoses. the community is in debt to
Mr. De Boven-
The readings we're consistently aca-
demic. Mr.. De Koven has so often and
so clearly expressed the purpose OF the
orchestra as an effort at the adequate
performance Of the great works Of classic
composers that this should occasion no
surprise L should be unnecessary to
say. moreover. that this purpose is sup
ported by every consideration Of musical
knowledge and sound sense. Schumann's
Symphony Is never SO great as when
interpreted exactly as that composer in
tended, and this is the case with nearly
every similar work Of art. The result
was yesterday, and viii always be while
this purpose is followed. an education
for musicians and hearers alike OF the
orchestral offerings only one-the De
Koven compositions from the suite in r
here. The first was an andante, the sec
ond a Dance of the Gnomes." Both were
entirely Standardization. graceful,
meIodic, rather elementary in scope and
superlativeIy rich in orchestration. The
dance was decidedly reminiscent Of the
familiar movement in the Peer Gynt
suite Of Grieg, but this is neither sus-
picious nor unfortunate. The two WORKS
we're heartily received, as they deserved
to be, and the composer divided the hon
ors Of the afternoon fairly with Mr.
GabriIowitsch.
Pianists w5o perform in America
these days are judged by a rigid stand
ard, and the most pronounced capabiIity
and technical excellence must be united
with the most musicianIy temperament.
The em!nence OF Mr. Hamburg and
Mr.. Gabrilowitsch is thus an assurance
| OF their excellence as performers But
the cIearness Of execution, the accuracy.
control and sweetness Of expression
manifested by Mr. GabriIowitsch yester-
day must have surprised almost as fully
as they gave pleasure The soIoist lack
ed the overwhelming power of Mr..
Hamburg. no doubt. but more than
atoned for that deficiency in tempera-
ment and sympathy. His selections, in
spite Of their popular nature. were
altogether excellent, and his encore
number. the universally favored Chopin
waltz in C-sharp minor. was most ap-
propriate to the performer talents. The
other selections were Chopins prelude
in d fiat sometimes called the Rain
drop PTeludeD, Henselt's Isl oiseau
Jetais" and the March MlIitaire," n
Schubert. arranged for the piano by
! Taussig.
As a whole the concert was. therefore.
a noteworthy success. II is chiefly 10
be remarked here. however. for the
promise it holds out. If the orchestra
can only continue the advancement re-
corded yesterday afternoon, Washing
toms Symphony will soon rank with the
best orchestras in the United States
A. D. A.
BIG NEW YORKER DEAD.