The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-10-31
AUSIC'S REIGN is HERE,
HERMAN HANS WE7ZLERS FIRST
ORCHESTRAL CONCERT.
jacques Thibsud. = Young Freneh Vieaiaist.
Makes His First Appearance IN America
MI. Wetzler Does Beeth0vea's seventh
Syinph0ay and Liszt's "Mazeppa."


Mr. .Wetzier Does BeethOvea's seventh
SyinJpheay and Liszt's "Mazeppa."
Herman Hans Wetzler. young man
who cherishes high and beautiful am
bition to be accepted in this somewhat
callous town as a conductor Of orchestras,
gave the first Of series of five concerts
at Carnegie Hall last night in the presence
of an ndulgent and speculative audience.
MIR. Wetzler's desire TO re mistaken for
conductor il as sincere as it is amiable
and should be viewed with as much con-
sideration as he himtef shows for the
public.
The programme which he offered last
night consisted of BeethOvens Seventh
symphony, Mozart's concerto in E fat
for violin-not concerto for violin in fiat,
as the house bill said. BECAUSE there is not
any such thing ss violin in f flat-Liszt's
symphonic poem, -Mazeppa," and Saint
Saens's violin concerto.
The sole performer in the two concertos
was jacques TMbaud, q young French
violinist, WHO made his FIRST appearance In
America. II will bs seen that on the whole
it was young gentlemen's evening, and If
there was certain air Of Juvenility about
the entire proceedings, it was by no means
Inappropriate.
Vioinists may come and violinists may
60. but MIR. WetzLer goes on forever, or
thereabouts. Accordingly let him have
precedence in the review. He very properly
placed the symphony at the beginning of
the programme. 1t Ia a pity that he did
not present his audience with profounder
reading and smoother performance.
The seventh symphony is a very well
known work. and 1t would be strange indeed
II even MIR. Wetzler were to accomplish
anything revolutionary in it's direction.
But he might at least have published more
eloquently it's magnifcently virile spirit.
The first movement went along as COM
fortably as an infants carriage in the
borough Of homes. The slow movement
was all distorted by i'll distributed dynam!cs
and by q pitiable lack Of balance among
the voices of the orchestra.
The soherzo is marked presto Mr.;
WetzleT took 1t as presto as possible and
then little more presto. Muddled indeed
was the beginning of the principal theme
at each repetition because the conductor
did not seem to have in stock an ineligible
up beat. His orchestra had been well
rehearsed and it guessed we'll, but this one
in the trio was sadly incorrect at times and
the middle voices did not bring out the
contrast which Beethoven designed for
them.
THIS final movement the conductor started
In a heavy and exaggerated style, solely
for the purpose, as 1t siterward appeared,
at the finish. The general result brought
swiftly to mind Harnlet's exclamation
Thus bad begins. but worse remains be-
hind"
The Liszt symphonic poem is not heard
often. 1t can be spared. When the Able
essayed to be Tartar Of the Ukraine
Breed" he was not really very terrible
To be sure, he did justify in the opening
measures his notoriety as the Richard
Strauss of his time. but he had not the
courage Of his convictions. He dared not
to write as ugly as he could.
In the end he stole the trumpet theme
from Also Sprach Zarathustra" and
worked it up into a regular ,Lszt piano
concerto march. with heavy leanings to-
ward Wagner and the Kaiser. In this
work, which Ir. Wetzler apparently knew
almost by memory, If not by heart, the
young conductor was h,appier. than DO was
do was 70 make oabalistic signs With his
baton and the orchestra galloped over
the rough country with as much clatter
as the fiery, untamed steed" Of Ada Isaacs
Menken.
Mr.. Thibaud made an agreeable impress
sion but II is not likely that he disturbed
the equanimity Of old concert goers He
has a most excellent tone, albeit its quality
ia unique in its readiness This is probably
owing to the instrument on which he plays.
He certainly brings out the tone quality
with fulness and beautiful snoothness.
His mastery of the finger board Is large.
His stopping il clean and accurate. He
seldom played u note out Of tune last night.
His bowling Is elegant and instinct with
graceful vivacity. HiSspiccato IL rs clear
as crystal and his staccato as crisp as the
sparkle OF frosty morning, His andnnte
il fluent, pretty in nuance and delicate IN
character.
But there is nothing Of breadth in the
style az revealed last evening The Mozart
concerto was sadly deficient in repose and
simplicity. There was too much dainty
drawing room brilliancy in the rapid pass
ages and an Overpus Of sentmentaliZipg
in the slow movement. IL wns natural
to expect after hearing this performance
that the young man would be more at home
in the Saint-Sgans number,
He was: but even here he fell short Of
the breadth of st yle possible III the opening
theme and Of the poetry attainable in the
second melody Of the first movement
In short Mr. Thibaud if "A charming per-
former Of the salon variety, who does every
thing with politeness and gentiiity, but
nothing with passion or pGissanoc, Future
performaGces may disclose powers not IN
evidence last night; but MS to this there IL
lar. fnF