The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-11-22
IonaI Corresnondence of the JournaI.


snare for popular success-the excitation
and satisfaction Of public curiosity-could
be laid than that OF the Philharmonic So
ciety for this. its sixty-second season. In
stead OF employing one conductor for the
year, or for a series Of years. the society
engaged. last summer, seven, representing
four nationalities, for this winters course
Of concerts. The reason for this sensa-
tional enterprise was that the society had
been losing prestige. and its wealthy sup
porters consented to make possible an
precedented effort to gain an eminent sta
tion in the peoples favor. The result, so
far can be judged by the first concert.
will be what was expected. Edouard
Colonne. of Paris. came last week. fulfilled
his contract and Immediately returned. He
will be followed, at stated intervals, by
Gustav Kogel. Of Frankfort; Henry ].
Wood. Of London; Victor Herbert OF Pitts
burg: Felix Welngartner. of Munich; Wasili
Won Safonof, of Moscow. and Richard
Strauss, OF Berlin.
The Philharmonic is by far the largest
orchestra in the country, and the audience
that filed the great spaces of Carnegie
Hall on the occasion OF NJ Colonies APP
pearance saw the stage occupied by a
battery of doublebasses extended across
the rear wall. and there was file of four
teen violoncellos in front of the conductors
desk The other chorus were of proper
tionate size and the sound of the full or
chestra in the "Fantastique" symphony of
Berlioz was thunderous. That imposing
composition. which has five movements and
requires an hour for performance. was the
DrlQcinal feature q he arf1f rfl "
as a celebration of the centenary of Ber-
lioz. which falls in December, and partly
as the best opportunity for displaying the
powers of NJ Colonne. He proved vigor-
ousIy commanding leader. and the orchestra
swept along with force and al gait that
must have startled some of the veterans.
ending in a crash of drums, brass, reeds and
strings that shook the place.
The "Fantastique" is the first part of a
work entitled by Berlioz IAN Episode in
the Life of an Artist" Love of a woman
springing up at the moment of his first
seeing her. inspires in the hero a melody
that is to haunt him TO the end 1t is with
him at a ball and follows him in stroll
through the fields. where he is elated by
the sunshine only to be cast down by
storm. Convinced that his love never will
be returned. he seeks consolation in opium
which produces not death, but a horrible
dream, picturing him as the murderer of
the woman. Condemned to death. he is
marched to the scaffold. accompanied by
the chanting of the Dies Irae. The old
melody srecurs and is interrupted by the
fall of the guillotine's knife. The artist
now lies among the fiends OF hell. who re-
5oice at the arrival of a murderer. Even
they dance to the melody, and to complete
the foul festival the woman is given to the
demoniacal herd. The climax is traves-
ty of the solemn Dies Irae.
Berlioz. IL seems, had the modern ideal
ct present conspicuously championed by
Richard Strauss. But music is not and.
mercifully, never can be drama. True
to the synopsis, the symphony conveys a
frenzied sense in compound of noisy har-
monies. and when it is all over slight cause
for the immense trouble is apparent. The
programme was begun with Bizet's PA
trie' overture. to which the composer of
Carmen" was inspired by his country's
troubles and the request of Nj. Pasdeloup.
a rival of NJ. Colonne. for something from
his pen. Another French contribution was
Lalos NJ. major concerto for violin. In
which the soloist was Jacques Thibaud,
whose rescue from the Latin Quarter of
Paris is romanticaly credited to M. Co
Tonne. IL was no situation in which TO en-
joy the delicate beauty of tone produced by
NJ. Thibaud: and comment on the concert
may be concluded with the assertion that
the high purpose should be better served
If the orchestra were reduced a fourth.
played every week or two the great, sim
pie music that makes no claim TO else than
beauty, and had one sound conductor stead
lily. 1t is no wonder that the Boston SYM
phony Orchestra is pre-eminent here.
Xxx
Many members OF the host of young
musicians laboriously preparing to try their
fortune ore urged on by the sight of such
rewards as that visible at Carnegie Hall
on Tuesday afternoon, when Nine. Sembrich
gave her customary annual recital. The
prices were high, but The immense hall was
none to large for the number that wished
to hear, in a programme of songs, Nine.
Sembrich's clear. fluent voice, directed by
her great executive ability and diverse
charms One of the most interesting an
nouncements in regard to Mr.. Conried' s
administration OF the opera is that Nine.
Sembrich is to be heard In several of what
are called dramatic" roles: that is, re-
quiring strenuous behavior and powerful
volcal delivery of the lines set to music.
Hitherto. she has been known as colora-
tura soprano devoted TO melody. Her dis
closure as Brunnhilde. for instance. will
be an event of great Importance, one way
or another, TO the admirers and advocates
OF Richard Wagner's notions.
XXX
The "Parsifar' controversy continues I'M
abated, though the suit for injunction has
not come to trial Several Christian minis
tiers have protested publicly against what
they call the sacrilege of producing the
music-drama on a commercial stage such
as that OF the Metropolitan Opera House.
In the meantime. the sale of seats is
spurred by the gratuitous advertising, and
1t is predicted that the Metropolitan will
be crowded at every performance of wag-
ner's last work. The impeachment TO the
argument OF the opposition Is that the
ministers aforesaid do not seem to know
whereof they speak and suffer from the
delusion that Christ is impersonated in the
action OF the opera.
II is 10 be feared that the clergy are not
so well versed in Magnetism as they should
be. And Wagner was one OF the greatest