New-York tribune., 1903-03-26
MUSIC.
. 80 D
Il Composers Concert.

There were various features in the concert gwen
IN Carnegie Hall last night. but the one Wnch
singled it from the of such entertain
ments given in New-York this season was the oe
votton OF entire first part to the compositions oI
Louis Gaertner. To this IT owed the major
part OF it's audience. both in numbers and chaF-
acter and most of its interest. Miss Crossiey
sang. but her singing called for less comment tnail
her songs for her voice sounded veed. husky al
ways and unpleasantIy strained In the higher reg
ister But she had be listened to for the sake
OF her songs. which composed by MI Won
Gaertner. If wishes to know whether COM
poser is the bearer Of message he must ne
listened to. Mr.. Hochmann played Nszts piano
forte concerto in f fat, and the only feeling ie1t
on the part of the judicious. who not long ago
had gracious hopes for the future OF his talents.
when he got through. one Of regret tnat ne
had played at all The performance. Whlch pre-
sented the contours of the work drawn OF dots
and dashes thrown down with hystertcal haste ana
filled in with affected gestures and poses Was al
most as grotesque. 1t certainly was not Llszt
concerto. So that feature added nothing tn the
serious value OF the entertainment. Finally MT
BulIerjahn conducted the orchestra. which was
practically the band with which Hermann Hans
Wetzer has given some concerts more or less con-
sequential this But Mr.. Bullerjahns very
respectable capacities conductor have received
sufficient attention and cannot have irrtatsd the
curiosity special attention Of more than few
1t suices for the sake of the record that he con-
Quoted of Mr. Cdertners compositions. the
pianoforte concerto and Tschafkowsky's Pathetic
symphony.
What shall be said of the compositions Of the
concert giver? Perhaps the man is more interest
ing than his music. but he has not figured largely
in the public I'VE He the of a musician who
was distinctly and assertivey personality in the
musical life of Philadelphia two and more decades
ago. So far his activities nave come 10 noLce
during the last fifteen years they have betokened
n man of ideals which do not seem to have been
realized in his accomplishments thus far. Besides
three songs his offering last night consisted OF two
symphonic poems to which he has given titles,
Macbeth" and THE Gods of Greece" The first
had a private performance under the direction OF
Emil Paur last season and public one under Mr.
Wetzer this. Last night MIR. Won Gaertner con-
Quoted it, and succeeded in giving it much more
continuity and congruity than it had when MI
wetzler went maundering through its measures
months ago However great or small the
poetic. dramatic psychologist import or us
themes and their treatment. there were at least
moments III which the sweep of one OF its lyric
themes permitted one to take deep breath and
think with satisfaction. At least this sounds like
music. In this respect that Is In having d sus-
tained and tuneful lyric portion, it stood out IN
pleasant contrast Mr.. Gaertners later work
The most ingratiating portion was after ALL dis
turbed by the conviction that II was the result OF
constrained effort and thematc reflection MI
Won Coertner is a believer in programme music.
but it is easy establish connection between
his poetical scheme and its musical integument
In such cases verbal commentaries are not help
but a hindrance. A programme ought to stimu-
late the fancy. fire the imagination, open the
Intellectual and emotional faculties to the COM
poser's proclamation Then. so the music De goou'
tbe nrogramme and the music will be mutually
supplemental and the result admirable. But II
the mind having been invited, is kept on vain
search for the bonds OF relationship. the result Is
disastrous Then nothing is left except 10 listen
under constraint the music as music
nure and simple and frequently hear in 1t, as
was the case last night the more or less successful
more or less futile, manipulation OF themes whose
organic relationship and logical development es-
cape notice Mr.. Gaertner was honored by
o1asa attention and rewarded with enthusiastic