The sun., 1903-11-14
THE PHILHARMONIC SOCIETY.
FIRST APPEARANCE OF NJ. COL
ONNE, THE CONDUCTOR.
How They Construe the Meanins OF hseh
at tho Concerts du Chatelet-BerliOzs
symphonic Fantastique" Vigorous
Read-Thibaud Plays the LaiO Concerto

"symphonie Fantastique' Vigorous
Read--Thibaud Plays the Laio Concerto
The first public rehearsal OF the sixty
second season Of the Philharmonic Society
OF New York took place yesterday after
noon at Carnegie Hall The programme con-
sisted OF Bizet's "Patrfe" overture, two
movements of Bach's suite in d major,
Lalo's violin concerto, and Berlioz's Sym
phonie Fantastique" The solo performer
was jacques Thbaud, the young violinist
who recently made his debut at one of MIR.
Wetxlar's concerts and the conductor was
Edouard Colonne OF Paris
It becomes necessary to name the con-
ductor at each Of the Philharmonic concerts
Of the current season, for this is the era
of the star conductor. Time beaters and
interpreters will come and disclose their
methods, and then they will depart The
Philharmonic Society will remain. Thus
do we make history. Such a concert as
that of yes erday was, to say the least, con-
fusing TO the mind What attitude was the
hearer to take?
Was he to attend solely to the interpre-
tations OF NJ. Colonne? If so, how was
he to measure them in unfamiliar works,
such as the overture and the concerto,
which are practically unknown to local
audiencesf Or was he to, consider the
ways of the masters Of French music and
be wisei Or, again, should he elect to lay
his alteration at the feet of the long-haired
youth with the vioin2 Truly 1t was
trying time. How happy could one have
been with either had the other charmer
been away?
But, after all let us take the concert as
the conscript fathers offered it to us, We
were first OF all invited to go out to see
baton shaken by a visiting conductor.
Let 1t be said at once and without hesita-
tion that the excellent NJ. Colonne. who
most agreeable impression: Some amia,,
ble ladies, leaving the hall. were heard
to exolaim, -Marvellousl' Possibly it
seemed marvellous to them to hear the
ancients and honorables of orchestral art
pla ying with precision, unanimity and
well graduated dynamics; but, after all,
1t only went to show that they, could be
made to do it by an experienced routinier.
with a firm purpose and a well defined
beat.
Quoting OF N. colonne He is clear
thinker, and, in the familiar language Of
orchestral players. she knows what he
wants. That. is, perhaps. the highest
tribute an orchestral performer ever pays
= conductor. 1t means much to him; 1t
signifies that the conductor has made
clear analysis Of the score to be performed,
that he has decided to make ritardando
here, a dipinuendo there, to bring up the
middle voices to the surface in this place,
and to subdue the leading theme in that
He has we'll defined ideas AS to the phras-
ing the nuancing and the tempt. With
all these ideas he makes his orchestra fully
acquainted. and then he directs the per-
formance with a beat which cannot be
misunderstood and with reminders un-
nistakable as to the means Of expression
That is the kind Of conductor M. Colonne
Is. He is one of the most graphic directors
seen here in years. His beat is not con-
fined to the rhythm. He beats notesat times.
He writes phrase upon the air. With
some men such process would look af-
fected, and might even savor of claptrap.
1t makes no such effect with the good NJ:
Colonne. His prosao appearance and
possibility Of It. Yet he is not above the
virtuoso conductor s tricks Of effect. Which
Of them is? Is it the composer who is to
be exploited, or the conception Of the COM
poser by the conductor IN In these eye days
ductor is star such is bound to be the
case For what else is he there?
M. Colonne did not shrink from parade
OF Sebastian Bach la Paris. The transla-
tion of the inefably beautiful air of the d
overcame the FACILITATING matinee audience.
Never before had the ladies discerned the
eternal feminine in Bach. When it came,
with skirt in finger tips, nincing into their
presence to the soft. lascivious signing of
Whispering violins, they went into raptures
OF speech and ruptures OF glove seams.
The second strain OF the air NJ. Colonne
played piano and diminuendo the first time,
and the second time concluded II with
cr'escendo and ritardando which sent
cadencing of j. Fred Wolfe OF Bethlehem,
Pa. II was not difficult effect to get, and
1t worked. Bach got an encore, bless him!
M. Colonne secured it for him, and he did
Il by incorporating him, by colonizing
him in Paris, as it were. And so wags the
world away.
In the "Patrie" overture the visiting con-
ductor offered for our consideration
composition which will, in all probability,
not be found frequently on local pro-
BY Blzet with the memory Of the Franco.
Prussian War in his mind and he attempted
to express 1t in the militant courage as well
as the euferings OF his countrymen. 1t
which Ii its chief material, and it has
secondary idea Of melancholy nature
It cannot be sold that 1t Is work OF force,
although 1t revels in technical energy. 1t
presses and pushes constantly, but 1t never
arrives. 1t sounds much and says little
II 10 finely scored, and might serve well as
a study in orchestration to be used In con-
servatory classes. The library Of a, con.
eervatory, in short, ls about where II should
rest. NJ. Colonne is patriotic, indeed, and
the memory OF Bizet deserves to be honored.
But even Calve as Carmen is better than
sPatrie."
The Ialo concerto need not detain us long.
II is a work of slight figure, Of elegant idiom,
and Of pretty conceit. II fits the delecta BILE
NJ. Thibaud exquisitely. He has oil the
dash, the airy grace, the captivating
polish, the swallow-like swiftness OF
execution to perform such composition
enchantingly. But the thing is only
subimated commonplace. 1t Is a web
Of polite platitudes. 1t has the scent Of
the boudoir rather than of the banquet hall.
It is all flowers and perfumes. NJ, Thibaud
was thoroughly at home in it. For an
encore he played the violin solo from Saint
Sasns's lie D6luge," which he did to per-
fection
NJ Colonne concluded the proceedings
OF the afternoon with the Berlioa sym
phony which the programme said was a
reminder Of the recent Berlioz centenary
In Paris. All, well, most Of us have heard
the symphony before. Even Mr. Wetzler
has expounded it to US. But he is a young
thing and timid about typmani and tubas.
NJ Colonne is no longer afeard. He hurls
his creecendi and his sforzandi out with
all the strength of man who has tried
tharn oft md knpue how much