New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-11-15
MUSIC.
". COI0nne and the Philharmonic
Society.

experiment - importing conductors for the various
concerts vii bring about a revival OF interest IN
the noble old organization the part Of the public
and greatly enhance the artistic delights OF the
season The plan is a new one here. but familiar
enough I'M Euroqe. where the conductors who have
re-eF themselves out Of the rout and rabble or
mere faskmas,ers ana time besters have become
star performers. who go from capital capital
TIE purpose 81 giving excellence and eclat TO the
concerts 81 The local organizations. The custom
is old with the Philharmonic Society Of London
In the interval between the Consulship OK Hans
von BGCw. which ended IN 1883. and the coming
q Arthur N,kisch tn 1895 the Philharmonic con-
s,e-ts o. Berlin were conducted by fewer than
different cooductors-Hans Richter Raphael Mosz-
ksvsk. Felix MottL Hermann Levi Hans Won
FHoW Ernst Schuck. Richard Strauss Anton
Rubinstein ard Franz Mannstaedt This season
The Vienna Philharmonic concerts which have
suTsred trying Eicisstudes since the departure
from the Austrian capital Of Hans Richter will be
directed by schuch. % Dresden: Nikisch OF Leip-
sic Muck. q Berlin. ana Safonon. OF Moscow.
TIE last is also on the hist OF the New-York So
cietv. and il is an open secret that had the
ubiquitous NiksCh. now -he most popular con-
ductor Ia Europe. been able 70 steal a fortnight
from his regular duties in LeIpsic and Berlin he
toe. would have troubled the local pool with his
baton. The plan has been met with hippant filings
by some q the good people who talk necessarily
eboui a permanent orchestra. and conceive IL only
ns pedestal 70 the top q which they wish TO see
the other puny hero elevated: but Il seems
nevertheless 10 have the appreciation OF the Phil
harmonic Socety's pa irons who constitute the fine
flower 20 New-Yorks music loving community
TIE audiences on Friday and last night were more
numerous by Ear than any that have been in at
tendance on the Philharmonic concerts for several
wears and the keeuness OF attention ana alertness
O. appreciation which they displayed were alto
ge-her remarkable The plan does not seem fea-
shle as permanent feature Of the society's econ
ouy. and its results II persisted in for period
o. years, would not be beneficial the art
such reform OF the society as has been discussed
r. his journal and the engagement OF q mastery
conductor Ike any OF dozen men who might
easily be named; but IL has merits which should
rot be overlooked For one thing. il quickens TIE
interest q the players in the degree that it
GOES that Of the audience: il puts them their
rnettie- There was abundant evidence Of that fact
ir this first pair OF concerts
Never before Gid the veterans seem so eager II
their desire 70 meet the wishes OF their conductor
So plant 70 his viii. quickly and synpathetcany
responsive 70 his commands. The conductor was
y. Ed0uard Col0uue. Of Paris. a veteran himself
free from even the slightest tnge OF that affecta
ton which mars the efforts o. 50 many young con-
ductors. laudably and honorabIy ambitious to ad
vance musical taste and understanding. but eaten
Up with the Conceit that IL can be done only by
throwing al tradition 70 the winds and distorting
the verge q caricature every expression Of sim
pie. sufficient law born beauty. NJ Colonne IS
v1rie and imaginative lucid and respectful. au-
thoritstive and modest. There is a splendid store
OF nervous energy in his beat. which is distincts
commanding Er1EC. more SAC~00o-tA IA t-e-A
a7v OF his colleagues. who like him. are ample Of
form and free and eloquent Of gesture. he avoids
obtruding his personality between the listeners
and the music one cannot help following his
gestures. but each is 50 inevitably followed by the
musical effect which il aimed TO evoke that they
seem unconscious and utterly irreconcilabie with
the notion q pose NJ Colonne delights in vivid and
even --6 readings o. vivid and lurld things ana II
was for that reason doubtless that he chose Bern
cz's Fantastic" Symphony to mark the climax OF
- concert In this he led the orchestra into an orge
and riot Of sound. bUt every climax was SO logl-
calt7 developed that the thought Of eXtraFagaIlce
or nsrposed spectacuiarness never enter the mind
q The iu5lcious listener Many conductors nave
re--orrned this toual phantssulagorla IN the near
ing OF the writer of this review, but not one,
rot even Herr Mahler. with the superb PM
harmonic Orchestra Of Vienna. filed it with such
Glowing brilliant. pulsatIug life, such senuent
-- such aII--f-E rrtures Quesness. as n Col0nne-
The music is irritating 70 the sober judgment It's
finest utterances stand in such close alliance Win
rrar rlatftudes that Il IS all but Impossible even
while listening 10 that which II best II Il 70 AVOID
-t. 5.s-.-rrg thought that slight change in ex-
preston a rnomenJary 'nattention, a lapse INTO
-1-e1 c~uderess would reduce the whole elaborate
structure 70 hopeless commonplace. We have had
conductors enough who tried 10 bring out the
l-.frc,- ~ EerILoz's 0-chestration- the sensuoUs
.r---~ u his monumental combinations but We
have not mad many who could compel an audience
% realize those clements which the composer MN
s.lt believed 10 be the dominant qualities IN hls
sfonate expression. internal ire rhg thralc
.-.--a-.r- and t~exueCteG changes u Colorne
did tfe and dit IL not by j0stlirg the minds OF his
r-.re-s hither and thither. shocking the taste ana
seurH54-fng the senses by illogical unmotFeG ana
1aa-ic.aus shocks but by studied care OF sane
artistic device So Ear as any one can ne
creates -rnuat hetic appreciation Of Beriozs
-oa-frs1 IDEALS Those ideals were seldom loilys
f-- frequently vulgar and groveliing II vas
~r- trl eomurehension ano profound phllos-
--sv ~ tzoethes Faust" which Inspired the
l-,--.ts.., ,n,-rouv but the theatrical bestallty
Of -he scene on the broken. This We may say
WIKI .he work before vs.. backing the music
seatrst tho hysterical urotestauons In has Ne
r7of-s- at readings q that music such as NJ Co
I7--. has given Us compel recognition OF as much
sf-re-5-v As Perlioz's nature capable or. and
help Us 10 understand the appcslteness Of Helh7 :
rharac-erzstioa % the fantastic Frenchrnan's ml-
SIR as having fr il something prieval. i not ante
dluzlsu. as suggesting gigantic species Of extinct
animals fabulous empires fun OF fabulous sins and
heaped Gp inpussbiliJies-
TIE 'slnfone caurastiqge' was included IN "
roIo1ne's scheme tribute 20 the nundredth an
-lverzary OF Beriozs birth IT view Of tAis u is
Interesting 10 note how much the philharmonic So
cety has contributed 10 the popularity OF the com
p0sers works His name appeared on Phi-har-
monte Programme for tie first tine on March .,
-s6 The Rrrk being the overture Les Franc
Tugrs and the conductor A Boucher, himself q
F-enchuar Under carl Bcrgnanr, the overture
vas rereated iu 1Ss 1861. -s3. 1856 and $50, but
Fugularly enough no other conductor has paid
any attention The next work 70 receive al
teution was the overture 20 king Lear IN No
Fem1fr q 1876. It seens likely that u was Us
English sub ect which drew attention 70 IT, for the
CONDUCTOR was an Englishnan, George LodeT- u
was repeated twice by Theodore Eisteld- IN 1913
and ls5s once ty Carl BerEma-n- in 1870 and twice
by Theodore Thorl-s in 1879 and 1856 The overture
I.e Carnival Roman received its Hrst perform
auoe az the hands % the society on November 2
lsai under the direction Of Carl Bergman. Who
repeated l. IN 1ss 1876 and 1871 He was the most