New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-12-03
MUSIC.
The Philharmonic Society.

Inc punhc rehearsal preparatory to the second
concert OF the Philharmonic Society, which Is set
DOWN Tor this evening took place in Carnegie Hall
yesterday afternoon 1t brought back NJ. Colonne.
VINO was the first of the visiting conductors from
abroad last year. and he met with a hearty well
come 1t brought back also Anton Hekking. the
NlolonceIo virtuOsO, who in years agone vas as
ISOLATED with the finest musical eEdeavors Of Bos
ton and New-York: and it brought back a sym
phony which had long ago taken its place in the
limbo of forgotten things. This symphony
was the second composed by Saint-Saens. which
DR. Damrosch brought forward Immediately
after it's publication. when such competition for
the production OF novelties by the European mas
ters of composition as has never been heard OF
since existed between Or. Damrosch and Theodore
Thomas. 1t the only unfamiliar piece of music
on the programme. Mr. Hekking played d Alberts
concerto in c. which Hugo Becker played three
seasons ago. within few months after the ink OF
the dedication to him had dried upon the score
The other numbers were BeethOveus overture to
"Coriolan." three movements from Charpentiers
Impressions d'Italie (which Mr.. Seidl brought out
first at popular concert and which has since had
a place on the schemes Of the Philharmonic Society
and the Boston Symphony Orchestral. and the
Bacchanale from Wagner's 'Tannhauser."
This programme cannot be said to have had Phil
harmonic Society proportions. NJ Saint-Saenss
symphony is wlnsome. but small. fun of dainty
concets deliciously expressed. fresh as a May
morning making parade of learned devices, yet
full of them ingeniOusly applied, but, coming after
BeethOvens stupendous overture. it seemed a child
playing about the feet Of a giant NJ Colonne
made much out of 1t and brought out many
of its charms. These charms. however. TO
make their full effect. need a different en-
vironment-a small room, a small orchestra OF
vrtuOsi, instruments pure and brilliant In tone,
intimacy between players and listeners Ike
that which existed in the heyday of chamber
music. The effect yesterday. though enjoyable,
too much like a Vatican picture put on a
large wall in distemper. Mr. Becker could not
make the DAlbert concerto either pleasurable OF
interesting and neither did Mr.. Hekking, with all
the brilliant tone which he produced so easily.
Long stretches Of arpeggios on the cello as an
harmonic foundation for utterances not always
true in pitch from the solo instruments In the
orchestra are not edifying. They are too sug-
gestive of the commonplace work of a sawyer
The composition is unqualifedly dry and even MI
Hekking's skill could not infuse it with warmth IN
any of it's parts.
After the intermissiOn the music was NlNlu anu
stirring I'm the extreme. Charpentiers tonal pct
ures now Ianguorous. pulsing with PASSION
glowed with Color ana the BaCchanaie was
gorgeous in it's climax and m1rvellousy tender az
it's close In the second of Charpentier's ltahan
Impressions as given C'The MulepackD, viola
solo PLAYED by Mr. Kovarik, aroused the en-
tbusiasm not only of the audience, but ais" Of the
conductor and NJ COlonne left his stand t" greet
the voung musician when he returned to his seat
in the orchestra the solo having been played De-
hind the scenes