New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-03-05
MUSIC.
The Philharmonic SOciety.

Inc Judgment which prompted the engagement
OF NJ SafonOff. director Of the conservatory at
MOSCOW. Imperial Civil Councillor OF Russia and
conductor Of the Imperial Musical Society in Mos
COW 10 conduct the seventh public rehearsal AMI
concert OF the Philharmonic Society was emphati-
ANY indicated at the public rehearsal in Carnegie
nan yesterday afternoon. 1t is a safe conclusion
tnat the vindication viii be confirmed amid scenes
u Wild enthusiasm at the concert this evening
1or the merits Of N. SafOnoT are Of the kind that
20 straight 20 the popular heart and evoke poPu-
lar acclaim and the results which he obtains with
the band are so admirable and obvious that the
Veriest novice must note and feel them. His is the
large, unaffected sincerity the intensity Of pur-
pose and desire. which makes itself known IN an
instant to performers and hearers alike and which
works so zealOusly and steadily toward rs end
that It fuses all sympathies and creates a glow
that warns the hearts OF all concerned He is ter
Holy in earnest. a typical representative OF
strong race. which whole has not vet wan
dered away from the heart Of nature-which is
stun throbbing with vast pOtentialities. He is
frank, honest. fearless He feels and does not
hesitate to let the fact be known. When he had
worked uD the march in the third movement OF
Relationships Pathetic" symphony till It sounded
as fit to regulate the stride OF lila and all Of Rus
sias stored heroes he dropped his arms TO his sides
filled his broad chest with the breath of battle
and seemed to be himself marching IN the van; but
the act never looked theatrical His musicians
ing full and high and strong with his. He had
sent galvanic currents in all directions through the
assembIage
It superb leadership. an exhibition OF one
mans Will possessing itself of the minds and emo
tons Of a hundred irresistibly of it's own subtle
force and only made graphic by gestures of invita-
ton and command. NJ. Safonoff is not chary Of
gesture: he does not hesitate to assert his master
ship. He has the technics Of his art at his
hngertps. and when his own excited fancy and
oaffp nod fc vat Ma TN hat hfa
feet firmly planted and his grasp the rens
firm. But his earnestness is so plain and so
intense that his widest. whirlins gesticulations
never seem theatrical. but only the product Of the
music's own excitement He IS in his work heart
and soul and enjoys the results as frankly as
his hearers He TejOices I'm the music. and giOries
in the men who produce it. Listlessress flies be
fore him AS for his reading OF TschaikOwsky's
symphony, no injustice viii be done to either the
dead or the living to say that 1t was at once
the most thoroughly thought out. the most in
teHectualy stimulating and emOtiOnally the most
exciting that the work has ever received in
New-York. VI. safononf revels in the massive
string -tone Of the Philharmonic band, and he
utilized It yesterday to give the last movement a
cOrrOding psthos. a sOrrowful mordancy, which
made all who heard II recognize In II one Of the
most tragic pieces of symphonic music ever COM
posed Later in the afternoon he had occasion to
invite and win another tribute to the music Of
his countrymen by bringing forward slow move
ment from a string quartet by RubinStein In
major adapted by him for performance by all the
strings) and a serenade IN A by GlazounOw The
latter. though Of a lighter genre than the music
usually included In the Philharmonic Society's
scheme, is delightful in harmony and orchestration
Its touches Of OrientaIsm brought to mind a fact
the explanation OF which would be interesting
that the most Russian OF Russian composers have
manifested singuIarly warm interest in Oriental
specifically Spanish music. Twelve or fifteen OF
GiazounoV's orchestral pieces are dances Of
Oriental Character. At tho end VI. Safonor read.
soundly. reverentally and emotonally. Beethoven's
third "Leonore" overture.
Nine. Schumann-Heluk sang n beautiful old aria
by Mozart. which. despite its familiar phrases
new. and that painfully hackneyed. overwOrked.
overwrought and overestimated air Of Saint SaSnss
Mon CHur." etc. etc, The Mozart piece was a
scene and rondo Non temer amato bene." com
posed by Mozart FOR performance by Signora
CwhO Nine. Sembrch's first precursor IN the
role which she filed at the opera last night gave
when she said farewell to the Imperial opera at
Vienna. To pay double tribute the lady. Mo-
Fart composed the piece that he himself could
play pianoforte obblgato with which he enriched
the Instrumental part. This obbIiEat1 was played
yesterday by Miss Josephine Hartmann. neatly and
efficiently II not SO strkinRly well as to give 1t
the Importance which Mozart apparently designed
that II should have. Mime. schumann- Heink gave
out her prodIgious voice with her usual prodigaI-
ity. Her style was not altogether Mozartean but
her singing warmed the hearts Of her hearers.