New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-11-07
MUSIC.
Ihe Nezo- York Symphony Orchestra.

heeher interest has seldom been challenged at the
oesihlins or a concert season than challenged
yesterday afternoon at Carnegie Hall at the first
vonceFt or the New-York Symphony Orchestra.
iHefe were new compositions by two British and
e4'idii reVolutionaries to be heard and
singer Ihis singer-it Mime. Eta de Montjau
- NOT create sufficiently profound impression
eieher 10 irritate to charm the sense and judg-
iiie"' OF the fine audience which had responded TO
'he can or Mr.. Walter Damrosch. but the new
COMPOSITIONS succeeded In doing both. They were
an overture In the South by Sir Edward Elgar.
anu the fourth of Herr Gustav MahIer's FIVE SYM
pnofhes- Sir Edwards overture was composed on
oi'e ol ms visits to Italy. and had its first per-
formance at the Egar festival in London last April
IN ehe south" means here the Valley OF Andorra
anu 'here Is suggestion enough in the melodies
OF the overture-melodes OF sunny skies and
Itahan landscapes; vet the vigorous expression OF
the Northland remains Bold the music ix-so-ns
features in 1t seemed bold even after the artistic
anarchism which pervaded the Mailer symphony
had como 10 snare place with il in the memory
OF the listeners; but Sir Edwards music never
forgets itself quite so completely Herr Mahlers
music does: nevertheless there were moments in
the two works when they seemed to be drawn to-
gether by that common Iodestone-real and unaf-
1ected beauty. In the case of the overture this
was In evidence In the section which introduced
melody of folksong character first sung by the
solo viola. melody of exquisite beauty and raw
ishingly treated. with accompaniment OF divided
vtoltns and harp In the case Of the symphony II
was in the third movement. which is not so sur
charged with grotesquere as the other portions OF
the symphony. The symphony is an enigma. It's
melodies are OF extreme simplicity but their in
strumental harmonic and modulatory treatment
is OF the most fantastic and unaccountable char
acter. There is large application In a manner of
the principle OF community OF theme and 10 cap
the climax soprano solo comes at the end TO
present index OF the contents OF the preceding
movements. somewhat the tenor solo prologue
does in Berlioz's Romeo ct Juliette" The vital
difference between the procedures of the two COM
posers Ghe advantage manifestly resting with Ber-
ltoz) is that one prepares the nearer for what is
to come. while the the other tells him the signh-
canoe OF what he has heard As for the rest the
themauc material of the work falls short In great
degree OF Its treatment which is nevertheless frsg
mentary, disjonted and unconvncing in its appeal
IL is brilliantly ingenious in spots but it's habit
OF drooling along after a rational and ionged-tor
resting place has repeatedly been reached brings
WEAKNESS before the end of nearly every movement
There Is conception OF what a symphony is
ought. might be that is satisfied by the work
and yet 1t is full of fascinating details and de-
lightfully Irritating to the fancy. That deeper
faculty. the imagination, II touches It's pur-
pose is grotesque description OF the pleasures OF
the celestial Cocaigne. and this It accomplishes
tainingly; but we shall have to hear 1t again. and
perhaps still again. before shall say that It is
q work OF seriousness OF purpose and homogeneity
OF plan.
The weakest featurs OF the concert was the sing
ing of Nine. de Montjau. which came near con-
ventfonal requirements only in the finale of the
symphony. The orchestra played finely under Mr..
Danrosch's beat which was peculiarly inspiriting
this occasion.