The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-01-15
BEETHOVEN WE'LL PLAYED.
nOsTONrS ORCHESTRA INTER
pPPTS TIE FIFTH SYMPHONY.

nr Certcke smootiies the Wrinkles Ont OF
the Flying Dutchman" Overtnre--The
Conductors DEMONSTRATION OF Brahms's
NaItycs Pleases- Muriel Foster sings.
Tho third afternoon concert of the Bos-
ton symphony Orchestra at Carnegie Hall
Yesterday was made especially interesting
hv A beautiful performance Of Beethoven's
gftb symphony, which was the first num-
h,r ON the programme. The orchestra
has never been in better form than it was
In this proclamation Of its most alluring
qualities.
4 single technical slip. a thing which
rarely mars the playing Of this organiza-
tion stood out in a most unfortunately
chosen place, when in the andante the first
hs-soon player lost control of his reed
momentarily in solo passage.
Except in this instance tho performance
WIS one Of perfect smoothness. In beauti-
fi sorority and richness OF quality Of tone
the orchestra seemed 10 Guido itself, while
the crystalline clarity and exquisite balance
of the performance were remarkable.
such delivery Of one of the most eloquent
If AL the utterances of the mighty com
poser compelled renewed attention TO the
ma e-ty of this symphony.
We grow accustomed to our Beethoven
and take him as a matter Of course. But
sometimes when we have listened to la
norously conceived and painfully wrought
out composite ion, such as the b fiat sym
rhonv OF Vincent ID Indy played by this
orchestra on Thursday night, and are inn
mediately afterward presented with a
surely sympathetic Interpretation OF the
minor symphony, We realize that we have
N the presence of cultivated mediocrity
'oenter that Of inspired genius.
We are ready once again to subscribe 10
the dictum of Tame; There are four men
m the world of art and literature exalted
above all others and 20 such a degree as to
-erm To belong to another race namely,
Dante Shakespeare Beethoven and Michael
angelo We rise again to that apprecia-
ton of the fifth symphony which teaches
us 20 place it beside the tragedies of Sopho-
ct-- a blazing altar OF passionate expression
,hrined in temule Of perfect form.
The other orchestral numbers in vester-
DAYS list were the Brahms Wa ties. opus 80
and Wagner's Flying Dutchman' over
ture The waltzes were written for the
piano. four hands, and have been made
known 10 music lovers in this city by that
honorable advocate of the Brahms idea,
Arthur Whiting Mr. Gericke made the
score for orchestra years ago, intending
IL for performance in private music room,
lie afterward added some instrumental
parts to strengthen the work for public
hearing.
The scorin is admirable in every re-
spect and was really worth while. for the
waltzeS could seldom bc heard in their
original form and were much too good TO
rest in silence They ara an artistic ideal
baton of the Niennese dance spirit and are
captivating in their dainty charm. They
were eNcelently played.
OF Mr. Gercke's reading OF the Wagner
overture it II possible only to say that the
conductor seemed To be determined to abate
the storm Of Wagner ocean, lest any OF
the audience might be- wrought TO magma
tive seasickness II was "A smooth and
mellihuous reading but the music never
was intended TO be the one or the other.
Mr. Gericke ought sometimes 10 be moe
cruel TO be more kind.
The solost Of the concert was Muriel
Foster. the British Contralto. She sang the
recitative and air Of Penelope from Max
Brlch's -Odysseus" and three Of the five
songs Of Elgar'1 sea Picture. Miss
Foster il the repository Of huge body Of
tone. which she distributes with much
more generosity than discretion. Her
singing in the BrIch air was attended by
many sunms of the CLOTHS and by way
eard phra-lng. There was much ejaCu-
latiOn. lutlc nobility of manner.
The EIgar songs are tireSome tribes,
unworthy Of the composer Of The Dream
~ (rerontius." il seems. however, that
We must hear them sometimes, and so let
u~ content ourselves with the wish that
when they are sung again they will be sung
Pes, voCifcruusly and with more OF what
the Germans call -stimmung We pre-
sumo that there is "stimmung" concealed
about them somewhere, and as It Is meH
torouS quality il should not he shouted
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