The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-01-05
Loss to the Musical World.

Theodore Thomas, VINO d1ed at HIS
home in Chicago yesterday, had done
more for the development of musical
taste in this country than any other
musician who has come before the
public. He was not only The pioneer
in the symphony field, but as an in
terpretative conductor he stood in the
foremost rank.
While a young man Mr.. Thomas had
a good reputation as yiolinist, and
his high career in the classic depart
ment of music began in the hfties,
when he, with DR.. William Mason and
other artists, gave series of cham
Der concerts in New York. But it was
not until he organized symphony or
chestra and appeared in the role OF
conductor that he received public rec
IGNITION as a master in his profession.
In the early days he often labored
against great odds. His programmes
were too classic, amusement-goers
protested. albeit he presented along
with works by Mozart and Beethoven,
much music of the lighter sort, in
ing popular overtures, marches and
waltzes. Financial deficits at the end
of Mr.. Thomas symphony seasons
were quite common, and a man less
determined than this great leader
would have given up in despair.
AS Mr.. Thomas advanced in years
his musical horizon broadened, and 1t
is generally remarked that the finest
work of his life was that OF the past
ten years. There is only one symphony
band in America that can be compared
to the Chicago organization which
Thomas led, and that is the Boston
symphony orchestra; and only three
or TOUR OrCHeSJldo III IuioPS S 49,
the Chicago class.
Mr.. Thomas had large experience in
chorus directing. He had been the
director of the Cincinnati Music festi-
walls from the beginning of those fam
GUS events, early in the seventies. His
choruses in Cincinnati were sometimes
all that the most exacting critic could
demand and the director often won
tumultuous applause. But II Mr..
Thomas had limitations as musical
director it was in his chorus work,
and this, perhaps, was because he
lacked the patience required in train
ing amateurs. If the Cincinnati chorus
| was not always at It's best, the causes
were traced to the failure Of the singers
to read Mr.. Thomas mind at rehearsal
and to his way of losing patience with
them.
Very different 1t was when Mr.
Thomas was drilling his orchestra in
priyate rehearsal His men were art
lists. They understood him, and he
understood them. The director tool
infinite pains in rehearslng his band
and as symphony leader Mr.
| Thomas had no limitations. His re
pose, his strong personality. his poetic
IMAGINATION, and his musical scholar
ship made him an ideal interpreter OF
the classic school, while his fine Teu
tonic spirit made him one Of the great
est Interpreters of Wagner's music
But in lighter music he was equally
successful. Indeed, the virtuosity Of
his conducting was never more clearly
revealed than in such diverting pieces
as Strauss Beautiful Blue Danube
and Weber's Invitation to the Dance
The world of music has sustained a
grievous loss, and it will be a Iona
time before the Chicago orchestra
finds a leader who measures up tc
Theodore Thomas.
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