New-York tribune., 1905-02-06
MUSIC.
Il NoUelty by Beethoven.

Il NoUelty by Beethouen.
Mr.. Walter Damrosch sisnslized the last Sunday
afternoon concert of the NewYork Symphony Or
chestra at Carnegie Hall yesterday by performing
Beethovens descriptive piece entitled Weliingtcns
{ victory: or The Battle OF Victoria" He had per-
mitted the announcement go forth that the work
had never been performed in America, but some
restless deliver in the records Of the past discovered
that 1t played in New-Haven, thirty-five years
ago. and Mr. Damrosch, therefore in some happily
Wofded comments on the composition. made lhe
correction. though he still urged that for the pres
ent generation it to all intents and purposes
novelty. He might have gone further and ques-
toned whether New-Haven possessed the apparatus
called for by the music thirty-fve years ago. Even
Mr.. Damrosch yesterday dispensed with portion
OF the instrumental outfit prescribed by Beethoven
1t is also said that Mr.. Theodore Thomas played 1t
! somewhere in the long ago. The question Is
! curious merely. The present generation or
music lovers got along very well without hearing
the antiquated piece Of musical claptrap, and II
/ is doubtful If Mr. Damrosch's auditors are any
! happier than they before the energetic
conductor exhumed it AS for the coming genera
| ton it will think the better Of Beethoven II IL
never hears 1t.
| The story of the composition told in this
| journal a week ago yesterday. It was written at
the instance of MaeIze the inventor OF the metro
nome, and for automatic music box OF his con-
| trivance called the panharmonicon. Before it was
heard performed by that instrument, however.
Beethoven, also the suggestion of Maelzel, scored
1T for orchestra. and hoping 10 turn an honest
penny by appealing to the patriotism and pride Of
the English people. he dedicated it to the Prince
| Regent, who afterward became King George ~.
In plan it childish piece of descriptive music
q musical delneation of battle to which is ap-
pended a celebration OF victory. AS long as music
| has existed such things have been. Classic tradi-
ton tells that Pallas Athene invented the mute
fashioning it from the leg of deer. in order
to Initiate the kissing of the snakes the head OF
the Medusa in the combat between the Gorgon and
Perseus. Tmosthenes is said TO have composed the
fight between Apollo and Python for flute and
krithara- The music described the challenge, the
struggle. the kissing of the monster and the VIC
tory of the god. How many more such things may
have had their day in ancient times VIII never be
| known. Such music is Hatdral to savagery, bar
bartsm and early civilizations; it appeals to the
| fancy Of the simple people always and every
| where. Our grandmOtherS played Kotzwarra ;
Battle of Prague in metropolitan draw
| ing rooms; their descendants for generations
| to come will dote the piece or similar
pieces II they live sufficiently far from the CEN
tres Of culture. Among the musical manuscripts
of the Drexel collection in the New York Public
! Library is a transcript of Mr. Birds Battle
which popular in England full century and
half before the Battle of Prague was written
1t is a compages Of separate pieces bearing ce-
scriptive titles follows "Ths Soldiers Sum
mons" THE March of Footmen'' 1.-The March of
HoFsenen,' The Trumpets' The Irish March,"
THE Bagpipes' Drons.' The Drums and Flutes"
THE March TO the Fight" The Battles Joined"
The Retreat" The Victory and The Burytng
of the Dead The martial spirit of the Ma
poleonic period would have revived an interest in
such compositions If it had died out Bee
thoven, at the very zenith of his career did not
think it beneath his dignity to write wellington S
Victory" and two years afterward, in 1915 Weber
composed similar work. but more
extravagant plan, using chorus of voices well
as orchestra. It is the cantata "Kampf und
Seg," and celebrates the battle of Waterloo. In
II the OF Ca ira" Ia phrase that our own
| is wit iaf0 ha
mouth of the French populace), is used
TO characterize the French soidiery and the Aus
trian Grenadiers' March the Allies The French
tune Is gradually drowned out by the other noises
and at the end the melody of Hell Dir i'm
Siegerskranz." which is other than that which
We Fnow America" and the English God
Save the King" 1t is the principal constituent ee-
ment OF the triumDhal symphony which follows
Beethoven's picture of battle in which the armies
that fought at Vttorla respectively represented
by Rule Britannia" and Marlborough sen va-t-en
guerre" That Russia is still under the sway of
the taste which prompts such childish of the
musical art is evidenced by Tschaikowskys over
ture 1S2" and the intermezzo entitled The Battle
Of POltava,' from the same composers opera Ma
| zeppa." In the overture there is a struggle for
supremacy between the Russian national hymn
and the "Marseillaise" amid the changing OF bells
and the noise OF battle-a device closely related TO
that employed by Beethoven. but more ingeniousy
carried out Beethoven's music is interesting
only in details of orchestration and harmoni-
zation; otherwise it only call forth Gn
amused smile. Apropos Of his use Of the
melody OF God Save the King." it is anus
ing that, though he introduces it several
times before making 1t serve fugal subject
he never brings in its closing cadence. but each
time leaves it suspended, like Mahomets coffin
There nothing in the reception accorded 10
the performance yesterday to indicate that the
audience more than amused by the music
with Its obbligato eannonadng and rattle of mus
| kerry.
! NJ Ysaye was again the solo performer at yes
terdays concert. playing a Poem by Chausson
| the Rondo Capriccioso by Saint Saens and both
| of Beethovens Romanzas for the violin. His work
uneven, and most satisfactory In the Beethoven
J | pieces. The rest Of the programme consisted OF
, the overtures TO "Bepvenuto Cellini" by Beroz
and Der Improvisator." by dAlbert. and Bee
| thoven's ''Leonore." No. 9.