New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-01-06
MUSIC.
Something About DAYS Doings.

cyclical performance Of wagner's Ring Of
the Nioelung In which the four portions of the
tetrslogy are separated from each other bv a week
Is somewhat anomalous; but the anomaly does not
seem TO have disturbed the interest felt by the
public in the NEUROLOGICAL tragedy. The perform
ance of the great tragedy began at the Metropol-
tan Opera House last night with the prologue
Das Rheingold." 1t had notably good and also
notably bad features. but under the circumstances
the most notable thing about it was the audience
or many years the prologue has been treated by
lhe pubic as the stepchild the WaEnerian
H"usehoId It was thought attractive when Il first
came on the scene floating the swelling tide of
"agherian enthusiasm in the memorable German
Gays since then, however II has seemed TO he with
uut hohor Last night the audience did IL more
NOHor IMAM some of the people the stage It
49, heafd by not only a large. but a brilliant
NN41Hcer ana heard with profound attention and
interest. There was threatened drawback in the
4Huisposiuon Of Miss Fremstad which compelled
lhe substitution OF Nine Homer in the part of
fTlcka- Nine Homer had never enacted the part
ana was called on at o'clock in the afternoon to
ruo up her unused memory Of studies made two
years '- more ago A less devoted servant of her
art or less willing would have shrunk from the
oue@4' Out NINE. Homer met it bravely and passed
through 1t triumphantly There were occasional
lapses OF memory in her reading OF the text but
she had mastered the music and sang lit impress
slVely as well as expressivey, and with ample and
beauurul voice Her performance recalled a feat
OF NINE Lehmann's, years ago. when she learned
mark one OF the great differences between dramatic
singers or the modern German school and the self
sufficient folk OF the Italian stage Excellent per-
formances, superbly excellent indeed, were those
or Mr.. Van Rooy Wotan, Mr. BurgstalIer as
Loge, Mr.. Goritz Albertch Mr. Reiss as Mime
Mr.. Mthlmann Fasolt, Mr. Blass as Fafner
Mr.. DIPPED as Froh and Miss Walker as Erda.
But all Of these have disclosed their powers in
drama before. Praise must have no part in the
record OF Mr.. Greder's performance as Bonner
Frafa nd he and suy0D
ing Of the three Rhine daughters-Niss Alien. Miss
Ralph and Miss Milford. The scenery, saving an
incoRseqUenual change in the first picture,
that Of last year.
Der music in MendeIssohn Hall last night. It
the second concert given by the organization in the
room which has often been glorihed by the play
ing Of the Kneisel Quartet, and more OF that glory
came back reflection when Miss Mead and her
gentle associates played Haydn quartet last night
than at any other time when 1t has echoed to this
highest and purest form OF music. The Olive Mead
Quartet need ask consideration account of
the sex OF its members. The ladies are musicians
keen and correct OF ear. intelligent, painstaking
reverential No local quartet for years has played
with such purity of intonaton. such clarity in the
voices and such genuine musical feeling did
these four young women IN the slow movement OF
the Haydn quartet. Their other numbers. OF which
under the circumstances it is impossible to speak
were Dvoraks TerZetto for two volins and viola,
and Schuberts posthumous quartet in D minor.
There was a pretty and unexpected intermezzo
in the delightful entertainment which Mrs. Cheat
ham, Thompson gave in the Lyceum Theatre yes
terday afternoon. Miss Lillian Blauvelt was set
down the housebiIl as one OF the helpers in the
entertainment, but did not appear. Instead. she
sent word that she was ILL., In one Of the boxes
sat Nine. Nordca, who when she heard the
nouncement went the stage and sang two
songs-a gracious act of professional courtesy and
a pretty compliment to Mrs. Cheatham-Thompson
That lady told stories and sang songs, grave gay
and infantile 10 the admiration of her listeners
Mr.. Bispham also sang, and the Dolmetsch party
played archaic music on archaic instruments.
In memory of Theodore Thomas, the funeral
march from the Heroic symphony will be played
at the concerts of the Philharmonic Society this
afternoon and tomorrow evening.