New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-12-16
NJ USIC.
The Philharmonic Society.


Yesterday afternoon Mr.. Max Fielder. of Ham
burg conducted the public rehearsal to the thiio
concert of the Philharmonic Society, which VIII
take place In Carnegie Hall this evening Ihe
coming OF q stranger and the choice OF a pro-
grarnme OF familiar pieces Saving one or Sllhe.
Gadski's airs compel restriction OF the crlIeai
record TO the skill and influence OF the conductor
a bodied forth in the playing OF the band Ihere
is nothing to be said about the prelude 10 Lie
Meistersinger," Beethovens c. minor symphony
Richard Strauss's Don Juan except IN
the last to file tirnid expression OF amazed
admiration for the commentators who have found in
this brilliant sweeping and fascinating compo-
siton all the marvellous succession Of incidents ana
psychological processes set forth by Herr Mauke
(who wrote under plenary inspiraton). and duly
translated and transferred to the programme or the
concert
If all this about the hero who. like Byron. wished
all womankind to have but mouth. that he
might kiss It. and who flies from one individual 10
another In search OF his ideal, only TO be dsap-
pointed and die in disgust-if all this. with It's
dancing and masqueradng, wine bibbing and de-
hatchery really finds expression IN Strauss music
then we are ready to believe the tale which MI
Motif relates that Strauss protested that his great
est of pride IN his composition came from
the fact that he had pictured of the hbertines
victims so vfvidy that every listener must recos-
uIze that she had red hair. But this Is not an III
viting field Of discussion at this time Inc inter
estng circumstance IS that Mr. Fielder, unlike the
first Of the philharmonic Societys guests this year.
invited study of his methods and skill IN faInlAaF
music of three widely different types
He made no effort to create sensation by trot-
ting out single battle horse. to the training OF
which he had devoed all his energies at the pre-
lininary rehearsals. 1t plain that Beethoven
had received much care as Strauss ana Wde-
ner no more than either OF the others 1hdt
nevertheless he won extraordinary triumph Is
therefore to his greater credit And II certainty
was an evidence Of triumph that afternoon audi
ence nearly all women. applauded him as long
and as loudly after each Of the first two orchestral
works and again at the end as was the case yes
terday.
Again It was all the more an evidence OF triumph
that Mr. Fielder arranged his programme with the
symphony at the end where II had to make us
effect by sheer eloquence Of proclamation since
| there possibility of echoing the tnriillns
sorority Of the modern works, and the chrolno
defect of the band-impurity Of intonaton in the
wind choirs-was bound TO betray ITSELF AInlose
the passionate swirl of the Don Juan symphonic
poem this defect as little noticeable as IL was
in Fin Heldenleben,' when Mr.. MengeIperS swept
discrimination off it's feet by his tremendous appeal
to the fancy and emotions and his Irresistible rasp
of the nervous system Yesterday 1t could not out
be heard.
A masterfr1 a. wise. a keenly analytical. a lucid
an fnspirting conductor is Mr.. Fielder His tecn-
nicaI methods are admirably Ineligible his de-
votion to the work In hand complete A inner per
Torrance of the prelude to die Meisterslnger
can scarcely be imagined It was spleno1diy Ii
edy presents in confict-the square toed. RUE Oh
thumb march melodies of the pedantio gu1ldneh'
the eager, pusating, passionate melodies OF lne
lovers standing as the representatives OF rornanu
cfsrn The characterization was vivid ana Ihe
piece throbbed with vitality In the symphony
there was no striving for effects not justlneo ny
the printed page His tempt in the first and last
movements were more animated than those 10
which we are accustomed Whether or not uniS
was a pemish is largely matter OF taste Ihey
were consistently carried out and did not spoil the
symmetry Of the picture Altogether II was as
notable an accomplishment as any wh1cn we nave
had to record since the Philharmonic society
adopted It's present policy.
Nine. Gadski introduced novelty into the roper
tory of concert solos-an air from Karl Eckerts
opera William of Orange It's only merit seemed
to lie in the fact that proved 30 be fine vehicle
| for Nine efadskfs beautiful voice, never more
beautiful never more admirable, than yesterday
and her beautiful dramatic sOstenuto. As compo-
sition 1t is the veriest commonplace. but as
change from the few hackneyed airs which have
done service decades at orchestral concerts II
nassed muster. Besides, 1t enabled Beethovens
"Abschenlicher" which came later, to loom up In
all its grandose stature Here Mime. Gadskls
dramatic yet always musical, defamation was at
Iocf