The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-11-09
THE BOSTON ORCHESTRA.
FIRST APPEARANCE HERE or
. DIR. CARL MUCK.
New Csndsetsr Makes Favorable Impres-
sien-UnObtrusive but Commanding. He
Intcrprets without sen~satienallsm-
Beethoven and wagner on Programme.

sien-unObtrusive but COMMANDING. He
Interprets without seRyatiensllsm-
Beethoven and Wagner On Programme.
The Boston Symphony Orchestra gave
the first concert Of its twenty-frst season In
this city at Carnegie Hall last night. The
concert introduced to this public the new
conductor Of the orchestra. DR.. Carl Muck.
who came lately from the Vienna Phil
harmonic. DR.. Muck is especially noted
for his conducting at Bayreuth. where he
was for several seasons the principal as
sistant OF Frau Cosims Wagner in the festi-
val productions Of her famous husbands
creations. There was, therefore, some
natural curiosity among h knowing to
hear the new conductors interpretations
Of the Wagner numbers on the programme,
for il was in the imprisoned music Of the
ultra modern school that Wilhelm Gericke,
late conductor in Boston. often fell short
Of public expectation.
DIR. Muck, however, was prepared also
to meet the inevitable inquiry az TO his atti-
tude toward the classics. His programme
began with Beethoven's fifth symphony,
after which came three Wagner numbers,
Fine Faust overture, the 'Siegfried ldyi'
and the prelude to Die Meistersinger.'
The new conductor met the demands Of the
evening with composure. His appearance
is that Of a polished man OF thought, q
/ scholar and a gentleman. His manner OF
conducting is unobtrusive, but firm and
assured. He does nothing to furnish the
public y with pictures. His business Is
with the orchestra and the music. He is
anything but a poseur. This is comfort
ing. His predecessor was also retiring,
and a fear that there might be a disagree.
able change in this matter was o
last night.
These facts are recorded in difference
to the readiness of many music lovers too
form ulate their verdicts on conductors by
what they see quite as much as by what
they hear. Those who rely too largely
on sight will get an impress sion that DR..
Muck is not what is somewhat indefinitely
described as a temperamental conductor.
But we often have somewhat too much OF
the temperament which exploits itself in
wild wavings of the ar ms and contortions
Of the body. Let us be thankful that we
have a new conductor who does not divert
consideration from the music to himself.
In so far as the impressions Of a first
concert may be trusted we are likely to
find that DIR. Muck will not in the deeper
qualities OF conducting lead US away from
the composition to the sensational interpre-
tation. While there were certain personal
idiosyncrasies In the reading Of B~eethoven's
fifth symphony. there was nothing dis
turbing. Everything was sane and well
regulated. Everything showed reverence
for the master and a sincere desire to
present his noble work chastely and
honestly. It was a straight onward, Wig
orous, yet polished performance that DR..
Muck conducted. There was much care
in the elaboration of the adante n plenty
Of boldness in the attack of the finale. We
ave all heard more tragedy in the first
movement and more mystery in the scherzo,
but the unfailing beauty Of style and the
exquisite balance, transparency and rich
ness Of ton of the Boston organization were
in full evidence.
For those who hungered for temporal
mental Interpretation there was satisfying
food in the reading of the -Faust Overture.
1t was superbly conceived and its poignant
emotions were voiced in telling tones. The
orchestra played up to the conductor mag
nihcently. The -Siegfried Idyl' was some
what deficient in contrast and the climax
seemed unusually tame. blu the inesse Of
the performance was admirable. The
"Meistersinger" prelude was of course well
played, but New York music lovers nave
often heard IL given in moret.tirring fashion.
On the whole, however, DIR. Muck made
an excellent impression. That he is a con-
ductor of the first a has long been con-
oeded in Germany and il will not be ques-
toned here after his interpretations of last
down for tomorrow afternoon. will be
awaited with interest. As for the Boston
symphony Orchestra it is the same splendid
body as of old and the glories of its tone
do not seem likely to be dlmmed under the
new baton.