The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-12-30

on OCiODeT > WlNn the meInOTdDle iNcOh-
cavallo concerts. On November 3 Camille
Saint-Saens, who sailed for home on
Wednesday last, made his bow to a New
York audience at the first concert OF the
New York Syphomy Society, He made
a saddening impression. which he after
ward oblitersted by some admirable piano
playing and an exhibition Of a clearer
understanding of the musical culture OF
this country.
Rosenthal made his temperance on
November 7 and DIR. Muck first conducted
the Boston symphony Orchestra here on
November 8. On November 0 the Boston
symphony Quartet produced Josef Suk's
quartet in B fat major, which was rich
in Bohemian nationality. but poor in every
thing else that is essential TO good chamber
music.
Puccini's Madam Butterfly was ex-
c~ellently produced by Henry Savage at
the Garden Theatre on November IL. Cole
ri~dge-Taylor, the colored composer, ave
a concert of his own music at Mendelssohn
Hall on November 10.
Mr.. Submissions produced his piano con
certo in 4 minor, No. 5, at Carnegie Hall
on November IS. 1t proved to be a charm
ing composition, full Of its makers charac-
~teristio daintiness, grade and certainty Of
form, but it did not aim at sounding the
depths.
The Margulies Trio on November % pro-
duoed Rachmaninoff's Trio Elegaique,' a
long winded and wearisome piece Of nom
sense, with a predominatipg piano part.
The Metropolitan Opera House opened
its season on November 20 with that in
teresting novelty Romeo ct Julette.'
Geraldine Farrar and Charles Rousseliere
were the new singers. They are still at
it and their present measure has been
taken.
On November 80 Maud Powell at a Phil
harmonic concert performed for the first
time here the new violin concerto of Jan
Sibelius. Miss Powell is an enthusiastic
admirer of this composition and she played
it con amore. IL il tremendously difficult,
but, to repeat DR.. johnson, it is unfortu-
nately not impossible.
Oscar Hammerstein opened the Man
haitian Opera House on December 8 with
a performance of Il Puritani," and Allies
sandro Bonci, Regina Pinkert and Cleo
phonte ~Campanini, conductor, made their
bows to America.
On December 4 the Oratorio Society pro-
uuCbu OdDTbcl II lCIho , OdAbdtd ~ VIZ
sade Of the Children a beautiful COM
position. which made a genuine impression
and had to be accorded a second perform
anoe. On the same night the Fonzaley
Quartet produced Hugo VOLTS d minor
quartet.
Giordano's Fedora" was brought out at
the Metropolitan Opera Hous on Deem
Der 5 and and Lima Cavalieri revealed her
self to the public gaze. People are still
looking at her and wondering why she can
not sing to us with her eyes. Fedora" is
even more wonderful, because, with a whole
o~peratic company, an orchestra and a
piano, the composer cannot sing at all.
Anton Bruckner's seventh symphony
was thrust upon us by the Boston Sym
phony Orchestra on December 8. Some
people liked this composition and some did
not. Those who liked it were mostly en-
thusiastic. Those who did not like it went
into paroxysms Of rage about it.. At any
rate it did not glide past unncticed, and that
is something TO the composers credit in
these days of inanity.
Berlioz's La Damnation de Faust was
produced in operate form at the Metropoli-
tan Opera House on December z. The
spectacular features of the opera are beauti-
full and the presentation of the work was in
every way creditable to Mr.. Conried. But
there is nothing in the thing as a drama.
Gustave Strube's new violin concerto
was played for the first time here by limo
thee Adamowski at the Boston Symphony
concert OF December s. This is a musi-
cianly and pleasing composition and ought
to be heard again.
The Kneisel Quartet brought forward
the F major quartet of Maurice Rsvel
on December IL. This music proved 10 be
altogether too t~ranscendental for the or
binary ear. Its time may come, but in that
day the c major scale will be a novelty.
At the Russian symphony Society's
concert Of December 20 Alexander Scria-
bine, the Russian composer, made his
appearance and played a neat and gentle
manlike concerto in + sharp minor for piano
and orchestra. Glazounof's third SYM
phony was produced at the same concert.
1t was quite unnecessary.
And that completes the record OF the i'm
portant musical incidents Of the great year
1908. We have been bOmbarded with clap
trap and the stupendous unison OF the voices
of press age nts has shaken the very skies
over our heads, yet the year has not been
any better than the record shows. The
latter Of part of the season OF l905-OS, the
beginning Of the present year, was lamen-
tably barren Of all that was significant. The
autumn started with more promise. but
in 80 far IA the operatic world is concerned
this promise has thus far found issue chiefly
in disappointment.
1t is unquestionably a time of dulness
in the world OF music. Creative gifts are
pitiably scarce. There has never been a
period in which the world was so completely
convinced that IL possessed no genius in
music. Even in Germany, with all the dis
cussion of the compositions Of Richard
Strauss, there is no general hope that he
will prove TO be a permanent power. IL
is conceded that he has certain unmis-
taxable abilities and hat his music excites
the nerves to the point of distraction. But
no one pretends to find in listening to it
that deep and serene satisfaction Of the
soul which follows the hearing OF the &
minor symphony of Brahms.
The Tumbling Russians have made a
mighty disturbance, but when the dust of
their passing chariots settles back upon the
uptorn earth not even the shadows Of some
OF them will be seen against the sun. 10 IL
a time of supericiality and claptrap. II
is a day Of stridency. not OF sorority.
Strauss towers a giant amid an army Of
pygmies. With his changing orchestra he
marches in shrieking triumph across
Europe and the peoples bow before him as
before a new god. But the mills Of time
will grind him 10 his proper size. He will
= $50. - sAa gnt,,ra He a. .IvsaLt,-