New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-02-10
MUSIC.
THE PHILHARMONIC SOCIETY.

Conductors come and go at the Philharmonic
concerts without exciting special wonder
Only once this season have the patrons or the SO
ciety been SO profoundly moved by performance
Of the conductor. and incidentally the orchestra
as TO forget their customary decorousness OF De
havior. That when Mr.. Safonon conoucleu
the extra rehearsal and concert and produced ms
specialty-the Pathetic symphony OF Tschalkow-
sky. 1t is always stimulating to witness the u.s.
parture from staid and conventional conduct when
staidness and conventonaty indicate satisfaction
with the humdrum and commonplace in perform
ance: but gratifying is decorum paired
with high appreciation OF good things
which do not stimulate hysteria The nnest
lesson taught by the practice of inviting dis
tnguished musicians TO conduct the societys con-
certs has been that of the essential excellence
of the orchestra Itself It has been profitable TO the
public to observe that the fine band. with all the
compelling force which 1t possesses in its volume
and muscularity of tone is yet sensitive 20 sug-
gestion, and responsive. None of the visitors has
failed to publish all that was characteristic ana
vital in the proclamation which he came across the
ocean TO make. Each has been priviirt ed to ex-
plot a speciality. but has been permitted to
escape the which with the performance
of classic familiar to players and hearers alike
Without exception the visitors have been admirable
men. Their coming has made the orchestra alert
and kept it out of the rut of mediocrity, and so,
when ii impossible TO discover new
evangel in their readings. the music has hd more
vitality than the rule in the recent past IN
the regime if the quickened interest was not
enough to maintain a concert on high plane IN
all its features The influence Of the most inspiring
and magnetic of conductors cannot always take the
place OF the mutual labor and experience necessary
to bring about understanding and agreement.
This illustrated in the performance or Bee
thoven's "Eroca" symphony at the sixth pupi'o
rehearsal yesterday afternoon, under the directioa
of Dr. Ernst Kunwald of Frankfort In the TWO
orchestral pieces which preceded the symphony
there was much TO delight. The orchestra
has never sounded brilliant than II dld IN tiie
Carnival Roman overture by Berlloz the Sei-
tarello of which carried through with splenold
dash It was a vrtuoso performance or COMPOSE
ton which in every one of its elements is cal
oulated display orchestral vrtuosoship. f'icna
Strauss It'll Eulenspiegel's Merry Franks winch
tempted after all Is SAID anu ooile' " SeI
down as its composers most happily conceived pest
knit and most enjoyable work. also presented
both conductor and band in an admraDle Hsn'
Here what may be called the physical deiects ol me
orchestra were reduced TO a minimum ana DF'
Kunwalds appreciation of the musical beauty as
we'll as the humor of the piece convincngiy
brought to notice-especiay in the closing episodes
and the epilogue. Conductor and players were SUN
in spiritual accord. The same degree or syhpa-
thy was not evident in the symphony save IN
ouokening of most Of its fundamental tempt there
was nothing much out of the ordinary IN Dr' NUN
wald's reading Perhaps the players were uncon-
scious in their rebellon-they can scarcely hiFe
been consciously unwilling 10 meet all the WISHES
of the eader-but consciously oi uiAOOhoN'ONS-''
failed to give him that prompt obedience winch
alone would have kept the performance OF the sym
phony on level with that given to the other pieces
The result was doubly unfortunate; II maze Gus"
eliminating listeners question the validity ana Ell
fcacy of Dr. Kunwald's notions and subjected INC
orchestra to the suspicion of want OF thoroughness
in preparation. The funeral march is always d
cr7,x In a performance of the "Eroica, but a very
slow tempo with impressive pronounceIneh' Oh
its phrases broad and incisive rhythmical arucula-
+,o and Ioftv utterance of the pathos In its melo-
dies Is much less likely become weartsome than
careless performance in a moderate tempo ohoer
the circumstances, DR.. Kunwald's Interpretation
was disappointing, not only in the march, but also
in the variations down to the andante> All that
nreceded the broad close lacked repose' oisln'y'
ser,ousness It was almost hippant
The solo diversions of the concert were PROVIDED
by Nine Kirkby-Lunn who sang the air OF Aorlalo
from 'Rienzi'' with orchestra, and 1our SONGS
"Verborgenheit" and der Freund. by Hugo WolI'
"Traunn durch die Dammerung' and ''Cacihe' Oy
Richard Strauss to finished and inspiring accom-
naniments on the pianoforte played by DR. hunWao'
The vocal intermezzi made notable by the
SINGERS superb voice and her exqusSeiy poeucaI
reading of the first of the Strauss songs From
q musical point of view, indeed air ana song were
all admirable save for offences against pronuncia-
tIon and a throaty emission of tone.