The San Francisco call., 1906-07-27
SPIRITED CONCERT
BY DIR. WOLFE.
His Musicians Show Fire
Throughout Render
ing of Symphony
LARGE AUDIENCE


The only thing that makes me an
CRY In performance is a lack of fire.
one quotes Dvorak as saying.
The good doctor would not have
been angry at the performance yester-
day of his New World symphony,
choice of DIR. Wolfe for the last concert
OF the memorable Berkeley series. He
would, doubtless, hearing 1t, have con-
fessed himself nightly pleased-at
least should. Essentially the perform
ance was a spirited one. There was
fruit of the closest comprehension OF
the work by both leader and men.
Perhaps this is not remarkable. With
here wonderful new city in the
making, why not a keener feel for
the young fire and thrill of the
New World? 1t was played just that
way. 1t was played by men whose eyes
are big with the picture of a new
world. sons of the New San Francisco,
hymning her
OF course. one would have been glad
of more strings in the first movement.
Fifty men DR.. Wolfe counted yester-
day. as he counted fifty at his first con-
cert. They tried to be a hundred with
the best heart in the world, but the
Greek Theater betrays most unkindly
any lack of body-it was not volume
that was lacking. But as to ensemble
spirit, as to light and shade, rhythmic
accord, Yesterdays work showed only
the steady progress that has been eVl-
dent from the first. Particularly this
in the rhythmic hurdles and swift
nuance of the scherzo, admirably
achieved. The Largo, with its various
solos, also charmingly illustrated the
excellent form of the orchestra, the
song of the oboe and 'celli being no
better handled than the double-b bass
work, with its leopard-like pad-pad-
ding. The whole performance was
gree.
Grieg, with two "Elegiac melodies
Heart Wounds" and Last SPRING
was also in most agreeable evidence.
Finish and repose were marked char
acteristics of the renderings and the
gentle melancholy of the pieces evil
IDENTIFY appealed to the audience that
tried hard to get an encore. Perhaps
it was because of the rather long
drawn out Faust overture by Wagner
that followed that we did not get it.
1t was not particularly good Wagner
either. Most of the rehearsals had pal
pably gone to the New World" and
the overture went little wild at times.
1t limped, as surely as the "Marche
Slave" that followed, lifted
The Slavic March" ended the pro-
gramme. big with promise for next
season.
For we are surely to have next sea-
son. Perhaps of yesterdays concert
nothing is more remarkable than its
1900 of an audience. Symphony in the
middle of summer. with the schools
closed. the university closed-not TO
mention little matter OF a recent
earthquakes somewhat unusual in
itself When 1t can draw to Its hear
ing, In these conditions, 1900 of an au-
dience the concert may perhaps not
unjustly be called phenomenal There
were between 5000 and 1000 auditors
at the last symphony concert before
the earthquake, but even more than
these Yesterdays 1900 are indicative Of
the music love of the community.
What the university Is doing for
music in continuing these concerts in
these conditions can hardly be over
estimated. More than any other one
thing is it serving to preserve the
splendid flower of musical art that was
coming to it's bloom here, and the good
work is to go on.
Six concerts have already been ar
ranged for next season. beginning on
September 13. They will be given al
ternate weeks, as now. and at the same
prices. Tickets may be had from the
office of the regents of the university
by mail, and after September at va
rious places later to be designated
The success of the series IS fore
gone conclusion. San Francisco has
the symphony habit. and not fire nor
earthquake, nor all the muck and sweat
and heart-break of her city building
can drive her therefrom.
BLANCHE PARTINGTON.