New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-01-15
MUSIC.
DIR. Weingartner and the ymphony
Orchestra.

Mr. Felix Weingartner conducted the sixth Of the
subscription series Of concerts by the Network
Symphony Orchestra in Carnegie Hall yesterday
afternoon and Mr.. Walter Damrosch listened TO
the music from a box. When he conducted the
fourth concert, week before, a much nuner-
Gus audience in attendance. A text for
discourse: Is Mr. Weingartner already forgotten?
Has the habit of listening TO half a dozen foreign
conductors every already bred a desire for
change consuming that the public has become
Indifferent solid merit and keen in the search
for sensationalism2 Is the large body of Phiihar-
monio subscribers piqued the desertion of
Mr.. Weingartner to the rival institution? Or
the lovers of symphonic music stated from the too
generous offerings OF last week? They were GER
talnly called on to enjoy. to endure, much.
The questions have reference only to the regular
patrons of high class orchestral concerts; lovers
or popular music. so-called were not tempted by
a concert which put solo performer parade
and which presented overture and two SYM
phonies as its programme. Let the serious ponder
the questions and them for themselves;
there is something of truth in every one Of them,
dare say
1t remains pity, nevertheless that the enter
prise of the Symphony Orchestra's cement
does not seem to have met with prompt and en-
phatic popular appreciation and encoura cement.
There was nothing startling in Yesterdays
cert, but IL dignfed and uplifting. Mr.. Vein
gartner presented music that was familiar-the
overture to Der FreischGtz.' Schumanns SYM
phony in fiat and Berozs Symphonic Fan
tastique." We say that any large degree OF
personal equation disclosed by his reading Of
the three works In his book entitled THE SYM
phony Since Beethoven Mr.. Wengartner dis
closes little sympathy for Schumann's symphonic
creations and much for Berlozs ''Fantastique"
He has devoted much labor to the romantic French
man. and his intimacy with the of the work
which he took in hand yesterday brought
notice by the circumstance that he conducted IL
without book; but he did the SChumann sym
phony-a lesser task but still deserving Of
grateful recognition If there less that seemed
commendable in his reading of the latter than in
his reading Of the former it have been due in
part 10 our greater familiarity with Schumanns
music and our greater respect and fondness for
traditions implanted by long series Of excellent
performances. There was a fine and promising
proclamation in the noble introduction. but not al
ways a fuflment in what followed. The vernal
rapture of the great song writer's first symphony
could not find expression in the breathless haste
with which all the rapid movements were reeled
off.
There is repose in such ecstatio utterances.
and the musicians seemed too much concerned with
the literal reading Of page to put the inspiring
poetcal upft into the music. But there was great
fexbility and elasticity of tempo in the reading,
and many unfoldings Of euphony, especially by the
wood-wind choir. IN the overture Mr.. Weingart-
ner seemed to have been influenced, though not
BlavishIy or unduIy, by the interpretations of Wag
ner and the music delightful, Notwithstanding
that Wagner's changes OF nuance not all de-
fensible Berlioz's symphony read with beau
tifui freedom. and its pcturesQueness and gro
tesuuerie presented with great vivdnesS but never
was there the least extravaganza OF gesture or
attitude on the part OF the conductor. H E K