New-York tribune., 1907-12-02
MUSIC.
THE NEW YORK SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

THE NEW YORK SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Mr. Walter Damrosch effected singular COM
panionship at the fifth Sunday afternoon concert
of the Symphony Society, when he consorted Rich
ard Strausss 'Einfonia Domestica" with Was-
ner's "Segfried IdyI' and piece of music COM
posed by his own father, DR.. Leopold Danrosch'
to celebrate the twenty-ffth anniversary OF MS
wedding in 1888 The purpose OF the scheme as
M. Damrosch explained It, was to illustrate do
mestic life as 1t had been celebrated IN lhstru-
mental music. The compositions were all in man
ner biographical Only one section OF Dr. Dam
rosch's composition was performed. the official
bulletin of the Symphony Society conveying the
information that Mr.. Damrosch considered the
second part too intimate in character for pubhc
performance, inasmuch 1t consisted of a pro-
cessional in which the children of the composer
leach characterized in the music ap-
preached their mother and offered their tribute
The portion which was played was quite as IN
innate. since it consisted of an orchestral tran
scription of song, Itch lebe dich''-a confession
of love-which Dr. Danrosch composed for her
who to become his wife in their courtshlp'
blended with the melody of old German church
hymn, "Ich SINCE dir nit Herr und mund =
sing to thee with Heart and Voice"-which was
obviously conceived by the composer in para
phrastic sense. unless IT associated with
memories Of which the public could know moth
ing. The matter is of small significance. now
ever, all that yesterdays audience could
realize was that the use Of the chorale had TO
large extent determined the form Of the compost
ton, which not impressive
The relationship OF the familiar composition by
Wagner to Mr.. Damrosch's scheme is explained
by the fact that was artistic expression OF the
composers gratitude his wife for help and en-
couragement received while he was at work on
The Ring of the Nibelung and also for the gift
OF who born in 1S71,-the year which saw
the completion of the Segfrted drama Melodies
from 'Segfried" enter into It along with that OF
German cradle song. The who was named
Siegfried. after the hero of the drama, was born
at Triebschen on the Lake Of Lucerne. and Wagner
first named his composition ''Triebschen Idylle.
In the Wagner household 1t was long known as the
''Treppenmusik' (stairs music. from the circum-
stance that it first played as morning sere-
made for Mime. Wagner's birthday the stair
case of the villa occupied by the family Hans
Richter, who had gathered the orchestral musl-
clans together for the occasion himself played the
trumpet The score was not published for some
years, but meanwhile its performance was a
regular feature Of the Christmas festivities cele-
brated by the family.
The title Of Richard Strauss's symphony is self
explanatory. Mr.. Damrosch. in expository ad-
dress. pointed out the difference between the
frankly delineatve character of Strauss music
(growing out Of the conviction that the art offered
expression for everything and that eyerythtng-tho
ugly we'll the beautiful, the vulgar as well as
the rehned-was a fit subject for its ministrations)
and the ideasn which had inspired Dr.. Dam
rosch and Wagner. Mr.. Damrosch illustrated his
exposition at the pianoforte. and his remarks, con-
ceived and carried out in exceedingly happy
vein gave more unaoyed pleasure than the music
itself which. however. he read with amazing verve
and spirit and 10 which his orchestra gave a
Splendid performance. The piece was enthusl-
asticaly sppIauded the audience having been intl-
ated into all those things which the composer mas
alternately confessed and repudated ever since the
symphony had it's first performance some four
years ago. here in New York-that is TO say. babys
misconduct. punishment. cradle song, papa's IN
terrnnable vigil mammals querulousness. the quar-
rel which sounds ike the crack OF doom over the
proper temperature Of baby's BATH and so on, TIL
a healthy aesthetic stomach cries out for an
ernetic Again we feel moved 70 quote from John
Phcnnix's' analysis OF '"The Plains: Ode-SynphoFie
par Jnbez Tarbox" printed more than half cen
tury
Suddenly hear approaching a train from rom Fike IKE
County consisting seven families. with 1orty
wagons each drawn by thirteen oxen IA :, TN hI.l
lily OF man IN butterflut colored
driytnr the oxen a wife butternut colored CiotH-
ing riding In the wagon, holding hutteTnut bdoy'
ma seventeen butternut children running pio.iStt,
orisIv about the establishment: all are oaFetooted
dusty smell uuplcasantiy- tttf tEdil ut,"
e,lsyy,,r The uUpacking Of the kettles and mess
the various Camphres, the IrizzlhR .. e - ,,rs+
so clearly EXPRESSED by the music tHat tIe HyS1
,Iututored SAVAGE could readily compI"hoilu y IL
That adv sitting Involuntary exclIiiitu ci
aloud al j o. "a yas friIIv interesting watch
the gratifed expression Of her race VIZ IN ~ e ,,-t
was removed from the fire ana tne nl..4.ts, 80 ria
avtfnr1Ilshed This is followed by the peu' al d. "a
- ,arrnt want a pancake followed by tne
touching recitative. 'Shet up. or III spank you-
TO which succeeds grand cresTshuG Ia .4 nan,
cste the pursuit OF the mother. ana tie ul,' aI
rest and summary punish hment or Jle .liS 10 ~ 6f the
resented by the rapid and successive s'' - ~
castanet. H T. X.