New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-02-03


The sixth afternoon and evening concerts Of
the Philharmonic Society Will take place in Car
negie Hall on Friday and Saturday of this week
under the direction OF Wassy Safonof. Miss
Elsa Ruegger, violoncellist will play the solo,
and the programme will consist of three num-
bers-SchubeTt's great symphony in major,
Victor Herbert's second concerto and the over
ture-fantasia Francesca da Rimini," by Tschai-
koWsky. The first and last numbers Of this scheme
are familiar pieces and MI Herberts concerto
is only a quasi novelty. The new edition of
Groves Dictionary of Music and A1usicians'
has this TO say about Il: In 1887 he CNIr,
HerberO brought forward a concerto and suite
for the vioOncellO. but his most important COM
position for that instrument is a second con-
certo, in minor, op. 30, dedicated 10 the Phil
harmonic Society Of New York, at one Of whose
concerts Herbert played il in March, 1894" Miss
Elsa Ruegger, who is TO play it on this occasion,
played the concerto first at concert Of the
,Pittsburg Orchestra, of which Mr.. Herbert was
then conductor, on January 10, 1903.
Concerning the familiar Schubert symphony
the official programme Of the concert has note
from which the following bit Of unfamiliar his
tory is extracted:
There can be no doubt but that this symphony
rs the last composed by Schubert, and that 1t
was written IN Vienna, in March, 1928. At the
time there were only eight months more Of life
before the composer, and, considering the diff
Guilty which he had to obtain q hearing for his
music, II IS not surprising that he never enjoyed
the privilege Of hearing il In the flesh.
Considerable doubt hangs about the early his
tory Of the work. After its completion il was
offered 10 the Musk Verein Of Vienna and acc
cepted. The circumstance seems 70 have carried
with II promise Of performance, which how
ever was not kept, though IN this there was no
wrong. II, as the story goes, he withdrew it
himself, after rebearsals had demonstrated To
the satisfaction OF himself as well as the So
ciety, that performance was inapracticable. It
is said that IL was found that the symphony was
M fnTp Ind q Tl1R
ton might have been obViated, as il seems TO
have been at the first performance which did
take place in Vienna, If there is evidence to be
4ounu IN the appearance OF the autograph pre-
served in the archives OF the Cesellschaft der
Musildreunde. which is said 10 bear the signs
OF absolutely ruthless authorizations. The sub
sequent history OF the symphony seems TO indi-
cate pretty plainly that the real obstacles 10 the
production Of the work lay in the state of popu-
lar or artistic taste at the period. In it's stead
6chuberts earlier symphony IN c, written a
decade before. was accepted for performance;
but this, too, fell TO the ground, and Schubert
departed this life without having heard It, The
pathetic romance that after rejection by the
Musk Verein the symphony IN c. par excel
lence. Was heard OF no more till Schumann
found IL among the posthumous papers of the
composer, in the house Of his brother Ferdi-
uaad. IN 1885, is disturbed in q small degree by
the evidence adduc6d by DIR. Hanslick that IL
was performed in the Gesellschaft der Musk
freunde on December il, 1923. and March -
1873. Then, indeed, il did wander into the limb
OF forgotten things and remained there till
schurnann found copy Of the score on his
had transcript sent 10 Mendelssohn at Leip-
sio, who produced ii at concert in the Gewand-
haus on March y, 1889, and repeated IT in De-
ceTnber OF the same year and in March, 1870
AencelsSohn's enthusiasm over the symphony
seems TO have been great that Of Schu-
mann, but his efforts at propagandism for il
were less successful. In 1889 he sent the score
20 the Philharmonic Society In London A copy
OF the score was made promptly and the parts
written out, but nothing was done looking
toward a performance TIL Mendelssohn went to
London. in 1914. 20 conduct the Philharmonic
Society. He brought the symphony forth and it
was put in rehearsal but the musicians burst
into laugh 40 the triplets I'm the last move
rnent. Iendelssohn got angry withdrew tho
score, and the Philharmonic Society lost the
privilege OF being the first 10 produce the SYM
phony IN England. That honor fell TO the or
chestra Of the Crystal Palace concerts con-
Quoted by August MAINS. in April 1856 Even
then the great length (the heavenly length" as
6chunann called it) OF the work had a fearful
aspect, and Mr.. Manns divided the work in two
and gave half at one concert and the other half
e. another. There trouble with the or
chestra also IN Paris. where Habeneck put il on
q programme IN 1872. but the musicians refused
20 go on after the first two movements New
York was IN the field with the symphony five
years before London. Breitkopf and Hartel