New-York tribune., 1907-12-23
MUSIC.
THE NEW YORK SYMPHONY SOCIETY.


Apart from the interest attaching to yesterdays
resumption Of the New York Symphony Society's
Sunday afternoon concert series at Carnegie Hall
and centring upon the return after several years
absence of Nine Teresa Carreho who the solo
pianist, there stood out saliently, perhaps.
than at any previous occasion of this season the
fact that this organization is rapidly becoming NOT
only an orchestra of vrtuosi but that much better
thing virtuoso orchestra. Time after time, in the
Berlioz Symphonic Fantastque.' IN the Tschai-
kowsky pianoforte concerto. and In the scherzo
from Gounod's Little Symphony for Wind Instru-
nents," there were made delightfully."- EVIDENT the
strength and snew of the violin choir. the admra-
BILE deftness and precision Of the wood wlnd n
strunents and the smooth sorority OF the orass'
Nor should the group OF percussion instruments pe
omitted for there was art as well as oeAIe14'S ~
the roll of drums betokening the distant thunder
that gives contrast and an emotional change. at
the close of the third movement of Berloz SYM
phony while the March TO the Scafold ana ue
Witches Sabbath" from the same corrposiuoi'
enlisted the cynbaIs. bells and others or tnls Or
chestraI group in services almost as conspicuous
and certainly as well performed Mr. waiter Jam
rosch and his supporters may well be congratul'eo
on the speedy attainment of this high eihciencE III
the orchestra following upon this year hDei@i
policy of providing a rehearsal or a concert every
day throughout the season. to weld the one hunuIu
players into the equivalent OF single peauliAAI'
balanced instrument
With such an orchestra at his COMMAND q Gun
ductor's will iscIeary and sensitvely rejected IN
the performances he gives-there are responSipli
ties as well privileges resulting from the PoS-
session Of so capable and delicate a means OF e1-
preston Probably there are few severer tests Oh
conductors ability to iInpart enthusiasm ana Sig
nicance to his reading of an orchestral score ta1
are provided by the first three movements OF the
Symphonic Fantastique.' Perhaps only a French-
man, and Of particular type at that' can
vtaIze for American audience Of the tWenueth
century these very sincere and personal outpour-
Dorffnz =
q few seasons ago read them a poignancy and
significance which most Of the Philharmonic socis-
tvs auditors that occasion would nave DeeIi
ready before the concert to declare non-existent
Inaccessible the majority of conductors and rs
teners the essence of these first three movements
assuredly is. yet Berlioz's memoirs and his letters
written at the period when he was composing the
symphony show that for him at any rate it was
q truly and intensely photographed prociaIna-
ton A little before $780, Paris. he read Goethes
Faust" and this a landmark in his NE
Under Gos+he's influence he declares I Wrote
my Symphonic Fantastique'-very slowly and laDo-
riousIy In some parts incredibly quickly and easily
in others The Scene au Champs 1.-THE third
movement worried me for three weeks; over ana
over again l gave ii UP. but the 'MaTche au sup
plice' fourth movementI dashed off in a sin
gle night" Perhaps the relative ease with Which
he wrote the several divisions of this work be
an index the varying degree of his Inspiration
certainly Scene in the Fields is vague and
long drawn out and as surely the march that 1oi-
effective At any rate the symphony Is well worth
occasional performances it gets IN the course OF
New York's musical doings. and when II is played
as well as Mr.. Damrosch and his men presented It
yesterday it brings in most parts its own reward
to the hearers
Nine. Teresa Carreflos choice OF the Tschaikow-
sky concerto bring her once more INTO toucn
with New YorHs musical public was altogether
fortunate This music is well suited 10 her tenn
perament calling now for energy and vigor or
utterance and again for exquisite refinement, but
being predorinanty OF stirring and masculine quail
ity Nine. Carreno plays with g mans strength
and fervor yet she possesses. too, a measure OF
feminine deicacy and persuasveness. Every move
nlent OF the Tschaikowsky concerto was performed
Yesterday with superb breadth and freedom the
technical difficulties vanishing under the movement
of her supple wrists and powerful hnSers' anu
leaving the player her auditors free 70 respond
to the musical thought and emotion with which
the composer so generously endowed IL NO more
DISTINGUISHED publication of this concerto has been
! heard here for a long time. The audience anu
the orchestra Joined in giving Nine. Carreno the
ovatio she deserved
After the concerto. the little Gounod scherzo
sounded prlitvely ingenious. but it made for con-
trast and prepared the way for Cigars win
Ponap and Circumstance" march. which orougnt
a. ,-o,-.,,-,a -o a brilliant termination.