New-York tribune., 1908-03-16
MUSIC.
THE BEETHOVEN CONCERTS.

The third concert of the Beethoven cycle by the
New York Symphony Society, which took place
in Carnegie Hall yesterday afternoon. was heard
by as numerous audience as the room could ac-
con1modate. Before the concert began the sale or
tickets for admission TO the gallery and balcony
had to be stopped for want Of seats, and atter
the first movement of the Symphony in B fiat had
been played both of boxes and the stalls On
the main floor full The success of the series
is without parallel and calculated TO puzzle the
veteran observers OF musical doings In New YORK.
who seemed justified by long years Of experience
in saying that Sunday concerts could only De SUE
cessful IL they offered miscellaneous programmes
OF popular music and the attraction of well known
solo artists-opera singers preferred. Inc Bee
thoven cycle has offered one more phenomenon 10
the perplexing manifestations this season at the
opera houses, albeit II is one which the seIloue
music lover contemplate with qualification
The programme, originally planned to cover the
period bounded by the fourth and fifth symphonies
which marked the beginning and end OF the con-
cert. extended to include two movements OF
the Trio for harpsichord, flute and bassoon COM
posed IN the composers Bonn period, Wh1ch was
described in this journal few days ago Inc
music, which is of pleasing character ana
breathing the spirit of the everyday Mozart was
played by Messrs. Damrosch. Barrere and Mesnard-
Mr. Damrosch used the pianoforte with harpsl-
chord action. with which Mr.. Mailer accompanies
the seccp recitatives in the performances of Don
Giovanni" the Metropolitan Opera House; or
If not it, at least like 1t. The instrument
serves its purpose very well at the opera oue
when brought into the company OF hute and oas-
soon and made to utter the graceful music OF the
Trio It proved to inefficient. Its heavier strings
and massive frame gave it a tone which mad httie
Of the syrnpatn netfc sweetness OF that which is
characteristic of the harpschord 1t was a scratch
with tone at the end of it, but a rude scratch.
and the quality was not homogeneous through the
scale Besides il not In perfect tune Inc
music would surely have sounded better mad a
pianoforte been employed. The endeayor TO repro
duce the old tone color as possible was ami
able and even praiseworthy: but It can only be
done by using g real harpsichord nakesnl11
will not serve Moreover, no violence WouIo nave
been done to the properties from an historic point
of view had a pianoforte been used. The voice OF
modern grand would have been further removed
from that which sang in the fancy OF beethoven
122 wears ago than that of the tmprovised instru-
ment; but there are many evidences OF the
pianoforte style in the music as 10 Suggest lhdt II
and not the harpschord was in the MIND OF the
con,Doser when he wrote the Trio The fact that
the title on the autograph manuscript mentions
..clayicenbaIo" and not pianoforte' does not sig
nifv Beethovens pianoforte pieces were desls-
mated as for clavcembalo pianoforte or Tor
cIavac, or pianoforte'' many years after 1Is5-
the wear in which the Trio is supposed 10 have
beer written. Some Of the solo sonatas pore lhs
title.
BEFORE the Trio Miss Mary Lansing contraito'
sang In uueste Tomba oscura" ineffectively' with
orchestral accompaniment and after II came the
..C-orioIsn" overture and the 9 minor symphony.
Fine sonority and also euphony cnaracterlzeo tue
playng of the orchestra. as well as eXceileht pre-
cision: but the overture was not a large udsiO
utterance and Mr.. Darrosch INDUCED IN some
singular vagaries of tempo in the first allegro OF
the syn1phony in fat. the slow and Jocose move
nents of which were beautifully given