New-York tribune., 1908-09-13

Hester Prynne's hut. II they had become dryads
for her sake; ever and the sinister Hundins
was heard muttering In the ear of ChllingWortn'
and Hester the badge of her shame on the
robes of Elsa, washed in innOcency. But such
things are venial in first work. In frankly con-
Tossing his model Gor it cannot be thought for e.
moment that Mr.. Damrosch expected his irnita-
tions to be overIooked) he illustrated rule Whlch
applies TO all composers at the outset OF thelr
careers The fact must be noted, but 1t Is much
more to the purpose that the young composer
blended the elements of his composition with
freedom and daring quite astonishing In us eA-
hibitions of mastery. There is no sign OF DOUBT
or timorousaess anywhere in the work, though the
moments are not irfrequent when the utterance is
more fluent than significant. The typical phrases
which he chose TO symbolic the persons and
passions Of the play are most or them denclent IN
Elasticity and nearly all of them lack that ex-
pressveness which Wagner knew 50 well how to
impress upon his melodic elements the greater,
therefore. the surprise that Mr. Damrosch was
able to weave them together in fabric which
moved steadily forward for more than an hosr,
and reflected more or less truthfully and vividy
the feeling of the dramatic situations. Unfortu-
nately is little variety in this feeling. that
in spite OF Mr. Damrosch's effort o., perhaps, be-
cause OF it, there is deal of monotony in the
music OF the first act. There is fine ingenuity OF
orchestration throughout, however. and an amount
of daring In harmoniZation which sometimes oven
steps the limits of discretion. In agonizing
scene between Chingworth and Hester at the
close of the first act the orchestra and the two
chief personages are wholly engrossed with al ex-
position of the dramatic feeling of the moment.
while the chorus supposed to be worshlpplng in
the neighboring meeting house sing the "Old
Hundredth" IN unison and without instrumental
support. 1t is an admirable historical touch, and
the device IS the approved one Of using the psalm
tune as cantus frmus to the remainder OF the
music but Mr. Damroschs harmonizaton OF the
ensemble is such that seem to hear two dis
| xi,. natl KEYS
the second act a scene upon the stage In honor OF
Mr. Damrosch, in which, after several large
wreaths had been bestowed upon him. repre-
sentative of the Wagner Society came forward and
on behalf of that body presented him with a hand
some copy of Hawthorne's story and the ncor-
rect statement that the honor paid to him
the first American who had composed a grand
opera on an American theme which had been pub
cly produced. In this there were as many errors
of statement in the famous French Academi-
clans description of lobster George F. Bristow's
RIP Van Winkle' was composed by a native
American and was brought out at Niblos Garden
long before Mr.. Damrosch was born in Breslau;
while Mr.. Maretzek, a foreign born American, like
Mr. Damrosch, brought out under his own direc
tion and with continued success opera entitled
La spia,' based on Coopers novel This merely
In the interest OF the verites Of history.
The German season of 1907, part OF whose story
] have already told began at the Metropolitan OPP
era House March and lasted four weeks. 1t
added no novelty to the local list but had in
terestng features. among them a serial perform
ance of the dramas of Wagner's Ring OF the Nj
beung" the first appearance OF Nine. Nordica in
the Brinnhde of "Siegfried" on March "a and the
toint appearance of Mines Lehman and Nordca
in 'Iohengrin,' the German singer true to her
dramatic instincts, choosing the part of Ortrud.
on April / Xaver Scharwenka, who had taken
residence with his brother Philip in New York,
borrowed the company from Mr.. Damrosch and on
his own responsibility gave performance OF his
opera entitled 'Mataswintha" The opera was
produced under difficulties. II had withstood it
baptism Of fire In Welmar months before,
Mr.. Scharwenka had performed portions
of It at "A concert for the purpose of introduc-
ing himself to the people of New York But the
singers had learn their parts from the begin
ming there great dea. OF pageantry which
had be supplied from the stock furniture OF the
Metropolitan stage, the tenor Ernst Kraus took
I'll and caused postponement, and even thus the