Evening star., 1908-01-13
TRIUMPH FOR DAMRoscH.
Magnificent Readings Of Tschai-
kowsky's and Listz's Masterpieces.

kowsky's and Listz's Masterpieces.
Walter Damrosch conducted his New
York symphony orchestra last night at the
New National Theater In the best con-
cert which that organization ever gave in
Washington. The leader not only had 3
f1rmer grasp of his musicians. but he had
better men than he has had before. en-
abling him to bring out fully mis- inter-
pretations OF the masterpieces which he
had chosen for his program, wittiou. be-
ing hampered by lack of power in his IN
struments.
Tschaikowsky's monumental fifth sym
phony was the cornerstone OF the ever
Ing, and 1t revealed the power of the or
chestra and the great compass Of the
conductors ability and temperament.
Though often heard in Washington. the
composition took on rev aspect last
night under Mr.. Damroscn's baton, and
even those most familiar wI-h the SYM
phony found new beauties and new eraces
In the work which had never before been
unveiled to them. The orchestra respond
ed sympathetically to the leader who
seemed to transmit much o. his own fore
and personality. Transforming tie solemn
strains of the martial passages into a
march Of triumph, and letting the dying
notes vanish like a breatf When the
magnificent climax was reached in j glori.
Gus outburst the audience was fairly
captured. and responded with sustained
applause that demanded many bows of
acknowledgment from Mr.. Damrosch.
1t appears that there had been some
question os to whether the concert would
be success from the point of attend
ance. All anxiety on this score, however,
was removed early in the evening. ior be-
fore O'Clock the upper gallery was pack
ed. and all the upstairs seats were sold
before the performance began. There was
large audience on the floor Of the
house, and the boxes held parties of no.
tables. 1t had been decided that K last
nights concert proved successful plans
would probably be made for a succession
of similar musical entertainments for Sun
day night.
After the symphony Beethoyen's ''Ro-
soloist being David Names. who lived up
to the reputation which preceded him
here. The selection was classicaily SIM
pie, the violin st not having Yielded to
the temptation to display his tech7ic with
one Of the many compositions written for
that purpose. The soloist's work was
thoroughly artistic and finished, and he
was recalled to accept rounds of applause.
The Peer Gynt Suite. No. L. followed
a brief intermission, Grieg's fa1ciful mu-
Asses Death" and "Anitra's Dance
Then came Walthers prize soag and the
prelude to die Meistersinger." when Mr..
Damrosch disdained the use of score and
entered a country familiar to him +. om
childhood. The conductor threw himsl If
into the spirit of these two numbers with
even greater enthusiasm than he lad
shown in the symphony. and reused a cor
responding exaltation in his audience.
LisZt's fourteenth Hungarian rhapsody
closed the program with its stirring num-
bers and wild harmonies.
The concert was more than half an hou-
late in beginning. but an apology was
made by Mr.. Damrosch, who said that the
delay had been caused by tardiness in
transporting the instruments from the "a
ton.