New-York tribune., 1911-11-26
MUSIC
Yesterdays Concert and Opera.

Yesterdays Concert and Opera.
Those who follow the musical hounds on
All their excursions felt yesterday 10 be a
/ period Of comparative ease. OF course, the
season is young but even so il was some
what startling TO a newspaper reviewer TO
have only one call TO a concert and also only
one to an opera. The calls fell together
but there was nothing to compel even the
greatest devotee OF duty TO sit out both or
the performances At Carnegie Hdil Mr..
Walter Damrosch gave the first Of his con-
certs for young people with the orchestra
Of the Symphony Society, and at the Metro
politan Opera House there was a perform
ance Of "Lohengrin." both in the afternoon
Mr. Damrosch has obviously realized the
virtue Of moderation In an overcrowded
season. although last Sunday he did inter-
poate a number in the Symphony Society's
/ concert simply because the afternoon was
young" when the programme was reaching
| its end. It is not wise 70 assume that New
York has as many varieties Of audience as
II has concert institutions and IL is possible
/ to surfeit the lovers Of the symphony and
chamber music though with twice the offer
ing the hoi polioi would be crying for more.
provided a sensational virtuoso were play
ing under conditions 10 which, II he were
/ truly an artist, he would never submit
/ Yesterday Mr.. Damrosch made up his pro-
gramme Of Beethoven's Pastoral" SYM
phony. the same composers Romanza in G
for violin (played by Mr. David Mannes)
and the overture to Weber's "Oberon."
AS usual. the conductor introduced the
( MIL falk "
! he illustrated with excerpts played on the
pianoforte. not one running deeply into the
| history Of the work though here there
were things which have been brought forth
/ to the great entertainment of his hearers.
nor discussion of the very large aesthetic
questions involved; only a pleasant COM
mentary. illuminated with eloquent bits OF
! pianoforte playing. most admirably calcu-
/ lated to quicken the appreciation and warm
the imagination os the listeners and make
them the more appreciative Of Beethoven
music That the desired result was at
tained the intense interest Of a fine au-
dience and its cordial applause testified.
/ The performance was sympathetic, and
even brilliantly eloquent, and II a pleasure
/ 10 the jaded visitor 1t must have been a
positive delight 10 the youthful listeners
/ and their companions.
'L.ohengrin" at the opera an oft-told
tale. with but such small variation as was
/ introduced by one or two singers new 20
/ New York in their parts. was yet an Incl
/ dent calling for comment. Two or three
I years ago Mr.. Hertz washed the face, so
| 10 speak of the most familiar Of Wagner's
/ operas, and It was artistically comforting
/ TO observe that the effect Of the abluton
/ has not yet worn off In some respects
/ there seemed 10 be a reversion TO an old
/ type which wasfthe only one that the local
| public knew when 10 learned to love the
| opera That is 10 say, there was a good
| deal more Of sentimentality than Teutonic
! Eerosm about Mr.. Jadlowker's Knight Of
/ the Grail: but there was also beauty Of
voice and grace Of bearing, and in Nine
| Fremstad's Elsa we had, perhaps, as ex-
/ celent an admixture Of both elements as
| the book and score justify. Al least, Nine
| Fremstads creation is not all milk and
water. as so many singers OF her dramatic
stature hold the part TO be; wherefore they
refuse TO have anything TO do with It Shin
/ ing through it, however, there is the beauty
Of her voice and also Of her intelligence
and artistic sincerity.
It has long been known by the truest ap-
preciators Of Wagner's drama that its large
character is Ortrud. In this part Nine
Matzenauer, who had already fixed her
self firmly in the admiration of the public,
appeared yesterday She could not conceal
the fact that the music put the same cruel
| test upon her voice and style that no local
singer has yet overcome so successfully as
did Marianne Brandt in the early days OF
the Metropolitan; but she endured the or
deal bravey. and so far as she could do so
held the performance UP TO the standard
which was set for il in the olden time
when first New York was made conscious
OF the red dramatic blood which. under
proper conditions. warns its frequently too
saccharine lyricism. And in this she was
ably assisted by her consort. also a new
conner. Hermann We'll Praise, and praise
only can be given TO the chorus, for action
as well as song-a relic OF the renovation
Of the opera. for which gratitude must
again be given 10 Mr.. Hertz. The parts
were distributed as follows
Heinrich der Vogler ........ Herbert Withersroon
LOhenErin ................ Hermann Jadlowker
Elsa Brahant... ........... owe fremstad
Friedrich Won Telramund ........ Hermann Well
Der Heeriifer des K6nigs ...... William Hinshaw
Vier Prabantsche Fdle-Iulius Bayer. Ludwig
Burgstaer Adolf Fuhrmann and Marcel
Pener.
vier Edelknahen-Inga Oerner. Rosina Van Dyck.
Lila Smelling and Henrietta Wakefield.
Conductor Alfred Hertz.