New-York tribune., 1918-12-15

of their composers had begun the on
whom he singled out for mention had
been known to New York for NOR
than a generation. Mehuls overtur
to LA Chassc du jeune Henri" wa
performed by the Philharmonic Soc
city in January, 1846, under the direc-
tion of George Lodcr. one of its found
crs and an Engishman Two months
later Berloz was admitted to the lists
with the overture Lies Francs Juges,'
conducted by Alexander Boucher,
Frcnchman. who was also one of the
socicty's founders. Up to the time
when DR.. Damrosch introduced LA
Damnation dc Faust" that overture
had figured in Philharmonic concerts
no fewer than six times, all of these
save the first under the direction Of
Mr.. Carl Bergman, whose activity in
behalf of Berlioz's music in the Phil
harmonic Society alone may be seen in
this record:
Overture, "Les Francs Jugcs.' Janu-
ary, 1856; March, 1861; April, 1868;
April, 1866, and April, 1875. Overture,
"Carnaval Romain," November, 1861;
March, 1865; DECEMBER, 1866; May
1871; December, 1874, and April, 1875.
Symphonic fantastique," January, 1886,
and November 1868. Dramatic SYM
phony, Romeo ct Juliette" (instru
mental numbcrs), April, 1857 and De
cember. 1872. Overture, "Roi Lear
January, 1870.
But before Bergman became con-
ductor of the Philharmonic, even be-
fore he came to America, Berlioz and
some Of his predecessors contributed
to the society's programmes. We have
recorded performance OF the pref
tily descriptive overture by Mehul
(Which, by the way, Mr.. Walter Dam
rosch revived soon after he succeed
ed to the baton Of the Symphony So
ciety) under the direction of George
Loder. The same conductor brought
forward Berlioz's overture "Roi
Lear" in January, 1S47 Theodor Els
field introduced (but not as q novelty
Litolff's overture "Robespiorre" IN
April, 1851, Mehul's overture to "Jo-
seph in Egypt" in November, 1851, and
repeated Eoi Lear in November.
1856. Theodore Thomas, who may be
said to have "featurcd' BerlioZ almost
as indcfatigably as Mr.. Bergman in
his own concerts played the ball scene
from "Romeo and Juliet" in January,
1878, and Adolph Ncuendorff gave a
movement from the "Fantastic Sym
phony" in December 1878. Like Neu-
endorff, DR.. Damrosch conducted the
concerts OF the Philharmonic Society
one season only, and in that season he
chiefly made propaganda for the new
works of Wagner, though he did aNno-
table thing for Borlioz when in the
season OF 1S76-'77 he gave a hear
ing to some of the most beautiful Gas
it is the most sadly neglected. music
of Berloz. the quintet, septet and d
chorus from "The Trojans," in January
1871 This, however, was the only
his programmes.
Thus much of specific detail touching
the The cultivation Of French music by
New York organization which is still
in existence, and with which Mr.. Dam
rosch has had official relations. Dur
ing the brief space within which he
was its conductor he upheld its ira
ditions and he has done good service il
other fields, matter which need not be
discussed, since we are dealing with The
period anterior to that which he SCI
as the beginning Of French music II
the United States. To tell Of the rea
beginning Of that culture would carry
us very far back in history, very ia
back, indeed. Whenever orchestra
music in the United States is unde
discussion by writer's whose knowledg,
d is practically coextensivc with their ex