Philharmonic Society of New York Rehearsal: 2nd for the 3rd concert

“The only addition to the programme for yesterday afternoon was embodied in the formal announcement that Spohr’s ‘Weihe der Töne’ was a ‘Characteristic Symphony Op. 89.’ The harmonies in the third and last movements are graceful and pleasing, and so are especially those of the last movement, which is the gem of the whole piece. The overture to ‘Saeuntela’ went much more smoothly and improves upon acquaintance. The shades of expression are finely developed by Mr. Bergmann’s well-trained orchestra; the harp takes its place among the other instruments in this work. We shall have, of course, more to say about this overture at a later period. The audience was as large as usual.”

“The second rehearsal for the coming concert of the Philharmonic Society took place yesterday afternoon—the third is given next Friday, and the concert itself takes place on Saturday evening of next week.

“The pieces at present in rehearsal are Spohr Symphony, the ‘Consecration of Sound’ (or as some prefer to call it, the ‘Dedication of Tone’), an overture by Goldmark, a composer almost unknown to our concert rooms, entitled Saentula, and Beethoven’s second Leonora Overture.

“It is not a remarkably strong programme, and yet an interesting one. Two of the pieces, Spohr’s Symphony and Goldmark’s Overture, will both gain in significance by the pointed explanatory intentions of the composer which we suppose will accompany the concert programmes. Dr. Spohr has found his proper place in the temple of fame, and that certainly is not in the highest niche. It is conceded now, even by those who most admire him, that his great talent lay in the way he stated his musical thought rather than in the intrinsic beauty of the thought itself. He is a great orchestral colorist, and gives pleasure to those who hear him for the first time, even to those who hear him so seldom that his mannerisms and sweetness have not time to cloy. The allegro and the march in this Symphony are among his freshest and strongest efforts. The fullness and beauty of his harmony is always captivating to the ear, at least until the ear tires of its success.

“Goldmark’s Overture is founded upon an East Indian tale. This composer is, we believe, a Hungarian. He has great dramatic force; is the very opposite of Spohr, being abrupt, fragmentary, and often harsh and dissonant. His composition is worked out according to the latest ideas of the composers of the school of Liszt and Berlioz. Like these composers he makes much use of the harp as one of his orchestral instruments, and with much effect. His work is strong and worthy of esteem.

“Of the fine Leonore overture it is only necessary to say that it was well played. There was but one person whom it ever failed to satisfy, and that was the composer himself.”