Strauss Concert: 1st

“Whether it was on account of the rival attraction of the Prussian Grenadier Band in the Bowery draining a large number of the Germans away, or the presence of the Garde Republicaine Band at the Alsace-Lorraine reunion at Irving Hall, the first of the Strauss concerts last evening was not as well attended as might be expected. It is said that more tickets have been sold already for Wednesday’s concert than were disposed of last night for the début of the eminent Austrian composer. His reception was very warm, and he was repeatedly called back to the conductor’s stand after the performance of one of his matchless works. As the concert proceeded the enthusiasm of the public grew still greater, and voices, hands and feet were brought into requisition to applaud the vivacious favorite of the salons. He selected ‘The Artist’s Life’ and ‘The Beautiful Blue Danube’ as representatives of his inimitable waltzes, ‘The Circassian March’ and ‘Pizzicato Polka.’ His power over the orchestra seems a species of magnetism, which gives a color, expression and spirit to the music that no other conductor in this country can ever hope to obtain. This was strongly exemplified in ‘The Circassian Polka,’ a quaint, barbaric work, with a strange mosaic of coloring. The utmost precision and nicety of expression are absolutely necessary to give any lucid idea of the composition, and the orchestra responded to every thought of the composer. Another feature was the spirit displayed by the strings and the ‘snap,’ if we may so call it, infused into the waltz movements. The polka had not the same effect as in the Coliseum, where the pizzicato of nearly four hundred strings was very remarkable. The rest of the programme, under the direction of Bergmann, consisted of [see above]. Mr. J. H. Bonawitz played two piano works, an arrangement of the ‘Tannhauser March’ by Liszt, a very commonplace affair by the way, and a brilliant transcription of ‘Luther’s Hymn.’ As the audience was entirely taken up by Strauss, the rest of the bill received a cold shoulder. The composer expressed himself delighted with his reception in New York and spoke in no measured terms about the Panjandrum in which he so long suffered. He said he would rather give concerts in a great city like New York than be the director in a village like that where the [Boston] ‘Jubilee’ took place.”

“The Academy of Music last night recalled, in its crowded auditorium its animated proscenium boxes and the enthusiastic plaudits of two thousand people, the triumphs of Nilsson. The great attraction of the evening, of course, was Strauss himself, and the famous Viennese chef d’orchestre must have recognized the fact that, apart from the inspiration of his presence, the music would not have made the audience unmindful of a temperature of a hundred and odd Fahrenheit. But Herr Johann Strauss infused his vivacity, his rhythm, his musical being alike into performers and listeners. The improvised orchestra, being drawn from the Philharmonic and other musical organizations of this city, played with intelligence, correctness and spirit, but lacked the unity and assimilation that can be derived only from long practice under one director. Still Herr Strauss had them well in hand, and what was wanting in homogeneity was more than supplied by the magnetism of his leadership. His introduction to the audience was in his Artist Life Waltz, which took everybody captive; next he gave his odd Circassian March, in which all manner of bizarre effects are produced, from the chorus of voices to the soft, expiring finale of a distant bell at sunset; but it was not until the familiar versatile movements and flowing melodies of the ‘Beautiful Blue Danube’ were emphasized by the nervous direction of the composer that the house was fairly under the spell of his genius. Then the soul of Terpsichore passed into the multitude. To keep time to the bounding beat of the violins and the merry clash of the cymbals was something involuntary. Hands moved, feet struck the floor, fingers tapped the backs of the seats, even the fans were kept in vibration to the measures of the waltz. Had there been an open area left behind the footlights large enough for ‘a turn,’ we might have expected to see the whole company from the proscenium boxes jump down on the stage and go twirling off in couples in a Strauss ecstasy. The ‘Beautiful Blue Danube’ was repeated, in response to a tumultuous encore, and upon the third call Herr Strauss aggravated the frenzy of the audience by a galop of his own composition that was well-nigh maddening. Of the other pieces of the concert it would be ungracious to speak otherwise than with indulgence, and with reference to the intense heat of the evening and the absorption of the ear of the audience with the dance music of Herr Strauss. Mr. Bergmann’s capacity as a director is well known in New York, and it is only necessary to say of the careful and tasteful performances of Mr. Bonawitz on the piano that they could not be expected to secure the attention and win the applause to which they were fairly entitled.”

“The first of the three concerts to be given at the Academy of Music, under the direction of Herr Johann Strauss, occurred last evening. It was enjoyed by an exceedingly large audience. Although the performance excited quite as much enthusiasm as that supplied by the band of the Grenadier Guards on Friday, it does not call for the rather lengthened notice the earlier recital exacted. In the one case we had to deal with the execution of three score musicians whom many years of association have endowed with a unity of sentiment and taste which time along can produce; in the other we are only occupied with the influence of one man over a body of clever executants. The whole charm of yesterday’s concert dwelt—as did that of the Boston music—in the magnetic power and ad captandum manner of the conductor. How great the power we refer to may be estimated from the effect wrought by the reading of Herr Strauss’ composition, last night, by players who had not had the benefit of even one rehearsal under his baton. It was impossible, withal, to remain insensible to what can only be defined by an Italian word—to the slancio of his delivery; or to be dull to the fact that, whatever of the poetry of motion was latent in the listener, would surely be brought out on the dancing-floor by the strains of the ‘Kuenstlerleben Waltz,’ or of ‘On the Blue Danube.’ Thunderous applause followed all the selections, each of which—except the ‘Pizzicato Polka,’ which was done thrice—was encored and repeated. The interpretation of the several numbers was correct and precise; its especial beauty resulted from the variety of tempo and from the unfailing animation thrown into the work by the conducting genius. The programme included, in addition to the foregoing pieces, Herr Strauss’ quaint and highly colored ‘Circassian March;’ a galop of his own, rendered with immense dash; the overtures of ‘William Tell’ and ‘Rienzi,’ performed with other music by the orchestra under Herr Bergmann, and two piano solos, by Herr Bonawitz. The latter consisted of Liszt’s arrangement of the march from ‘Tannhauser,’ and the pianist’s transcription of ‘Luther’s Hymn,’ both of which were interpreted with faultless technique and considerable eloquence.”

“The fascination of the waltz was never better illustrated than at the Academy of Music last night. There were over 2,000 people, braving heat and multiplied discomforts, for nothing but to see the great writer of dance music, and to hear the familiar strains of the ‘Beautiful Blue Danube’ played not by his famous band but simply under his direction. The ladies nodded their heads gracefully and beamed their smiles, and some broke out with ecstatic gestures, clapping their hands to the measure of the waltz, and following every movement of the agile little master with radiant delight. There were hundreds of the other sex also—ornate party-young-men, who know nothing about the music of the heart and head, but are capital judges of the music of the heels, and they gave Strauss a magnificent reception, calling him back three or four times after each performance, and venting their feelings now and then in a complimentary shout. The music of which Herr Strauss is the best living representative appeals in fact to the tastes of a wider variety of persons than any other class of instrumental music ever written. And it would be a mistake to suppose that he merely tickles an uneducated fancy, or writes for the multitude to which the higher kinds of music are as a sealed book. In the best of his waltzes there is an abundance of poetry,--grace of movement, tenderness of expression, refined sentiment,--as well as the undefinable impulse of festivity which is the essence of a good dance. They soothe the mind with gentle melody, and haunt it afterward with pleasant memories. Many of them are true inspirations, while artistically their structure deserves all praise.

“Herr Strauss had an orchestra of sixty pieces, selected from our Philharmonic Society. The musicians played under him in Boston every day for nearly three weeks, and may therefore be supposed to be tolerably familiar with his style of conducting. They are good players, and of course their execution of the pieces was careful and correct; but we must candidly say that they have caught less of the spirit of their leader than we expected; and are far from that unanimity and mutual sympathy which we admire so much in the orchestra of Mr. Theodore Thomas. Strauss himself, however, supplies what slight defects the critical ear may detect in the band. He has taught them to give a new coloring to the old strains of well-marked shades of expression, eccentricities of tempo, and a contagious vigor and liveliness of touch. He himself, as he whirls about the stand with his violin and bow, now facing the audience, now turning to one after another of the musicians, playing a little, stamping a little, moving every muscle in rhythm, is the perfect embodiment of a quick and spirited dance. It is impossible to look at him and keep one’s feet still; it must be impossible to play under him without catching some of his fire. There were ten pieces on the programme last night, of which Herr Strauss had four. The first was his ‘Künstlerleben’ (Artist Life) waltz; the second his curious and grotesque ‘Circassian March,’ which has been played by Mr. Theodore Thomas. ‘On the Beautiful Blue Danube’ came in the second part. It was received with an enthusiasm that showed very plainly to which of his compositions New-York gives the preference. Lastly was presented the charming ‘Pizzicato Polka,’ of which the audience seemed perfectly enraptured. The rest of the entertainment was furnished by Mr. J. H. Bonawitz, whose two piano solos were respectfully listened to, and the orchestra, under Mr. Bergmann, which was not in the best of trim.”

[Reprinted from the Weekly Review, July 18]

“The three grand orchestral concerts at the Academy of Music, over which Strauss has presided, were brilliant triumphs of instrumentation. The first, on Monday evening, opened with the overture to ‘William Tell’ (Rossini), with the orchestra under the baton of Mr. Carl Bergmann. Under the same direction the orchestra, composed of sixty-two select instrumentalists, performed [see above]. We all know how Bergmann can conduct. His forces proved most efficient, kept admirably together, and did themselves and their director great credit, especially in rendering Wagner’s two pieces, which were done in a manner that convinced the most prejudiced and skeptical present that Wagner has a delicious vein of true melody as well as higher claims to our admiration. With such interpreters the public cannot fail to learn and appreciate Wagner’s greatness.

“Mr. Johann Bonawitz, in the first part, played the ‘Tannhäuser March,’ arranged as a pianoforte solo by Liszt, and in the second another pianoforte solo founded on Luther’s Hymn arranged by Bonawitz himself. These pieces were finely performed, but in playing the former the octaves for the left hand were, on account of the excessive heat, anything but clear in their delivery. The latter piece is not very effective, except in the finale.

“Strauss, as may be gathered from what we have premised, gave his waltz, ‘Künstler Leben’ (Artist Life), in slower time than that in which it is taken by Thomas, but the effect was so delightful that an encore was a foregone conclusion; it took the shape of one of his beautiful polkas. The ‘Circassian March’ is a very original and characteristic composition, by Strauss, and was played in brilliant style. We could take no exception to its performance, unless to the introduction of singing by the orchestra, which reminds us too palpably of our negro minstrels. His famous, favorite waltz, ‘On the Beautiful Blue Danube,’ was given with even more than its usual èclat. A double encore was imperatively demanded, and on the second response assumed the form of his ‘Tritsch Tratsch Polka.’ His ‘Pizzacato Polka’ proved a bright and marvelous piece of execution. The pianissimos and crescendos were perfect. Thrice in succession was this charming gem presented, to satisfy the delighted and almost insatiable craving of the public, that seemed to grow by what it fed on.”