Philharmonic Society of New York Concert: 6th

Includes program.

“The last Philharmonic concert of the present season took place at the Academy of Music last evening. It was not brilliant enough to close the year with éclat, and the attendance was by no means what it should have been in point of numbers. The most interesting incident of the concert was the performance of Mme. Di Murska. This artist, whom it is always a pleasure to listen to, sang, with unimpeachable purity of style, Beethoven’s ‘Ah, perfido,’ though it must be conceded that the Hungarian prima donna’s rendering of the piece was wanting in dramatic accent. But in the air from ‘Roberto,’ ‘In vano il fato,’ her recital left absolutely nothing to be desired. Mme. Di Murska’s trill is unrivalled; what we might term, from their effect, the harmonic tones of her voice, are of such rare quality as to seem fraught with an almost superhuman beauty, and the agility of her execution—shown in the second part of the aria by some marvelous ascending passages in arpeggio, a descent being accomplished by runs, flute-like in their precision and in the clear definition of each note—is scarcely to be conceived by those who have not heard the songstress in one of her bravura compositions. Mme. Di Murska was thrice recalled after the number from ‘Roberto.’ The orchestra’s contributions to the entertainment were not as attractive as usual. Goldmark’s ‘Sakuntala’ overture must be excepted from this remark, for, programme music though it is, and as such rather too illustrative in intent to be thoroughly intelligible, it is none the less to be admired as a tone picture of great warmth and richness of coloring. We were not deeply impressed by Grimm’s ‘Suite,’ in four movements, played for the first time last evening. The second movement—tempo di minuetto—is possessed of a rather pretty theme, but the tendency of the whole work is to garrulousness, without even the varied and sonorous instrumental treatment which nowadays goes far toward excusing, if it does not conceal, a paucity of ideas. The concert closed with Beethoven’s accompaniment to ‘Egmont,’ Mr. Pope reading the poem, Mme. Di Murska singing the two songs which are part of the score, and the orchestra rendering with decided spirit and force the clear and strong music to the familiar story.”

“A very large audience greeted the Philharmonic Society at the last concert of the thirty-second season, which took place last night at the Academy of Music. The programme was interesting in some of its features, the chief attraction being the prima donna, Mlle. Ilma di Murska. The following works were presented [see above]. Of the orchestral works the overture of Goldmark was the most satisfactory in the rendering, both in the breadth of expression and spirit displayed by the orchestra. The fanciful legend on which the work is founded is illustrated with masterly effect, and, although the overture abounds in an endless variety of rich coloring and massive combinations, yet it is conceived of a spirit akin to the noble simplicity of style of the old schools. Beethoven’s grand work attracted the chief share of attention on account of its own inherent qualities, the artistic rendering of the songs by Mlle. Di Murska and the clever manner in which the poem was recited by Mr. Pope. We spoke of the work in detail at the time that the society first brought it out a few years since, and it is unnecessary now to refer to it at length. Of the two selections made by Mlle. Di Murska, the second aria of Isabella, from ‘Robert,’ was the best calculated to show off the brilliant qualities of her voice. The Beethoven aria demands more dramatic fire and breadth of tone than was at the command of the vocalist.”

“The thirty-second season of the New-York Philharmonic Society closed with an excellent concert on Saturday evening, the following being the programme [see above].

Several of the orchestral works of J. O. Grimm have recently been played in New-York, and all have impressed us as creations of decided value, albeit of a quiet, subdued character which unlearned audiences may not at first appreciate. Grimm has a marked fondness for the old-fashioned forms which Bach and Handel treated so often, and out of which Haydn and Beethoven developed the freer movements of the grand symphony. It is only however in the form that he chooses for his works, and in a strict subordination of the wind instruments to the strings, that he copies the older masters; his style—at least in this second Suite—has very little of the antique flavor; and if it carries a pleasant suggestion of the ancient times it is because the Suite adheres much more closely than the Symphony to those rhythmic dance measures whence Suite and Symphony both originate. The present work is decidedly interesting and agreeable; and if we cannot go so far as to call it fascinating, it is well worth a hearing, and the Society deserves thanks for producing it. The ‘Sakuntala’ overture may be said to have won a decided popularity during the two or three years that it has been in the Philharmonic Society’s repertory,--a popularity which must certainly have been enhanced by the superb performance it received on Saturday night. The ‘Egmont’ overture was also admirably rendered, the fullness and force of the string orchestra having a grand opportunity for display in the familiar overture. This was the second complete interpretation of Beethoven’s ‘Egmont’ given by the Society, the first having been at the Beethoven Centennial concert in December, 1870, when Mme. Lichtmay sang the music of Clarchen, and the declamations were delivered by Mr. Vandenhoff. The spoken text is a translation from a German synopsis of the drama, made in order to fit the music for concert room uses, the music consisting of the overture, march, six interludes, or incidental pieces, and the two soprano songs, ‘Die Trommel gerühret’ and ‘Freudvoll und leidvoll.’ The poem was read on Saturday by Mr. William H. Pope, and the songs were given by Mme. di Murska. As soon as the lady had finished her part she left the stage, pushing her way through the orchestra while it was playing. Mr. Pope afterward imitated her bad example, and the splendid orchestral finale was actually disturbed not only by the confusion of people going home, but by the untimely applause which followed the retreating elocutionist. We thought people at the Philharmonic Concerts knew better how to behave. Mme. di Murska sang the ‘Ah perfido’in excellent style, yet hardly with her customary ease. In the ‘Egmont’ music she was plainly laboring under difficulties.

The season which has just closed has not been entirely successful in a pecuniary sense; but for that misfortune the financial disorders of the time are responsible. The work of the Society has been distinguished by a noble artistic ambition and in general by excellent results, and the playing of Mr. Bergmann’s fine band has shown an improvement in accuracy and in fire. In the way of novelty Mr. Bergmann has not had a great deal to offer; but the constant craving for new things is the sign of a vitiated musical appetite, and we are not of those who so bitterly find fault with the Philharmonic Society for its lack of ‘enterprise.’ We rejoice that this excellent organization devotes itself so reverently to the study of the great classical standards, and so long as it gives us good programmes no true friend of art will complain that the music is old. Beethoven and Mozart are never old.”