Thomas Central Park Garden Concert

Includes program. 

Descriptive analysis of Spohr’s symphony.

“Theodore Thomas has returned from the country to Central Park Garden, replacing Dudley Buck as conductor and John Koch as manager. His concerts will therefore be more enjoyable than ever.”

Includes program. 

“The cordiality with which Theodore Thomas was received on Tuesday evening, when he returned to his post after a short holiday, was a gratifying indication that connoisseurs of music appreciate the value of his labors for the advancement of art, and understand what an exceptional position he occupies among the musicians of the country. The demonstrations of welcome have been repeated on the subsequent evenings with considerable emphasis. Last night there was an unusually large audience and a programme of particular interest, a large proportion of the pieces on which were either quite new or at least fresh. Mr. Thomas conducted [program follows; see above].

The overture to ‘Alceste’ has not been played here by the Thomas orchestra until within a few days, for strange as it may seem it is only a year or two since New-York began to learn something of the masterpieces of the great composer and reformer from whom Wagner traces his artistic lineage. ‘Alceste’ is one of the noblest, though not the very foremost, of his works, and the overture shows all that calm and statuesque magnificence which is his most striking characteristic. For Gluck’s music we imagine Thomas must have a peculiar fondness. The perfect drill of the orchestra counts for a great deal in a work whose best and broadest effects are attained by a comparatively simple management of string harmonies; but besides this the eloquent interpretation shows unmistakably the influence of a conductor in close sympathy not only with the executants but the composer. Still finer last night was the Bach ‘Passacaglia,’ an arrangement for the orchestra by H. Esser, of which we can hardly speak too highly. Here we have the old master in one of his grand and stately moods, and the art by which the orchestra is led by almost imperceptible gradations of force through a crescendo which fairly takes the imagination [illegible] except by Bach himself. This [illegible] with the strictest fidelity and with [electrical?] spirit.

The ‘Hungarian Dances’ by Hofmann are new. There are two of them, both exceedingly brilliant and dashing, and both showing rather more of the Gypsy furor, and, we should judge, of the real national spirit, than the Hungarian dances by Brahms which have become so popular; though [illegible] as music the Brahms dances are the best. The gorgeous Introduction, Quintet and Finale from the third Act of the ‘Meistersinger’ brought the first part of the concert to an effective close.

But for the length of the intermissions, the Spohr Symphony would have had a curious effect sandwiched between Wagner and Liszt. As it was, its suave and [illegible] [harmonies?] were separated by such wide intervals from the rest of the programme that not much of its beauty was sacrificed. The adversaries of the new school set great store by Spohr, yet here, in his best and most popular orchestral work, they have veritable ‘programme music’ which they [illegible] to denounce as an outrage and an absurdity. The symphony was written to illustrate a poem by Carl Pfeiffer on music as element of natural beauty. The first movement (Largo and Allegro) depicts the gloom of chaos before the creation of sound, contrasted with the brightness which burst forth when the music of nature began to breathe through the woods and echo along the shore. The composer lingers but a moment in the uncertainty of chaos; he breaks into fluent song after a very few measures, and even the ‘uproar of the elements,’ supposed to be indicated by the closing part of the movement, is but a gentle and well connected commotion. The second movement (Andantino, Allegro, Andantino) symbolizes the music of love, and consists of a charming cradle song, a short and merry dance, and a beautiful serenade, given to a solo violoncello. Then for the third movement (Tempo di Marcia, Andante Maestoso), we have a fine military march, mingled with tender strains supposed to express the emotions of waiting and anxious [illegible] followed by a choral hymn of thanksgiving after victory. The last movement (Larghetto, Allegretto) comprises a dirge, which gives place to a more grateful yet still sad theme, entitled ‘consolation in grief.’ The work is crowded with beauties, but it has Spohr’s characteristic fault. The soft chromatic harmonies [illegible] the taste, and the composer’s care to avoid harshness has undoubtedly been carried too far. Metrical forms are so strictly followed that even the chaos and battle might almost be chanted; and partly in consequence of the effeminate softness, partly perhaps in consequence of the nature of the subject, the climax of interest is [illegible] before the last movement is begun.”

“The mysterious disappearance of Mr. Koch, of Central Park Garden, is noted, and it is understood that this fashionable place of resort will henceforward, or this season, at least, be managed by representatives of Mr. Theodore Thomas."

“The pièce de résistance of Mr. Thomas’ programme last evening was Spohr’s ‘Weihe der Töne.’ Although this composer’s music, if frequently heard, usually palls upon the taste by reason of its excessive sweetness, we are still inclined to the belief that it might with advantage be less of a stranger among the selections at the Central Park Garden. Possibly, however, its rare performances conduces so greatly to its effect that Mr. Thomas is justified in making its recitals like angels’ visits, and the result obtained yesterday unquestionably offered testimony in favor of the policy hitherto adopted. The symphony, in spite of its length, afforded decided pleasure. Its first movement, or rather the allegro of this division, promptly commends itself to admiration by the shapeliness of its themes, and Mr. Thomas’ violins delivered the graceful cantabile phrases again and again allotted to them with such unblemished purity of tone and expressiveness of accent that several repetitions would have been welcome. We are not particularly impressed by the martial movement following the allegro of the work. Modern composers handle the brass more skillfully than did Spohr in his present achievement, at all events, and the tempo di marcia is more noisy than inspiring. The symphony, indeed, decreases in interest as it progresses, and sensuous and clear as the last movement is, it does not charm the ear like the first. Among the other good things of the evening were a ‘Passacaglia’ by Bach, some new Hungarian dances by Hofmann, and Liszt’s delicious ‘Rhapsodie Hongroise’ No. 1, which it was simply vexing to play so well, with the determination not to repeat it. Mr. Thomas conducted.”

“Spohr’s work is wonderfully well done. In fact, it is painfully so. ‘Faultily faultless;’—one tires at last of this suave uninterrupted flow of melody. And yet it is a composition of too much merit to be consigned to the limbo of oblivion, for Spohr had every gift except the divine one. So let us hear his music occasionally. Too much of it is like a diet composed exclusively of honey.”