Theodore Thomas Public Rehearsal: 5th Concert

Descriptive analysis.

Descriptive analysis of Haydn’s symphony.

Descriptive analysis.

“A very large audience, mainly consisting of ladies, crowded Steinway Hall yesterday afternoon, attracted by the rich feast of music prepared for them by Mr. Theodore Thomas and his incomparable band. There was a delightful symphony by Haydn, the second ‘Leonora’ overture of Beethoven, a Handelian air, sung by Miss Anna Drasdil, and a new symphony by Rubinstein. The last mentioned work was the chief feature of attraction, and, notwithstanding its extreme length and boldness of style, it at once claimed the most rapt attention of the music loving portion of the audience, especially in the last two movements, which are gigantic in ideas, effects and construction. Miss Drasdil was received with every mark of public favor. The concert takes place on Saturday night.”

“Yesterday afternoon, at Steinway Hall, the music to be performed to-morrow evening at the fifth symphony concert of Mr. Theodore Thomas was publicly rehearsed. Haydn’s ‘Oxford’ symphony was, though then first played by the Thomas orchestra, as a matter of course, extremely welcome. The selection from Handel’s ‘Semele,’ admirably well sung by Miss Drasdil, was also greatly admired. The second ‘Lenore’ overture by Beethoven could not fail to please, for this, like the preceding works, has long been accepted and will continue to be listened to in our concert-rooms with delight. But the ‘Symphonie Dramatique’ of Rubinstein was soon to be presented for the first time, and therefore the greatest interest was raised in anticipation of the second part of the programme. Would it succeed with the audience? Would the strangeness of some of the rhythmic forms or melodic phrases (as pointed out in our review of this colossal work yesterday) hinder its immediate and most cordial reception? These and similar questions were entertained by those who desire to see the productions of modern art as fully appreciated in New York as in the land of their birth. But they were soon answered in the most satisfactory manner, at once gratifying to them and reassuring to Mr. Thomas, who found that he had not labored in vain. It remains to be seen if the audience of Saturday evening, which will probably contain a larger proportion of the sterner sex, will sustain the opinion announced so unanimously by acclamation yesterday.”