Venue(s):
Academy of Music
Conductor(s):
Carl Bergmann
Event Type:
Orchestral
Status:
Published
Last Updated:
5 May 2013
"Beethoven’s 8th Symphony. Its delicious genial unique Allegretto was a welcome sound. I had forgotten all of the 3rd and 4th movements but their opening phrases and was surprised to find both so full of life and various beauty. The strong point of the 1st movement seems to be ‘thematische Arbeit,’ in which it may compare with that of the Eroica. Then we had a happy overture to Prometheus by one Bargiel, a tedious specimen of the exaggerated spasmodic modern school, but a favorable specimen too, for its composer has not disdained to introduce, now and then, exceptions of good honest handsome major chords put together with some attempt at melodic effect. Then the Orchestra was painfully drilled for half an hour on Mendelssohn’s Midsummer Night’s Dream Overture, and then I came away without hearing the Nocturne, etc., for I wanted to provide some special cigars, worthy to be smoked by a tobacco loving Lieutenant General.”