Boston Symphony Orchestra Concert Programs, Season 23,1903
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CARNEGIE HALL, NEW YORK. Boston Sympnony Oictiestra Mr. WILHELM GERICKE, Conductor. Eighteenth Season in New York. PROGRAMMES OF THE THIRD CONCERT THURSDAY EVENING, JANUARY 14, AT 8.15 PRECISELY, AND THE THIRD MATINEE SATURDAY AFTERNOON, JANUARY 16, AT 2.30 PRECISELY. With Historical and Descriptive Notes by Philip Hale. Published by C. A. ELLIS, Manager, l Established Established 1823 1823 PIANOFORTE MAK E R S RECIPIENTS OF, One Hundred and Twenty-Nine FIRST MEDALS AND AWARDS These Celebrated Instruments are To-day better than ever REPRESENTED BY JOHN WAN AMAKER, New York, N.Y. BOStOfl CARNEGIE HALL, Symphonyr* '* s&. NEW YORK. •r * X Twenty-third Season, 1903-1904. £~\ +*rf\\f\^"j- »*«fl Eighteenth Season in New York. Mr. WILHELM GERICKE, Conductor. THIRD CONCERT, THURSDAY EVENING, JANUARY 14, AT 8.15 PRECISELY. PROGRAMME. " " D'Albert . Overture to the Opera, The Improvisatore (First time at these concerts.) Henselt . Concerto in F minor, for Pianoforte and Orchestra, Op. 16 I. Allegro patetico. II. Larghetto. III. Finale : Allegro agitato. Loeffler "The Death of Tintagiles," Symphonic Poem after the Drama by Maurice Maeterlinck (The viole d'amour is played by the composer.) Beethoven ..... Symphony No. 8, in F major, Op. 93 I. Allegro vivace e con brio. II. Allegretto scherzando. III. Tempo di memietto. • IV. Allegro vivace. SOLOIST: Mr. FERRUCCIO B. BUSONI. There will be an intermission of ten minutes before the symphony. The Pianoforte is a Steinway. Intervals, Chords, and Ear Training By Jean Parkman Brown NOTHING is more valuable to the musician, be he composer, teacher, or executant, than some degree of "inner hearing"; i. e., the power to feel accurately the correspondence between the note, the written symbol, and the outward sound ; so that to sing or to recognize a minor third or major seventh will be easy. A faithful use of this book by all who have a natural love of music, even young children, will greatly broaden and benefit their musical intelligence. Price, post-paid, $1.00 Harmony Simplified A PRACTICAL INTRODUCTION TO COMPOSITION By Francis L. York " Harmony Simplified " presents to the student the rudimentary principles of har- mony in a concise and entertaining manner, and I am sure that any one examining the work will agree with me when I say that it is of practical value as a text-book, reflect- ing much credit upon the author's musicianship. Wilson G. Smith. We are using " Harmony Simplified " in our harmony classes in the State Nor- mal College. The book is simple, yet direct, explicit, and complete so far as intended, and, together with the choice selections used as illustrations, is altogether commend- able. I sincerely recommend it. Frederic H. Pease. " Harmony Simplified " was duly received. I congratulate you on its general lucidity of statement, remarkable conciseness, its choice illustrations from the best sources, and its handsome typographical dress. It is an excellent manual. Albert Ross Parsons. Price, post-paid, $1.00 OLIVER DITSON COMPANY 451 Washington Street : BOSTON Overture to the Opera, "The Improvisatore." Eugene Francis Charles d'Albert. (Born at Glasgow, April 10, 1864; now living at Sachsenhausen, near Frankfort on the Main.) "Der Improvisator," opera in three acts, libretto by Gustav Kast- ropp,* music by d' Albert, was produced at the Royal Opera House, Berlin, Feb. 26, 1902. It is the sixth of d'Albert's works for the stage: (1) "Der Rubin" (Carlsruhe, Oct. 12, 1893); (2) "Ghismonda" (Dres- den, Nov. 28, 1895); (3) "Gemot" (Mannheim, April 11, 1897); (4) "Die Abreise" (Frankfort, Oct. 20, 1898); (5) "Kain" (Feb. 17, 1900); (6) "Der Improvisator"; (7) "Tiefland" (Prague, Nov. 15, 1903). The sources of Kastropp's libretto are said to be as follows: Ander- sen's romance, "The Improvisatore," for spirit and color; Victor Hugo's drama, "Angelo, Tyran de Padoue";t and certain passages in Burck- hardt's "Kulturgeschichte der Renaissance." Kastropp borrowed from Hugo the figure of the Venetian Angelo Malipieri, podesta of Padua, the presence in Padua of spies of the Venetian Council of Ten, and certain details, such as the crucifix given in Hugo's play as a talisman to Catarina by the dying mother of Tisbe. The librettist's story is involved and romantically operatic rather than direct and probable. The year of Hugo's Padua is 1549 ; that of Kast- ropp's, 1540. Padua is ruled by Venice. Angelo serves his state faithfully, yet his steward accuses him of treachery and the Council plan the death of their representative. The Count Arco, banished in his youth from Padua, is now in the service of Genoa, and with an army is near his birthplace, ready for assault; but it is Carnival time, * Gustav Kastropp, bom in 1844 at Salmttnster in Hesse, is a musician. In the seventies he taught at the Orchestral School in Weimar, and he was known by his songs, " Konig Elf's Lieder," and a dramatic poem, " Suleika." He has lived of late years a retired life. t Hugo's drama of mysterious doors, poisons, daggers, and coffins was produced at the Thditre-Francais, April 28, 1835, with Mars as Tisbe, Dorval as Catarina, Beauvallet as Angelo Malipieri, Geffroy as Rodolfo, and Provost as Homodei. The play was revived at the same theatre, May 18, 1850, when Rachel imperson- ated Tisbe. There was a revival before this in 1837, and Jules Janin then wrote a most brilliant critical review, in which he made merry with dramatist and drama. " Fie on a serious art which thus depends on a key, a flask, a piece of painted wood or pasteboard ! To-day, to be a dramatic poet, it is necessary to be not only a poet, but, as M. Victor Hugo is to all intents and purposes, an architect, a landscapist, a costumer, an armorer ; it is necessary to know heraldry, chemistry, pharmacology, and the art of raising a siege." These operas have been founded on "Angelo" : "II Giuramento," music by Mercadante (Milan, Dec. 26, " " '837) ; Angelo," music by C^sar Cui (St. Petersburg, Feb. 13, 1876) ; and Boito's libretto, La Gioconda," founded in Targe part on Hugo's drama, music by Ponchielli (Milan, April 8, 1876). Rachel produced " Angelo" at the Boston Theatre, Oct. 24, 1855. Latest Novelties in Piano Music for teaching purposes BUNNING, HERBERT ERNEST, GUSTAV Novellette . Caprice Valse . $0.75 $0.60 Capriccio Nocturne ... -75 A . .60 Tendresse > Valse Impromptu . .60 75 Marionette j ' * ' FRANCKE, GUSTAV Pastourelle (Air de Ballet), .75 CLUTSAn, GEORGE LONGO, A. Papillons Bleus . .75 Suite Romantica Sous les £toiles •75 1. Preludio . .50 L'Enjoleuse •75 2. Intermezzo . .50 Chant du Berger •75 3. Presto Agitato . .50 Dans les Bois . •75 riOSZKOWSKI, M; Menuet-Caprice . •75 Improvisation, Op. 70, No. 2, .60 BOOSEY & COMPANY. 9 East 17th St., New York ' and he will not disturb the pleasure of the inhabitants. He himself enters the city, disguised as an improvisatore, Cassio Belloni, a com- pound of Hunold Singuf, the Ratcatcher of Hamelin, who drew all women after him, and of Tyrtatus, for he sings songs of patriotism and liberty as well as love. He woos Silvia, the daughter of Angelo, but is so reckless as to sing of Padua's freedom and other forbidden things in the very presence of the podesta. The improvisatore is speedily imprisoned with two beggars, who turn out to be Venetian sbirri, with instructions to kill Angelo. Silvia goes to the prison, and brings about the release of Arco, who at a feast where he is crowned as poet tells Angelo of the plot against him. Arco leaves the city, returns with his army, saves Angelo, and weds Silvia. Sommer created the part of the Improvisatore, Miss Destinn that of Silvia, and the other parts were impersonated by Mrs. Herzog, Miss Dietrich, and Messrs. Hoffmann, Berger, Philipp, Nebe, and Lieban. Dr. Muck conducted. The orchestration and the ballet scenes of the opera were highly praised, but the real musical contents were con- demned. "Soulless music"; "such old-fashioned operatic forms de- mand a composer who is a melodist de pur sang, and d Albert is not such a man"; "the opera impresses us as a slander against the dead 'grand historical opera' of Spontini, Meyerbeer, Halevy; and we had a right to expect something else from the composer of ' Die Abreise and 'Kain.^ " Such were the opinions of even friendly critics. The overture is scored for piccolo, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 4 horns, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones, bass tuba, a set of 3 kettle- drums, snare-drum, cymbals, triangle, tambourine, harp, strings. The music of this overture is carnivalesque, and needs no elaborate explanation. Sehr lebhaft, D major, 6-8. The first gay theme, violas, 'cellos, bassoons, might be called a tarantella motive. Developments lead to a tumultuous climax. The second theme, G major, enters after references to the introduction, and a motive from this theme is worked up by wood-wind instruments and then by the whole orchestra. After expressive harmonies a lively transitional passage leads to the recapitu- lation, which is followed by an orthodox coda. This overture was played by the Chicago orchestra at Chicago, Oct. 25, 1902. THEini FOUNDATION OF THE PIANO is a solid iron frame to support the twenty tons of strain from the strings, where other pianos have wood, which is affected by STECK weather. That foundation gives, and preserves, its wonderful tone. It makes it stay in tune. It makes the superior workmanship and materials worth while. It makes permanent the benefits of our forty-seven years of expe- rience. It makes it materially better than any other piano, and has won its title- "THE OLD RELIABLE" A catalogue for the asking.