MECHANICS HALL . WORCESTER Twenty-eighth Season, I908-J909 Ionian ^ptpfjmuj GDrdf^fra MAX FIEDLER, Conductor ffrogramm? of a?* Third and Last Concert WITH HISTORICAL AND DESCRIP- TIVE NOTES BY PHILIP HALE TUESDAY EVENING, APRIL 20 AT 8. J 5 PRECISELY COPYRIGHT, 1908, BY C. A. ELLIS MANAGER PUBLISHED BY C. A. ELLIS, Mme. CECILE CHAMINADE The World's Greatest Woman Composer Mme. TERESA CARRENO The World's Greatest Woman Pianist Mme. LILLIAN NORDICA The World's Greatest Woman Singer USE ^^ Piano. THE JOHN CHURCH CO., 37 West 3*d Street New York City REPRESENTED BY THE JOHN CHURCH CO., 37 West 32d Street, New York City Boston Symphony Orchestra PERSONNEL TWENTY-EIOHTH SEASON, 1908-1909 MAX 1FIEDLER, Conductor First Violins. Hess, Willy Roth, O. Hoffmann, J, Krafft, W. Concert-master. Kuntz, D. Fiedler, E. Theodorowicz, J. Noach, S. Mahn, F. Eichheim, H, Bak, A. Mullaly, J. Strube, G. Rissland, K. Ribarsch, A. Traupe, W. Second Violins. Barleben, K. Akeroyd, J. Fiedler, B. Berger, H. Fiumara, P. Currier, F. Marble, E. Eichler, J. Tischer-Zeitz, H. Kuntz, A, Goldstein, H. Goldstein, S. Kurth, R. Werner, H. Violas. Fenr, E. Heindl, H. Zahn, F. Kolster, A. Krauss, H. Scheurer, K. Hoyer, H. Kluge, M. Sauer, G. Gietzen, A. Violoncellos. Warnke, H. Nagel, R. Barth, C. Loeffler, K Warnke, J. Keller, J. Kautzenbach, A. Nast, L. Hadley, A. Smalley, R. Basses. Keller, K. Agnesy, K. Seydel, T. Ludwig, O. Gerhardt, G. Kunze, M. Huber, E. Schurig, R. Flutes. Oboes. Clarinets. Bassoons. Maquarre, A. Longy, G. Grisez, G. Sadony, P. Brooke, A. Lenom, C. Mimart, P. Mueller, E. Battles, A. Sautet, A. Vannini, A. Regestein, E. Fox, P. English Horn Bass Clarinet. Contra-bassoon. Mueller, F. Stumpf, K. Helleberg, J. Horns. Horns. Trumpets. Trombones. Tuba, Hess, M. Schmid, K. Kloepfel, L. Hampe, C Lorenz, O Lorbeer, H. Gebhardt, W. Mann, J. Mausebach, A. Hain, F. Hackebarth, A. Heim, G. Kenfiekl, L. Merrill, Phair, J. Schumann, C. C. Harp. Tympani. Percussion. Schuecker, H, Rettberg, A. Dworak, J. Senia, T. Kandler, F. Ludwig, C. Burkhardt, H. Librarian, Sauerquell, J. 3 Qfot affitcttmttg l$imxo f^&0: Bears a name which has become known to purchasers as representing the highest possible value produced in the piano industry. It has been associated with all that is highest and best in piano making since 1823. Its name is the hall mark of piano worth and is a guarantee to the purchaser that in the instrument bearing it, is incorporated the highest artistic value possible. CHICKERING & SONS PIANOFORTE MAKERS Established 1833 791 TREMONT STREET BOSTON, U. S. A. REPRESENTED IN WORCESTER BY fc S. R. LELAND & SON Boston A MECHANICS HALL, Symphony ft Worcester. OtrhACf f*Q ' Twenty-eighth Season, J908-1909. MAX FIEDLER, Conductor. THIRD AND LAST CONCERT, TUESDAY EVENING, APRIL 20, AT 8.15 PRECISELY. PROGRAMME. " Weber .... Overture to the Opera " Der Freischutz Bruch . Concerto No. 3, for Violin and Orchestra, Op. 58 I. Allegro energico. II. Adagio. III. Finale: Allegro molto. " Wagner Prelude to " Lohengrin " " Wagner . Overture to The Flying Dutchman " Stir of the Forest") Wagner • Waldweben" ("Life and from " Siegfried," Act II. of the Wagner • . Funeral Music from "Dusk Gods" of the Valkyries Wagner • Ride SOLOIST, Professor WILLY HESS. There will be aa intermission of ten minutes after the concerto. 5 e Always tbe Kiabe m3&s£Mr<S&o- BALTIMORE NEW YORK WASHINGTON Represented in Worcester by MARCELLUS ROPER CO, Overture, ''Dim Freischutz" .... Carl Maria von Weber (Born at Eutin, Oldenburg, December 18, 1786; died at London, June 5, 1826.) "Der Freischutz," a romantic opera in three acts, book by Friedrich Kind, music by Weber, was first performed at Berlin, June 18, 1821. The cast was as follows: Agathe, Caroline Seidler; Aennchen, Johanna Eumke; Brautjungfer, Henriette Reinwald; Max, Heinrich Stumer; Ottaker, Gottlieb Rebenstein; Kuno, Carl Wauer; Caspar, Heinrich Blume; Eremit, Georg Gern; Kilian, August Wiedemann; Samiel, Hillebrand. It was the first opera performed in the new theatre, Schauspielhaus, erected by Schinkel in 1 819-21, to replace the original building, which was burned down in 181 7. Weber wrote in his diary that the opera was received with "incredible enthusiasm; Overture and Folk-song were encored; fourteen out of seventeen music-pieces were stormily applauded. Everything went exceedingly well, and was sung con amove. I was called before the curtain and took Mad. (sic) Seidler and Mile, (sic) Eunike with me, as I could not get hold of the others. Verses and wreaths came flying. 'Soli Deo Gloria." Some of these verses were malicious, and reflected on Spontini, much to Weber's distress. Weber began work on the overture February 22, 1820; and May 13 he noted in his diary: "Overture of 'Die Jagersbraut' finished, and with it the whole opera. God be praised, and to Him alone be the glory." ("Die Jagersbraut" was the original title of the opera, and it was kept until into the year 1820, when Weber changed it to "Der Freischutz" at the advice of Count Bruhl, Intendant of the Berlin Court theatres.) Weber heard the music for the first time at a rehearsal of the Dresden orchestra, June 10, 1820, and this was the first music of the opera that he heard. The first public performance of the overture was at Copenhagen, October 8, 1820. Weber was making a tour through North Germany and Denmark. The second performance was at Brunswick, October 31, 1820. And, before the performance of the opera itself, the overture was played for the third time at Dresden, December 18, 1820, at a con- cert given by Weber's friend, Heinrich Joseph Barmann, the brilliant SONGS WORTH SINGING KING FISHER BLUE by Amy Woodforde-Finden. 2 Keys . Price, 60c. 1 LOVE ME by F. P. Tosti. 3 Keys . 60c ' I HEAR YOU CALLING ME by C. Marshall. 3 Keys . 60c. 1 O, FRAGRANT MIGNONETTE by Laura Lemon. 4 Keys . 60c. TWO SONGS OF ITALY by H Bath. 2 Keys ' 60c. 4 A THOUGHT by Chas. J. Roberts. 2 Keys 60c BELL AT SEA by Stephen Adams. 3 Keys .... 60c. 1 B00SEY & COMPANY, Publishers, 9 East Seventeenth Street NEW YORK 7 CARUSOMr. ENRICO has selected for his personal use the Hardman Piano This adds one more proof of its musical superiority and of the preference given it by the greatest artists. Mr. Caruso, like many other great artists, examines with special care the latest products of the leading piano manufacturers with the view of selecting the best for his personal use. It is, therefore, of keen interest to the in- tending purchasers of pianos to know that so remarkable a musician and expert a judge as Mr. Caruso has adopted for such personal use the Hardman Piano. Hardman, Peck & Company ESTABLISHED 1842 138 Fifth Avenue, New York 524 Fulton Street, Brooklyn Represented in Worcester by F. J. CHARRON & SON, 43 Park Street clarinetist and the grandfather of Mr. Carl Baermann, of Boston. The performance at Brunswick inspired a favorable review published in the leading music journal of Leipsic. The overture was therein described as "a most important work of art, which displays the fantasy and genius of a bold speaker of the prologue." Max von Weber tells us that his father's overture brought Barmann money, but no glory; for the attention of the audience was fixed on the new work, and the virtuoso was applauded as by absent-minded hearers, although he blew in most artistic fashion. He also says that the themes of the overture were not readily grasped, that the novelty of the orchestration dis- concerted the conservative and elderly of the audience, and that applause at the end was without heart on account of the surprise and perplexity of those who were well disposed toward the composer. F. W. Jahns, on the other hand, says the applause was so great that the overture was played the second time. And here it may be stated that Max von Weber speaks as though this performance were the first, and does not mention those at Copenhagen and Brunswick. But see "Carl Maria von Weber in seinem Werken," by F. W. Jahns (Berlin, 1871, pp. 318, 319). We have mentioned the success of this overture at Berlin, when it was played as the prelude to the opera and under Weber's direction, a success that dumfounded the followers of Spontini, and settled the future of German opera in the capital. And so, wherever the overture was played, the effect was overwhelming, —as in London, where the opera was first performed in English, July "2 2 (?), 1824, at the English opera house. W. T. Parke wrote: "The music of this opera is such a continued display of science, taste, and melody as to justify any praises bestowed on it. The overture embraces most of the subjects of the airs in the opera, ingeniously interwoven with each other, and is quite original. The grandeur of some passages and the finely con- trasted simplicity of others produced an effect which was irresistible. It was vehemently encored." It is scored for two flutes, two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, four horns, two trumpets, three trombones, kettledrums, and strings. * * * The first performance of "Der Freischutz" in the United States was an English version produced at the Park Theatre, New York, March 2,* 1825. The chief singers were Miss Kelly, Mrs. de Luce, Woodhull, and Clarke. Miss Lydia Kelly was a niece of Michael Stage" * T. Allston Brown gives March 12, 1825, in his "History of the New York (1903). MR. HARRY C. MULLETT Teacher of the PIANOFORTE STUDIO, ROOM 21, KNOWLES BUILDING 518 MAIN STREET 9 ; New Q!9fancl , Conservatory of MUSIC GEORGE W.