Besprechung der 4. Symphonie [Aufführung am 10/11.2.1899] in The Boston Globe Nr. 43 auf S. 18: "DRAMA AND MUSIC. [...] Fifteenth Symphony Concert. The celebrated pianist, Miss Aus der Ohe, was the soloist at last week's symphony concert. Anton Bruckner's fourth symphony for orchestra was played for the first time here, and Beethoven's "Leonore" overture opened the long program. [... Solistin mit Brahms' 2. Klavierkonzert "masterful" ...]. The Bruckner symphony was splendidly played by the orchestra. There is much scoring for the horns and other brasses in the first two movements, and as their works stands out so conspicuously a word of special praise is due this contingent. The odd phrases and calls in the first part were presented with a tonality and harmony that was almost faultless in clarity and unison, and in the second movement, and also in the opening of the third, the horn phrases were very sweet and melodic. The three themes of the second part were admirably given by the successive contingents, although the third theme was a trifle ragged in the first few bars. The joviality of the third movement found sympathetic interpreters, and the very elaborate fourth part went very smoothly, the violins doing excellent work here. The violas in the first [sic] movement sang the cantabile phrases beautifully. The finale to the symphony was stupendous in volume. [...]." [keine Signatur] (*).
[11.2.1899? siehe die Anmerkung]
Philip Hale schreibt im Boston Journal über das Konzert [kompletter Text über den Link unten lesbar]:
" The programm of the 15th symphony concert last night in Music Hall, Mr. Gericke conductor, was as follows: [... Bülows "die drei B's" ...].
Is Bruckner one of the great B's? I have no opinion on this subject, for I heard his music last night for the first time.
I had been warned against it. I had been told by some that his symphonies were drearer than the drearest pages of Brahms. Others had whispered in my ear that he was a genius–at remembering Wagner. [...].
There was this consolation: The symphony was at the end of the concert: if it became unendurable, the door was close at hand.
This consolation was taken away. Mr. Gericke, with Yankee shrewdness, changed the order, and lo, the symphony came first.
The disappointment was great. [... aber: große Freude an den ersten drei Sätzen ... zu den einzelnen Sätzen ...].
The finale staggered me. I could not discover what the man was driving at. [...]. This is the only movement that disappointed. It disappointed, not from the lack of skill, but from seeming absence of cohesion and logical development. There is counterpoint galore, but the train of thought is as though it were subject to constant interruption from an outsider." (**).
[Datierung hypothetisch] Von diesen Konzerten berichten auch
The Boston Herald. "The Herald remarked that it left one somewhat unsatisfied with it as a whole but that it requires more than one hearing to obtain a clear understanding of it.",
The Boston Advertiser (vermutlich, Louis C. Elson). "Mr. Elson described it as of overwhelming length, earnestness and abstruseness, with scarcely a trace of inspiration.", und
The Boston Transcript (vermutlich William Foster Apthorp). "The Transcript called the first three movements interesting and impressive but could find nothing in the last movement." (***).
Zitierhinweis:
Franz Scheder, Anton Bruckner Chronologie Datenbank, Eintrag Nr.: 189902125, URL: www.bruckner-online.at/ABCD-189902125letzte Änderung: Feb 02, 2023, 11:11