Aufführung der 5. Symphonie (in gekürzter Fassung) durch das New York Philharmonic Orchestra unter Josef Stransky in der Carnegie Hall in New York.

Solistin mit Klavierliedern und der Schlußszene aus der "Götterdämmerung" ist Lillian Nordica. Außerdem erklingt Beethovens 3. "Leonoren"-Ouvertüre [Wiederholung vom 15.12.1911] (*).

Auf dieses Konzert macht ein Inserat in The New York Times Nr. 19683 auf S. 22 aufmerksam:

"       PHILHARMONIC

     –Society of New York–

JOSEF STANSKY conductor.

        CARNEGIE HALL.

     This Afternoon at 2:30.

 Soloist: MME. NORDICA

Bruckner Symph., Beethoven "Leonore," Wagner Immolation Scene, Songs with Piano

50c to $2. Steinway Piano. Mgt. L. Charlton." (*a).

Besprechung der gestrigen Konzerts in The New York Times Nr. 19683 auf S. 10:

"                THE PHILHARMONIC CONCERT

Bruckner's Fifth Symphony for First Time Here–Mme. Nordica, Soloist.

     At the Philharmonic fifth evening concert last evening Mr. Stransky undertook the formidable task of interesting the New York musical public in a symphony by Anton Bruckner. He chose the fifth, in B flat, one that had never been heard in New York. In the last five yea rs four of Bruckner's symphonies have been performed in New York–three by the Boston Symphony Orchestra, under Dr. Muck and Mr. Fiedler, and last year one by the Philharmonic Society, under Mr. Mahler. It cannot be said that any of them made much headway toward gaining the admiration of this public, though much pains and great skill were expended upon them by men to whom they evidently meant much, and who labored with great earnestness and evident conviction to establish a place for Bruckner. In their number is now to be counted Mr. Stransky, who, as a pupil of Bruckner, may no doubt have been actuated by the additional motive of pious duty toward his master.

     That such men, and others of the highest standing as conductors in Europe, have so ardently championed Bruckner's cause must necessarily create a presumption in favor of his music. Can it be that the value of his achievement in his symphonies is so much greater than the musical public has been willing to concede, by its grudging and unwillng [sic] acceptance of what is offered it? For it must be said that, though there was applause after the grandiose finale of this fifth symphony, with its unexpected and swelling climax from the brazen-throated choir, it produced no deep impression.

     It produced, in fact, an impression similiar to that which previous experiences of the same sort have given in the twenty-six years that have elapsed since Bruckner was first made known here. There is power, at times grandeur, nobility, poignant expressiveness in the music; there is an original and moving force at work in it. But it comes to its own only fitfully. There are fine beginnings, ideas, combinations that seize the listening ear, often given a vivid effectiveness by resplendent orchestral color. They soon run out into the most laborious music making, smothered in vain repetition, directed to no logical and convincing development.

     Bruckner was called a great master of counterpoint, and this fifth symphony "the most contrapuntably brilliant" of all his works. Counterpoint and all its ingenious devices and applications indeed abound in it. But the object of counterpoint is the enhancement of musical effect, the raising of musical ideas to a higher power, to a loftier significance–not the burial of them beneath the killing weight of scholastic débris. There is much that is vain and commonplace in this symphony of Bruckner's.

     There is much thundering in the index of an introductory adagio; the first movement opens with an imposing proclamation, which is complemented by a theme of tenuous substance, and the development is halting and disjointed. The slow movement has more to warm the heart of the listener, if only its line were more continuous and direct. The scherzo has rhythmic piquancy, but its incessantly repeated figures soon pall. In the last movement a highly organized fugato passage has interest. All through these movements may be heard an interchange of thematic material in various forms, the ingenuity of whose interplay will demand attentive listening.

     There have been hints, and more than hints, of a choralelike theme in the previous movements. When the last movement reaches its climax the effect of the eleven players in the auxilliary brass choir rising at the back of the orchestra (as Mr. Stransky had them do) to intone this chorale, is immediate and remarkable. It will not, perhaps, bear much reflection; but it serves its purpose in producing an impressive close.

     Mr. Stransky had studied the symphony with much care, and gave a highly elaborated performance of it, in which there was much tonal beauty. The orchestra played superbly. He gave the work in a version shortened by very considerable excicions. In this case it was a proceeding much to be commended.

     Mme. Lillian Nordica was the soloist. She sang four songs with piano accompaniment. [... Debussy, Rachmaninow, Stange, Schubert (Erlkönig) ...]. Such songs are out of place in such a concert, [... Stimme nicht in bester Verfassung, schwache Intonation ... Götterdämmerung ...]. Between her two appearances the orchestra played Beethoven's overture, "Leonora," No. 3." [keine Signatur] (**).

The Sun Nr. 106 (New York) berichtet auf S. 9 von diesem Konzert:
"            THE PHILHARMONIC CONCERT

        Mme. Nordica Sings Songs and an Excerpt From "Goetterdaemmerung."

     When so distinguished and beloved an American singer as Mme. Lillian Nordica sings at a Philharmonic concert the temptation to accord her the first consideration is strong, but when at the same concert a hitherto unheard symphony of Anton Bruckner is performed the first discussion must be awarded to that. Mme. Nordica, however, receives the place of honor by mentioned first, and therefore it is permissible to pass forward to the symphony.

     The concert was the fifth of the Thursday evening  subscription series of the Philharmonic Society, the place Carnegie Hall and the time last night. The opening number of the programme was Bruckner's symphony in B flat major, No. 5, which had on this occasion its first performance in this city. It was the eighth performance of symphonic music by Bruckner in this city, and the fifth since his death in 1896. The first took place in 1885 and was by the Symphony Society under Walter Damrosch.

     The work heard last evening is built in the customary four movements. The first is an allegro with an important slow introduction. The second is an adagio, the third a scherzo and the finale another allegro, again with a slow introduction. Those who are acquainted with Bruckner's methods will not be astonished to know that this symphony is by no means easy to grasp. It has been called the most difficult of all his works to cemprehend and also the "most contrapuntally brilliant."

     Bruckner was famous as a contrapuntist. Now, counterpoint is one of the methods of musical structure with which the layman has the least acquaintance, yet upon it much of the art of musical development leans heavily. The first aim of the contrapuntal writer is to invent melodies of which different parts may be made to sound together and produce harmony. Sometimes he aims to get this result from one melody, as in a fugue, and again from the interweaving of portions of different themes, and this latter is what he usually does in symphonic composition.

     Frequently composers who employ contrapuntal device liberally use also what is called "community of theme." This means the repetition in various movements of melodic ideas introduced early in the work. It will readily be understood that these methods lead to rigorous logic of construction, and in this Bruckner was most skilful.

     Yet this same composer had a genuinely romantic ambition. He is not a musical carpenter by any means, but rather a composer who reflects profoundly and finds in the intricacies of architectural detail the means of expressing his ideals.

     What was written on the occasion of the performance of his eighth symphony by the Boston orchestra in 1909 [18.3.1909] might be repeated here without misleading the reader [19.3.1909]. "The symphony heard last night bears all the hall marks of Bruckner. Its thematic material is moulded in his familiar patterns. It is rectangular in the allegros and grandiose in the adagios. It is ponderous in the scherzo and pompous in the finale." Even the adventitious aid of a brass band is called upon [unlesbar] the closing measures of the composition and stun the hearer into the belief that he has just heard the conclusion of a mighty message.

     Any attempt at an analysis of the composition would be futile, for such a description needs the assistance of musical quotation. It is therefore possible only to say that the contrapuntal details of the work are intensely interesting to the lover of masterly development, but that the thematic ideas are often exceedingly dry in themselves. Yet there are some fine pages in the work, especially in the slow movement, which, however, is by no means the mate of the noble, but very long adagio of the eighth.

     The finale is the most labored movement of the four, and here indeed one cannot help feeling that some of the ideas are fashioned with more regard for their contrapuntal possibilities than for their expressive qualities or pure musical beauty. The symphony received a really [?] excellent performance under Mr. Stransky and the blare of brass in the peroration quite aroused the audience.

     Mme. Nordica occupied the stage after the symphony had ceased to reverberate and the musicians had gone out to recuperate. [... vier Lieder, "Götterdämmerung" ...]. The orchestra played between Mme. Nordica's two appearances on the stage the "Leonore," No. 3, overture of Beethoven." [keine Signatur] (***).

Eine Besprechung erscheint auch in The Brooklyn Daily Eagle Nr. 346 auf S. 18:

"             Musical Moments

[...]

     The Philharmonic Society under the direction of Josef Stransky, played the Bruckner "Symphony, No.. 5, in B flat major," in Carnegie Hall, last night. It was the first time this symphony has been heard in New York. It is in four movements. A theme is introduced which is taken up in turn by the different choirs with a pizzicato accompaniment by the strings. In the second movement, "adagio," the same theme appears and again the pizzicato. The third movement, "scherzo," was played lightly and gracefully and earned polite applause. The adagio movements are written in semi-ecclesiastical style and work through to stately climaxes. A peculiar feature of the symphony is the abrupt change from pianissimo to fortissimo and vice versa which occurs in several of the movements. The last movement, introduces a new them intoned by the brasses, played adagio, then the strings take up the same theme, and so on through the various instruments until it reaches a tremendous climax with the brasses on their feet and the entire orchestra playing its loudest, when it ends rather abruptly. Mr. Stransky was recalled a number of times and seemed pleased with the reception of the symphony.

     Madame Nordica, gowned in white, in the last word of up-to-date fashion, with a huge headdress of white feathers, was in the best of voice and her group of songs was received with tremendous applause. [... Lieder, Leonore, Götterdämmerung ...]. After the group of songs there was an innovation, the ushers passing down several aisles and bearing quantities of flowers." [keine Signatur]. (°).

The Evening World (New York) schreibt auf S. 28:

"     Bruckner's Fifth Played by Philharmonic

JOSEF STRANSKY gave significance to the Philharmonic Society's concert in Carnegie Hall last night by presenting for the first time in New York Bruckner's fifth symphony in B flat major and engaging Lillian Nordica as soloist. He was rewarded by the attendance and the applause of a large audience. But isn't Mr. Stransky rather overdoing his efforts to make these concerts more popular? Mme. Nordica is an artist of whom all Americans are proud. But what excuse was there for permitting her to give a miniature song recital in the middle of a symphony programme?

     That is precisely what happened. Between the unfamiliar work of Bruckner's and Beethoven's classic "Leonore" overture No. 3, while the members of the band were cooling their heels in the corridors, Mme. Nordica. on an empty stage, to the piano accompaniment of E. Romayne Simmons, sang four songs that were announced and added another. [...].

    Bruckner's fifth symphony is not likely to become popular. It is a fine piece of workmanship by a competent musician, but it discloses no lofty inspired moment. The underlying motives may be faith and abnegation, but the principal melody, if meant to express those virtues, is not particularly attractive. There are pizzicato accompaniments, from time to time, that are pleasing, and there are some snatches of beauty in the adagio and the scherzo, but the finale is more noisy than great. The chorale played by an auxiliary band of brasses reminds one of Sousa. The only difference is that our own inimitable bandmaster brings his men forward to make their proclamations, while Bruckner has directed that his be kept in the sear.

     Mr. Stransky is to be congratulated upon the earnestness and intelligence with which he interpreted the work and his orchestra upon the excellence with which they played it. [... Leonore, Götterdämmerung ...]. It was always a battle horse of hers and she sang it with distinction, but not with all the dramatic ferver she was wont to put into it." (°°).

[Vermutlich am 15.12.1911]

Konzertbericht in The Evening Post:

"[...]

     That the appearance of Lillian Nordica with the Philharmonic would attract one of the largest audiences of the season was a foregone conclusion, and that, too, in spite of the presence on last night's program of a symphony by Bruckner, who has never been popular in New York.

    Mme Nordica received a royal greetings, was in good voice and her art was at its best. [... die Lieder – Schumanns "Nussbaum" als Zugabe ...].

     The climax of the concert, both vocally and orchestrally, was the Immolation scene from 'Gotterdammerung,' in which Mme. Nordica sang with her wonted vocalsweep and depth of emotional utterance. This also was applauded most cordially." (°°°).