that
the "new departure" he is about to make may be expected to mark an epoch
in the history of American music. Cincinnati will henceforth claim the
position of musical metropolis, and whether its pre-eminence be conceded
or a vigorous rivalry maintained, the whole country must feel the good
effect of that generous ambition which has rescued a noble enterprise
from an uncertain and fluctuating condition, and offered it a secure
haven.

Americans have already good reasons for being proud of their concerts,
for except in Berlin there are perhaps no audiences in Europe which have
the advantage of us in this respect. This can be seen by comparing our
programmes with those offered in continental cities, as recorded every
week in the _Neue Zeitschrift fuer Musik_, published at Leipsic. I have
repeatedly seen paragraphs in leading German papers calling attention to
Mr. Thomas's programmes, and hinting that their own conductors might
learn something from them. What is particularly noticeable about them is
their cosmopolitanism, and this has contributed much to their success.
It has been said, however, by some that Thomas's sole aim seems to be to
offer as many novelties as possible, and that he disregards artistic
perspective in the arrangement of his programmes. He has indeed never
followed the illiberal principle that it is bad taste to perform the
works of living masters--a principle which has done much to bring to the
brink of ruin a certain association in Boston--but he has endeavored to
do justice to all the composers from Bach to Berlioz and Wagner. If Mr.
Thomas makes an effort to introduce to his audience a new symphony by
Brahms or a new symphonic poem by Saint Saeens immediately after its
issue from the press, we certainly ought to be very grateful to him for
his enterprise. When a prominent author writes a new book everybody is
eager to get sight of it as soon as possible, and no one has any fault
to find with this curiosity. But when a similar eagerness is manifested
to hear a new symphony, the conservatives at once cry out, "For shame!
Would you neglect the old masters for the sake of pieces which the wear
and tear of time have not yet proved to possess permanent value?" The
Messrs. Conservatives evidently do not perceive the ludicrous aspect of
their position. If their influence were not fortunately losing instead
of gaining in strength, we might soon look for the extinction of art
through the infanticide of geni