The lovers of the modern school of music had in the Sanders Theatre concert last evening a programme just suited to their tastes. From beginning to end it was a programme of modern composers.

The soloist of the evening was Mr. Mr. Franz Kneisel. The audience showed its high expectation by a warm reception, and Mr. Kneisel surpassed all expectations. The movement from Brahms' concerto, which an inferior violinist would have handled with much show and gusto, Mr. Kneisel played with charming simplicity and grace. The extremely difficult cadenza was played with an ease almost wonderful. The concerto itself was a trifle too much like Brahms, lacking considerably in melody.

Of the three other composers represented, Goldmark, Wagner and Raff, the first may be said to be the pupil and imitator of the second. The dramatic overture to Goldmark's "Prometheus" shows signs of the master hand of Wagner. It was very graphic and rose again and again to such heights of feeling that one longed to know what it was all about.

In the Waldweben from Wagner's "Siegfried" the story was written in the very notes of the music. The gentle swaying of the trees and rustling of the leaves in the woods, were unmistakable The clear notes of the bird singing out from among the branches were so skillfully introduced and worked up that it did not seem at out of place when these notes were finally played by the bass instruments. And yet some people say that Wagner is all mere noise; could these people have heard the selection played last night and still kept to their idea?

Compared with the former numbers, Raff's symphony "Im Walde" had a touch of simplicity about it. The symphony had a double disadvantage to overcome by coming at the end of the programme, and directly after Wagner's production on the same theme. In the latter respect it suffered slightly from comparison. The former disadvantage, however, it fully overcame. It was dramatic and varied enough to hold the attention, and although it showed signs of inferior genius, portions of it, especially the dance of the Dryads, and the spirited, wild hunt, were remarkably good.

Throughout the whole concert, the orchestra deserved nothing but the highest praise.