BOSTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA. One of the finest orchestras in the United States. Ever since the beeinning of the Nineteenth Cen tury. the works of the great instrumental masters had been 'performed by amateur orchestras. In 1s81 Mr. Henry L. Iliggiir,ou established a per inanent orchestra, which was to give a series of 24 subscription concerts on Saturday nights throughout the season. Each concert is pre ceded by a public rehearsal on Friday afternoon. Originally, the orchestra consisted of 67 pieces. The first conductor was Georg Henschel. He was succeeded by Wilhelm Gericke, who soon made his orchestra the equal of any body of per formers in Europe. Arthur Nikisch kept the orchestra at its high degree of technical excel lence, and infused his wonderful personality inte interpretation of the works of the great clas sical masters. His successor, Emil Paur, was a conductor of wonderful temperament, with strong leaning toward the Yea-German School, whose works figured extensively on his pro grammes. He, in turn, was again succeeded by
Wilhelm Gericke, the present conductor, who is of the academie type. After 1890 the Boston Symphony Orchestra regularly visited New York, where they gave five concerts on Thursday nights. A new feature was the establishment, in 1900. of afternoon concerts on Wednesdays in New York. These were not public rehearsals, in so much as different programmes with different soloists were performed on Wednesdays and Thursdays. At present the orchestra numbers about SO performers. Rehearsals are held daily during the season. This, and the fact that theor ganization plays only at concert performances, are the principal reasons of the high perfection that marks the playing of this orchestra. The conductor is now always appointed for five years. Franz Kneisel. the eoneert-master, organized from among the members of this orchestra his famous quartet, which is not surpassed by any kindred organization in the world.