The Symphony Concert.

The Boston Symphony Orchestra gave its first concert of the season last night in Sander's Theatre, before a good sized audience. The occasion was one of especial interest as being the first appearance before a Cambridge audience of Herr Gerricke, formerly of the Vienna Opera House, who has been appointed conductor of the Symphony orchestra this year. He has already won the admiration of poston music lovers, and he was assured in advance of the hearty greeting which he received here. He is a man of very prepossessing appearance, and takes his stand before the orchestra with a decided air which seems to indicate that he has the orchestra fully under his control; and this is fully borne out by the performances under his baton. Those who remember the previous concerts which have been given here will notice a marked contrast between his manner of conducting, and Mr. Henschel's; there is a more quiet and decided air about him, and none of that affectation which many found in Mr. Henschel.

The programme consisted of Beethoven's Leonora overture, No. 3, and prelude andante and gavotte by Bach. Schubert's fantasia in C for piano and orchestra and Volkmann's symphony in D minor. The overture has seldom been performed so well; it is a very exacting work, but was given with the greatest delicacy and finish. The Bach pieces were perhaps the gem of the evening; and their beauties were admirably brought out with a breadth and solidity which were charming. The soloist was Mr. Sherwood, who played the great Schubert fantasia magnificently, overcoming the technical difficulties with apparent ease. His strength was scarcely equal to some of the heaviest passages with the orchestra, but the exquisite sentiment of the last part was beautifully brought out. The symphony which was heard here for the first time, has little in it of interest; it is unmelodious in its themes, and on the whole tedious. The andante was the most enjoyable movement. The work is written in the most advanced modern fashion, but the final effect is rather one of noise with but few really valuable ideas.

Mr. Gericke has shown a progressive spirit in the matter of novelties in his programmes, perhaps even outdoing his predecessor in this respect, so far, at the same time he evidently does not mean to neglect the older and classical masters. Altogether we can anticipate a very enjoyable series of concerts. This is a part of a liberal education which it behooves Harvard men to make the most of, for they have peculiar advantages in this respect. There were not so many present last night as we should have liked to see, an absence for which perhaps the election is to blame. The next concert of the series is to be given on December 4.