The sun., 1903-12-23
THE KNEISEL QUARTET.
Some Weird New ssnss BY Loefner at Its
Second Concert.

The Kneisel Quartet elected to give
hearing at its second concert in Mendelssohn
Hall last night to some curious new songs
by Charles Martin Loeffler, who used 70
sit beside Mr.. Kncisel in the Boston Sym
phony Orchestra. Those who keep the
run of musical doings know that Mr.. LoetlieI
is an ardent admirer of the Gallo verse OF
to-day, and that his fancy revels in the
weird imaginings of Verlaine and his lyric
ancestor, Baudelaire. 1t Is a wonder that
this composer has not fallen upon the
bizarre poems of Frank Saltus. But maybe
he feels that the thin veil of the french
language gives assurance to poor rnodesty'
If we must sing to ladies with eyes OF gold
and onyx, eyes with Lethe and the shadows
of the Styx in them, as Verlaine paints
them, then let us have the music OF Loeiner'
which breathes the remote atmosphere
of these strained fancics, The songs hearo
last night were three with piano accompanl-
ment. entitled "Timbres subles," adj eu
pour jamais,- and LES Paons, ana TWO
others with piano accompaniment ana Vloli
obliyato EMIT led LA Cloche felce, ana
"Strtnade" The last IL still in manu- SCRIPT;
but /, is altogether safe TO say that II VIII
not long lack a publisher o
The text of the first three songs rs py GUS
tave Kahn, that of the TO urth by BauGe-
iaire and that of the last by Nerlaine Mr.
Loetfler's music is uncommon ~ mas
strokes of mastery originality, as IN .he
closing phrase of -Adieu pour Janals,
genuine inspiration, phrase so chargei
with emotion as to go straight to the hearl.
Again, all of the music OF these songs SHOWS
refinement of artistic details.
The study of atmospheric effects in them
is remarkable, but it s carried out TO such
exquisite miniature that it becomes at times
al, i,tn
are diabolcally troublesome. They roam
through remote tonallties they shit III
colcr and harmonic thought; they Chamber
through intervals which appeal to the m
tellect, bat defy the ear; they rack the
common neudic sens, but they straln
in every bar for subsurfdce meanings ana
Subtle suggestions. g., -.
They are not always successful. but
frequently they are. One thing is a,so-
ut ely certain, and hat is that they lolI0w
They are Mr.. Loefiler's own thought. When
they rise to such heights of strange and
evanescent mood painting as IN the La
cloche felee" they are very well worth
while. ,.
The "Serenade" is easier to grasp. 1t
is not so far removed from the idiom Of
serenades of the devillsh mood that 1t does
not bring up old thoughts and familiar
forms of expression; yet il il uncommon and
LoefIleresque to the core. All OF these
songs were sung with insight by Susan
Metcalfe, though the intervals almost
defied her keen conception. The accom-
paniments were played admirably by Hem.
rich Gebhard and the. composer himself
performed the viola obbligati with beauti-
full tone.
The in..r,nmen'a al numbers of the concert
we're Mozaris d minor quartet, Schu-
beri : unfinished quartet and the Schu-
man piano quinte.. Ii is almost un,.
me- essarv 10 say that the members of
the quare. DISCHARGED their duties with
their Gus omarv zeal and musical skill
Mr. Gebhard played the piano part in the
Schulnann number with much ability
He was especially happy in The first two
movements. in which his touch was like
velve' and in which he kept the piano in
jnr.ec' dynamic rcla'ion % the other in
srurren'S In the third aud fourth move
mems 10 was somewhat too generous
in 'he matter of tone; but throughout he
PLAYED musicallv and with charming nuanc-
ing lie is an agreeable acCuaintan ance
and should be heard again