New-York tribune., 1903-03-04
MUSIC.
The KneiseL Quartet.

The fifth Of the concerts OF chamber music ty
.ha Kueisel Quartet which took place in Mendels-
sohn Hall last night. offered features OF an un-
usual character OF them an innovation ms
was the introduction Of songs M hnelSeI
patrons have disclosed themselves as raIher III
tolerant Of experiments OF any kind, preferTng his
performances Of chamber music by acknowledged
masters old and young. to efforts to entertain them
with compositions which asked for their sunraSes
on any other grounds than sound merit ana appro-
nriateness They have felt that his generous and en-
terprising disposition would always care Tor SUM
cIent variety in his schemes Considerable apPrehen
sion was felt when it was learned that among tha
offerings Of this would be songs oy MISS
IIanscheI whose small and somewhat scidUlous
voice and faulty art had more than satlsIed an
amiabIe and kindly curiosity at the outset OF fn9
season Mr.. KneseI could not better the voice on-
he did his best toward preserving the spirit OF MS
concerts by choosing two numbers for her, "ncn
enlisted the services Of the violin and volonceo.
besides the accompanying pianoforte, thus giving
them a raison d'etre which songs OF airs N ths
ordinary acceptation would not have had He went
to Beethoven. whose name has good reput9
IN the chamber music realm. and producer
two of the uultitudinous British folk songs
arranged by the great composer for the Pu0-
Usher Thomson. To Beethoven these arrange
rnents were potboilers. but even the po'-
boilers Of genius interesting. especlaIlF
when back OF them are such beautiful melodies 81
those sung last night They were the irish Sa1
and Iuckless the season ana t1e Sc0IIA
Faithful Johnnie The hrst melody IS one o. th9
protOtypes OF Moo-es Last Rose OF summer oL-
Infinitely more interesting than that popular per-
version. The performance Of the songs. with VT
Henschel at the pianoforre. called ter no COM
ment, beyond a pleasant acknowledgment Q
nice and harmonious endeayor on the part O.
all concerned and a regret. not at all poignant
at the inadequacy Of Miss HenscheIs Hotc7
and manner. \ distinctly kind feeling toward
the young woman and her father went c1t a-s'
toward a song which came earlier in the evsnlnS
which had no warrant for its presence. though y
a combination OF circumstances. it helped to en-
phasize the prevalent foIk-sons character o. tn9
concert The song was Mr.. Henschefs setting g
Hugo's "Adieu de Ihotesse Arabe.' song N WAICi
the composer strove be Oriental (as witness rs
use Of the interval known as the augmented sec-
ondl, but came perilously near being CeItIc most
OF the time.
To Arabic. Irish and Scotch music in the songs
the programme allied markedly Russian music "
the opening number-Tschaikowsky's Quartet IN Z
nat minor The aggressive young Russian schooA
has been little Inclined to admit TschaiAowsSE
into its ranks. but in this quartet composed Ii
memory OF Laub. he certainly tried TO Vindiea'9
his right to be classed among the Huscovi'es'
The music has the harmonic daring OF the scnoo'
the leaning toward characteristic melodic expires
sion. and IN its dirsGke slow movement II s-Ns'
US echoes Of the Russian Church chant D1t
Tschaikowsky striving less to be Russian d--
more to be musician. as in the quartet. Op II. tAe
sextet, and the last two symphonies. is more 70 c-
liking Besides. this quartet is headfshIy d'nlcl''
and continually suggests the question WhetheE e'V
so good performance 1t received last night IS L"
sufficient reward for the labor expended upon "
How refreshing. uplifting. Hberating was t-,'
Brahms sextet which came at the end. in which
Miss Zach and Keller joined the Kneisel forces
There was a full proclamation Of beauty TO %
drunk in like any OF natures Joys and the oEly
wonderment invited was to how u comes INA
whether Messrs. KneIsel. Theodorowicz SvencelsAI
and Schroeder play alone enlist companions Ir0l
the Boston Symphony Orchestra. there IS a4"aSS
the same precise touch. the same bouyant elas'ley
Of movement. the same purity OF lntona'on'
s.rne harmony OF feeling. happy family O.
musicians these who can thus respond TO one con-
trolling mind.
Between the vocal numbers Mr.. Schroeder playeu
Bach's Suite in major for vioOncello solo II was
q thoroughly refined and artistic performance
sound in reading finished and beautiful IN Tone
Moreover the audience, which completely nAed th9
hall mo seats to be had when the concert De-
gam appreciated and wa-rnly spplauded IL.