The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-05-14

such as DuSS' and Thomas. An expert
musical competition adjudicator might
determine the difference but the public
can hardly do Sc. Probably the Duss
and the Thomas organizations would
have played just the same without
director in front of them. Duss says
there is everything in leading an or
chestra. He IS probably correct but the
average person believes perhaps wrong
fully that his orchestra would have
played just as we'll with metrophone
to mark time instead of a conductor.
But nevertheless Duss is necessary to
the success of the concerts. The Metro
poIitan orchestra was received far more
enthusiastically than the Thomas Or
chestra because of Duss- Frederick
Stock who led the Thomas orchestra,
is a capable conductor but he is stolid
and rneth0dicaI while Duss is full of
ginger. He is magnetic" The public
is always looking for that much talked
of personal magnetism in a conductor
and the public finds that quality to a
marked degree in Duss.
Duss' confidence inspires the audi
ence. He is a man who does things
and therefore q man from whom the
public expects much. It was he who ar
ranged the tour of the orchestra and
the singers even when men experienced
in concert tours said it would be a fail
ure. 1t was Duss who invaded New
York. It was he who arranged for an
all summer series of concerts in Mad3-
transformed into a Venice.
Duss knows more about music than
some of the people who tried to tell
him how to run a concert last night;
more than the persons who were re-
sponsible for the last number on the
programme, the sextette from Lucia
being changed to a more catchy air.
Duss was informed that the audience
was there to hear catchy music. That
was not so The brass band audience
nC a of 4171rSiF hIIf the
audience which attends a concert by a
symphony audience. The majority were
sorry that the sextette was not given
One thing that can be said of the
playing of the Metropolitan orchestra;
when the piano passages are executed
they are soft and smooth as could be
desired. When the stirring and louder
strains are played they are as stirring
as they should be and the volume is
there This is noticeable to everyone.
To criticise Duss is to tread on pre-
carious ground. Duss is not backward
in saying that he has made music his
business that he ought to know and
that he does know and that a person
who knows little or nothing about mus
ic has no business criticising his or
chestra Duss says that the persons
who give the public an account of
concert should tell what happened and
not try to tell Duss his faults.
The encores given by Duss were of
the kind to please. After the prelude
to s'LohengTin' came as an extra num-
Der the pizzicati from the Sylvia bal
let by Delebes. After the dance suite
from the. Henry VIII music came
GilIett's .I.oin de Bal and as a. second
encore number The Blue Danube
Duss has no trouble in winning an
audience. He is gracious, lavish with
extra numbers and willing TO please
He and his players will make a tour to
the Pacific next fall. He may play in
Topeka again.
Duss, the man who knows all about
mules horses. pigs. cattle and music
strOlled into the auditorium soon after
luncheon Yesterday and encountered
Nahan Frankie with his hands full OF
greenbachs surrounded by dozen
members of the orchestra.
What are you doing2' inquired Duss
of the concert master
Watch me" responded the tously
headed first VIOLIN
1.-The ghost doesn't walk today"
sure we opened two weeks ago to-
night you know. If you've any change
in your pocket you'd better let me have
it..
But the man who has made II mil
lions or thereabouts out of oil and who
carries a baton as a side line kept his
change IL his pocket. He knew the
S41o0 which Max Hirseh, the banker
Of the tour, whose motto is Take all.
saw nothing" had just received from
Major Anderson would amply care for
these small bills. Hirsch was the white
haired big man in evening dress and
opera hat who stood near the main
door most of the evening. He is treas
urer of the Metropolitan opera house in
New York under Maurice Grau aud
viii continue next season under the new
director of grand opera. Heinrich Con-
reid
ma. do you want to play solo to-
night?"
Duss was talking again and his
words were welcome to F-anko for the
astute Nahan. or Ma" as his master