The sun., 1903-11-23
THE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA.
Walter DamrOsch's Reconstructed band
at Carnegie Hail.

The New York Symphony Orchestra,
conducted by Walter Damrosch, began a
series OF afternoon concerts at Carnegie
Hall yesterday. If the famous New Zea-
lander OF Macaulay had chanced to be
passing through Fifty-seventh street after
an absence of few years from that busy
mart OF music he would have rubbed his
eyes and wondered what genius had solved
the problem OF Sunday orchestral concerts
IN New York He would have seen men,
women and children streaming in crowds
through the moistened street toward the
hall to hear orchestral music.
But If he had read the posters on the
side of the hall he would have grasped the
situation, for on them appeared in large
type the magic word "Parsifal." New
York has just discovered "Parsifal." Con-
sequently all that Mr.. Damrosch had to
do to set the multitude running was to
announce selections from that work with
sunering David Bispham as the suffering
AmIords. The musical elect have been
listening for years to the selections offered
Yesterday afternoon. but in those wears
.Parsifal' had no press agent. Now all is
grlst that goes to Mr.. Conried's opera mill.
ureat is Wagner and Conried has his profit
me programme OF yesterdays concert
consisted of Dvorak's From the New
World symphony. group OF gypsy songs
by the same composer, sung by Mr. Bispham
with piano accompaniment by Mr. Dam
rosch, and the 4Parsifal" excerpts-the pre-
luae, the procession Of knights in the first
Fr;dai, ITi, .ne lament OF Amfortds and the Good
again before the dramatic numbers Mr.
Damrosch talked to the audience in an
eoucationa way about the music to be
heard This kind of talk. he promised,
Wou1a No IA De feature OF subsequent concerts.
Mr. Damrosch will, as it We're, crate the pro-
gramme m notes instead of having them
printed. This insures them larger audience
anG I saves the eyes of the audience
Inc reorganized symphony Orchestra is
not cover themselves with a mantle of
glory IN yesterdays concert. This was
chiefly due to the faulty intonation of tho
WOOD, aided by occasional lapses from the
pitch on the part of the brass. To be sure,
Jority of concert goers. Evidence seems
TO lead to the conclusion that less than /
per cent. of the people who think they love
music ever heard false intonaton. Play
ing and singing out of tune are always ap-
when the English horn player yesterday
played the melody Of Dr.. Dyorak's slow
movement aciduousy fiat. he, in all likeli-
hood. offended only a few fastidious dilet-
tantes whom nature gifted with sensitive
hearing.
When the whole wood wind choir breathed
the organ tones Of the 4Parsfal' prelude
in several keys separated from one another
by .infinitesmal intervals not classified
in the theoretical works. they annoyed only
that same. lot of squeamish censors Per-
haps for the sake of their own artistic con-
sciences, if they keep such things about
them. these player will take the trouble
before the next concert to warm up their
instruments or otherwise to coax them
into perfect sympathy with the pitch popu-
lar with the remainder Of the orchestra.
AS for the bells used in the @Parsifal"
professional music. they would probably
have sounded all right if the operator had
struck them in the right place. but it is
customary to ring stage bell in such a
way that the overtones come out better
than the fundamental note.
Mr. Damrosch' men played with earnest
ness and vigor, and the conductors prelim-
mary remarks seemed to interest the audi
ence deeply. Mr.; Bispham was cordi-
ally appau auded for his delivery Of the gypsy
songs: The Dvorak symphony. made it's
unfailing effect. 1t wears well despite |
the corroding blight Of Boston opinion