New-York tribune., 1903-01-07
MESIC.
ur. Eranho's Concert of old Music.

! evidences ever and anon of a desire to return to
some Of the ideals of century and ago
.Muslcai arch9ologsts at work In all the coun-
tr1es of Europe. exhuming and rescuing works
1iat mad been unjustly permitted to sink into
ooiVloh. Austria, Bavaria, Saxony and England
are overhauling their old manuscript treasures and
giving them to the world in noble print. Messrs.
+ uilef Maitland and Barclay Squire have opened
the manuscript of the earliest collection English
| Vlrginal music, long known Queen Eiizabeth's
'HslnaI BOOK, TO pianoforte students the world
over The Society for the Publication of the Monu-
ihehts OF Music in Bavaria is in the third year of
It's existence, and is issuing the symphonies of the
Palatine school the performance of which by the
Mannheim band marked the advent of virtuoso
orchestral music. The Commission for Musical
History in Berlin has recently issued its twelfth
volume, devoted to sonatas for violin, viola da
gambia and cembalo, by Buxtehude. hear whose
concerts the lad Bach used to walk from Arnstadt
TO Lubbock. The Purcell Society, in London, has
placed ten volumes to its credit The Netherland
Society has finished the publication of the
plete works of Sweelinck. The Austrian Society
began its labors eight years ago. and when it
finishes them it will he easy to trace the music
cultivated in the courts of Austrian princes and
emperors from the early days of the fifteenth
century, down to the period made memorable by
Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven. Everywhere there
is stirring a desire to call up the creations OF
former days and come to understanding as
to what manner of musical beauty sufficed our
forebears of centuries ago.
But the movement does not stop with the recov-
cry and publication of old music. Interest In the
old manner of performance is also stirring. Some
years the venerable house of Erard in Paris,
revived the manufacture of harpischofds Inc
musical jury the Paris Exposition of three years
examined many specimens of archaic in
struments. such lutes of various kinds, viola
d'anore. bass flutes and musettes. The concerts
of "Antent Musc.'' they would have called
them in London century ago, are growing
more and numerous, while the conductors
of symphony concerts reaching farther and
farther back into the past for works which Will
give the interest of variety to their programmes
Last season Mr.. Thomas gave series of historical
concerts with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, in
which he brought forward compositions beginning
with an orchestral sonata by Gabriel Q55D and
ending with works of men still alive
Mr.. Sam Franko's concerts with the American
Orchestra. which given at the Lyceum Thea
ire for the last past have always
elected admiring comment. They were along the
lines which have been suggested as evidences OF
desire to find pleasure in retrospection This does
not mean that tastes likely to revert to old
structural forms and old styles of expression in
their unadcrned simplicity but only that we are
likely to appreciate again the old Ideals anu seek
to realize them through modern utterance we
shall not continue forever toward the s1gnboard
which seems to mark the place where symmetry,
repose. temperance. beauty clearness and good
modulation' 60 use old Galuppis phrase, and
every other element which has been and still is
recognized as entering into musical beauty say
farewell to emotional expression and leave 1t
tyrannically dominant in the art. Without closing
to the new evangel We shall include more
within love. That is ALL
The first of Mr.. Frankos concerts for this sea-
son, which took place in Days Theatre yesterday
afternoon. a potent help in this direction 1t
not like reading chapter of ancient history
so much like enjoying ancient experience
Of living two hours OF the musical life of two
centuries ago. It gracious and gentle eX-
perence a bit trying, perhaps, to the eager taste
of to-day which things many, various, and
above ALL not in the mouth; but restful. fasclnat-
ing in it's novel offerings, irritative Of thought
stimulating to the fancy, and delightful to the
senses. In its opening, middle and closing num-
bers 1t was like its predecessors; music OF the
seventeenth and eighteenth centuries was played
under native conditions. Each of the three num-
bers might well ask discussion; but time does not
allow Concerning them this journal spoke last
Sunday and the readers who would follow The
Tribune's record and comment on current affairs
should incorporate its preparatory notices with lts
observations after the fact The pieces were
some of the incidental music composed by Mare
Antoine Charpentier, for the original production,
of MoIiare's LIE Maiade ina aginaire' symphony In
Gminor by the English" Bach Uohann Christian,
youngest son Of the great Johann Sebastlan) and
set of ballet pieces, by Sacchinf, put together IN
the form of a Suite, by Gevaert For the pleasure
of hearing the Charpentier music, Mr. Franko's
patrons (who turned out in handsomer numbers
Yesterday than before, and manifested live
ler interest in the music were indebted TO M.
Sai q
used bv Mr. Franko. The most interesting or these
novelties was the Bach symphony which was pre-
sented in its original garb. 1t is almost century
and half ago that this music had vogue out IL
must have occurred to many who heard 1t yester-
dav that it still has as lovely warrant for living
as the bulk of the symphonies of Haydn ana
Mozart with which careless historians are in the
habit of beginning the symphonic record It's nrst
movement especially. is a gem of musical hurnor'
sound sweet, well knit, stirring music
Of fho
solo groups embraced In the concert scheme In
these not only the music archaic but also the
Instruments upon which it played. The audi
ence heard the fifth of Bachs conceru grossi played
as the musical servants of the Margrave of Brand
enburg were wont to hear it The style OF the
composition and the nature of the harps1chord the
one of its solo instruments which gives it indvid-
,a1itv have been described. The instrumental COM
pany was smaller and, fancy less assertive than
that maintained by Bach's patrons, but the quaint
effect was there. Mr.. Arnold Dolmetsch, of London,
played the solo violin; Mrs Dolmetsch. the harpsi-
chord: Charles Kurth, local musician the flute;
Miss Mabel Johnston pupil of Mr.. Dolmetsch,
STRENGTHENED the bass vioone. The accom-
Danving band of strings reduced to two ripen
lists in each part This little company, seated
within a stage room with mural decorations la
Watteau made music in the Bach manner. Com
rIetely fascinating was the sound of the harpsi-
chord over whose keyboard Nine. Dolmetschs
fir gers walked and glided with that gentle gait
described by Shakespeare in his sonnet ito the
Dark Lady" tiny. tinkling sound it was, but
wendrously insinuating, wondrousy lTnpid Won
drously sympathetic, in its association with the
other instruments of the eoncertino 1t will be well
IL local pianists who occasionally affect the music
of Couperin and Rameau shall hear Nine. Dol
rnetsch and learn from her the clavier technique
proper to this old music. with its fluent. equable
ntterance and its pretty adornments. Also. it will
he well If students of the old shall learn, they
might from Nine Dolmetschs performance of the