New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-05-05
MUSIC.
Significant Changes IN Boston.

ira which of vital interest TO music lovers
throughout the United States The four MEM
bers of the Kneisei Quartet have severed theiF
connection with the orchestra in order TO oeNote
themselves wholly to chamber music and solo play
ing. The announcement made on Sunday, the
seasons work having been brought to conclusion
Saturday night The members OF the dudIee
Messrs. Franz KneiseI. Julius Theodorovicz' Louis
Svecenski and Alvin Schroeder, visited first Major
Hgginson and afterward Mr.. Gericke and submit
ted a statement in writing as to their reasons Tor
taking the ster. Though it came as a surprise IN
both quarters it could not have been wholly un-
expected In either for IL has long been obvious
that the members of the quartet attempting
do too much in meeting their engagements as
chamber music players and doing their duty by the
orchestra at the anne time What seems 10 nave
brought matters to issue was an illness which
befel Mr. Schroeder after the last visit of the or
chestra to New-York- He became fearful or the
eventual result of the nervous strain entailed by
the double allegiance and told Mr.. Gericke that he
feared he would be compelled to ask for leave of
absence. Mr.. Kneisel and his associates thereupon
resolved take the step which. it seems had been
contemplated for years. The letter which they de-
livered to Major Higginson on Sunday was as fol-
lows:
Henry L. Hgginson esq.
Dear Sir: We have for a considerable time cher
ished wish for personal interview in order 10
future has occupied our minds more earnestly and
approximately than ever before. Yet, though we
we decided to wait till the end of the season and
of bv word Of mouth Our hes;taHcy was caused
chiefly by the conviction that the communication
Ubd We s send to To S3g aP to Mr.
might possibly have rritated the latter and have
And come to you thus tardiy, and beg nrst
E ang an 70 TeG 20 % Wish 10 make trial Of our
skill as quartet players in the larger muslcaL caI
London encouraging that we have never
been able TO stife the desire to play in other eoun
tries than England Nevertheless. we aoandoned
all thought Of concert trip to Europe because we
of several months from the orchestra was i'm
practicable and all but impossible. Meanwhile
been necessary for to make extraordinary drafts
on our powers IN order not 0ny 70 to rive for
higher things without neglectng our Gutes to"sa1
that We have never let up in cur endeavors ana
that. while We can look back on the success OF
cur chamber concerts with satisfacaon 10 ,e OUT
selves We can also assert Tt ad g19a Dnsered
Recent years have brought the conviction. how
only for measurable period. That which in our
younger days could be Accomplished Only N.Y. by et-
later. revenge itself on one or the other
slider means to forefend against the premature
dissipation of our capacities: and this all the more
fight in the practice Of our art before it too
an answer to the question in its essentials; the
conclusion was obvious that we must Hee our
And now we have reached the point which is the
business Of this communication we ask you klh t
orchestra We are well aware that we are sur
rendering positions the occupancy Of which must
Our feeling of affectionate attachment to the N Or
Gericke combine to make our parting peculiarly
we can reach the goal which have set for our
artistic careers We beg Of you: dear Mr. 6 hss IN
chestra service for twenty years and Mr. Schroeder
for more than thirty II they are 10 eoTv of the
European public as solo performers they mus,
sta t hen
Touching the further DEVELOPMENT OF our quartet,
organizations Of this kind that have achieE sSa
fame such as the FOTenne the ass the Bo
hemian and other quaTtets do not belong to or or
chestTas in the early part their We be,
eve that we can measure risen fo devote our
selves wholly and singly to the Work; hrs ,b,cb
make our parting with the orchestra difficult and
painful, but have reserved for the concluson wnat
namely. our feeling of attachment and gratitude 1,l
toward you personally Ivy sa awaT and ua
ably strive for your recognition ana az POP id
interest which We nave been privileged to enjoy for
eighteen years. We shall never Iorget rhar a. u rs
couregeme ever since the origin . Of our dua nan
tain the same attitude toward Us in our new en-;
deavors, which. we assure you. are Pioihp'eu
with renewed Of our profound g yor
tude and fidelity we beg to SUBSCRIBE onr9eEgs your
L. sVECENsKL
ALVIN SCHROEDER
Ar Major Higginsons request It was left for him
to make the matter public. and he did SO In Boston
Yesterday by sending out a statement containing
most OF the above letter and concluding as folio"S'
Mr. Kneisel and Mr. Schroeder were brought from
F1irone both TO take first place among their re-
spective instruments and also to play IN me quaL
.e5, %6e e,e as an adjunct of the orchestra This
purpose carried out and bore the quartet on ny
KneiseI Quartet have served me In every capaclly
long faithfully and intellgently. and deserve very
vel OF me eoppVncing and while these gentlemen
are great loss to the orcnes5ra ana 70 tbeir own
later proft and renown by taking this step; ana
they take it with 1s mord eannot Be made good
5 te places thus vacant VIII be filled by artists
Wneise, Quartet all success In their new chorus
This Is handsome. but IT would have been hand
o-,er had Major Higgfnson added and to the
GREATER good of high class music wnen ne SPOKE
- the OPPORTUNITIES which have been opened to-MF-
V,a;saI and his fellows. The embarrassment TO the
,. iii he most serious In the case of the
,.c,r.f violin and first viooncelio AS the prin-
c,naI Mr. Kneisel had a natural successor IN MT
oaeser hut unfortunately that gentleman hdo al
sodv decided to retire from orchestra playing
when the news Of Mr.. kneiseIs retirement ca ne
bere was no natural successor In the ranks OF the
hnd to Mr. Schroeder, and his place. as well as
NJ Kne,seIs will probably be filed by draft on
Europe o.. .ssas
The members of the Kneisel Quartet passed
.trougb New-Yorfs yesterday on a fortnighfs CON
. e, .rrougb western Cities which will extend
- Cor West as 81 Louis Originally the trip was
arranged to extend to the PACING Coast Out MI
Scbroeder's illness. which caused the sreat steP
which they have taken also caused the canceii@1Io
of the Pacific project The quartet was olsdiiNeu
a., 1sS5 nv Mr.. Kneisel The original members were
T.rz Rne,seI first violin; E. Fielder. second vio-
a. Top,s Syecensld viola. and Fritz Giese' vioon-
Lilo Otto Roth succeeded Mr.. Fielder in 1885,