The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-03-29
Music AND MUSICIANS.

The study Of programme notes In this
| village is one Of the most absorbing which
can engross the mind Of musical man
All kinds Of programme notes are published,
and there has been a great improvement
in them Of late years. The chief annotator
of this city is ii. E. Krehbiel. the ample
dean OF the guild Of music critics, who
enjoys the distinction Of being one Of the
best liked and most hated OF men. He
writes the programme notes for the con-
certs Of the Philharmonic Soc iety, the
Musical Art Society and the Frankie con-
certs Of old music. not TO speak OF various
special programmes, such as those Of Nine.
Sembrichs song recitals.
His notes are the simplest, most direct
and untechnical that could well be written
The old-fashioned sort OF thing which
work in hand Is rapidly dying out. No
one cares now to read that after q slow
introduction (andante sostenuto, ~, B
MAJOR the first theme. a triplet figure.
enters in the 'cellos (allegro con motto,
SIS. G majorh This is speedy developed
into an exfoliated passage. with flute ar
peggios and clarinet harmonies in sixths,
leading directly 10 the second theme which
il given out by the horns in four-part har.
mony (allegro moderate. g., B minor).'
The amiable and able Mr.. Apthorp used
to write that sort Of thing for the Boston
Symphony Orchestra concerts, and many
Of the misguided patrons Of those delectable
entertainments tried to use the programme
notes as a score. They would sit with the
programme books in front OF them and
try to drink In the music while they read
the lucid analysis This was amusing to
others. but II could not have been very
profitable to those who tried it. Another
style OF programme annexation IL that OF
the matter sent out by the modest press
agent Of the Kneisel Quartet. His annota-
tons are not published In the concert pro-
grammes for the information Of the audi
ences. but are sent out to the newspapers
for their private instruction. As a rule,
press agents do not know anything about
music, but the Kneisel people have one
who does. It IL a pity that his compact
essays should be lost TO the general public
and seen only by hardened critics. Here
II his latest, referring to the concert to take
place on Tuesday night:
The string quartet OF Schumann's Is one
of the set OF three that he wrote in iSl2
and dedicated to Mendelssohn. They are
his only quartets. He was then 80 years
old; and having devoted the year 1870.
that OF his marriage, TO the production
Of songs, 1871 chiefly to orchestral works,
30 in 1872 he wrote nothing but chamber
music. He began by shutting himself
up in his study with all Beethoven's quar-
tets, O very characteristic method Of pre-
pairing himself for the new form, and on
emerging produced In rapid succession
quintet. the pianforte quartet and a short
trio later published with the title Of Fan
taisiestucke' Critics have found fault
with these quartets as being too much
in the style OF the pianoforte. But by this
an sins beautiful Effects The same y critic as~
finds the influence Of Beethoven strongly
manifested in the adagio Of this quartet,
and notes that the finale Ia almost q
plagiarism from the soherzo Of Marsoh-
nsrs nov wholly forgotten triS in G miner.
struck about the time he was writing the
quartet. But the work rs of surpassing
beauty. and the tenacious hold II has In
concert programmes shows that it's s.
thetic qualities outweigh the allegations
'Brahms's C minor trio has been called
his masterpiece In this department. II was
composed late In his life, In 1885, and shows
his ripest work. The critioe call attention
TO the muscular strength Of the principal
theme Of the first movement. the rich
fancy OF the delicate, shadowy presto
non assai.' a movement showing quite
new effects, and the amiable melodious-
ness ofsthe andante. to which Brahms has
given. a. he 10 often does. a olk-sone
Characteristic, one element OF which is
the constant change Of rhythm between
81 and IA time.
The three quartets that Beethoven num-
bered as his Opus so are called by the
name OF Ra,oufnofisky. because he wrote
them for and dedicated them TO that noted
amateur Of Vienna. the Russian Ambassa-
dor to the Hapsburg court for many years,
who maintained string quartet Of Ibis
own and played In II himself. They are
considered to be the finest Towering Of
Beethoven's Genius a. expended upon the |
string quartet. dating a. they do from
isoe-o7, the period Of his richest maturity |
Of style. "A a special mark Of respect |
for the Count to whom they are dedicated. |
the hrst and second Of the guartets contain |
each . movement founded on q Russian |
folk song. In this = minor quartet II In |
the trio Of the third movement. where II |
b treated In an elaborate fugAto. partly |
strtct. partly free. and thsn With 'stretto' i