The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-04-12

for the best interests OF the society ana OF
orShsstrai music n this city, ,,,r, -
peE and s sos
WALTER DAMRoscH.
The gentlemen Of the Philharmonic
Society have with much dignity kept their
counsel In the present trying period Of the
existence Of their organization. At any
rate, let It pass for dignity. II may be
that they have had nothing Of Importance
TO say and that they have simply obeyed
the familiar injunction, If you have moth
ing to say, say it, Mr.. Damrosch. on the
other hand, has a good deal to say, and he
speaks with dignity. too. yet not without
feeling.
1t was hardly to be expected that in
the circumstances the departing director
could lose the opportunity to remind Mr..
Arnold Of the labos OF some Of his CON-
fr res at the races In October and at balls
in January. He might easily have added
that nightly saving In the rough-and-
tumble performances Of so-oalled comic
opera was about the poorest sort Of train
ing that violinists and other players could
possibly get for the playing Of Bach, Mozart
and Beethoven.
But doubtless the portion Of the letter
which viii cause the most surprise to the
general reader Is that which tells us that
about thirty out Of the seventy eight strings
and half the wind Instruments are extra
men, hired from outside OF the society.
This revelation robs the august senate Of
this musical Rome OF much OF its traditional
glory. The fact has long been known to
the wise: but now II Is general property.
So 1t seems that 40 per cent Of the con-
script fathers are not conscript fathers at
all, nor even ancients and honorables, but
just plain lictors. in the service Of the
purple-trimmed togas. Another beautiful
vision burst into thin air!
But II will not do to take a gently. hui
morous view Of this matter. In spite Of
the domination Of our fashionable musical
activities by the opera, the genuine centre
of artistic music In this town ought to be
its orchestra. The opera Is strictly form
OF dramatic entertainment, in which music
Is an accessory. the chief one. to be sure,
but none the less an accessory. The per-
Torrance Of works in which music stands
unchallenged monarch Of her own domain
is more important to the progress Of musical
art The most significant musical enter
tainments in New York are those Of the
Boston Symphony Orchestra, the Kneisel
Quartet, the Musical Art Society. the Phil
harmonic Society and the Oratorio Society.
This Is placing them pretty nearly in
the order Of their relative value. II ought
not to be 40. The Philharmonic Society
should lead the list. II is the oldest musical
body in the town. II Is the body to which
we should look for authoritative perform
ances OF the works OF the great classic
writer's on which the modern edifice OF
musical art rests. 1t IL the body which
should be In position to place the seal OF
admission to the sacred circle Of honor
upon works by new composers. 1t IL the
body whose engagement Of soloists should
mean that these performers or singers
were unquestionably Of the first rank.
Every CITY needs such an organization.
It il not for us to ask Boston to supply
us with an orchestra whose performances
are authoritative and acceptable as stand
ards OF merit. We should he able to
measure Boston's orchestra by our own.
, The plain fact Is that Boston, Pittsburg.
| Philadelphia and Chicago all have better
| orchestras than our Philharmonic. Sew
eral other cities think they have. but they
Of Boston to furnish US with the best quartet
playing that We hear. but II does. Boston
| Il able to do 40 because the Boston Symphony
Orchestra IL an orchestra OF virtuosi and
| could, II required to do 40. furnish three or
four better quartets than can be found In
this city.
When Frank Damrosch produces with
the Musical Art Society q work requiring
the aid Of an orchestra, or needs an or
chestral composition to give relief TO the
choral numbers, he Ia Obliged TO employ
a band which he himself gathers. II ought
to be possible for Mr.. Damrosch to engage
the local permanent orchestra. or a. much
OF Il AZ ne needs. for that purpose. He
would then have body Of musicians ac-
customed to playing together and always
dwelling in the high artistic atmosphere
necessary to appreciation OF the work Of
the Musical Art Society. Mr.. Damrosch
cannot hire the Philharmonic Society for
his concerts, because the simple truth Ia
that this organization has no real existence.
II comes together eight times each season
for rehearsal and concert and Immediately
after the concert 1t goes out OF existence
again till II is time to begin rehearsing for
the next concert.
The same trouble confronts Mr.. Dam
rosch when he requires an orchestra for
the production Of an oratorio at the con-
certs Of the organization devoted to that
sort 81 work. Again the difficulty Ii met
81.