The San Francisco call., 1903-01-09
MARKS
THE APPEARANCE
OF MACDOWELL

E-varvtbine from the first appearance or
Edward A. MacDowell to TIE reappear-
aree of Mr.. StelndOrff in concert from
the Smetana overture, "Ihe Bar 'eie!
Bride" to the MacDOweu Indian SUITE
combined TO make the first OF lhe
dorr series of novelty concerts tiuly
ENJOYABLE affair. The TivOh was manu-
so1,eIv filled in honor OF the event an"
the utmost enthusiasm prevailed uu'lhs
the afternoon. Chief in interest u
course, was the appearance or the u~-F
of American composers, as those OF 1u0
East call Mr.. MacDOwell, in the dOuOie
role of composer and pianist thous"
there was welcome only second 10 ms
for MIR. Steindorn The orchestra gall
cred together is a quite good one' hOtlC9-
ably. strong in the strings. and sutficient
everywhere. save for a little weakness
In the brass A homogeneous tone Sehsi-
tive shading and quick rhythmic response
distinguished the work that was alto-
l;ether remarkable considering the new
ness of the organization and reflects large
credit on both the leader and his men;
Smetana's overture, The Barteleu
Bride" opened the programme ana caHlS
as a very agreeable. preface 10 its chleL
feature. Original picturesque. piquant ia
theme and ingenious in form, the over
ture- proved TO be decidedly attractive and
was given in spirited and careful fashion
And then came Mcdowell. to the tune
of a truly Californian greeting
Modest as GOdOWsky himself, this great
est musical American took his place at
the piano as innocent Of pose as child.
So is his playing, so also his writing.
deeply genuine, truly musical throughout
1t is indeed difficult to realize that the
concerto given ID minor, Op. 23) was
written BY the composer when only IS!
l. is so astonishingly mature, so assured
in line. so full in color and so mastery
in its poetic grasp 1t leans to the wide,
free north in feeling its poetry that or
the skald rather than Of the troubadOur-
Andrew Lang has intimately voiced It's
atmosphere in those lines OF his famous
sonnet, where he speaks of one
That for a weary space has lain
Lulled BY the sohg OF Circe and her wine.
As such an one were glad to know the brine
Salt on his lips and the large air again.
MacDoweu has felt the large air. and
the free, shrin wind beyond the close OF
heavy flowers in this work and plays the
thing with Incompatible dash and
brilliance. One can imagine the pianist
more fully at his ease with an older or
cEestTa, but in spite of some little lack
Of finish in its work. the atmosphere was
TO the fnsistent encore Mr.. MacDOwell
gave his Concert Etude'' with admirable
effect.
Almost equal in interest with the con-
certO was the Mcdowell Indian Suite
for orchestra, given yesterday for the
first time in its entirety here. The suite
has for basis some of the aboriginal IN
dian melodies and is richly characteristic
of its source. In Wartime, with It's
vivid, picturesque barbarism, and noble
''Dirge" are possibly the most interest
ing numbers OF the suite, though the clos
ing movement, Village Festival with a
touch Of savage diablerie in its humOr,
comes up closely enough. There was a
shout for the composer at its close and
a separate shout and a wreath for Mr..
Steindorn-whO had fully deserved both
for the lively sympathy and intelligence
of his reading. Mr.. SteindOrn couldn't
quite make up his mind that the wreath
belonged to him and his hesitation as he
looked at the card attached aroused an
other delighted shout
The rather labored and stOdgy kaiser
marsch" Of Wagner. moreover rather
''lOgy'' in its rendering, came somewhat
as an anticlimax to the best orchestral
programme OF recent local days.
BLANCHE PARTINGTON.