New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-12-26
MUSIC.
4 Concert of Russian Music.

The concerts Of the Russian Symphony Society.
the second Of which took place last Saturday even
ing Carnegie Hail. far interesting In the
matter than In the manner Of their offerings III.
Modest AItschuler is plainly very much In earnest
in his effort to make propaganda for the COM
positions of his count-ymen. and his conducting
shows that he the music which he brings
forward and is heartily IN sympathy with 1t; but
ne would have to be much better technician tnan
he is to bring out the merely literal contents
of the music with such band as be controls, anu
much imaginative interpreter to proclaim
its spirit bstternent of the band would naturally
follow more generous support or the enterprise
the part Of the public. this Is not likely 70
unless its value and the necessity OF us e1-
istence are more eloquently proclaimed than mas
been the thus far. To Judge by the nunoer
and character Of last Saturdays audience II Is pa
triotisn rather than artistic appreciation wncn
actUates the gathering and in the long run. sueh
a motive Is too weak reed for so expensive an
undertaking as a series of orchestral concerts 10
upon. 1t would be unwtse to say that real
Is filed by the concerts Russian music has
had generous representation local lists ever
since Tschaikowskys name appeared Tor the nrss
time a Philharmonic programme. in April 1876
All of that composers symphonies and symphonic
poems have had a hearing and. as The Tribune
has already intimated. there is danger that the
Tschaikowsky cult may be a little overdone this
season through the desire of the conductors who
to from Europe to show their powers in
vivid and picturesque readings Local conductors,
too. have eagerly scanned the compositions Of his
contemporaries and successors in the hope OF find
Ing works worthy OF permanent place in their
repositories. 1t does appear, from Mr.. Altschu-
ler's programme, that anything Of real pith and
moment has been overlooked by the leaders Of the
older and better concert institutions though inter
esting suggestions have been made for concerts OF
a popular character
Two Of the works which had first hearing In
Nauv York Ear1r az
the fact that the inventve1ass OF the best Russian
composers is chiefly spent in mixing instrumental
and harmonic coIors. The only striking themes in
Glazounows symphonic poem 'Stenka Rain and
Tschakowskys intermezzo from the orera 'AIazep-
pa. descriptive OF the battle Of Poltava, folk
songs. the first piece the song of the bourlaki,
'Ay. ouchnem.' is treated with striking effect.
The bourlaki hargemen and the song is one
which they sing while at labor towing boats up
the river or lifting heavy burdens. Its melody Is
a hne expression OF physical exertion and weart-
Of spirit. It's Introduction into Glazounow's
symphonic poem was doubtless due to the fact that,
though known throughout Russia 1t was orig
inally a song Of the bargemen Of the Vclga, which
river is the scene Of the little drama which the
composer has illustrated in tones. The Volga was
the theatre OF some Of the daring exploits OF
Stephen Tirnofeevich. known in popular song ana
story as Stenka Razin. who led an instruction OF
the Cossacks Of the Don against the Car Alexis
Mikhaiiovch in the last third OF the seventeenth
better known compositions played important
part in Tschaikowsky's picture of Battle. The In
termezzo is d feeble forerunner OF the overture
1872" and utzes the phrase OF ecclesiastical music
with which the overture opens. Its first climax is
reached in a souorous proclamation OF the song
"slava." which Beethoven worked up in the Trio
of his Quartet in minor. dedicated TO Count
Rasoumowski. It was an interesting coincidence
that this melody should have had its first presenta-
ton here in its orchestral dress Christmas Eve
spIor nd 4 o
most widely known OF the songs called "Koyadk'
sung AZ the Christmas festival At festive gath
erngs during the Yuletde in Russia bowl Of
water is set upon the table Into II the young
people drop trinkets OF various sorts. It Is then
covered with a cloth. Then the singing OF the
Kolyadh begins. "Slava" being the first at the
end OF each song OF the trinkets Is drawn from
the bowl. and its owner deduces a prophecy from
the words OF the song. The words OF the Glory
song follows:
Glory TO God in heaven. gloTyi
To our lord (Gosudar) on this earth storYi
May our lord never grow old, gioryi
May His bright robes never be spoiled zioryI
Nav His good steeds be out gloryt
May mis- trusty servants never fater gloryl
May the right throughout Russia (gloryD
Re fairer than the bright sum- sloryi
May the Cars golden treasury (gloryO
BE forever full TO the orirn, gioFyl
May the great rivers (gloTyD
Bear their 70 the sea- Eloryi
The littis streams 70 the mill. gloryl
But this song We sing to the corn, g!oryI
To the corn sing the we honor. gloryi
For the old folks 10 enjoy. gloryl
For the good folks 10 hear. glory!
Here Is tho melody of "slava't