The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-12-01
THE PHILHARMONIC CONCERT.
A NEW AND ACIDULOUS VIOLIN
CONCERTO. &.
Maud Powell how Her Technic and Her
COurage-WassiIy sarOnOn Displays
some More Readings -Weber's
"'OberOn' Overture and Schumann's
q Major symphony Cleared Up.

some more hcNuIn8s WeDcr y
''OberOn" Overture and Schumann's
g Major symphony Cleared Up.
The second afternoon ooncert OF the sixty
fifth season Of the Philharmonic Society took
place yesterday at Carnegie Hall. The
programme comprised IN orchestral ar
rangement Of the first Of Bach's ak organ
sonatas, a new violin oonoerto in d minor
by Jean Sibelius, the Finnish composer;
Weber's overture to 'Oberon- and Schu-
mann's O major symphony. The solo
performer was Maud Powell, whose devo-
ton and ~self-sacrifcs were applauded
heartily.
Sibelius Is not a stranger TO this public.
We had heard his -Lemminkainen Journeys
Homeward" and his -Finlandia.' Now
we have heard his violin concerto. We
know IS Is per cent. more abouthim than
we did. This concerto is Of the Firms,
inny. 1t is OF the North, rugged. 1t is
OF the Russ, rude. 1t Is Of the fiddle, tech
nical. Iii almost everything except beauti-
ful. II biteth like q Strauss tone potion
and il stingeth like a Rosenthal etude in
double thirds. II Is bitter as gall and saw
age as the wilderness. Nevertheless in so
far as the technics Of the violin are con-
Cerueu IL 10 uItrh sopnibJiCdJou.
The themes are neither clear nor engag-
ing, exceptthe Leading one of the last move
Q That, indeed, 10 q gem In it's way, a
sharply cut, fascinating bit of rhythm
hurled against a resistless fortress Of pedal
point. The musical conception Of this
opening is notably fine and its construction
is mastery. But this is pretty nearly all
the composition offers to any listener who
is not fond of acrid harmonies, distorted
musical shapes and endless labyrinths of
technical feats.
The first movement of this concerto is
enough to appall almost any violinist.
Now every one who knows anything knows
that Maud Powell is the last Of players TO
seek out a medium for bald technical dis
play. She is too true an artist for that.
She must AVE found something else in
this extraordinary concerto to induce her
to master its frightful passages. She
played it superbly. Her tone was full
and brilliant. Her style had virility and
breadth and dash. Her finger work was
admirable and her bowling glorious. But
why did she put all that magnificent art
into this sour and Grabbed concerto?
The Bach sonata heard yesterday has
appeared in the same orchestral guise be-
fore. Herman Hans Wetzler dressed it
up in this fashion and showed it to an audi
ence in Carnegie Hall at one of his own
concerts on December 8, 1908. At that time
it was said In thisp place that the Orchestra
ton was full and rich and did not hide the
characteristic Of Bach. Especially in the
slow movement did Mr.. Wetzler employ
the God wind in a manner which showed
a close study Of Bach's own method of in
strumentation. The finale was clearly
Instrumental and sounded transparent,
though modern in texture These COM
ments may be permitted to stand unchal
Hanged after yesterdays performance,
which was really the most solid and digni-
fed feature of the entire programme.
When he came to the "Oberon" overture
the eminent Russian conductor of the august
fathers, Wassili Safonoff, felt it incumbent
upon him to give the audience a reading"
Every conductor now has TO have his read
ing" Few are content TO let a work, in
the regnant words of Mr.. WeinDartner,
unfold itself in great featured simplicity"
Mr.. Safonof expounded the "0beron"
overture by beginning il with the most
exaggerated pianissimo and then bursting
into the main allegro at n breakneck speed
which mad articulation and phrasing quite
impossible. 1t Ia very easy to impose on
the unthinking by playing things fast.
That is regarded by too many as brilliant.
This particular overture would gain greatly
in real brilliancy If it were performed more
distinctly than il was yesterday.
Schumann's G major symphony, one Of
the most ~melodious and sustained compo-
sitions in the orchestral field, was played
partly well and partly i'll. The best portion
was the slow movement, which was taken
at a judicious tempo so that all its beauties
were fairly well brought out. The scherzo
was slaughtered. 1t was ratified of at a speed
which made the whole thing a crude muddle.
The last movement went somewhat better,
but there was room for improvement.
The reverend seniors of the orchestral
world did not veneer themselves with
radiance yesterday. They INDUCED in so
many technical slips that it sounded quite
like old times. The solo violin in tho Bach
sonata led the wav into the jungle. but the
trumpets wallowed longer in iniquity and
there were others.