New-York tribune., 1906-01-03
MUSIC.
The Boston Quartet.

That the kernel Of the Boston Symphony Or
chestra should be a body Of chamber music players
seems to have been part Of Major Higginson's s
purpose ever since he called his noble concert
ganization into existence For nearly two decades
Mr. Franz Kneisel and the artists whom he gath
cred around him fulfilled the lovely mission with
ever increasing efficiency, and carried the evangel
of the highest chastity, beauty and seriousness in
music throughout the length and breadth Of the
land.
Then came the time when orchestral duties and
Iabors became onerous and threatened interference
with the higher work. The ulissiouers ceased TO be
voice crying In the wilderness: hundred congTe-
cations were eagerly awaiting their refining min
istradons, and they took the step which enabled
them to devote themselves wholly TO the higher
calling. Their places were supplied and the new
corners were organized into body and sent out to
follow In the footsteps of their predecessors 1he
first experiment failure; the second was not
highly efficient string quartet is not created IN
day, however. matter how excellent It's ma
Much time great labor, whole-hearted ana selL-
sacrificing devotion are necessary to bring the
members into q harmonious manner OF thinking
and feeling. When Professor Hess and his com
panions visited US last season it was made plain
that the material efficient though not as
HOMOGENEOUS as was desirable. There has been
change in the personnel Mr.. Warnke taking the
place of Mr. Krasselt player of the violonceIlo;
but also there has been change In the particular
most highly essential. That the first ooseFva-
ton invited by the concert given IN MendeIssohn
Hall last night The quartet is rapidly acquiring
honogeneity of utterance and individual style
and voice. Professor Hess still dominates II, per
haps little unduly, but his associates have gained
greater freedom and the readings OF the boay
greater elasticity.
The fine virile spirit spoke out OF the last two
movements of Beethovens quartet in fiat (op. B
No. g. which opened the meeting. though the per-
formance suffered from unruly string on the
first VIOLIN which 'pped and whstled in his sound
unIntermittently Splendid energy, sanity, lucidity
and eloouence spoke also In the sextet In the san1e
key by Brahms which brought the concert to a
close, in the performance of which Messrs. Hess,
Roth Ferir and Warnke had the capable assistance
Of Max Zach, viola, and Josef Keller, vtolonceIo,
also members Of Mr.. Gericke's Boston band
Between quartet and sextet Messrs Hess and
stsdsmond Stojowski played a sonata for violin
and pianoforte composed by the pianist, a Polish
musician of excellent repute abroad, who has joined
New-York's artistic colony. So admirable was the
performance of both artists that the beauties OF
the composition were carried home to the con-
sciousness Of every hearer. The sonata is not OF
the heaven storrling order. It is content to pro-
claim seusuous beauty to give pleasure. Yet in
trritant From beginning to end of its first two
movements there is ingenious 6aliance with close
canonio imitation. The finale is a theme and
variations in which the desire for sustained melody
is gratifed and also the Slavic love for national
color The instruments move with gracious inter
dependence and thus illustrate capitaly one
achievement of modernity. The audience that
heard the concert was not numerous. but In 1t
were scores of intelligent and devoted lovers Of
chamber music, and their applause was frequent
and cordial