The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-12-14
WI SICAL ART SOCIETY.
The First Gone ert OF Its Fourteenth season
Given Last Night.

The Musical Art Society entered upon the
-ourteenth year of its activities with its
/ concert in Carnegie Hail last night. The
audience was large enough to fill the house,
and its applause demonstrated that pleasure
in the kind Of entertainment offered by this
organization continues. The Musical Art
Society occupies a singular and essential
place in the musical life Of this city. Its
Influence is most benefcent, its mission
most important.
In the hot rush of musical progress lovers
Of the art are not u'Ibkely TO lose their hold
IN the pure and unafulterated creations Of
The old masters. We have for some years
/ relied on the Philharmonic Society 10 keep
US in touch with the orchestral classics, but
even this body of musicians has Of late
dvelt much in the present. Mr.. Franko's
concerts Of old music have provided a few
devoted music lovers with opportunities
i 10 hear compositions in which the elemental
|lforees Of tonal art are disclosed in their
Iprimltive state.
II these orchestral concerts go a little way
\ oward supplying a corrective 10 the vita
ting influence of too many modern compost
TONS which conceal their structural weak
ness and their barrenuess of ideas by gaudy
orchestral color. The Musical Art Society
by keeping some of the choral works of the
old masters alive for US holds up the stand
ard Of purity. simplicity and sincerity in
the art Of composition. II would command
praise for this labor even were its perform
snces Of less merit than they are.
Last night s concert was delightful. Ac-
cording 70 the custom of the conductor,
Frank Danrosch. the programme. pref
laced nv the always welcome -Stille Nacht
was arranged with reference 10 the ap-
prosch of the greatest of Christian festi-
walls. Musical composition in its early
days was the handmade of religion, and the
masterpieces Of unaccompanied choral
II oounterpolnt we're made for the use OF the
Roman Church. The feast of the nativity
has served As inspiration Tor many n beau
tlful composition. while alteration OF the
mother Of the Lord has naturally found
utterance IN sone Of the loftiest strains
of Catholic musicians.
The old numbers heard last night were
an Ave Regina by Pslestrina, a "kyrie'
Of B~enevoll, and two old French Christmas
songs harmoniZed by Gevaert Then fol-
lowed Verbs ~Laude ALA Vergine Maria :
and HerzogenbeTg's Come, Thou Light OF
Gladness These two modern compost
tons closed the first part of the concert
The middle number. as usual. was insf ru-
mental. II was a sonata - + minor nv
L~ocatelI. arranged for violin solo with ac-
compartment OF strings harp organ.
be solo part was played by David Names.
who mad this arrangement after the har-
nomination Of Zellner.
The third part consisted OF Brahms
-Dlrge Of Darthula.' CARROTS My Loves
Like a Red. Red Rose" Cigars Evening
Scene and MacDowell's "BaTcarole." The
peculiar communication of unworldliness
found in such a composition as the Pales-
trina Ave Regina" is something that can
be better felt than described. Perhaps
TINS effect of aloofness ia conveyed TO US
" the old fashioned harmony, 30 different
nom our modern style.
Whatever makes il, il il certainly there
and because It is there this music carries
VIM It an atmosphere of abstraction, of
religious cOntemplr-on. not to be found
IN any modern music, no matter how sin
cerely pIous its spirit may be. The French
songs, on the other hand, are distinctly oi
the people and not of the sanctuary. The
inspiring Noel' heard last night would
certainly awake a responsive chord in
any warm heart. and the audien ce de-
manded us repetition in a way that left
no room for doubt.
,Verdis number, a fruit Of his old age
showed the great operate master as d
COMPOSE Of effective religious music. Mr.
Aannes made a happy selection in thu
snaia NJ Locatelli, a beautiful piece o.
music, and he played il very well indeed
III III Wag IN opf,waIIo ,1nuarf