The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-12-21
TIE RUSSIAN SYxPHONISTS.
TIE SOCIETYrS SECOND CONCERT
AT CARNEGIE HALL.
Alexander scrtabiBe, the Russian COu-
poser. Makes Wis FIRST Appearance tn
THIS Country New Music by GiaJ-
Ounoff N BaehmAnlnOr Played.

Alexander >crtabtDe, the HussfAn touf-
poser. Make Wis FIRST Appearance tn
THIS Country New Music by Giaz-
Ounen N BachmanlnOfr Played.
The second concert OF the Russian Sym
phony Society took place last night at Car
negie Hall. The programme comprised
the third symphony Of Alexander GlazU'i-
NOT, heard for the first time here. Scr--
bine's piano concerto ami three smaller
pieces, and R-achmaninoH's -Tzigane' ca
priccio. also a new work. The solo per
former was Alexander Scriabine. the dis
tInguished Russian composer. who has come
20 this country at the invitation of this So
ciety. Altogether il was an interesting
evening for those who are studying the
development Of the Russian school.
The third is one Of the earlier symphonies
Of GlazounoH, and has no: had frequent
performance. II was written in 1853 and
dedicated TO Tsc~haikowsky. but no record
Of any performance in this country has been
found. The fourth. fifth and sixth have
been made known 70 us. but the third was
reserved for last evening.
Now that We have heard il let Us rest
happy in the conviction that a solemn duty
has been performed. Not to have heard a
AOLutIcIhFpu tH q uLrAliAE AHahr A hDl
Is 20 have lost an opportunity. One should
always hear everything. OF course life is
too short. But what matters that? BY
systematic arrangement OF time one
might contrive 10 hear a few symphonies
every day, or at least TO sample them and
then pass them o. for others.
We might nave sampled G~lazounod's
third symphony by listening 10 the first
H. - - -. .Lz,-f1 k.v-.
believed it to be a pretty good composition.
There are masculine melodies and interest
ing construction in this first movement.
and the working out leads 70 some massive
instrumental effects. But after hearing
the three o Their movements We should
easily understand why the symphony has
rested peacefully all these years.
The second movement II the scherZo, that
astonishing scherZo Of which we were old
in advance that the conductor had to solve
in It the problem whether he would beat six
sixteenth or tw~o-elghth time, because the
instrumental parts contained both at once.
BY a primitive process in mathematics We
ascertain that beating these two times Is
the same thing az beating simultaneously
six-eighth and t~wo-fourth times, which Is
about as difficult az skating on two roller
skates al once instead of using only one.
The scherzo really had points Of interest be-
sides this one, for 1t had some Of the remark
able music box color which Laldod laid
upon a piano piece which he promptly
christened The Music Box"
sweet, slow movement and a character
istic Russian finale are the two other parts
Of this symphony. which II neatly made.
warmly scored and altogether unimpor-
a II was followed by Alexander Scrla-
hlne and his piano concerto in p sharp
minor. The conductor for this work was
Wassiii Safonof Of the Philharmonic So
ciety. whose pupil in piano playing Scria-
bine was at the Moscow Conservatory.
h first movement of the concerto has
one great merit. IL is short. Further
more. the composer calls il simply allegro
and dispenses with all descriptive adjec-
ives or phrases. b concerto as a whole
n a very pretty and fragile piece Of salon
music. IL ls polite until the last move
ment is reached and then the composer
makes a battle between the piano and a small
army OF brass instruments.
This Is not either polite or pretty and IL
oompels the pianist TO smite Inc keyboard
very rudely indeed. Tit sentimental slow
movement seemed 10 delight the audience,
but the finale must have been heard with
mingled emotions. Surely such a roaring
a~drighted the ladies', especially those who
sal in the front seats q closely observed
the prodigious efforts Of The pIanisi. MIR.
SoriAbine played his share Of the work with
plenty Of vigor, but Without much variety
OF tone
After the concerto Mr.. Scriabine PLAYED
some piano solos of his own. One OF them
was the nocturne for left hand alone, which
Mr.. Lhevinne inI roduced 10 us last season.
This Is a feat of iechnic, and al The same
ZINE il Is a pleas hiI of salon music. The
composer played il admirably. The other
Two numbers were a ma7irka in r minor
and an eiude in d sharp minor. Let US be
original in keys az any coa. D sharp minor
Is something TO hold close 10 ones heart.
Mr.. Scriabine will he heard later in recital.
The orchestra lasa night played variously.
II played mostly according 10 It's own sweet
viii and there was a large and impressive
absence OF unanimity. In The symphony Of
Glazounoff IL seemed sometimes as IL IL
were all of.