Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-02-09
R egarding Russian
Musical Talent.

We used to hear a good deal con-
corning the American industrial in
vasion of Europe and the measures
that alarmed Old World statesmen
considered to be necessary for the
protection of their respective CONNER
cial spheres. Now n New York con-
temporary half seriously, half humor-
ously calls attention to the present
musical invasion of the United States
Indeed of the world-by-Russia
German supremacy in the realms of
the higher orchestral music has for
decades, not TO say generations, been
accepted almost as matter of course.
No one ever objected to the "monop-
oily enjoyed by Bach. Mozart Beeth-
oven, Schumann, Schubert, Brahms.
Wagner Co, and it has hardly oc-
CURED to anv one that this pre- emin-
ence could even temporarily be mem
aced by rival national firm. Yet
there seems to be pronounced tend
ency TO exploit" Russian music and
Russian performers in our centers of
art and culture
In New York, where Russian con-
duetor directs the leading local SYM
phonic orchestra. Russian names are
peculiarly prominent on the orchestral
programs Here in Chicago. thanks
to the catholicity and progressiveness
OF the late Theodore Thomas and of
his successor. Mr.. Stock, we are quite
familiar with Rimsky- Korsakoff, Gla-
zounow. Borodin. Sibelius-a Finn
ana other Russian composers. to say
nothing about Tschaikowsky and Ru-
binstein and Paderewski. In New
ork they have added to the list the
names of Balakirey Scriabine Liadoff
Rachmanlnoff and Moussogorsky Even
Or. Muck. leader of the Boston SYM
phony orchestra. an avowed classic
ISL ana conservative in music. who
hnds most of the moderns empty, and
'Aslou pun }ueIeqoouI m9ql 10 suIos
and the Russian school untamed and
brutal. though rich In melody and folk
tunes and sincerely nationalist plays
not little of the new Russian music.
One of his latest programs included
a new overture by Rimsky Korsakoff
ana a symphony by Glazounow
Nor is this all. Most of the pianists
and violinists now appearing as SOLO
lists or in recitals hail from the land
OF the car and are disciples of the
musicians just named Russia of to-
day not only produces music in abund-
ance. but produces gifted and capable
executants and interpreters. Has the
political reaction of the last years of
the late century driven sensitive and
talented men into music? Have they
tried to compose and play what they
could not write or say in words?
However. among the great singers
of the day we still find many Germans
and not few Hnugarians, Dutch.
French, and Italian artists. America.
too. is well represented in that con-
stellatlon. Let Russia have her chance
in orchestral and instrumental music:
time will test the staying qualities OF
her work. For the time being 1t Is
popular on account of its freshness.
melodic charm and naturalness. They
are not decadent in Russia. unsteady
speaking; they are not subordinating
IDEAS to style and seeking new forms
for the expression of nothing In par
ticular They are spontaneous and
naive. They may not be writing the
music of 10 orrow, but their present
vogue is due to their honest merits
Chicago Record Herald.