The San Francisco call., 1907-03-29

Less enthusiasm was created by the
symphony concert yesterday afternoon
in the Greek Theater than rewarded
the least deserving of its predecessors
within my recollection.
AS the weather was propitious. the
programme promising and the audience
of average size and quality and evil
IDENTIFY eager to encourage the orches-
ira. only to the orchestra itself could
Justly be attached responsibility for
the unusual feebleness of the applause
bursts.
1t is not in captious spirit that 1
place the fault where it properly be-
longs. To lay II elsewhere or to ignore
if altogether would be unfair treatment
of the public, the orchestra and myself,
for every person of ordinary music ap-
preciation in the theater knew that
the Instrumentation was defective.
Patient inquiry failed to bring en-
lightenment as to where the cause Of
the effectiveness exactly lay. 1t was
variously explained to me-inadequate
rehearsal having mosC exponents.
Among the other reasons assigned were
an absence of affinity between some
of the players and the conductor, the
latter's method of directing with his
hands. instead of baton, and his de-
voting more attention to the score than
to the men he is leading. In support
of the Lasts given theory was cited Won
Bulow's famous bon mot anent orches-
ira direction: THE master musician
should bury the score in his head, in
stead of burying his head in the score" +"
The opening number, Chabrier's
Spanish Rhapsody" received such
good Interpretation throughout its
lightsome, jingling course as to war
rant belief that the orchestra was in
prime form for the remainder OF the
programme, nor was that impression
weakened to much extent by the deli
cate way in which the weird strains
of Debussy's Afternoon of a Faun"
were brought out, the woodwinds and
strings Intervening most beautiful
tone picture.
1t was in the piece de resistance, Rim
sky -Korsakow's symphonic suite based
on THE Thousand and One Nights"
that the flaws of Instrumentation first
became painfully fragrant. They con-
sisted chiefly of a rather general ig-
noring of the beat and a resultant
looseness of attack that would have
been even more palpable in any other
music form than that in hand. The
suite is in four movements, and the
first of them. illustrative of the sea and
Sindbad's ship, and automatically akin
to the liet-motif of Wagner's Flying
Dutchman," was wofully dragged. The
Z
narrative of the Calendar Prince, re-
counted through the second movement.
provided a brief solo for almost every
instrument in service and thus COM
paratively escaped maltreatment in at
tack Movement No. 3, entitled THE
Young Prince and the Young Princess,
was started melodiously by the first
violin, but when taken up by the other
instruments II soon merged into repe-
tions of harsh phrases. The final move
ment opened with seemingly inevitable
carnival theme, which lacked due scin-
tillation in the playing and returned to
/ the sea motive augmented by ship
wreck effect. Competent authorities
have pronounced this one of the most
! impressive scenes in the modern or
chestral output, but whatever of har-
monious dramatic climax was mapped
out by the composer must have suf-
fered in it's Interpretation. which was
a tumble of barbaric clashes in which
every man seemed to be playing hi:
notes in his own way. irrespective o.
the authors intention or the conduct
or's idea of tempo.
Richard Strauss tone poem. "Deati
and TRANSPORTATION" closed the con
cert and was fairly played. Its har
monic progressions were strikingly re
mindful of Wagner. But while th'