New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-02-10
MUSIC.
A CONCERT OF MARCHES.

In the pursuit of his plan in the programmes Of
the symphony Concerts for Young People this
season. Mr.. Frank Damrosch, in Carnegie Hall
yesterday afternoon Illustrated the development
of the march from It's simple form up to it's en-
trance into the symphony. AS at the previous
casions, when the waltz and its precursors and
the mnuet and it's companions his subjects,
Mr.. Damrosch commented briefly on the different
numbers Of his programme, and in one instance
let his comment take the place of the per-
formanoe. This unfortunately in the case
OF the Presidents March," which had
been associated with some Of the historical
marches of Europe, such fanfares, for trumpets
and drums, from the period of the Thirty Years
War. the "Dessauer" and York marches. from
the time of Frederick the Great, the "Radetzky'
march of Austria, and ''Rakoczy'' march of Hun
gary. Mr.. Damrosch explained that he had been
unable to find a suitable arrangement OF the
Presidents March," and hat he felt that he
could omit II because everybody knew it as Hail.
Columbia" ApOogizng for having also dispensed
with the illustrations, which had been pretty
feature of his exposition of the dances he jocu-
larIy remarked that he had cabled to the German
Emperor asking him for the loan of Prussian
regiment but the monarch had been unable To
spare one. So his auditors were asked to call up
the picture Of of the famous regiments OF foot
soldiers passing by parade. Later, he described
the alienation of the music OF a fife and drum
corps and the music Of the full field band by play
ing Pruss!an fife and drum march and running
out into Sousa's Stars and Stripes Forever" Then
he got all the response from his listeners, big ana
little, that he could desired: little more
"A wilful audience must have its way" he re-
marked In comment when he found that he could
not go with the concert until he had repeated a
portion of Sousas stirring piece. And little blame
TO the listeners. for there nothing quite com
parable in his list with the swinging joyousness OF
the American march kings tunes and their setting
From the marches intended for military uses the
programme led to wedding and funeral marches
the examples being Mendelssohn's march from
the incidental music to "A Midsummer Nights
Dream Uhe mention of which sent n pleased
murmur through the AUDIENCE the Swedish We'd
ding March by S6dermann; the Dead March from
saul" by Handel. and the Funeral March from
Reethovens symphony "Eroica." Next came the
stately professional marches the Polonaise. Illus
trated by the poacca from "Mignon," and Meyer
beers "Fackeltanz" CTorchlisht Dance), designed
to accompany a solemn court function. Finally
symphonic use Of tho form Illustrated by the
third movement Of Tschaikowsky's "Patheuque.
Musical ends. rather than critical, were served IT
the programme. but the scheme was both inter
esting and entertaining.
Mr. Damrosch had delightful material Mt hand
for his verbal notes the military marches In
cluded in his list had he found time To use H. Tho
"Dessauer" march. for instance. is German only
by adoption. II came from Italy where It Is PROB
ably unknown now. II derived its name from the
fact that Prince Leopold I Of Dessau, popularity
known as der Ate Dessauer" was so fond OF II
that he sang all his songs its tune forcing even
religious hymns upon the ProCrustean bed or tts
rhythm II was q march played by the italian
soIdiery when they came TO make obelsance to him
after tie capture OF Turin In 1905. The trumpeters
in the princes army caught up the strain at once
and the German people took It from them and put
words to 1t. A rude soldiers song, adapted to the
melody may still be heard OF conviyial occasions
in the Fatherland
ca dane done