New-York tribune., 1908-01-05
VARIOUS CONCERTS.

The second concert of the Kneisel Quartet will
he given in Mendelssohn Hall on Tuesday evening.
The programme will be follows:
fTin y fat op a7 piano strings Beethoven
Quartet, Aus .neinem Lebeii--
The assisting pianist in the trio by Beethoven
Will be Nj Harold Bauer.
The quartet by Bach is interesting being the
only work of the kind left by the first master If
indeed it be intended string quartet, question
over which the musical antiquarians have disputed
II was first played in New York On November %,
1901 by Mr. Knesel In the onl. existing manu-
script of it. which is not in Bach's handwriting, 1t
is entitled an overture" and the movements con-
sist of '1arghetto con fuga, 'Torneo, ARIA
..nenuetto alternative and "capriccio." In the
Bach societv's edition piece is presented as for
string orchestra with parts for first ana second
vfoIns viola and harpsichord the last named being
in the form Of a figured bass upon which the
player was to eXtempOrize full ACCOMPANIMENT,
accordIng 10 the universal custom of the time
In the THO of the minuet. however this part :
marked to be played by "violoncello solo. Some
five years ago Professor Hermann Schroeder,
brother # the distinguished violoncellist Alvin
Schroeder. published article in which he de
cIared his belief, for reasons which he gave. that
the piece was meant for the four instruments OF
the string quartet, either singly or as string
orchestra and that in the latter case the harps-
chord was used only to strengthen the violoncellos
These were somewhat rare :rstrumc nts at that
sarv numbers That need has of course long since
disappeared and Professor Schroeder believes that
the piece may be regarded practically as a string
quartet and played such without the harpschord
part.
There is peculiar autobiographic interest, as its
name implies in Smetana's quartet He himself
said H. 81 wish to to the hearer pictures
Of episodes in my life" He explained the move
ments thus: First movement, love of music in
youth predispositon toward romanticism, unspeak
able longing something inexpressibe. Fremont
ton of coming deafness-for Smetana, like Bee
thoven and Robert Franz, became deaf. The long
drawn the close suggests the shrill sound
that he heard, aural Illusion, foreshadowing his
disordered hearing. Second movement, polka,
Bohemian national dance, suggests the joys Of his
youth. Third movement the blessedness of his
first love for his future wife, Fourth movement
the PERCEPTION of the individuality OF the national
element In music, its gloomy future, ray of hope,
the painful impressions the thought OF his first
artistic beginnings. Smetana was the first widely
known Bohemian national composer, a predecessor
of Dvorak lie born in 1924 and died. insane
at Prague in 1854.
The second OF Mr.. Sam Franko's Concerts of Old
Music will take place Wednesday evening Jan
uary IS. al Mendelssohn Hall, The programme
Suite Don Juan .Gitcb
symphony No as "a fat ma jor, Mozart
The Brooklyn Institute of Arts and Sciences. de-
chamber music concerts by the Kneisel Quartet.
Soioists these concerts will be Mr. Franz Knei-
sci and Mr.. Willem Willeke, and the assisting
artists will be Mrs Thomas Taper, Miss kath
crime Goodson. Miss Carolyn II. Beebe Mr. Sigis-
mund stojowski and Mr.. Carlo Buonamic tpianists).