New-York tribune., 1908-11-08
MJ7SIC.
THE BOSTON ORCHESTRA.

The Boston Orchestra with its new conductor
Mr. Max Fielder concluded its first visit
this season with concert in Carnegie Hall yes
terday afternoon. Again, as on last Thursday
evening it forbore inhictng a solo performer upon
its listeners and exercised that moderation in its
Offering which is become a tradition at its con
certs and one Of the features which are tributary
their en1oya6leness. Il did, however offer some
thing novel-some new music ana feature
in the presentation OF extremely old and famil-
lar composition. The new music was a symphonic
poem by the late L. A AfacDoEelI entitled ''Lama
and designed to give expression to some of the
moods Of Keatss poem Of that name. Mr.. Mac
Doweu composed the work twenty years ago.
For reasons which obviously suthced him he did
not publish the work, but after he had become
fatally III gave the score with inscription 70
his friend Henry T F1nck. The restless indus
try Of the promoters Of the MaCDOweL cult, which
is the greatest danger threatening the reputation
Of the dead composer, saw to 1t that that should
ba ppen which the composers judgment warned
him against. He scarcely buried before the
utterance went forth from Mr. Finck that the
work would be given to the world. and for weeks
the cryptic announcement Of the first performance
OF q work by a great composer has burdened the
circulars OF the Peoples Symphony Society Mr..
Arens's plan to be first in the field with the work
was defeated by its performance in Boston a fort
night ago but Mr. Arenc brought it forward on
Friday evening and Mr. Fielder yesterday Thus
work which would have remained mute had its
author lived achieved the distinction Of two per-
foruarces in single week solely beca use he is
dead
'Lannia" adds nothing to the stature Of its com
poser It lacks less the finish in orchestration
which it is said he hoped some day 70 give It than
beauty and pregnancy Of theme It's most ingra-
tiattng feature is found in the treatment OF horn
fanfare, which is essential element Of its al
legro, and there is a moving plea the individual
ity of feeling which - impressed upon the work
here and there. but is dssipated ever and anon by
the laborious development. It started out as an
honest and eager utterance, but its eoquence
enduring. It's influence viii be reactionary
its companion pieces which reached the dis
tincton Of print in the lifetime of the composer
Mr.. Fielder and his men bestowed afectionate
care upon the performance. and the music was
received with generous applause
The new feature in the performance of an old
composition the playing of Sehuruanu's d
minor symphony without pauses between the
movements, was contemplated by the composer
The device. Ike the other which distinguishes the
werk-community Of thene-w,s contrived by Schu-
mann for the sake Of enforcing the idea Of uDity-
and its enforcement benefits the symphony which
even under the ordinary conditions. has always
been a model Of directness, lucidity and concise
There was much yiriity in the greater mart
Of Nj Fiedler's reading yesterday but at times II
descended to almost lackadaisical sentirentaIi+,
without really feminine grace. The concert ooene5
with Rlnlsky- Korsakow's 'Sheherazade" which
was once OF the orchestra's show pieces hut
is W H. E K