New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1908-05-03
ANOTHER PICTU RE.

ANU HEN PHI M
This the one picture: now look for moment
the other. It presented in Carnegie Hall in
the last six concerts given by the symphony So
ciety. For these concerts programmes of Bee
thoven's music exclusively had been prepared-all
the symphonies, from the first to the ninth. and
between them choice examples of his dramatic and
chamber music. There had been no dearth in the
season of orchestral music: New York has dill
gently cultivated this branch of the art for more
than three-quarters Of century. Our Phlhar-
rnonic Society is as old that of Vienna. More
over. when the Beethoven Cycle was reached the
Symphony Society had already given eighteen sub
scription concerts. the Philharmonic Society
eighteen. the Boston Orchestra fifteen and lesser
organizations dozen more Yet when II came 10
doing homer the master symphonist the vast
audience room was crowded each time as il had
not been crowded any other occasion. and the
thousands listened with deep and reverent devotion
TO the evangel Of TRANSPORTED beauty which the
chestra proclaimed. II was proclamation vaster
on every page than that contained in score of
modern operas with all their elaboration of
music picture and dramatic action. In those six
programmes lay for those who know and love
music all the law and the prophets: in them was
disclosed the message Of beauty which the great
seer drew from communings with his great sad,
brave. beautiful soul when an inscrutable fate
closed his ears the disc0rdant turmos of the
outer world and forced him TO be nearer and
recorder OF the whispering within himself. Then
did he proclaim the things which were, the things
which are and the things which shall be here
after music. And what a preachmentt Think
Of it-six afternoons bursting with beauty, and not
q moment ignobly spent; not an emotion aroused,
not play Of the ina gination stimulated, not
thought awakened that was impure or degrading;
Of the myriad Of tones not one that fell into the
ear merely there Iascivious blessings
How different at the opera. where one Of the first
works that irritated public curiosity and stmu-
lated public interest did Of its piquant
tuxtaposition saintliness and sin; of Christian
hyrnning and harloJry because of its presentation
of virtue in a physical encounter with vice from
which she energes victor only hand the trophy
to latter al the end; of a Christian monk
sprinkling the couch Of Venus with holy water and
then decking his cowl with roses.
And by what this compelling proclamation
made? Not by the p2noforte, endowed though It
- with wonderful capacity TO translate into its
dialect the language OF nearly all the music Of the
past: the vocal choir or the organ whose
multitudinous voices AS the voice of great
multitude, and the voice OF many waters. and
as the voice Of many thunderings. saying. AL
leluia- for the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth," 1t
was the orchestra that spoke. The most eloquent.
varied capable and potent instrument that the
world has ever ever Will see The instru-
rnent whose employment by the classical composers
since Haydn and The geniuses Of the Romantic
school marks high TIDE in the musical art. The
instrument which is never played upon without
giving a great object lesson in musical analysis,
without inviting the eye To help the ear TO dis
Germ the origin Of the sounds which ravish our
delightful exercise Is enlisted in the easy occupa-
ton Of acquiring simple. rudimentary knowledge
OF its factors and their functonsi Let a listener
frs, learn to distinguish the characteristic tiinbre
Of each Of the Instruments in the band, then to
the delight found in these primary coors he shall
add the keener one which comes from Analysing
- v.st number which the products OF
continuation. Noting The capacity Of the various
instruments and the manner in which they are
employed, he shall get glimpses into the mental
workshop Of the compeser-a gracious privilege
he shall find while his sensuous enjoyment Is
left unirapaired and the emotional excitement
vhich Is 2 legitimate fruit Of musical performance
unchecked these pleasures snail have others con-
sorted with them. His intellectual faculties shall
be agreeabiy irritated. and he shall enjoy the
frequently and more delightfully."- in music than in
any other ART because Of the role which repetition
plsys in musical composition
THE PRE-EMINENT INSTRUMENT
,Sote moreover that the orchestra is pre-enli-
nenrlv the musical instrument Of to-day, and
knowledge Of it. or al least familiarity with its
constituent parts is essential appreciation Of
the offerings Of iatter-Gay composers Whatever
We may think Of the change that has come over
the art however much some Of may depore
what we think is d sophistication Of il, We can
not escape the fact that tie simple charm OF
melody, harmony. rhythm and formal symmetry
beauty. clearness and good meditation IN
the words Of old Galuppi7 mo longer suffice those
who see in music d language capable Of world