The San Francisco call., 1908-08-22
THRONGS APPLAUD
BOHEMIAN MUSIC
"The Sons of Baldur" Melody
Is Ably Reproduced in
Van Ness Theater
First Part of Program Is Devot-
ed to Compositions of Other
Midsummer Occasions
By Walter Anthony

Arthur Weiss music. written for the
Bohemian club midsummer play and
produced al the annual celebration on
August IN Bohemia's stately redwood
grove. was repeated yesterday after
noon al the Van Ness theater The
Sons Of Baldur'' is what il is called and
il inuminates the text written by Her
man Scheffaner. descriptive OF an imag-
mary Morse tribe.
OF all the Bohemian grove music
thus far transplsnted from the forest
70 the theater that of Arthur Weiss is
the most spirited. There is little of
the somber suggestiveness Of deep for
est shadows as found in Edward
Schneioer's The Triumph of Bohe-
mia nor any of the quiet and mixed
tints of McCoy's music Weiss goes
after Bohemia's spirit, and has not
been daunted that his poem is Morse
He is not Wagnerian and his gods are
not mighty fellows. They may be
Norsemen, but they are of Latin de-
scent
FIERY AND FULL OF IDEAS
Weiss muse is fiery and he is full of
ideas Indeed. though his work is not
as scholarly as some which preceded it.
and though Weiss. unframed at the
directors stand. whipped his players
out OF their tempo with his energetic
DEdLs i l4-Ah ECSAcLQ6l ;
is the best that has come out of Bohe
mis's grove thus far; at least il is very
vital and dashing. II is not as learned
music as some Of the other compost
tions we have heard. perhaps, but il
sounds better. In other words, what il
lacks in ingenuity OF orchestration and
development is atoned for in inspira-
ton which tips many OF his phrases
with fire. It may be undeveloped.
but II is intrinsically musical stuff.
and more work from Weiss pen will
be awaited with interest and should
secure attention for its vigorously
dominant character. its adherence TO
obvious tonaiity, its freedom from af-
fectation and for a certain freshness
of melody. His harmonies are not un-
usual and he does not stray far afeld
in search OF effects. but he is
direct as 10 his methods, and with a
little more certainty as 10 his orchestra
should do work of lasting value to
the broader world of music lovers
outside OF Bohemia's enchanted
groves. Weiss should write a comic
opera. His scoring for the voices in
his chorus yesterday showed a gift
for vocal composition. There is a stir
ring march in The Sons of Baldur''
which catches the swing of popularity,
and he has given a languishing love
song 10 the barytone, which. trans
posed. would be ideal for a tenor to
sing TO the prima donna on a dark
ened stage
L a. Larsen. z. H. McCandlish and
music drama and interpreted frag-
nsents OF the roles Of the Morse war
riors.
MUSIC OF FORMER OCCASIONS
The first part of yesterdays program
was devoted 10 the couapositions of
other midsummer occasions and to
some other new works OF club
composers. Schneider directed the
orchestra in the Introduction TO
The Triumph of Bohemia" and
Dance OF the Saplings" which latter
number, a sprightly two-four melody,
was encored deservedly. joseph D.
Redding, who was the composer of the
first 5inks music-that OF the summer
Of 1e02-was not present in person. but
IN spirit. Ny Sweetheart of Long
Ago." which is a delicately beautiful
composition by Redding, was lovingly
Interpreted by four OF his Bohemian
brothers-E. D Crandal, DR.. H P.
Carlton, z H McCandIish and Austin
Sperry. Hail, Bohemians. Hail. an
other OF Reddfng's compositions. was
given z stirring presentation by
Thomas H Persse. Paul Steindorff
directed the chorus and orchestra in
these mum bsrS. Then came compost
tions by H J Stewart. another Bohe-
mian music sire. Excerpts they were
from his orchestral suite, Scenes in
California" The Spanish dance was
particularly liked BY the big audience.
Theodore Vogt, who composed the mu-
sic for the summer of 1905, directed the
orchestral accompaniment to Larsen's
sympathetic Interpretation of Allah
and Jane Grey" The first number
was best It exploits a fine oriental
figure and rises TO a big climax. Then
followed W. J. McCoy's music from
his opera, Cleopatra" the book for
which was written by Charles K Field.
The composer was the conductor. and
his daughter. Miss Catherine Mccoy,
sang the Cleopatra aria, while Vail
Bakeweu interpreted with much fervor
the Antony recitative. The music is in
McCoy's picturesque style and was well
received.