New-York tribune., 1909-04-05
MUSICAL COMMENT
Philharmonic PIanS--Mr. S0nn6ck
and the Vienna Congress.

Mr. Maher will depart for his summer nome IN
Austria next Saturday. Meanwhile he VIII give
second earnest of his purposes with the FhlIhaI-
monic Society by conducting the orchestra OF the
society it may be said exist at the present
time in a performance of the overture to "bgmont
and the choral symphony by Beethoven in Carnegie
Hall next Tuesday evening. There is a serious
question in the minds of the weI-|ishers Oh the
eminent musician and OF the society (Which mas
surrendered its autonomy and submitted 10 re-
organization in hope of increasing its artistic
efficiency and the financial welbeing OF some OF l's
members) touching the wisdom Of the concerts
which were projected by Mr.. Mahlers admirers De
the revolution which is now imminent had oeen
decided JDon The concert of last week and that
which is to come scarcely be SAID TO nave
been essential to the seasons artistic saNatIoh ~
any process of reasoning or stretch Of the magma
ton The public have had much music of all kinds
and particularly much orchestral music; anu the
two programmes seem to have been arranged for
the purpose OF provoking comparisons not only ne
tween rival bands and rival conductors but oetween
the performances of the same band under dlnerent
conductor. This unnecessary as It was 70
seem 10 put Mr. Mahler's popularity to the test by
giving the concerts at the fag end of the season
when all rational desires have been sated- Under
the best well the worst OF circumstances the
deductions which will be drawn from the popular
participation in the concerts will have no particular
value.
1t is pIeasanter to contemplate the plans which
have been formulated for the reoTsaliZed run
harmonic for next Mr.. Mailer Will nave
leisure during the summer to reflect upon the
character of the offerings which he will make TO
the patrons of the society next season. In a gen
eral way the plans have been laid out and II is
plain that they look toward the maintenance at
Feast of some of the traditions Of the past. The
old subscribers will find their two series of con-
certs kept intact down to the number 10 Wnlch
they have been accustomed of recent years though
they will enjoy their concerts different days OF
1infv0 01pe
cede those Of the afternoon next season, but they
will be Thursdays instead of Saturdays This
will seem less revolutionary than 1t would
have seemed few years ago, when the Friday
afternoon meetings were called public Tehearsals'
though they had long ceased to be that in the or
binary technical sense. \ subscriber must be very
old indeed recall the time when they were re-
hearsals not only In name but in fact; yet when
society celebrated Its hftieth anniversary there
many who could remember when the con-
duc.or would stop the performance and practise
the band in the presence OF the afternoon audience
Many of them depored the change, for they were
serious students in those days, who welcomed the
opportunities thus offered have more of the
structure and contents of the music than could he
gained from a performance that gded smoothly by.
As projected the regular series Of subscription
concerts will take place next season on Thursday
evenings. and the afternoon concerts the Fri
days Immediately following In addition, there
have been planned historical series in which the
development OF orchestral music will be illustrated
chronologicely from its beginnings down to the
present time series OF afternoon concerts devoted
entirely TO the music OF Beethoven, group Of four
Sunday afternoon concerts which are likely to con-
tain elements Of so-caed popularity without re-
lexing the standard of merit in the compositions.
and a special concert Of Yuletde music the af-
ternoou Of Christmas Day. These the society $
purposes with respect to the Borough of Manhattan
Concerts Will be given in Brooklyn and Phiiadel-
phia fin each case series OF 1ve). and in Febrl-
arv a tour will be undertaken in which concerts
will be given in Boston, Northampton, New Haven,
Hartford and Sprin gield