New-York tribune., 1909-02-14
MUSIC
THE PHILHARMONIC SOCIETY.

A special note of comment might prontzbly be
given 70 each Of the features OF the sixth evening
concert OF the Philharmonic Society. which TOOK
place in Carnegie Hall last night What those
features were was told yesterday In record Of the
afternoon concert Of Friday. Haydn's major
symphony, familiar enough 20 be loved enthusi-
asticaIy or accepted superCously. according 70 the
predictions inherited cultivated affected by the
listeners, made unusual appeal because Of an
especially spirited performance Of its finale, per
forrnance which stirred up much enthusiasm
that it called for repetiton-a proceeding OF such
rare occurrence that it deserves mention. The
splendid string band Of the society also covered
itself with glory the merry first movement. and
would have dons also in the Largo had 1t not
been turned into a sluggish largissimo which roooeo
1t Of its simple hyn-Hke character and lett IL Iu-
gubrious Miscna Elman played the Mendelssonn
concerto and for the first time in concert OF ser-
Gus import showed a willingness 70 sink the me
fibre Of his musical nature IN that OF virtuoso
chiefly anxious TO bewilder, dazzie ana amaze. II
was sensational performances. with so nucn ere
mental beauty permeating its every measure, tnat
it was q pity the young virtuoso forgot the noOle
serenity Of the slow movement for the sake OF
sentimentality and dashed on the first Allegro as II
# were show piece 1t was a pity poo' tnat
Mr.. Safonon turned the full oroadsioe OF Ihs
organization to accompany a performance which
because Of its character called for particularly
light and accurate treatment Of the orchestral part
The young virtuoso, too, aroused excited approval
and rewarded it by performance OF the most "a
miliar of Bach'5 gavottes In 1urlous teInpo' ouS
with crystalline clearness and business Of intonA-
ton.
Mr. Stahlberg. to whom Mr.. Safonon handea a
baton with much grave ceremony, conducted his
tone-poem, entitled ITO the Memory Of Abraham
Lincoln" Any attempt to give musical delineation
to an historic character so near TO the memory
heart and imagination Of the people of to-day was
a venturesome thing. It could only be done by a
composer capable of conceiving his task from a
purely ideal point of view. This Mr.. Stahlbers
has DONE and done with much success that there
need be no hesitation in saying that his work not
only deserved performance at a time when the
minds Of his hearers turned with peculiar SYM
pathy to his subject but deserves TO be heard wher
ever there is community capable OF eppreciatins
high class orchestral music The composition Is
overlong IL suffers from proixty In the ntroduc-
ton and also in the section devoted to the warning
Of the elements which were mixed In the character
of the hero-his strength Of purpose and his in
effable tenderness Of heart. But its themes are
pregnant and plastic in the middle section they
and their treatment rise thrilling intensity and
uplifting beauty. The orchestration is effective al
ways, and times mastery. The poetic scheme
is worthy of its subject and proclains man OF
serious purpose as its execution stamps him as
musician Of high attainments. H Z K