New-York tribune., 1909-02-26
MUSIC
Yesterdays SINGULAR CONCERTS.

YESTERDAY SINGULAR CONCERTS.
Tire social philosopher had he attended the con-
certs given in York yesterday. would probably
have extracted more edlcation and entertainment
out Of them than possible TO musical review
er At least, they might have presented 10 him op-
portunties for studying the motives Of some con-
cert-givers and some concertgoers. their singular
attitudes toward each other under singular condi-
tions their offerings and the equally strange
reception of those offerings. Only one Of the four
concerts which it seems worth while to mention
free from this inquisitoria sway; that was the
given by the Symphony Society in the course
devoted serial production OF the principal COM
positions OF Beethoven This was at Carnegie Hall
In the afternoon, and the programme consisted Of
the Pastoral" and major symphonies (Nos. 6
and o. separated by the two songs from Egg
mont" which were sung very unsatisfactory, in
deed by Miss Josephine Shaffer. In all the music
the band presented itself worthy OF the highest
admiration for its fine quality OF tone its fexibty
its responsiveness TO the wishes of its conduc
tor. Mr.. Walter Damrosch. In the scherEo Of the
Pastoral symphony. however a little insubor
dination might have been beneficial, provided It
had taken the of adhering to a tempo pre-
scribed by the composer. sanctioned by tradition
and approved by good taste. Mr.. Damrosch
forced a pace which one-third slower than that
conceived by Beethoven. and the effect was the
reverse OF inspriting.
This concert artistic in purpose and also
educational. That given in Mendelssohn Hall at
the time had for its object the introduction
Fenton. Like the evening meeting of the New
York Centre OF the American Music Society in the
ROOM It excited some curious speculations
touching the character of the audiences which as
semble at these special affairs Except for a few
musicians. the two gatherings seemed to be made
up OF persons unfamiliar with concert rooms and
unaccustomed to concerts. They friends OF the
people the stage, and by that token alb
solved OF the necessity of weighing the character
of either music performance. The purpose OF
the afternoon concert was amiabe, but i'll advised.
Mr.. Fentcn has voice Of fine natural quality, but
he made 1t pitifully plain before he had sung a
dozen notes of Ride Pagliacco.' that he has
much more to learn than he knows now, after
some years of study, before he venture upon
the public platform.
The programme OF the concert OF the American
Music Society had for its purpose the exploitation
of compositions by native writers. concert piece
for viooncello and panoforte by Henry Hadley
played by a brother of the composer Arthur
"a member OF the Boston Symphony Orchestra),
and Arthur Depew. Mrs. Ben L.athrOp then sang
four songs most ironically called -Four JewelsD
by Mr.. H. L. Brainard 'or which the composer
played the accomplishments. Four OF E A. Mac
Dowens short pieces for pianoforte and three by
Walter Morse Rummels also evidently named
the tHcus lucendo principle. for noffensive
salon bits with nothing distinctive in their physog
nomy, they were yet set down as viking Nature
Studies'D. played by Miss Della Thai. All this
music, good, bad and Indifferent, save one number
bore the American label because OF the nativity OF
its composers. The first of the MacDowell pieces
was From Indian Lodge" from the Woodland
Sketches'D. the melody of which the
poser found in DR.. Theodor Bakers German
thesis on the music OF the North American saw
ages attributed TO the BrOtherton Indians This
element of local color obsessed the remainder Of the
concert down to the final number. which
unaffected sonata for violin and panoforte
posed by Walter DRmrosch and played by Mr.. and
Mrs. David Names The national element had
representation in Cowboy song. two negro
slave songs and three Indian songs ell but OF
the Indian songs harnOnized by Arthur Farwell.
These were sung with great unctton by Mr.. Harry
Barnhart. The Cowboy song was cowboy In its
words only. for the tune antedates the cattlemen
OF the plains by generations in all probability The
Indian and negro songs were probably once a
tive utterance, but they have been wofully sophis
ticated by a harmonic treatment which fits them
like fist in the eye" the Germans say.
Another concert Of more private character also
devoted to American composers given by the
Manuscript Society last night in the rooms OF the
National Arts Club. The composers represented
were Robert GoIdbeck (once a resident Of New
York. who died last May in St Louis az the age
of sixty-nine years.. Gustav L. Becker, Dr.. s N
Penfied. James P. Dunn and Miss Harriet Ware
Mr.. Godbecks widow played a pianoforte concerto
IN minor and three short pieces for pianoforte
of his composition. H E. K