The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-12-12
D1un And Poetry As Correlated In Modern Art Form
H. II
Thursday-sunday

mitted to be serious and wheighty con-
tribution to programme music. This is
the eoncertstucke in F minor, mentioned
in a letter addressed to Rochlitz, where
Weber speaks about his conceiving a
story extending over the whole of the
work and his fears of being numbered
among the charlatans. His fears getting
the better of him, he concealed the pro-
gramme from the public. Fortunately, It
was fully revealed to his wife and Julius
Benedict his pupil. to whom the happy
composer played the Consertstucke i'm
mediately after finishing 1t at Berlin. on
June Is, 1921. the day Of the first per-
Torrance of Weber's great opera Del
F'reischutz.'
THE composers commentary ran thus:
q The lady sits in her tower she gazes
sadly into the distance. Her knight has
been for years In the Holy Land; shall
she never see him AGAIN. Battles have
been fought, but there Is no news of
him who is SO dear to her. In vain have
been her prayers and her longing. A
dreaded vision rises In her mind: her
knight is lying on the battlefield, deserted
by his companions: his hearts blood is
ebbing fast away. Could she but be by
his sidel Could she but die with him.
She falls senseless. But harkl What Is
that distant sound? What glimmers in
the sunlight from the wood? What are
those forms approaching? knights and
squires with the cross of the crusaders.
banners waving, acclamations OF the peo-
pie and there, It is he! Sse sinks into
his arms. What commotion of Lowell
What happinessi The very woods and
waves sing the song of true love; q
thousand voices proclaim It's victory.
THE programme is wonderfully poet
ical I said, but does the music real
ize it7"
Yes, certainly" replied Mrs Aldrich.
"It realizes vividly its spirit, sentiments.
and. color. Weber asserted no more
than the truth when he wrote to Roch-
litz that the parts Of the composition
follow each other in accordance with
the story and receive their character
ner, Especially noteworthy is the fact
that the story determined the form OF
the work. Hence Weber's denomination
of the composition-not concerto, but
Coucertestucke. The well known Invita-
ton to the Dance and this concert
stuclze are the only ones of the master .
pianoforte compositions which have a
known programme"
1T have heard tho desire expressed
by many that the Sunday afternoon con-
cert at the Country club might become
permanent institution" said. Dur
ing the week days as they have hereto
fore been given there has been so much
to interfere that I am afraid they have
been rather neglected"
"Of course you know in the larger
cities some of the best music Is heard
at the Sunday afternoon and evening
concerts" responded Mrs. Aldrich. For
the concert on the 26th Mr.. Davidson
has prepared very interesting and
high-cass programme and Mrs. Beggs.
Mrs. Wells and Mrs. Durham-all excel
lent musicians-will assist in the &C.
compartment for my solo number"
All of which goes on to prove, I
thought. as 1 said goodbye after the
very charming little chat with Mrs. AL
drich, that Birmingham is right abreast
of the times musically and the near
future bids fair to see development
and appreciation of the really great
things that has not been seen hereto
fore.