New-York tribune., 1909-02-24
MUSIC
a DAY OF CHAMBER CONCERTS.

Afternoon and evening concert day. and
this was devoted yesterday TO chamber music
There were meetings in Mendelssohn Hall-rhe
first OF Kneisel Quartet the second OF the Adele
Margulies Trio and their respective patrons There
even a small community OF performers for M
Leo Schulz. the violoncelist OF the trio. gave help
to the quartet IN compositions whose perform
compelled the enlistment Of outside forces
The rain fell dismaliy and impartiay both audi
ences which assembled to enjoy the pure delights
provided by the musicians and though that Of the
afternoon outnumbered that OF the evening by
three least. the second gathering was
numerous enough to make a pretty tribute to Miss
Margulies and her fellows. while both were highly
appreciative, almost devotional. in fact In their
attitude toward the music and its performance.
In all things the afternoon concert was remark
able Ruskin would have wanted to print even
record OF it IN red. at least fat-faced
Gothic black letter. The programme was devoted
to Dr. Won Bulow's trinity OF BIS There was first
Beethoven's Quartet in A minor Op 1S2-one OF
the immortal five which the great composed
after he had ceased to publish his communings
with his soul through the larger and less intimate
agency. the orchestra. Then came the concerto for
two violins by Bach. played by Mr.. Kneisel and
Mr.. Roentgen. with accompaniment of a dozen
excellent players of stringed instruments Finally
the Sextet in fat for two volins. two vtolas and
two 'ceos, by Brahms, in which Messrs- Kneisel,
Roentgen. Svecenski and Willeke had the co-opera-
ton of Josef Kovarik and Schulz. After the lis
had been carried celestial heights by the
slow movements of the Beethoven and Bach pieces
painful descent. for with all its beauty IL is yet
of the earth earthly. And it did come like an anti
climax. though there saving grace in the cir
cumstance that it's scherzo provided the grateful
element of simple joyousness, which was wanting
in the music that preceded II. After the profound
most searching beauty Of the hymn Of thanksgiv-
ing sung by the convaIescent seer, and the serene
oveliness of the Bach Largo, the playful movement
of Brahms brought delightful refreshment. How
all this music played IL would be idle to at
tempt to describe The music seemed to have trans
figured its performers, and its glories shone also
in the faces of the listeners. But was there not
something a little bit disappointing, just a trihe
rnaIapropcs in the cadenza by Hellmesberger. whch
Messrs. Kneisel and Roentgen introduced IN the
concerto? It is beautiful; that must be conceded
1t is not tawdry, like many OF the cadenzas
which have been injected by modern virtuosi INTO
classic masterpieces. But il introduces technical
devices which not in use at the time OF Bach
and, when the listeners saturated with the
spirit those OF yesterday were, the eece
a little like stucco ornament on a Greclan
facade. But who shall cavil after such season OF
uplifting pleasure Mr.. Knesel and his feHoWs
provided?
The music Of the concert given IN the evening
by Miss MargulIes Mr.. Lchtenberg and Mr. Schulz
was not on the same plane that of the afternoon
concert. though beautiful music ana was
beautifully played. The programme contained
TschaikowsIy's trio in A minor Gin memory OF
a great artst'O. Rheinberger's sonata for piano
foYteand violin in E fat (payed by Miss Margulies
and Mr. Ilchtenberg) and Beethoven's trio in
fat Op. IL Most gratifying was the keen appre-
citation bestowed by the listeners upon the players
whose seriousness of purpose is as admirable as
their taste and skill H. L h