The sun., 1909-01-04
EDWARD CIGARS SYMPHONY
rs FIRST PERFORMANCE IN
THIS COUNTRY.
Fine Production by Walter Damrosch and
the New York symphony sOciety--A
tece OF Close Thematie COnstruc-
tlOn-Geraltiine Farrar the soioist.


tlon-Geraldine Farrar the soloist.
he principal number on the programme
al the New ferk Symphony Society's
concert at Carnegie Hall yesterday after
noon was the new symphony in A fat,
opus So, by Sir Edward Elgar. This
work. was first performed at Manchester,
fugland, on December under the di-
r"ction OF Hans Richter, and its first
hearing in this country yesterday was
not long delayed. No work of recent
years has received such warm commen-
DIaton from the critics Of Great Britain
and it will probably interest music lovers
IN this country wherever it is heard.
The composer set out with two dis
tnct purposes In mind. At any rate
two purposes are clearly revealed in a
h"aring Of the composition. The first
is to write programme music Of the
broader and more certain sort. such as
was written by Beethoven when he COM
posed the third and nth symphonies
This Is the programme music which makes
NJ attempt TO illustrate poem. drama
or story. II enters into no confusing
details; it seeks for no rivalry Of the minia-
ture painters art. II aims to pour into
the symphonic form a large. tangible
and moving emotional content
Naturally the contest of two princ-
pies, one aggressive, unRovernable, pas
sionate and the other restrictive. paoify-
ing tender and even paternal. forms the
emotional basis Of the composition. One
may read into this contest almost any
struggle that forms part Of our common
existence. Mr.. Damrosch before the
performance Of the symphony made a
speech in which he invited his audience
to regard the contest as the old struggle
Of the soul against the powers Of evil,
80 often depicted in Music, poetry and
drama,
4 perfectly proper invitation this,
for one might call this 81 "Prome,heus'
symphony were II not for the triumphant
conclusion. Death and Apotheosis, A
Heroic symphony" or any other Of half
a dozen titles suggesting battle and vic
tory would answer.
The fact that this symphony deals
with fundamental subject does not
render It less estimable rs a work Of
art. Rather, on the contrary. does this
bring il into that large sphere whore sit
enthroned the mightiest masterpieces
of poetry. the drama and symphonic
music. This is at once to the honor and
the hazard Of the work.
Secondly it is imperative TO note that
the composer has followed to its utmost
limit the practice introduced by Schumann
in his d minor symphony of developing
one movement out Of another and OF en-
ploying throughout a composition COM
munity of theme. This practice was carried
nearer to it's logical conclusion by Liszt
in his symphonic poems and his piano
concertos.
No other composer, however. has sought
10 focus so intently upon a single the
matte thought the entire structure Of
symphony. Beethoven, in his fifth, ex-
panded masterpiece from an :ntroduc-
tory motive of four notes, but he did IL
by the beautiful process Of causing melodic
flowers to grow from this Seeding before
our very senses. enhancing us and steep
ing us in wonder at one and the same time.
Sir Edward Elgar has more resolutely
preserved the physiognomy Of his chief
thematic thought, varying it rather in
speed OF movement and in instrumental
treatment than in real character. This
principal thought is the melodic basis
of the slow introduction. But with the
first movement itself there enters an
allegro theme. which is also utilized
throughout the work. II penetrates the
flashing mazes Of the scherzo. it wells
up through the tender song of the adagio.
it underlies the structure Of the second
theme Of the finale, it moves in majestic
dignity through the closing splendors
of the symphony.
% - -, tha
position with the apparent freedom Of
a rhapsody. while the attentive listener
finds a dictatorial demand upon his in
tclectual faculties in tracing the archi-
tectonic OF the creation. But when one
has accomplished this he is well repaid.
How affecting il the subdued entrance
Of the first theme in the final movement
when it is first heard only from the rear
most desks of the violins. This last
movement is perhaps not so logically
developed as tho first but its close Ia
indeed noble and uplifting.
The composers eagerness for tensely
made structure has led him to develop
the adag gio from the scherzo-or was it !
the other way? No matter; the result is
not the happiest in the symphony. There
is clear evidence here Of cold calculation. |
40 doubt Ernest Newman was right in |
believing that the adagio was conceived |
efore the scherzo, for this adagio is a !
wonderfully beautiful and lofty concep-
ton,
Let us add that this is not a popular
symphony in the common acceptance Of |
that term. It is a symphony for persons
who are willing to listen not only with |
their cars but also with their brains and
their sensbilities. IL is work conceived
m profound seriousness and executed |
with unsparin 6 devotion 1t does not lack !
that sensuous beauty forwhich the average ,
conccrtCoer seeks in all music, but il !
relics for it's success more upon the .
strength of its design and the final express
son Of It's broad fundamental ideas.
1t will add to the repute Of Sir Edward |
lIgar, while it will not in all probability
win him a scat in the sacred circle Of the |
kugs Of musical art. For when all is
laid and done. admirable as the symphony
H. it betrays something too much Of the
labor Of production. 1t fails to sing itself
uIt in full throated ease. the mastcrful
utterancc Of a consummate genius. 1t is
gpn1c hing to be praised to be on ioyed