The San Francisco call., 1910-05-13
OUTDOOR CONCERT
IS COMPENSATING
Damrosch Orchestra at Berkeley
Gives Afternoon Program
in Greek Theater
By WALTER ANTHONY

BY WALIER ANIHONY
Art, like nature, is compensatins.
What is gained in one direction is
often gained at the expense of other
considerations. An orchestral con-
cert at the Greek theater is height
ened in its effect by the environment.
The music seems to belong to the spot
as much as the singing of the birds.
The compositions of the master writ
ers of music usually suggest vastness
and Observation-Disclosures which are
part of the message Of their works.
But the strings suffer. The violins
lose something of that lusciousness
which the four walls and ceilings of
theater conf1ne.
This is particularly true when the
string division of the orchestra is nu-
merically weak. Yesterday afternoon,
when the New York symphony orches-
ira played at the Greek theater in
Berkeley, this deficiency was quite ap-
parent, but again there was COM
pensation in the wood wind" depart
ment of the instrumental organization
An orchestra better equipped with
flutes, c1arinets, oboes. English horn
and bassoon has never been in this
city within my recollection. and yes
terday's concert brought out to its
fullest extent the beauty of this por-
tion of the orchestra. Our ears are so
accustomed to the loud bleating of the
clarinet, it's shrill shriekings and to
the inability of the other reed instru-
ment artists to play softly that yester-
days reed whisperings were a revela-
tion.
SOFT WOOD NOTES PLEASE
phony in z minor, From the New
World" till the end of the program the
wody instruments had the best of it.
The familiar English horn solo in the
largo movement of the symphony was
a gem of beautiful shading and ex-
preston. The artist who played it
should have his name on the program.
In the perfect balance that was main
tanned among the various instruments
even when the composite tone was not
more than the weight of a feather
stirring zephyr, there was the same
wonderful blending and unity of ac-
cord. Flutes and reeds are suggestive
of woods and grass and lost nothing
yesterday in the Greek theater, though
the sun beat down on devoted heads
rather ardently.
Marcus KeIlerman's Interpretation of
''The Two Grenadiers" was rather lack
ing in speed and fire, and an unusual
ending given the piece cheapened the
song and made it theatrical. The post
ludes of Schumann are usually as in
dicative and consequential as the ac-
compartments. For encore Kellerman
sang Damrosch's Danny Deever'' and
gave thrilling account of Files on
parade.
Brahms Academic Festival" over
ture was the other big work on the
program. The orchestra gave a spir-
tied and enthusiastic presentation of
the work and the various student songs
of Germany were vividly contrasted.
MELODY GRIPS AUDIENCE
Nine. Van der Yer sang the GounoJ
aria from "Sapho" with melodious
effect and the other numbers by Schu-
bert. Mendelssohn and Goldmark were
of such interest as to keep the big
crowd in the amphitheater until the
last note was played.
As the week advances and the date
Of the departure of Damrosch and his
orchestra approaches pleasure in their
work is being mixed with regret that
they are so soon to go and that it will
be so long before another opportunity
is afforded us to hear first class SYM
phony playing. The feast Is excellent.
but we'll have too long a time to digest
it, I fear. Another course awaits for
A. Sabin's "St. Patrick at Tara" music
will be rendered.; Saturday afternoon
we will have Beethoven's monumental
but misplaced tribute to Napoleon, the
"Eroica" symphony; Saturday night
will be devoted to Wagner with an
epochal program Of excerpts from that
epochal composer. Sunday afternoon
will be given to Tschaikowsky's 'sEu-
gen Onegin," which will be presented
in concert form by Steindorff's choral
society, accompanied by the full or
chestra. The numbers mentioned here
for each event are merely the feature
offerings. Damrosch has provided for
each program other selections which
exhibit his high abilities as an ar
ranger and assembler of the best
there is.