New-York tribune., 1910-03-11
N USIC
THE PHILHARMONIC SOCIETY.

The last Of this years regular sub
scription concerts of the Philharmonic So
ciety took place IN Carnegie Hall last
night. The programme contained one
number which marked the change from
the old regime, which has frequently been
commented on since Mr. Mailer took the
helm, and il was one that would invite
more extended comment II 1t had not been
followed by a feature which quickly
erased 1t from memory The opening
composition was a suite made up OF music
composed by Ferruccio Busoni for Gozzrs
Chinese comedy "Turandot" II proved To
be extremely clever in construction espe-
cially in orchestration. but old patrops of
the society (who are much more nuEaer-
ously represented in the regular series
than in any other must have felt that
i music of a rather light order 20
put into Philharmonic concert. Even the
most conservative of them must have felt
that the situation was redeemed hy Mr..
Krelsler's performance Of Brahms's violin
concerto, which restored an artistic stnos-
phere which gave dignity to the rest OF
the programme. composed OF DcbUssy's s
"LApres-nidi dun Faune" and Richard
strauss's Death and Figuration." Mr..
Kreisler's performance was noble
achievement. a fl companion-piece 20 his
playing of the Beethoven concerto at one
. OF the concerts OF the symphony Society
early in tho season. 1t was applauded 10
the echo, so rapturously. indeed. that It
was plain that the appreciation OF his
superb playing was as sincere as 1t was
intelligent
Mr.. Busoni's music consists OF eight NUM-
bers, in one of which the MacDowel chorus
took part The themes utilized in the suite,
Mr.. Busoni says he borrowed from Oriental
melodies, and he takes some credit TO him.
self for using genuine folk melodies in
stead Of employing ICON nventionaI theatrical
OrientalSn He seems TO have forgotten
that Won Weber wrote an overture for
Turandot" the subject OF which is
Chinese melody. Mr.. Busoni's music is
much more modern and ingenious than Won
Weber's and preserves much more OF the
/ Oriental color. JUt stickler for local color
/ might easily quarrel with him because OF
bis use OF Turkish and Arabian tunes. 10
say nothing Of q motif used frequently
throughout the work which Is OF Abys-
sinian origin. Serious students of folk
music will not have much difficulty in trac-
ing the source Of the melodies which Mr..
Busoni has used: they may be found in
Villoteau. de Ia Borde, Kiesewitter and
the historians who have drawn from them.
The Turandot march melody. which is used
in two numbers. IS a Tsi-Tschung OF the
Chinese, brought into literature by Eyles
irwin: the air sung by the women in the man
ner Of d plain chant amidst the orchestral
web Is an Arabian tune; the finale is built
OF a Bedouin melody. The music designed TO
picture the doings in the wOmens apart
ment of the imperial palace is obviously
Hindu, but its treatment makes it sound
British rather than Oriental. 1t is ell
theatre music, but theatre music OF high
order. and when NJ. Busoni appeared to
ackno~ ~ledge the applause which followed
the suite he was made 20 feel that his
music mad given no small degree Of pleas
ure. Yet i would have deserved more had
it been made a feature in the scheme Of
J popular concert. II. Z 4.