University Missourian. [volume] (Columbia, Mo.) 1908-1916, 1910-02-14
CRITICISM OF CONCERT
BY FACULTY MEMBER

The following criticism of the Sat
urday night concert Of the ST. Louis
Symphony Orchestra was submitted
to the University Missourian By
member of the university faculty:
The second OF the series of three
concerts by the ST. Louis Symphony
Orchestra under the leadership o. Max
Zach was given on Saturday evening
in the university auditorium and was
enjoyed by a large audience. This
concert served 10 deepen and at The
same time to clarity the impression
made by the organization and its very
efficient director on the occasion of
their first appearance here, on Jan
uary II. The somewhat unusual
makeup OF the program lent itseli
Very readily 10 this. The orchestra is
as whole very well balanced anc
or the most part plays with d pre-
is;on Of ensemble and OF attack that
is highly CmmenGaDia. III the first
oncert, however. the ensemble was
occasionally ma:rcG and rhythlls were
occasionally, Blurred by careless play
ing OF parts CT the orchestra. This
was especially motto able in the piav-
ing of the Spanish Rhapsody hy Cha
brier. where the rhylhms are very
sharply defined and demand absolute
>learneSs-a clearnesS which was not
always forthcoming. In the same con
cert in the first number the Overture
to Weber's Euryantne, the different
parts OF the orchestra were not al
ways in harmony and the effect was
somewhat diSagreeabie at
sane slight lack of harmony was OBJ
in the first part OF the Over
ture to Wagner's Tannhauser, where
it was obviously due to the brass.
The harsh, even blatant, effect OF the
horns in this number was possibly.
even probably, due to the acoustics ct
the auditorium and not to the players
/ h work OF the strings was higaly
cCn'mendahia. II only one instance
in the second part Of the overture. did
they fail TO offer the requisite c!arit!
he strength of the organization lies
NJ l.,
It's efficiency, obvious in the concerted
.su"-bcr> III 10th Concerts, was pit, 2j
bey o"i tie SHADOW or 4 doubt BY it,
solo work in the second number oi The
pro gram. al AnGanta Cantabile b.
7 'Ischaikowsky, and Massanet'S lie der
,lier sOmmc:i &c Ia Nierga. The C.
scmbla in the pieces was almost flaw.
less, the tCnai effects exquisite. TAG
pnraSing ard shading OF the most d.
cate sort. This was perhaps esye...
tally true OF Massenet's little work
The impression produced by the play
ing of the string orchestra in this
g:oup was cCnlirlned later on by its
:endition OF its solo numbers from ths
Peer Gyrt Suite. numbers two and
,ilree. where the same qualities OF
loneliness were apparent. The work
CT the strings cannot be too highly
commended.
The chief work of the conductor. as
has been so often said, is done at re-
hearsal and not in public performance.
OF. M. Zach's work, however, it may
be said that he keeps his orchestra
we'll in hand, and one may safely con-
clude that he approaches very closely
the effects which he wishes to pro
duce. 1t is evident that his peculiar
genius as a conductor and as a musi-
IAN finds its more adequate express
son in the smaller works il which the
'yric element is predominant and that
n them he lavishes the most pains
taking care, giving his attention to
the smallest details. producing very
delicate performance which thereby
approaches perfection. In the larger