New-York tribune., 1910-01-16
MUSIC
The Boston Symphony Or
chestra.

relterdtlOn seems
TO be the order Of the day with the con-
ductors of orchestra concerts in New York.
Mr.. MAILER performs a symphony at
Philharmonic concert in regular course re-
peats 1t In the historical course repeats 1t
again In the popular Sunday afternoon
course, and, IL it chances to be a work by
Beethoven, repeats 1t still again in the
Beethoven course Perhaps Mr.. Walter
Damrosch has already played the symphony
at a concert of the Symphony Society; IL
not he promptly does so. Then comes Mr..
Fielder, with his delightful men from Bos-
ton, and because New Workers. so keenly
appreciate his rninstrations we hear it
again. OF course, It Is not to be thought
of for a moment that the conductors are
inviting comparison of their readings and
the skill of their performers. No. They
are introducing New York to Beethoven's
Eroica," which New York has known
since 1s43, or his minor, which has been
a twice told tale since 1912. Now, the en-
ioyment which the highest form of musical
art invites does not depend on a compari-
son of the poses and gestures of conductors,
nor their notions of what can be done by
them in the way OF giving significance to
texts by changes of accents nor by the
individual or combined skill of their play
ers; and, even If the most familiar works
are those which are most enjoyed, SO they
be great works. a music ridden city might
be pampered a little bit along the line OF
change and novelty.
Mr.. Max Fielder. of the Boston Orches-
ira, is generally merciless. So were his
predecessors before him. For years the
programmes of the monthly New York con-
certs have been made solely from the point
of view represented by the latitude and
Ions Of he IJJ,ho dot
tude q degrees 81 minutes and 81 seconds
north. longitude II degrees minutes and
80 seconds wesD- At intervals a timid note.
not of protest no. not of protestD but
OF supplication, has been sounded from
the village of Manhattan, but in vain. And
we have fallen back humbled and abashed,
and listened to the voice of admonition:
Hear now this, thou that art given to
pleasures, that dwellest carelessly. that
sayest in thine heart, I am. and none else
beside me-" And we have heard on Thurs
day night the fourth performance in two
months of Beethoven's "Eroica,'' and yes
terday the fifth in a little over a year of
Elgar's Symphony in A fat All this Is
beautiful music-noble music-and to hear
1t often is to be uplifted and refined in
thought and feeling, and there is no agency
eXalting, emoIlient, so efficacious as
the Boston Symphony Orchestra. But may
we not be educated. since 1t must needs be
so, in larger knowledge of things that
be, but which we know not of, rather than
a higher knowledge of the things which
also be, but which we can spell backward?
A kind Providence interfered yesterday
to save us from hearing fourth perform
ance this season of Beethoven's violin
concerto-not that the music is not worth
a fourth hearing. OF course 1t is worth
many times four hearings every month
But it question whether or not.
after the manner in which Mischa Elman
sentimentalized the Tschaikowsky con-
certo on Thursday and suffocated II with
his affected mannerisms. his reading of
the manly Beethoven work would have en-
dured comparison with the performances
which it received at the hands of Mr..
Kreiser and Maud Powell. 1t was a
lucky dispensation which substituted Dvo-
rsks concerto in A minor at the last mo-
ment for odious comparison thus
avoided. The Dvorak composition was
played here in the long ago by Maud
Powell (twice). Henri Msrteau talso
twice. and Ondricek, but IL was out of the
minds of all but reminiscent graybeards.
! and was therefore as good as new. 1t
was, indeed. better than new, as recalling
q composer who lived in the midst Of
The storm and stress of the Richard
Strausses, Max Rigers, Debussys and
their small fry imtators and pursued his
way over meadows where flowers of mel
ody and blossoms of harmony sprang up
TO greet him and lifted their heads in glad
ness out of his footsteps after he had
| passed. Not a bloom of art did Dvorak
crush It was a pleasure to hear his con-
certo again, and doubly pleasure to hear
that the performer did not disfigure it
with such winnings and whimperings as
he injected into Tschaikowskys work
The Elgar symphony began the concert
and Weber's "Euryanthe" overture ended
it. Everything was brilliant and con-
vincingly played II. z. Is