New-York tribune., 1911-10-16
MUSIC
The Peoples Symphony Con-
CertS.

Many efforts will be made 10 conjure with
the name OF Liszt this season, for honest
devotees OF his music will seek 10 do him
honor and concert givers with an eye 20 the
main chance will be one In taking advan-
tage Of the centennial celebration Of his
birth TO give concerts Of his compositions.
No doubt there VIII be occasions when the
iudicious will be made to think that the
anniversary would have been better honored
In the breach than in the observance, and,
indeed. that would have been the first rerec-
ton prompted by the concert of the Peo-
pies symphony Society had there not been
circumstances which invited other consider
ations than those purely artistic. If Carne-
gie Hall can be filed at an orchestral con-
cert with persons who pay for their enter
tainment Though It be little more than a
nominal price,. but whose faces are un-
familiar at the meetings arranged by high
class concert institutions. then their en-
ioyment may be permitted TO fix more
lenient standard Of judgment than would
otherwise be applied. There were mo-
ments. naturally, when it might have been
wished that greater wisdom and greater
modesty had marked the function, as. FOR
instance. when Mr.. Arens, the conductor,
in an Introductory euogy Of Liszt set him
forth as the most remarkable, most ad-
mirable and most lovable musical genius
that ever lived. and eXpounding his SYM
phonic powers as a whole laid emphasis on
their ideaIty, and then performed Die
FfunnensehIacht'' "A an Illustration. Except
i'm the sentimental emotions OF pious folk,
il is to be feared that the idealism of this
battle piece. only one step removed (up-
ward II is true) from Kozwarra' Battle
OF Prague" and Beethoven's Battle Of Wit
torla." will be hard TO discover, and il cer-
tainly was not brought out by yesterday S
performance But the sonOrities Of the piece
warmed the hearts Of the listeners, who,
IL was plain. were ready 20 accept every
thing as a revelation; as they did with
much louder demonstrations Of delight the
performance Of the Hungarian Fantasia,
with the solo part in the hands Of tai
ented stripping called Leo Ornstein, who
appeared at two concerts. with similar sur
roundings. last season At the first fortis-
simo crash in the fundamental theme Of
the fantasia the antics OF the PLAYER
threatened 70 call up such a feeling OF
comical diversion as would have proved
ruinous 10 the enjoyment Of the rest or
llt music DuL llt ll'ltfNL lti'T''t wv
with an audible ripple OF amusement. and
later the lad was rewarded with much in
genuous and honestly meant applause. on
the whole. the performance was raw and
I'D balanced. the solo player faulty and
unfinished in all passage work. the orches-
ira not az all disposed to "aggravate' It's
voice. as Bully Bottom would have said,
but it served 10 show a high degree Of
specifically piauistic talent in the solo per-
former. especially a fine command or the
tone Of the instrument. But IL ought not
20 be necessary 20 remind SO old a lad as
he is that tones are produced by the down
ward stroke Of the hands upon the keys
and not by their upward projection over
his head after the impact and that If ne
were 20 snap HIS head of after he has
struck the keyboard # would not add ac-
cent to the rhythm of the music. though
II might provoke a disposition 70 smile
though HIS head actually rolled under the
orchestral stands.
There was more in the concert but the
call TO discuss the rest IS neither loud nor
insistent from the point OF view fixed by
art for its own sake.