New-York tribune., 1911-01-18
MUSIC
A Concert by the Philharmonic
Society.
A New Overture and Symphony of
en Original Type by Mailer.

III Virginia AypC py mdIltI.
The ninth evening subscription concert o,
the Philharmonic Society took place IN
Carnegie Hall last night It's programme
designated on the house bill as AL mod
ern." will be repeated at the corresponding
afternoon concert next Friday It was made
UP of three numbers, and lacked a solo
feature. except such as was contributed bv
Miss Bella Alien. OF the Metropolitan Opera
House. as an element in Mr.. Nahlar's
fourth syrnphony-an element which makes
the work unique not only In symphonic
literature but also among the composers
compositions. The other two numbers
were an overture-altogethe new 20 local
audiences--to Heinrich Won Klalst's drama,
'Das Kathchen Won Heilbronn." composed
by Hans Pitzner, and Richard Strausss
symphonic poem, Elm Heldenlebeu," ," which
has been in the Philharmonic list for sew
eral years
Mr.. Mahlers symphony quite naturally
monopolized q large portion OF the interest
excited By the evenings music. 1t was not
wholly new. having been performed here
something more than six years ago by the
symphony Society Oh g Sunday afternoon
rosch. The work Is more o. less an enigma
The composer has not given titles to the
different movements. nor to the symphony
as a whole, yet by the device OF community
OF theme between the movements, and still
more emphatically by introducing a vocal
part in the last movement, which brings
the text Of an old German folksong into
association with the melodies OF tho ear
lier portions of tho work M Mailer will
llngly or VnwilinEly confesses that his
music is Of the programmatic kind This
song is an old Bavsrisn popular product
which first saw print in famous German
collection called "Des Knaben Wvnder
born" compiled by Arnlin and Brentano.
and sent out with a sort or pontifcal
blessing by no less a man than Goethe.
To II the editors gave the title Der Him
mel hangt VOL CiAigsn'-s literal trsnsla-
tion Of which would convey but vague
meaning 70 persons unfamiliar with the
old German saying descriptive OF happy
/ coatentment-"The sky hangs full OF
( nddles" The poem, In fact. s P quantity
/ humorous end ingenious description OF a
[ sort Of celestia, Land OF Cockaizne. Two
stanzas. as they were printed IN las,
nights programme notes In az English
I paraphrase. Will serve to indicate its char
acter:
( To us heayu is Yielding its pleasures
Why heed. then. terrestrial treasures
/ Earths jars reach us never,
COntented forever.
In quietude time passes by.
1 our conduct, while truly seraphic.
With mirtr holds voluminous trafflc
With singing and dancing.
. With SkiDUtug and DraNCluE.
While Peter above lends an eEe.
Mayhap there's a day Of strict fasting
O'er banquet and feast pail casting.
/ Then come the glad fishes
! To nh the wide dishes
Which Peter so willingly sets.
/ Carps herrings and eels without number
They. crowd up the streams till they cum
/ The heavenly Asherman's nets
/ The same naIvete characterizes all the
other stanzas which deal with the slaueh-
! ter Of the Lamb by St John. the Sitting
/ OF the oxs throat by ST. Luke. the prodgal-
. ity Of the fields offerings .he music and
dancing Of the denizens OF the land under
/ the leadership of St Cecilia and her eleven
thousand virgins, the cheapness OF the
! wines and the excellent bread baking OF
the angels. This song, which comes al the
/ close Of the symphony, a. mas been said,
l plainly enough gives Interpretation 10 some
OF the music which precedes il. but would
DO SO much more clearly II Z were pre-
sented a. 4 preparatorv tarle OF contents
I instead Of a final index. Berlioz made use
/ Of q device somewhat similar IN the tenor
/ solo in the early part OF his dramtic sym
phony with choruses. ROMEO q Juliette. %
/ but where Berlioz prepared the hearer for
/ what was 10 come. Mr.. Mahlcr recalls 70
( him what has already taken plaza much
more difficult thing TO do in music.
I We have had other instances OF Afr
Mahlers fondness for folksone. and, indeed
/ his Characteristic penchant for melodies
Of folksong character f. one Of the
most amahle traits OF his musical nature
but also the most troublesome 10 explain
| because II is associated witA so much mod
ern sophisticaton IN harmony. modulatior
and orchestration that the charm OF sim.
plicity and naturalness which ought 10 ac-
company it is lost. and d general effect OF
fraEmentarinesS and disjointedncss - con-
veyed instead. Also an impression Of over.
elaboration and OF vain repettions." Ike
the prayers Of the heather. Yet II is in
what has here been called Fophisticat!on
that the larger portion ~ what il novel or
.ndiyidua! IN Mr.. Mshler's symphony lies
The melodies are full Of familiar turns and
phrases. The audience manifested kindly
disposition toward the comDoser-conductor
but found IL somewhat difficult 10 WAY on
,husiaStic after a second movement. made
up Of folk-dance phrases, followed a very
long first movement. which had published
. the same mood. The slow movement he.
gan with great charm Of melody and treat.
ment. and 50 continued for q space lone
enough to give complete illustration OF the
chief theme in the string band. then Coz
+ herency rational sequence and loyeliuegs
departed. not 10 return TIL the end.
The Pftzner overture IS programme
music. Ike the symphony. bu; more frankly
so because its composer proclaIms his dur.
poses by superscriptions over portions OF
the score. The music f. chiefly uictor,el
and delineat!on Of scenes and incidents
found i'm the drama. which tells 4 "pafien,
/ Grizel" story. The incidents are well
/ chosen and eXcelleutly adapted FOR musical
delineation-chivalric pageants and iousf-
inzs: the idyllic hiding plsce OF the suffer
| ing maidens. redolent with the odor ~
/ flowers and vocal with the songs o, birds
/ the feverish imaginings OF the Knight when
1 ne IS stricken with disease. and the presag.
/ ings OF the happiness which comes when f.
| is learned that the supposed a-morer's
daughter is really a child ~ the Emperor
and IS taken back by the Hnight 10 whom
she had been faithful in her suneriDgs
! But the musical delineation Is not commen.
surate either in thought or execution II &,
scrappy forced and dIsJoiut@d II made bu,
q small impression on the audience