New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-11-01
MUSIC
THE KNEISEL QUARTET
Chamber Music Amid New
Surroundings.

The Kneisel Quartet last night began its
twentieth New York season with a concert
in the grand ballroom OF the Hotel Aston.
The change OF location was an experiment
compelled by n misfortune which will be
felt by the lovers of chamber music more
than anybody else-the abandonment of
Mendelssohn Hall to a moving picture show
and the city's lack of any other public
music room at once large enough to ac-
commodate the patrons of this most aris-
tocratc form OF artistic entertainment and
small enough to give the intimacy which
the form imperatively demands. The man
agement OF the Hotel Astor and of the
Quartet have done all that seemed possible
at the beginning to make the magnificent
ballroom serve it's new purpose. Through
Mr.. Tuthil's kind and intelligent service
the seating plan OF Mendelssohn Hall was
duplicated in the larger room, and the de-
lightful companionship among the listeners
which has prevailed for so many years was
preserved, so that 1t was possible for ia
mliar faces TO smile their gentle greet
ings as OF Old and for eyes TO send their
looks of appreciation and delight into the
same eyes that had answered sympatfeti-
cally for so many years for 1t is needless
to say that the Kneisel patrons are con-
gregation apart and distinguished among
even the most jealous and earnest of the
citys music lovers But with this and the
performance Of the Quartet the likeness to
the old times ended. There were boxes
and heavy gorgeousness OF architectural
ornament and large spaces which neither
auditors nor music could fill, and a conse-
oil {nt wit
companonship between performers and
listeners which is part of the essence of
chamber music, which makes 1t what 1t
always ought to be.
This acoustical chortcoming was more
marked at the beginning of the concert
than later, partly because the Beethoven
Quartet chat in + minor, o.. 95) by its
very nature demanded a closer intimacy
than the two movements from Debussys
Quartet in G minor. which followed, and
the Shubert minor Quartet, which
brought the concert to a close. In these
compositions. especially the latter. there
was less dispersion and individual asser-
ton Of the voices and also after the first
half hour, the ears OF the listeners had been
more accustomed TO the sounds, which first
sounded far away. but now seemed to be
nearer. The phenomenon is neither new
nor strange. and no doubt familiarity with
the new room will in time diminish the
drawback. which ct first was wofully dis
appointing.
But the new conditions were all Of the
external order. The audience was the ia
miliar one, keen in Its appreciation Of the
delights Of the evening, the programme one
of peculiar interest and the playing of Mr..
Kneise and his companions even more
transcendently finished and beautiful than
usual The exquisite slow movement by
Debussy. which breathes such haunting and
unexampled spirit of archaic French ro-
nance made the listeners almost hold their
breath with delight, and the Schubert piece.
with its delicious andante song, quietly
pulsing from beginning To end with the
gentle Adonic measure which Sappho intro
duced into poetry and which Schubert SO
loved that he required to " more than
score of times in orchestral, chamber, plano
forte and song music, its playful minuet,
with its smile provoking little dip in the
principal melody, like the downward dart
Of bird on the wing, and its final march Of
fairy folk in Oberona woods. sent every
body away happy in feeling and careless to
the things which at first threatened to give
enjoyment pause It was again a Kne!sal
night. one Of the purest and most uplifting
enjoyment.