New-York tribune., 1911-02-22
MUSIC
THE PHILHARMONIC SOCIETY
A Programme of Italian Compositions
by Natives and Another

When the programme of the concert
which was given by the Philharmonic So
cietv last night in Carnegie Hall was
MANNED 1t was 10 he one OF a series de-
signed to exploit the merits Of various mod
ern schools Of composers. II was specir-
caIlv TO show what the Italians had achieved
IN the field OF Instrumental music and the
large orchestral forms. In the popular
mind Of to-day Italy is associated only with
the opera. once its composers directed the
mind OF the world not only in a caDeHa
music for tho Church but also in all the
serious forms Of the art. The great Bach
did not hesitate to 20 to his Italian prede-
cessors for ideas, though he ennobIed
them greatly by his treatment. But
musical Italy to day in the minds of the
many (and the fault is not theirsl
means opera and FOR the greater part,
very poor opera Mr. Henderson in ''The
sun of last SUNDAY took the trouble 10
show that the one-sided cultivation OF
opera had lowered the taste OF the Italian
people; and when Mr.. Tito Ricordi recent
Is told about the love for music in Italy
he could only cite the TACT that its people
a6uired opera, although they knew moth
ilS dhONf H. liN4H'lid4iFs Nv pbS-i fFN Ait"A
Italy had produced all the great musicians.
and condesceEded to cay that Beethoven
was great enough TO be counted among the
Italians. Also he observed that the Ttal-
ians had remained pre-eminent because
they cultivated melody, but forgot to tell
us Why he had followed strange gods when
he came TO write his "Fanciula del West"
II was interesting 10 note. therefore,
that a Philharmonic programme had been
planned 10 show that some modern Italian
composers had produced something besides
opera. As originally projected the scheme
II last nights concert was "all Italian" A"
There was to ne music BY SiniGaclia, Mar
tucci, Busoni and Bossi Of tho Younger
generation. and Sgambati of the older.
But a panic fear seized upon somebody in
authority and Ssambati's fine symphony
was stricken out and Mendelssohn's Sym
phony m substituted for IT, the eX-
Cuse being. anparentl,. that II was in
spred by Italian scenery and has come
10 be called Italian" the concert was in
terestinc. but overlong and if the Sgam-
bat work had been permitted 10 stand in
the list in place of Menielssohn's and
Mr. Busoni's "Berceuse elGgiaque" omitted
only served its purpose better. but been
more interesting: for Mr. Busoni's tran
scription OF one of his pianoforte pieces is
anything but Italian. and proved 20 he A
trial 20 the patience OF the audience. How
ever. he was present in one Of the boxes.
the fact was known and the audience did
him the honor Of applau1ine him till he
had twice bowed his Acknowledgements.
We arc courteous people. Mr. Busoni's
compa triote SiniCaglia. Martucci and Bossi.
disclosed IN their music A respect for all
the things which Mr.. Busoni took laborious
pains TO contemn. They adhered 70 some
old-fashioned notions touching tonalty As
well a. melody. which in a little book In
which he outlines new system OF musical
aesthetics ne seeks 10 brush aside as old
fashioned rubbish. lie could not introduce
his new scale Of third-toue intervals. but
he could. and did. introduce enough cacoph-
ony 20 make the audience wish he had
never perpetrated his "Berceuso eleSiaque.
or if he had he had not h0norcd New York
with its FIRST performance. II il not Al
WAYS possible 70 escape a first perform
ance. but it is easy to avoid a second 1t
is not likely that the New York public will
again
SinigaElia's overture lie haruffe Chioz-
zoti." which gives us the spirit OF the
chatter of the quarrelsome fsherfolk OF
! Chiozza proved TO ne an extremely gay
little bit OF music and Bossis suite, In
termezzi Goldoniani." for strings, which re-
fleets the spirit of the period in which the
father Of the modern Italian comedy lived
was delicious from beginning to end, hut
the climax OF the evening" enjoyment was
reached in Martucci's pianoforte concerto
in 3 fat minor. a work OF real tonal splen-
DOR (perhaps a bit too one-sidedly ori'l-
iant for its solo Instrument, which Mr..
Console played with splendid dash and
with an admirable conception OF its spirit
and its beauty. Here ii was possible 10
see how composer and performer could do
honor 10 their native land II. l.. h