New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-12-11
A DAY OF CHAMBER MUSIC.
YSaye in Three COnCertoS and
the KneiSeI Quartet.

apart for the lovers Of chamber music in
the old sense as well as the new. In the
afternoon NJ. Ysaye called In tie aid Of
the Philharmonic Orchestra TO perform q
tour de force; he played three concertos
Of what might might be designated the
early. middle and modern periods. anC
then added some solos with pianoforte
accompaniment 10 delight the devotees OF
the virtuoso. who would rather see the
player near to" than hear his music
from the place where music sounds best,
which in the case OF Carnegie Hall Is
considerably back OF the middle OF the
room. The concertos were an archaic one
by Nivaldl, in which, as usual NJ Ysayc
proclaimed his most uplifting message.
the Beethoven concerto in which. also as
usual his playing aroused some question
ings. and Bruch's Scotch fantasia. which
no one has played with quite the ro-
mantle warmth which this artist put into
il when ne introduced IL here some egh-
teen years ago, and which ne breath
into IL again yesterday. The Vivaldi work
was presented IN the shape which I'm
greatest likelihood NJ Ysaye gave IL: than
is TO say. with the continue played
upon The organ. supported by the
VioloncelOs and what used 10 be
called the rlpieno. played by an
the strings OF the orchestra except the
violas. I'm bringing back TO popular no.
uce these old works in which the violin
speaks its Characteristic idlom much more
ruthfully and eloquently than IL does In
the concertos written since Mozart's day.
Nj. Ysaye is fulfilling a beautiful mission
and at the same time displaying his
iofuest attributes as an artist EXemplars
such as he is when at his best in these
classical pieces. and Nine Sembrich is IN
the art OF pure song are greatly needed
In this day Of artificial emotiouality and
affected dramatic pathos. They are help
ing TO bring back real taste. 10 which
composers as well as performers will be
compelled 10 return when the world has
recovered from the ftful fever which is
now consuming IL. The Nivaldi concerto
left only one question lingering in the
minds OF the Judicious amateurs who
heard IL yesterday which was whether or
not this delightful old music might not
be made 10 sound even more delightful 81
IL were produced in the original pack
age as men OF commerce might say.
Would not NJ. Esaye be doing "A greater
good and give a larger measure OF pleas
ure IT, instead OF giving such concerts as
some OF those lie has given thus far, with
their varying and somewhat confusing
results, he were 20 present himself I'm
short series OF recitals IN which the Ital-
ian concerti grossl and the old and new
sonstas would be played in a smaller
room and In the manner in which they
were conceived by their creators. down 10
the smallest detail Of their apparatus?
Such a series would surely be rare treat
especially It's students.
After the large adventure iu the after
noon a smaller and loyeier function fol-
lowed In Ae0lian Hall in the evening.
when the gentlemen artists OF the Kneisel
Quartet, assisted by Mr.. Console. gave
concert Of chamber music. Three compo-
sitious made up The list a. this concert.
string quartet by Schubert. Richard
Strauss sonata f. r FOR pianoforte and
vioioncello played by NJ. Console and
Mr.. WlIlem Will.ke) and cesar Franck's
quartet in u. Mr.. kne.sels love FOR
Schubert has had frequent demonstra-
ton in the course Of the twenty years
during which he has ministered to this
communitys love foI the beautiful and
exalted things in music lie has played
the Pianoforte Trio, the quartet IN
minor and A minor, the quartet frag-
ment in G minor and the "Foreilen.
quintet over ana over again. lie may
also have played the quartet Ia q. which
opened last nights concert. before. uit
II so the occasion has passed out OF the
memory OF the recorder OF yesterday
musical Golngs At any rate, u IL not
a familiar work except possibly 20 those
fortunate amateurs who cultivate cham
her music al home. IL Is a later work
than the quartet in A minor, which Mr..
Kneisel played last year, and was writ
ten probably about the same time as The
u minor quartet. chiefly admired for ITS
marvellous variations in the melody Of
the song, Tod ind das Madchen." Ex-
cept in It's fascinating scherZo. however,
and it's rollicking finale, with It's seeming
reflection OF the taste OF the Niennese q
It's time, huctuating between ROssnian
frivollty and Beethovinian seriousness,
there is not much IN the work 10 sug-
gest the composer Of the only two quar-
tets Of schuhert's eight which have won
a hold upon the popular heart. Schubert
began writing auartets as early as 1914,
and this one was composed in June, 1875,
only year before he died But even
the greatest admirer OF the wonderful
genius could scarcely say that he had at
tanned a mastery Of the form when he
came 10 his untimely death. The fact in
vites curious inquiry, for when he was
composing his last quartets Schubert was
devoted attendant on the soirees AT
which Schuppanzigh Ito whom the -
minor quartet is dedicated made a feat
ure Of Beethoven's quartet. There is a
touching incident recorded In one OF the
Beethoven Conversation Books OF 1876
Holz. Schuppanzigh's second violin and
Reetboven's factotum, tells his deaf mas
ter IN writing that he had just come from
the music shop of Steiner. where he had
seen Schubert and Haslinger with their
heads I'm a Handel score and engaged IN
eager discussion. which Schubert inter
rupted long enough TO send his thanks
IN the great master for the quartet played
az the last solree. Then Holz tells Bee
tboven that the young man mas a re-