New-York tribune., 1912-03-02
THE SYMPHONY SOCIETY.

With q programme Of Saint-sasns. Grie-
and the English composer, William Wal
lace. and with a young newcomer. Miss
Cecile Ayres. as the solo pianist, the Sym
phony Society OF New York yesterday gave
its patrons, who made up an audience Of
good size, an afternoon of musical variety
az the Century Theatre. The French COM
POSER was represented by his minor SYM
phony. the Norwegian by his ever popular
concerto for the pianoforte, and the Eng
ushman contributed the symphonic poem
- based upon the inviting literary figure OF
Francois villon. whose name and fame de-
rend not more upon his deft and delightful
verses than on his aromatic reputation.
Mr.. Damrosch prefaced the concert with
a brief and enthusiastic account OF the
symphony. and many Of his auditors
gained. no doubt, from his remarks end
from his pianistc illustrations "a much
Measure as from the music itself For
there is disappointing quality Of dryness
IN this work. especially in the slow portion
Of the first movement and In the s'Gstoso
division of the eecond movement. The
theme Of the opening allegro has grace
and swing that promise more than the rest
OF the symphony fulfils; II is capitally rep
resentative OF Saint-Saens in one OF his
less deliberat ately professorial moods. while
disclosing his ingenious and able treatment
OF the melodic design and the moving
voices. But when the French composer
calls in the aid of ecclesiastical thematic
material. and solemnly works out his mu-
sical pattern as one would solve a puzzle.
not TOO many OF his listeners will sit pa
tiently under the long drawn out perform
ance. The organ. which enters the 'nstru-
mental group with high effectiveness. sub
sides into compare tive insignificance before
The score Is closed and the same may be
said Of the pianoforte, which. played yes
terdav BY Mrs Names. said competently
What the composer had allotted 10 ", but
failed 70 justify by any decisive note its
presence as a part of the orchestral sppa-
ratus. which Saint-Saens designed to be so
modern when he wrote the score. some
twenty-five years ago. but which never
really succeeded in being anything but un-
usual and 2 little pedantic.
The symphonic poem, "Villon.' which Dir.
Damrosch and his orchestra brought out
here a year ago as a novelty, gains ~ a
renewed hearing. The listener will be quite
justified in assuming that this agreeable
and well written piece of musical charac-
terzation owes something 20 Richard
Strauss and his Till Euienspiegel," but II
holds enough that is personal and lncisi' 'e
10 win respect as well as liking. II was
performed with sympathetic understand
ing by Mr.. Damrosch and his players.
Miss Cecile Ayres. who is a young woman
hailing from Chester, Penn, and whose
studies have been made with Mr.. GabTilo-
witsch and others, showed in her perform
ance Of the Grreg concerto a fair amount
Of musical appreciation, a deal Of assur-
snce and rather brittle style, with tone
that was apparently not a naturally rich
one, but which she fortified by obvious
physical effort. In the cadenza Of the first
movement she did Unexpectedly well. and
her playing Of the concerto as a whole,
while trhe labored, indicated earnestncss
and a talent worth developing.