New-York tribune., 1912-04-01
MUSIC
END OF BRAHMS FESTIVAL
Some Remarks on the Uses and
Abuses of Local Enthusiasm.

II NAV he set down as a rule that all so
called music festivals except those Ions
| established and of regular recurrence ulke
! those Of Cincinnati, for instance. and the
Englism are planned more or less for ad-
vertising purposes Every large musical
society In the country knows by painful ex-
perience how hard it is to maintain an ex-
istence. In the case of choral organizations
the singers contribute much, the public
less. and the generous patrons (who would
| be called angels in the theatrical world
| but whose motives are always purer)
| enough to enable the societies TO lve-for
| frankly, if oratorio and orchestral con-
certs were to depend upon public support
| in New York they would be blotted out
| instanter. II Is therefore pleasure 10
put on record the beautiful artistic success
| Of the Brahms festival given last week
under the auspices of the Symphony and
! Oratorio societies-and TO refrain from
speculation as TO what might have hap
pened II only the musical love OF the public
had been appealed to. We do not believe
that the festival added anything to the ex-
chequer of the societies, for which purpose
possibly, II was projected but It did add "a
| the beauty and dignity OF the season which
4, is now closing. and for that those who were
| responsible for II are deserving Of gratitude
especially Walter and Frank Damrosch.
1t Is n fact which is discouraging In one
aspect and highly creditable in another that
sentiment and civic pride have so little 70
do with our musical affairs. If we could
have the indiscrIminate and ebulient en-
- fnu ,;,In a. to
sible that our orchestras and choral socie-
ties might fare a little better financially.
but they could scarcely give us better mu-
sic than they do as ii is. New York IL too
| old to desire to live in FOOLS paradise
such as some communities deliberately Gre
| ate for themselves.
The opportunity seems meet for re-
cltal OF a pair of instances. The Mime
apolis Orchestra visited us recently. New
York was not famishing for symphonic
| music (havine listened To II on an aver
age three or moro times every week since
last November,, but II gave a respectful
greeting to the visitors, for whom kind
welcome had been solicited by all the pri-
vate and public methods at the command
! of the publicity agents" hired and volun-
!
| the language Of modesty itself. Perish
the thought that Minneapolis should send
its orchestra TO compete with similar or
ganiza tions in the East II was only to
| show timidly what one city in the West
was doing for musical culture now at A
large and carefully specified expenditure
OF money. But no s.oner were the New
York criticisms read than we were in
formed of what dolts we were in respect
of orchestral music. And why? The old.
old trouble-a confusion OF interest in
music and its interpreters; or worse than
that between the author and the con-
ductor. Somcbody-many bodies evidently
! ia Minneapolis deeply impressed with
| the personal appearance and the antics OF
| the man who stands between the perform
ers and the public. as many are in New
York. and sometimes very much between
the music and it's Interpretation. And
New York ventured not TO love the antics
of the idol Of Minneapolis
That is one case; later comes from
Cincinnati. whore former organist Of the
Church Of ST. Bartholomew. In this city,
having suddenly developed into a con-
ductor and been put at the head OF the
| local orchestral organization Of the West
ern city, achieves so much Importance in
his own mind that he complains OF non
appreciation by public and critics. and
asks release from his contract, so that he
may 20 To Europe and play the role of a
| star directing concerts in cities in
which hs name and fame are even less
known than in New York. whore he had
| NJ least considerable following as a
church musician. And SO wags the or
chestral world.
Fortunately. though. as has been said,
there may have been an advertising end TO
| the Brahms festival which ended last Sat
urday night. there was nothing nom
scnsCal or sensational about II. IL was a
beautiful. artistic achievement I'm every re-
spcct. II It did not awaken the wide
spread attention which IL might have done
i'm Europe IL was only because both the
symphony and Oratorio societies have done
their duty by the composer Brahms year
after year ever since their conductors have
been the lively factors which they now are
| In our musical life.
4 statement for which the. writer of this
| article is responsible needs to he corrected
| IT Is that Brahms's "A German Requiem
| was performed for the first time In
| America by the Oratorio Society on March
| Is, 1871. As n matter Of fact, it was per
| formed (all but the final chorus) by the
German Llederkrapz on January a. 1875.
| The error was due to misstatement on
| the programme of the first performance
under Dr. Leopold Damrosch by the ora
| torio Society. II. f.. Is.