New-York tribune., 1912-08-12
CONCERTS IN CENTRAL PARK
Correspondent Has Words bo'h u
Praise and Criticism.

TO the Editor OF The Tribune
sir. rhe conscientious efforts oi PAN
Commissioner Stover TO proVioe NO"
VI r,usIc lovers with daily orchestra'
oono.r,s cannot be too highly com
mended I know OF no other A'le' "a"
municipslItv that can boast OF sucn q
,eot Asa frequenter Of the Mall wish
TO express my gratitude Tor oo''
quantity and the quality oi '"0
beard there this summer.
Hut there Is one great drawback "hi'n
seriously detracts from the mcil'S u
these performances-the lack OF a souilu-
ing board. For a string orchestra play "s
outdoors this is n prime necessity. me
nresent makcshift. however well II may
have served the old-time military bands
for which IL vas intended. IS shameiulIy
Inadequate for string orcEessras IL is
no more than fits name implies-s oahu
stand and has no acoustic properties
whatsoever Hence all the inner muslcal
passages-the most fascinating orchesral
etccts-are at present lost 10 the ma
iority Of the audience SO badly rs TINS
improvement needed that one ia amazed
al the seeming Indifference with which
the years are allowed TO pass without H.
for Commissioners Stover cannot be un-
aware Of its necessity.
or course. a sounding board costs
money. but a city that can conlmah'
such expensive orchestrss should be aDle
10 "house" them properly IL consluers-
,iops OF economy enter into the case
and they most likely do-were II not bet
ter TO have fewer concerts, but under
more favorable conditions? Certainly In
matters OF srt quality should be put
above quantity. Besides, is IL not hiSh
time that a city of our dimensions and
pretensions were rid OF the anomaly Oh
modern orchestra playing On an ante
diluvian bandstand?
Now. permit me 10 touch upon quite an
other matter connected with these con-
certs Why must every programme open
and close with patriotic airs? To guard
against almost certain misunderstanding.
] will at once dissvow any intention OF
dispa ra ging either the place Of patriotism
OF the musical quality OF the particular
patriotic airs rendered on the Man.
wish merely TO question the propriety OF
manifesting the former twice within two
hours four times on Saturdays. Does
IL serve any useful purpose? doubt II II
stimulates patriotism 10 any very hlsh
pitch to have the same patriotic airs thrust
upon rs without rhyme o. reason, In ana
out OF season. AT every concert. Admit
ting for the present the musical qualities
Of The star Spangied Banner and
america" why should We be forced to
listen To- them dd HdHssGm' Patriotic
sentimentallsm may have its place AT po-
litical gatherings and civic reform meet
inss, but what can be It's rdiSoH Petrs az
classical concerts? can anything be more
inappropriate?
But when the artistic effect OF patrl'
otic setting 10 musical prosra MINES Is con-
sidered the procedure becomes even ludi-
crous. Think Of the inconsruity OF pre-
fixing the "kaisermarch' or tho "Leonora
Overture with Tho Star-Spangled BAN
ner'' and of supplementing March SlaV
or Hungarian rhapsody with the strains
Of America. What painful anti-cli-
MAKES result, II certainly Is enough to
make the judicious srieve.. And yet no
one seems to question this silly custom
Why? Is II because we prize patriotism
above art or because we love the one 50
much that we endure the cheap and mean
ingless expressions Of the other for its
sake? To the writer II has the semolance
of a tribute exacted from music lovers for
the musical feast they are permitted TO
enjoy Suggesting the metropolitan mis-
sions, which make their hungry patrons
swallow some spiritual food along with
the coveted cup OF eofee). Really. does
patriotism need such artificial stimulants?
To the very musical director Of the park
concerts would like to suggest that,
although Friday nights are traditionaly
sacred 10 Wagnerian music. he might
break this tradition occasionally. l yield
To none save Wagner cranks' in my ad-
miration for-and I hope, appreciation
of-Wagner' music: yet ii seems to me
that the master of Bayreuth Is entirely
oyerdoue in Central Park this season \
Wagner programme every week is rather
too much for all but perfect Wagner
ties" Why cannot Wagner take his
chances with other composers in regular
programmes. -tllu IL SpeNiui
are desirable. why should not other mas
ters enjoy this distinction? Why not
also a Beethoven night" ''Tschai-
kowsky night" etc? An evening with
Mozart or Mendelssohn, being such a
rarity. would certainly be most delightful.
In conclusion let me warn one OF the
conductors. Mr.. Volpe. against letting his
trumpets run wild. His orchestra this
year is rather weak, and when he at
tcmpts 10 make up for volume by pitch
the result Is anything but pleasing. This
is especially noticeable In some Wag-
merriam music and the heavier symphonic
movements (Which, under the circum-
stances, 1T were best to avoid. At such
times the ensemble becomes particularly
poor OF course, so scholarly u musical
conductor as Mr.. Volpe-perhaps second
10 none In this city-eannot be uncon-
scious OF the shortcomings Of his orches-
ira this summer. I know that the tribu-
lations Of orchestral conductors are ny
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