New-York tribune., 1912-01-25

none OF your redderG mas polh''" -
fore
The neglect OF French composers pS
Philharmonic Society is one oil lhe oep'o,
ablo negative features of the present "''
cal season. The writer has carelu"' P'
served all the Philharmonic programme
but he cannot discover upon them any
chestrsl French composition save ram" .
y minor symphony. And this WIN s'N''o''
distinct programmes already rendered. '0'
tanning some sixty different comPos''''i''
At this rate we may have another i'i'."
piece before the end of the season anu III
musical rating Of France will then pe "'>'
10 that of Norway or Bohemia, Juus me
wholly by the current records OF ihe IN"
harmonic Society. But has not He'
Stransky heard of Berlioz, Massenet anu
Saint -SaGnS-not to mention French co"'-
posers Of the newer school-each OF "n'n'
has written orchestral music worthy OF MS
notice? Why not treat us to one OF SAINT
Saanss beautiful symphonic poems? lheF
are certainly not below the dignity OF a con,
ductor who dispenses LISTS rhapsodieS anu
repeats Tschaikowsky's boisterous "lSlZ
overture. Even Sant-Saens symphonies
may afford something worth while Cthe pest
Of them must prove positively dellsh'iu'
after Bruckner's labored fifth ana Nein-
gartncr's utterly unnspircd third, Anu 1t
is certainly very strange, in a season WIEN
List has been so much extolled, that Der
lloz. the French founder Of programme
music. should have been absolutely ignored
by the Philharmonic Society.
II seems. indeed. that its new conductor
is 80 much carried away by his zeal lot
novelty that he has forgotten some OF 'he
recognized masterpieces. On this theoIS
alone can We explain the anomalous pro-
era ammes Of tho Philharmonic concerts 'tlIs
season, on which not single symphony u
either Schumann or Mozart has so far Deeh
placed Yet could Mr. Stransky pause lons
enough I'm his mad search for novelties II
were positively refreshing to hear again
the soulful SChumann and the ever meloul-
Gus Mozart. Perhaps, then. too, other SYM
phOnic masters-say, Mendelssohn, BrahthS
and Tschaikowsky-might each have Il Sec
ond chance this season. Novelty we GER
tainly should have, in the concert hall as
elsewhere: but when the craze for the un-
known is carried TO the extreme Of crowd
ing out the great masters 1t certainly does
make the judicious grieve. l. is high time
indeed TO call a halt TO such madness,
whether there is or IS not method in 1t. III
the plan Of the present Philharmonic con-
ductor is 20 estrange his audiences from
their fayorltes. so that they Will return 10
them with added zest. the scheme Is sure
To succeed.
IL Is to be feared. however, that there Is
no strategy whatever in this procedure, and
that Mr.. Stransky wofully misunderstands
the spirit of musical New York. if so,
won't YOU assure him that novelty is not
the grcatest--it certainly is not the only
desideratum in tho metropolitan muslcaI
season? Even II such were the case, II
would be very unwise for a musical con-
ductor. who should lead and elevate as well
as please his audiences. to cater too much
10 iuordInatc appetite. Moreover, in this
particular instance even the end does not
Justify tho means. for Mr.. Stransky's in
defatigablc quest for tho musical unknown
has so far yielded nothing that might be
called n real "hnd"-nothng that Is either
a thing of beauty or that promises 10 he
come a Joy forever. On the contrary MS
greatest conductorial successes, judging
from the consensus Of musical criticism
have been achieved with works tried ana
truc-anothcr reason, II would seem, for
abandoning this mad chase for "hrst-um-
,rs."
In conclusion. let me assure you that all
this Is written with no malignant purpose.
The Philharmonic Society, reorganized and
endowed surely has most promising nut
urc. As a friend and subscriber, | should
bc most delighted to soc IT prosper and
progress. But must this venerable organ
.zatlon GO in for the cheap sensationallsm
Of less digniied orchestral societies in order
10 achieve financial success?
DAVID 4. MODELL.
Ia ~ 10l9