New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-10-28
A SUNDAYS CONCERTS
Orchestral Music at Cheap
Prices.

There were two orchestral concerts
yesterday, pianoforte recital. an enter
tainment in which there We're pleasant
echoes Of Viennese life blended with eff
forts which evoked more ambitious work,
but were less ingratiating, and reading
mixed with music. some Of which was
designed to illustrate the words spoken
by the elocutionist. Rather generous
allowance, it might be said for the Sec
ond Sunday in the season: but concerts
Of larger scope and better quality will
soon pre-empt the field, which fact may
be accepted as an explanation of the
somewhat unusual furry.
The orchestral concerts were given by
the Peoples Symphony Society at Car
negie Hall in the afternoon and the Rus
sian Symphony Society at Madison
Square Garden In the evening, and were
both designed for the edihcatlon Of that
portion Of the city's population which is
excluded by their small means from the
enjoyment of the concerts given by such
organizations as the Philharmonic and
Symphony societies and the Boston Or
chestra. That In the afternoon took on
something of a memorial character Mr..
f. Y. Arens, the director of the Peoples
Symphony, producing some of Massenet's
music Nhe overture to "Phedre" and the
so-called Meditation" from "ThaIs'O in
memory of the composer, VINO died re-
Gently, and playing also the dirge from
MacDowell's Indian Suite" as a tribute
to Alfred L. Seligman, who was one of
the society's generous patrons. Other
CO rng,
symphony, MacDowelrs pianoforte con-
certo in d minor Cthe solo part played by
Miss Laeta Hartley and Cigars march
"Pomp and Circumstance"
The pianoforte recital was given in the
afternoon in the Republic Theatre-a
room whose acoustical properties proved
TO be admirably adapted to such an enter
tainment. The player was David Sapir-
stein, who as a lad some years ago APP
peared before the public and then went to
Europe to continue his studies. To Judge
by his programme, one must conclude
that he feels himself entitled 70 a place
among the foremost virtuosi, for only the
best, or at least the most venturesome,
would dare invite critical Judgment on
their playing Of Brahms's variations on q
theme by Handel, Beethovens stupen-
dous sonata In B fat, Op. los; all the prel-
udes by Chopin and LISTS fantasia on
themes from Don Giovanni" Mr.. Sapir-
stein would have been deserving OF praise
had he not issued so loud challenge,
for In all of this music a great deal more
is required than a good technical equip
ment-even so good an outfit as Mr..
Sapirstein possesses. There were too
many moments in the long afternoon
when attention tagged because there was
proclamation Of the literal text OF the
works only, uninspired by fancy, I'M
warmed even by beauty of tone. and dis
appointing in its absence Of good legato
playing
The meeting in Madison Square Gar
den was an extraordinary demonstration.
the audience numbering no fewer than
five thousand persons, the vast majority
OF them plainly working people from the
East Side. The conditions did not invite
discussion Of the artistic side Of the af-
fair, the place being far too large TO
Justify anything except music OF a simple
and popular character. The most effective
number OF the programme, therefore, was
group OF Russian folksongs arranged
by Giazounow, Rimsky- Korsakow. Spen-
diarow and Rubinstein, which with tier
Oriental intervals and rhythm gave obvi-
Gus pleasure. HEX.