The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1912-12-11
ORCHESTRA OPENS
ANOTHER SEASON
Washington symphony organiza-
tion Starts on Problematical
Voyage at Columbia.
PROF. HEINRICH HAMMER
I IS AGAIN DIRECTOR
Symphony by Schubert Is Played.
Charles 7. Tttman Is the
Soloist. -

Prof. Heinrich Hammer launched the
Washington Symphony Orchestra yes
terday afternoon at the Columbia
Theater, on what may be termed, to
continue the metaphor, the problematical
voyage OF its eleventh season. The
prospectus, circulated by the indefatl-
gable business manager, Mr.. Scranage,
announces that, 1T will hardly be pos
sible to continue after this year unless
the people Of Washington rally to the
support of its orchestra"
1t is to be hoped that love for really
excellent orchestral music, civic pride.
and a Just sense of the splendid per-
severance of Prof. Hammer and Mr..
Scranage in the face of colossal dis
Washington to an appreciation of the
opportunity offered them to foster mu
sical growth in our city. Prof. Ham
mer has not been justly appreciated as
az conductor. The superb reading of
Schubert's symphony. and the admirable
work in the accompaniment for the
arias from Mozart's Magic Flute" yes
terday proves Prof. Hammer to be
conductor of unQuestionable ability. In
the symphony. especially, the orchestra
showed careful drill IN the most minute
details. All the subtle shadings, the
just poise and balance OF wind against
strings, the perfect legato OF the lovely
first movement melody, the finished
phrasing. the clear relief of contrasts.
the high artistic finish were sources of
the highest satisfaction TO the listener.
To the penetrating listener it is matter
for surprise that with material used
for so short time in orchestral en-
sembls such really admirable work
should be produced.
The symphony was Schubert's unfin-
ished. Why unfinished. nobody knows.
unless any man who thought nothing of
writing an overture in a few hours and
" hose habits were OF the easy-going de-
scrlption might easily have forgotten to
finish even so imperishable and alto
gether lovely a work as the b minor
symphony. No. s. This symphony is al
ways remembered chiefly for one OF the
EIOst exquisitely lovely of all melodies;
but. also, it is characterized by that
wealth Of impressiOnistiC color which
distinguishes the best Of Schubert's work.
Yesterday the work of the orchestra was
excellent that the listener had but
be receptive to have his mind flooded
with impressions of everything that his
memory had stored OF things heard and
seen and felt; peaceful solitudes grandeur
Of moonlight or sunset, liquid depths of
Coolness. tumultuous excitement. tender
ness. longing somber tragedy. Some one
has said that Schubert could not write
song that was not symphonic poem,
rot a symphony that was not a collec-
ton of songs. Like most epigrams, this
must be taken as a grain of truth in q
neatly put-up fiction.
MaHsenet Selections.
In honor of the late Jules Massenet,
whose works are stiH but meagerIy
known. the orchestra yesterday gave his
"Phedre'' overture and the Scenes Hon
eroises." His work is still to be judged,
ana some time must elapse before the
proper perspective admits a fair judg-
ment That he is melodious, suave, and
sincere is granted. His operas. those
that have been produced. have given
definitely favorable impression. Masse-
net is described by one who knew him
as Of thoroughly Iovable nature: ap-
pro8 chable, lively in conversation, uncon-
ventional. and always hard at work.
The "Phedre" is not completed opera.
The overture to a projected opera was
written in 1876. and the incidental music
in 1891. "Phedre'' contains some interest
ing themes and one beautiful melody.
This overture has. however. the weak
ness common to much modern French
orchestral music, that Of losing its
themes in verbiage of harmonies that
begin nowhere and lead nowhere.
In the Scenes HOngroises'' the mo-
tives are more logically developed.
There are beautiful melodies. In the last
scene. especially the "Cortege Benedic-
ton lovely theme. sung by the wind
instruments. accompanied by the harp,
and repeated with harp and string ac-
compartment, is quite sure to join the
company of divine melodies.
Charles Trowbridge Tittman. the soloist
for this concert. sang the two arias from
Mozart's Magic Flute" oh Isis und
Osiris and In diesen he'll gen
Hallen." Mr. Tittmans voice is a pow
erful rich bass of great range and beau
ty. He sang these arias OF Mozart with
a fine perception of the purely conven-
tional beauty embodied in that music and
without any attempt at dramatic inter
probation. Mr.. Tittman was recalled sew
eral times and generously gave an extra
number, an English version of Korbay's
Had Horse" which gave greater pos
sibilitics for dramatic expression.