The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1914-11-03
|KEOKUk ENTHUSES
/ Oven ORCHESTRA
Russian Artists Give Most Delightful
Concert Under Auspices Of
Monday Music
Club.
INTERPRETATION FINE
Program Selected Is Marked for it,
Wonderful Illustration Of Vary
Ing Tones and Tempers of
Russian Music.

For more than three hundred years
the musical world appeared to be-
long almost exclusively to Italy.
France and Germany, but during the
last several decades formidable rivals
to this musical monopoly have arisen
in other countries, especially in Rus
STA, Poland, Scandinavia and Hungary.
In Russia we find long list Of names
-Verstovsky, Glinka, Dargomizsky,
Cui, Seroff, Borodin. Balakireff, Rem
isky. Karsakoff, Tschaikowski. Rubin
stein and others. In thinking Of Rus
STA, our minds Immediately turn to
the names, Tschaikowski, Glinka, Cui
and Rubenstein.
Undoubtedly the principal character
istic OF music in each country springs
from the folk song of that particular
nation, and to quote Rubenstein The
folk songs OF the Russians stand
alone, only those Of Sweden and Nor
way are to be compared with them
for enchanting melody" Quoting an
other Russian composer, Cesar Cut,
1T is not too much to claim suprem-
acy for Russia in the department OF
national melodies"
The enormous size of that country
gives scope for endless variety OF
local color in songs.
It is interesting to consider the size
Of the country and the sections from
which have sprung the greatest num-
Der of folk songs, and we touch upon
this subject to show whence springs
the originality and breadth Of con-
ception in musical thought as sx-
pounded by these remarkable people.
1t may be said that with Glinka, who
was born in 1903. that Russian nation
al opera and national art music in gen
eral began. He was composer OF
original gems, whose compositions
were exquisite local color and which
have not received outside Of Russia
the recognition they merit.
To Popularixe Russian Music.
Originally the Russian Symphony
orchestra, which early in its career
was termed New York's most unique
orchestral organization" was formed
for the purpose of popularizing Rus
sian music in America.
1t has long since outgrown those
limitations. rendering the best music
Of the leading composers of all ma
tionalities, and is said to be the only
self supporting orchestra in America.
1t is a generally understood and ac-
cepted fact that Russian music, I'M
bued as it is with spirit of unrest
and melancholy, is the outgrowth OF
oppression portraying the suffering
and depression of the people; the oc-
casional dash of tone color and pas
sionate freedom expressing the hope
and happiness which is in the soul of
every human being despite existing
conditions. Russian music is most
ably presented by Russians as 1t must
tc best interpreted by musicians who
have understood that depression.
Mr.. Altschueler, director of the Rus
sian Symphony orchestra, understands
his men and they respond to his In
lcIEISldIlOu DIS SAu6AO iAoIA ulhShS
to the soul and touch Of virtuoso.
Quoting Mr.. Altschueler, "A melody
runs through every piece like road
through country hillside. The art
of conducting Is to clear the way for
this melody-to see that no other in
struments interfere with those which
are at the moment enunciating the
theme"
The harmony of purpose which their
art portrays is carried over to the
sympathetic audience which feels
with them every expression of shad-
ing in their performance in the mo-
ment it is set forth. The listener is
not aware Of the individual voices of
the separate instruments but feels
constantly the impression of the
musical whole, the remarkable vitality
and splendid unity of tone.
Contrasts in Music.
The prelude to Hansel and Gretel
by Humperdinck, fairy-like in it's con-
ception, contrasted thrillingly with
the magnificent symphony in B minor
by Tschaikowsky with it's heavy.
crashing dissounances expressing the
composers massive intellectually and
limitless musical grasp which are the
result Of centuries of alternate de-
preston and hope. Tschaikowsky
bears the same relation to the Rus
sion symphony that Wagner bears to
the opera in Germany-a culminative
quality. the outgrowth of centuries of
cropping and striving for an expression
which as plant constantly leans to-
ward the light and finally brings forth
It's beautiful flowers.
Tschaikowsky is "a composer OF
great originality and spontaneity, his