New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-02-27
LISZT AND HIS
DANTE SYMPHONY
The Philharmonic Society Plays
This Music of High Sound
ing Name.

I . ne very spirit OF rOHldHCe Nd' N"''~'
up by the title Of the composition upo1
which the programme OF last evening
| Philharmonic Society concert at Carnegie
/ Hall was chiefly built. 1t was Franz
| LISTS symphony TO Dantes 'Divina
/ Commedia " and so infrequenuy is this
music performed nowadays, that there
might conceivably be imagined a consld-
cradle portion Of the musical public not
acquainted with II. BY the particular cir
cumstances of last nights concert how
ever. this hypothesis was not confirmed;
the small size of the audience may rather
have indicated that the work IS known
| only too well, and hence avoided
! For, as in so many Of LISTS produc-
tons. the alluring title is not borne out
| by the actual substance Of the mans
imaginings. Faust" "Tasso." "St.
| Francis" "Mazeppa" and no; few Of
! LISTS other compositions based upon
characters historic or mythical share
with this Dante" symphony a certain
| picturesqueness, and in every one, per
| haps, there IS some theme or thread OF
musical thought that for the moment en-
tees and encourages. only 10 dash the
! listeners hopes at the very moments
when there should be fruition of geru-
inc eloquence and power.
Despite the expectancy reused by the
first measures OF the portentous opening
OF the Dante which seek to evoke the
dread eternity of hOpelessness, the mad
denlng whirl of lost souls through the
void: despite the grateful contrast, toward
the end of this tonal picture OF the In
ferno, afforded by the soiloquy Of The
bass clarinet, with its mellow and medi-
tative phrases Notwithstanding the Uan-
silent beauty Of the love scene of Paolo
and Francesca, with IT'S obbligato phrases
for the first violin. and passing I'm review
also the sheer relief brought toward the
close Of the symphony. by the chorus OF
womens voices, with the conventionally
solemn organ accompanIment-beyon and
above these agreeable details there looms
the spectre Of the gigantic duness that
enchains List and all his works.
Mr.. Stransky and the Philharmonic
Orchestra. aided by the St Cecilia Club,
whose conductor is Victor Harris, made
brave effort TO galvanize the Dante
symphony into influential life throughout
its forty-fve- minute reincarnation last
evening The emptiness OF much OF the
score was almost disguised hv the order
" din of the many instruments, skilfully
played and ably marshalled The excel
lent singing Of the large choir OF women
gave no hint OF any doubt Of the tremen-
dous import OF what the composer had
written. II the Dante" symphony failed
TO interest under such conditions. it is
not easy to guess when it could do other
wise.
Had like energy and variety been i'm
parted 10 the performance Of Schumann's
overture, scherzo and finale which began
the programme last evening this not al
ways inspired work might have made a
deeper impression upon the hearers.
Granting Schumann's weakness as 10 or
chestration, and the rather hard, un
Welding STYLE I'm which this is written, It
has. nevertheless, often sounded more
persuasive than under Mr.. Stransky's
baton.
The St Cecilia Club. conducted by Mr.
Harris, sang three unaccompanied num-
bers, and sang them well, with full, vi
brant tone. and good deal of fieXibllity.
Two of these pieces hailed from New
England the first was a setting by
George w. Chadwick, OF the ancient
hymn. "Stabat Mater Speciosa' c'Stood
the Lovely Mother Smilng'). written in
the manner OF the a capells masters OF
long ago. but not much more. IL would
seem. than ingenious. The second was
pleasing version by Margaret Ruthven
Lang. Of The Wind a short poem BY
John Galsworthy Crisp and characteristic
i'm its French text and music was Gabriel
Piernes lie Marriage de Marion and
this was sung again. al the demand or
the audience.
The whole programme will be repeated
this afternoon.