New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-10-30
Retrospect of Its II Years
of Activity in Sym
phOnic Work.
PYROTECHNICS ON
THE PROGRAMME
Some Remarks on American
Musicians and American
Musical Progress.
By n. L. kREHBIEL.

By II. l.. hREHBiEL.
The Philharmonic Society began its
seventy-third season at Carnegie Hall
last night with concert conducted by
Josef Stransky. II is an interesting
fact that an American orchestra has for
seventy-two years given an unbroken
series Of concerts circumstance that
is paralleled only in London, where the
society which gave its name to the
local organization is still older. II IS
not paralleled in Vienna, though that
centre of musical culture saw the eN-
pertinent Of musicians banded together
to give philharmonic concerts for the
public in the same year that New YORK
did. The Vienna concerts were Few
seventy years ago, and are still few,
and they have been given spasmodical-
ly. At one tine they ceased entirely,
and were called back into life on the
return to the Austrian capital OF
q conductor who had visited America
and been elected an honorary member
Of the Philharmonic Society Of New
York. Only once in the seventy-two
years of its existence has the local
organ cation missed a concert date,
and then the omission was token
Of respect 20 the martyred Lincoln.
Steadily the number Of concerts has
increased from three TO forty or more,
the number OF players from half a
hundred 10 hundred. Steadily, too,
though not always as effectively as
il might have done, has II adhered 10
its original mission to spread the
gospel OF the best music. IT. one
respect only has i undergone
marked chance: In 1912, one-third OF
its members were native Americans.
Now it is d foreign BODY. overwhelm-
ingly German, with possibly half
dozen players I'VE have made no close
examination who were born in the
United States Of foreign parents. II
has also changed It's constitution and
ceased TO be tho democratic body with
communistic methods which it was Tor
nearly two generations. These facts
are mentioned here as data TOR those
who may chance TO be disposed to
make a study OF musical culture IL
America.
Last nights programme began with
Dvorak's symphony From the New
World" Bohemian's tribute to the mu-
steal influences which the last naive
symphOnist found in brief sojourn in
this country. The significance OF the
beautiful work and the character or
its melodic material nave been much
discussed. We would not open the con-
trOyersy now, but 4 short comment is
called for by the reprint in the pro-
eramme notes of statement, first pub
lished in 1907, we believe. that the sons
of Dr. Dyorak had enlightened the
world with the inform alton that their
father had studied American negro
airs, arranged the scale according TO
which they were informed" but had
no. used any of them in the symphony
except as influences. To all intents
and purposes this is correct, and we
needed no children who were not yet
in their teens when they lived in
New York to tell US so. The music
speaks for itself. and DR.. DvOrak's
own uttersnces on the subject we're
plain. The Philharmonic Society has
been the custodian of the traditions
OF the symphony, so far as It's proper
reading goes, ever since 1t brought IL
forward under the direction of Mr.
Seidl in 1898, and il was pleasant to
observe that last night those tradl uons
were respected; they have not always
been. The performance was superb
one in every respect, brilliant, strong,
eloquent, convincing, uplifting. II dls-
closed the fact that the band is exec
len.iy constituted IN al It's cholrs. Inc
changes in personnel have not appre-
ciably lessened its efficiency The con-
cert master, Leopold Kramer, was not
on hand las, night owing TO what the
management, with delightful euphem-
ism, called "the irregularities in Euro
pean affairs but his place was well
nned by Macmillan Pilzer, who had
done similar service here heretofore,
and the patrons Of the society, without
foregoing any of their good opinion Of
the admirable Mr. Kramer, Will get
along during the period Of his enforced
absence, even if 1t should last more
than the several weeks which the
management mentions in its announce
ment,
The symphony filled the first part
of the programme. In the second were
Strauss Don Juan" Igor Stravinsky's
Fireworks and the three familiar IN
,trumental excerpts from Berlioz's
ELIMINATION Of Faust" To all intents
and purposes the Stravinsky piece was
new. though it mad a performance here
four years ago az the hands OF the
amazingly energetic RUSSIAN symphony
Society At that time it was remarked
Of it that fireworks, like children,
should be seen. not heard. The witt
cism. though obvious was opposite. II
is only in the creation OF moods by
conventional association Of IDEAS that
delineation Of physical things can find
place in music We shall blame no.
body VINO COMPLAINS that his ear-sight
was not sufficiently keen 20 observe
rinwheels. skyrocke:s. dont-chasers.
Roman candles and suchlike- things
N the squirming motive which the m
struments threw out last night. Il was
all very ingenious. and the appeal 70
the fancy brought amusement with it.
but so far as the attainment Of the
aim which music has set itself as an
art which expresses beauty is con-
cerned, the public would have been as
much ed i6ed b. the "c"acklinr Of
thorns under pot," and better enter
tanned with a picture or real pyro-
technics.
a