New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-02-09
A Complaint of Embarrass-
ment of Riches on
Sundays.
ORCHESTRAL CONCERTS
COME INTO CONFLICT
Symphony with PianofOrte and
Variations with Harp at
AeOlian Hall
BY ". T.. kREHBIEI.

give any intelligent discussion of all the
Incidents OF a Sunday afternoon. The
evening concerts cause no concern, for
thoy are arranged ION purpose" as the
childish phrase has it, for tho light
mindcd-chieny those who want bargain
counter music, which means much sing
ing particularly by the people Of the
opera and playing. at popular prices. by
the artists whom they Cead about during
the week. Also a double measure OF
everything except the orchestral pieces.
which. as a rule, are the best things pur-
vcycd for them. This being the state Of
affairs the music lovers who refuse TO
yield TO the spirit OF tho times and become
frivolous must needs forego occasionally
ostimates-or APPROPRIATIONS, as they are
now called-whothcr good or bad. wise or
foolish, OF the noteworthy incidents
which mark concerts of dignity, signif-
canoe and beauty. Dignity? What is
there in the present attitude Of the press
10 indicate that artistic expression should
try to preserve itself against the reproach
Of descending below il? Significance?
Why try 20 offer II when an earful Of
ragtime tune and a syncopated drumbeat,
IL obstreperous enough. suffice the multi
tude and arc so easily al the command Of
those who pandcr to the multitude?
Beauty? II the meaning Of tho term has
wholly been forgotten and the belief been
created that its essence lies i'm filth and is
10 be sedulousy sought in the sewer. its
exposition will ask no expoundcr. Human
nature need only be left TO the operation
of tho law of reversions, as in the case
Of the prevalent dance mania.
Fortunately concert-music has not yet
descended To the level OF the drama, and
though the decadcnt tendency is obvious
in that department. there IS yet plenty Of
stuff TO invite serious discussion in the
offerings Of our concert-rooms. It may be
irrelevant t. some, since majority OF
serious musical people follow the die
tates of partisanship rather than taste
and judgment I'm choosing between two
concerts which occur simultaneously. but
IL is yet pertinent. and the regret that II
cannot be comprehensive reasonable.
As usual, yesterday afternoon there
were two concerts by equally admirable
organizations at the same time. The con-
cert Of the Symphony Society in Aeolian
Hall offered an unusual attraction I'm a
programme of French music, most Of
which was new. that of the Philharmonic
Society, in Carnegie Hall. offered no new
composition but the temptation Of an ad-
mirable pianoforte player in an admir-
able composition-Miss Ruth Deyo, In
Schumann's Concerto. At the same time
a young local virtuoso. who has led the
judicious TO expect much from him In the
immediate future, gave a recital The
Philharmonic Society's programme con
tanned also a number much more familiar
TO the patrons of twenty years ago than
those Of to-day-the arrangement by
Albert OF a Bach Prelude and Fugue with
an interjected chorale by Albert Also the
between-acts and ballet music from
Schuberts "Rosamunde' and the Fourth
Symphony by Tschaikowsky. Miss Deyo
is said to have played the solo part OF
the concerto with a refreshing rhythmi-
cal crspness and 10 the great delight oil
the audience-which is easily believed of
so musical a young woman. The sym
phony was played so as 10 bring out the
best elements Of the orchestra as MT.
Stransky sees them.
Mr. Walter Damrosch is 70 immerce
himself and his artists in Beethoven in ten
DAYS or so. and if there was debit
charge on the modern French account he
paid il off with interest yesterday. His
programme, with the symphony Society
and Clarence Adler. pianist, and Ada Sas-
soil as helpers. consisted Of Vincent
dIndy's symphonic sur un air mon
tagnard francais,' piece called "NaH-
ations plasantes sur un Theme grave
by Roger-Ducasse, for orchestra, with
harp obblgato; a "Bourree fantastique,
by Chabrier, Transcribed for orchestra by
Mottl, and a "Chorale with variations"
for harp and orchestra. by Charles NJ
Wdor Only the second and third num-
bers can have attention here. The so
called symphony on a mountaineers mel
ody was produced by Mr.. Damrosch Ia
December. 1905. as tribute 10 the COM
poser, who had just concluded visit to
America under the auspices or the Bos-
ton Orchestra. Then VI. Pugno, who died
recently in Russia. played the pianoforte
obbligato. lie played it no better than did
Mr.. Adler yesterday, but most unaccount-
ably. the audience insisted In defiance OF
the music and its title upon treating il as
4 pianoforte concerto. and the most eH-
cellent artist who made himself one o,
the orchestra for the occasion (much %
his own amazement, no doubt was COM
pelled to supplement, the symphony with
what in ordinary newspaper parlance Is
an encore" Yesterday the audience was
wiser. though unquestionably more APP
preciative Of the excellent help which Mr.
Adler gave to Mr. Damrosch and his or
cbestra. As for the work itself. II made
very favorable impression. as well 1t
might. for il was superbly played. 1t Is
N no sense a symphony. though separat-
ed by pauses into three movements. II Is
a compages OF variations on theme in
which pianoforte and orchestra are
oouaIlv concerned. The theme (Which Is
really paraphrased and distorted rather
.han varied) bears strong resemblance
20 a Scottish song:
VIII We gang to the Hielan's' Leezie
Lindsay?
VIII We gang 10 the Hielan's wi me?
NJ. Tiersot. the eminent folfiorist in
music. who is also librarian OF the Paris
Conseryatoire, came TO America 10 study
some Of our folksongs soon after NJ
dIndy's visit and the writer called mis-
attention TO the resemblance between the
two melodies: but, like a true French
man. he refused 10 see that there could
be anything Scottish IN tune which he