The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-02-19
BEETHOVEN MUSIC
FINELY PERFORMED
The Symphony Society's Festi.
val Successfully Begun at
Aeolian Hall.
JULIA CULP THE SINGER
First Two Symphonies and
Group Of Songs Constitute
the Programme.

In March. 1908. tho Symphony Society
Walter Damrosch conductor, gave a festi.
val OF Beethoven music which aroused q
large measure OF public Interest. In seven
years 1t will be time to celebrate the cen.
tenary OF the great masters death. and
then tho Symphony Society and all other
musical bodies will observe the occasion.
Not wishing to allow the passage Of too
large an interval between the series of
1908 and that OF the centenary. Mr Dam
rosch began another festival OF six con-
certs last evening at Aeolisn Han.
At the first concert Of the former series
the orchestra played the first two sym
phonies; there was also some chamber
music. and Mime. Joruelli sang SONGS In
two groups. Last nights programme was
better arranged. The two symphonies
were heard again and between them that
truly NOBLE and lovable artist Julia Cup,
sang a group OF songs.
These were Bitten" "Ich liebe dich."
Der Kuss.' "Faithfu' johnnie" and The
Cottage Maid" Coenraad Bos was at the
piano. and In the las; two numbers Messrs.
Sasiavsky and Renard supplied the violin
and cello parts as originally written The
additional number sung by Nine Culp
after several recalls was "Freudvoil und
Leidvoll.' 1t will be seen that no at
tempt at chronological selection was made
In the songs. They were chosen appar-
entity for their suitability and variety.
For this Nine. Culp deserves thanks. Too
much historical accuracy In festival pro-
grammes often leads TO WEAKNESS.
Learned comment on Beethoven's early
symphonies would be absurd In these
days. A festival might be expected to
bring about performance OF those In
frequently heard but after all II was only
on January that the Boston orchestra
entertained its admirers with the first
symphony, In which Beethoven 50 mar
vellously answered the feryent cry OF
Haydn. "Oh, that some one would show
US how TO write new nnnuet!" As
the programme note writer's truly tell US.
there is much of Haydn and Mozart In
this symphony. but the scherzo was a
new thing. new IN spirit and manner,
though retaining the old name. ana the
avant courier of glittering army OF
orchestral compositions ranging all the
way from its own simple style to the
"Apprenti Sorcier" of Dukas. Beethoven
himself did no: employ the title
"scherzo" till the second symphony: but
the new minuet' OF the first was q
scherzo, none the less
II was interesting to hear the SYM
fury old, age does not wither them. They
are still hearty. healthy, wholesome, low
able music. Only those who have conceived
an abnormal passion for incessant dis
sonance and who have hence learned TO
dislike the major scale can lind them
tiresome.
AS for the songs. they too are simple,
straightforward and natural. II cannot
be comfortable 10 Ice unable TO find humor
In Beethoven's setting Of Der kuss.
Nine culp certainly found IL and pub
llshed il With captivating archness and
exquisite beauty uf tone. \ great singer
IL this, possessed OF extraordinary breath
support which she is at times tempted
to display for its own sake and with
voice whose natural tlmbre Is gracioualy
suited to the expression OF sweeping
gamut OF emotion.
Nine Culp sang last evening with de-
votion and with moving eloauence Her
delivery OF the few songs was lesson
in the art OF lieder singing beautiful
and finely balanced combination OF vocal
color. diction and nuance. Not the least
admirable part of her performance was