Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-11-21
Yesterdays Concert

The concert Of the Philadelphia orches-
ira yesterday afternoon was thor
oushly admirable and enjoyable occasion.
Midway In its course appeared Madam
Olga Samaroff, the FIRST pianist heard
this year as n soloist. Her reception, 1t
should be noted, was the most cordial
triumph yet achieved by an artist with
the symphony, and 1T was abundantly de-
served. Flowers banked one corner of
the stage after the concerto, and Madam
Samaroff was recalled again and again
TO acknowledge the qualification of the
audience.
Against the driving spirit of the
Tschaikowsky number. played as 1t was
by soloist and orchestra. nothing else in
the afternoon could stand. Fortunately
the "Lohengrin" vorspiel and the Mem
delssohn symphony came first. Mr.. sto-
kowsh played Wagner so that the
lengthily sustained passages on the
strings glmmered and shone and sang
for all the world like Italian opera.
which. for all the world. they are. II
Is only with the late entrance OF the
horns, gratefully pleasant to the ear
yesterday. that the vorsplel takes on
Wagnerian proportions, and Mr.. Sto-
kowsld made tho distinction OF tone
notably felt
The symphony which followed Is not
ono 70 stir the highest or the lowest
emotions 1t Is equable and sweetly tenn
pered, sentimental at times to the point
which Germans call Schwaermerei. And
yet Mr.. Stokowski and the orchestra
were unmistakably just to II. They
played the andante' with it's air OF semi
relslous halladry' for everything there
was In 1t. And at the end they couId
well make cynlcs and philosophers. who
arc not cynics, wonder why that obvIons
sweetness should move us more than
high and clear and noble dignity.
Those, In some degree. were the quail
ues or the concerto which Nine. samaroff
playeA Starting motto maestoso. the
concerto never once lost its tone OF strong
emotion. Nine. samaroR played the first
half OF this movement with a deft ami
strong hand, 1t was as II to show ar
the beginning and once for all that n
vlrtuosity. was in questlon-pure tech
nique-why. II was there and could he e,,-
peeted, and no one need bother about n
Before the first movement was over no
one did bother. The question OF Afnne
Samaroffs technical ability Is perfIouslv
insignificant In comparison with the abli-
tty she has 10 select. to emphasize and TO
understand the human feeling In her
music
To the swift changes OF the concerto
Mime. Samaroff showed herself extraordi.
narily sensitive. And, then. TO complete
the circle. she has direct communication
between understanding and expression
Her playing Is not the most polished nor
the most delicate, But II has a SAVIOR and
a pungeney that are precious Her can
table In the second movement and the
leaplng power OF the last We're memor-
able pieces OF work.
Mr.. Stokowsd resumed the centre Of
the stage under obvious dihiculties. and
did 1t graeiously enough Impossible
now 10 say whether the orchestra needed
the added impulse OF Nine samaroffi 8
triumph, in which. By the way, they
shared heavily The aftsrgloW Of PLAY
ing inely with the sploist was suhieientiy
sustained 10 take the orchestra into the
SInetana overture with a nne swing. The
overture Is, in spite OF It's elaborate treat
ment IL the first part, still racy OF the
soil. It was played so. What was mere
sparkle and merriment Mr. StOkowski
played as he played Mozart some weeks
ago. What was folk he led with a richer
gesture and a deeper content. Slips here
ana there did occur. but the spirit was
excellent and the conductor perhaps a
little iadulgent, quite In the vein OF his
audience.