New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-11-20
FUTURISTIC MUSIC
AT PHILHARMONIC
An Old Programmatic Piece by
Schoenberg Performed.
By II. +. kREHBIEL.

Some years ago an American music
STUDENT in Munich submitted an over
ture of his composition to his pro-
fessor After the master had finished
ue-pencilling the work, no doubt
Gliding some of the things dearest TO
the heart of the tyro, he ventured a
suggestion as to the title. Make 1t
Shakespearian." he said. call 1t
Much Ado About Nothing"
On Thursday evening and yesterday
afternoon, at concerts Of the Philhar-
monte Society, Mr. Stransky, after pro-
ducng the overture in the Spring, by
Goldmark, had the hall darkened and
directed a band, augmented for the
purpose to q hundred men or more,
through a performance of compost
ton by Schoenberg which, by the grace
of the composer and the patient sur.
ferance of white paper and printers
ink, bears the title "Pelleas ct Melt
sande." Darkening the hall made the
occasion a momentous one, and no
doubt convinced many in whose minds
a feeling of awe had thus been awak-
ened that they were receiving reyela,,
ton which could not be communicated
in the ordinary light of the concert
room. II they received such revela-
ton this paragraph is not for them:
They belong to the inner brotherhood
for whom the supermen anc "anarcns
of art" as Mr. Huneker calls them,
write music.
But it may interest those who still
dwell in outer darkness to learn that
the work which was performed yester-
day has lain upon the shelves OF the
concert institutions of Europe for thir-
teen years without having been dis
turbed so far as industrious research
through copious records has disclosed.
The annotated programme might have
told US this, but did not. Chronology
cally, it falls between the sextet ana
the quartet which our chamber music
organizations performed year or two
ago.
To be explicit. it was composed IN
1902. after Schoenberg had given up a
purpose to make an opera out OF
Maeterlinck's drama, not, we are as
surcd, because Debussy had ant;cipaten
him, but because he preferred the sym.
phonic form of expression. Perhaps II
would have been better had he WIFE.
the opera. Then. at least, we mlshss
Rave found some sort or eiucioauon ~
the music in the words consorteo vi. EEL
it. Some guide beyond the parren NJ r;
~ seemed 10 US, WINS ys,.-..I. +be
Golaud and Pelleas and Meiisahde;, .ne
sunken crown, and the lost ring, H.
Ynord and the young womsns goiuen
tresses blessed with q lovers nsse'
we're in the music they were purleo pc
yond onr ken in the cacophonous surge
sud' regurgitation of the multitudinous
~ strumental company. No doubt these
,h;ngs expressed in terms OF muslcal
beautv were there for those who mad
Ears to hear them, or seemed 70 De
,hore for those endowed with willing,
obedient and obliging imagination, or
Glled with the same sort OF afectation
which prompted the turning down of
the lights, so that all their senses
might flock into the ears of the listen
ers. Since we could not find them VIC
cannot describe them nor expound
them; neither laud the composition nor
speak of it in dispraise.
Write me a piece Of music" said a
Gaiety manager in London to Silas,
descriptive of an Englishman who
goes abroad, changes his religion and
loses his umbrella" With the help OF
association of ideas, a knowledge OF
typical forms Of secular and religious
music, a few devices Of composition
and an ample verbal commentary the
task might be accomplished more
lucdly than Schoenberg performed his
labor in giving musical investiture to
the poetical symbolism and emotions oil
Maeterlinck's drama. And with greater
beauty.