Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-04-10

There was plenty of the material from
which great concerts are made in the
program of the Philadelphia Orchestra
yesterday afternoon. The soloist was
Pablo Casals, the Incompatible violon-
cellist; the symphony was Beethoven's
heroic third; the conductor and orchestra
were those from whom Philadelphia has
learned to expect the highest and the best
And yet, in review, the soloist and the
symphony remain splendid; tho orchestra
and its conductor appear, for once. insult
ficient and faulty.
The "ErOica"
When tho "Erolca" symphony was last
played in this city, the present writer
said of the performance that 1t seemed
finally to settle all disputes concerning
the meaning of that noble work. The
significance of the scherZo and the mad,
dashing finale, placed after the funeral
march ian audacity of genius IL ever there
was one). Is that in the midst OF death
We are in life. and that is a far more
important truth than that in the midst
of life we are In death. It Is almost
enough to say that the performance of
yesterday afternoon left no such i'm
preston. left hardly any impression what
soever. Mr.. Stokowski's fault lay in the
dislntegration which he allowed to OBJ
tain in the first movement, and in the un-
distinguished conception of the funeral
march. After that, when in the scherzo
and finale he seemed to come to himself.
he was hampered by two of the most
serious defects in his orchestra, a string
choir which never rose above a dull level
of tone, and a brass choir which was
almost appalling In Its wretched tone
production. Possibly, with proper re-
sponse, Air. Stokowski could have re-
deemed the symphony; but not he nor any
other conductor, could have prevailed
against his men.
1t Is particularly distressing to note
such playing so near to the end of the
season. and the reporter wishes to make
every allowance. Once before, In the
playing of Beethoven symphony. the aft
ernoon performance was bad, and the
Saturday evening repetition was glorious.
It must be fervently hoped that tonight
will cancel all memories of yesterday for
those who are lucky enough to hear both.
And there will be many who went yes
terday and VIII come again tonight to
hear the extraordinary playing OF Pablo
Casals In the Dvorak concerto he played,
the orchestra behind him found tone to
perfection, and Mr.. Stokowsh gave OF
the great riches OF his intuition without
fault. OF the people, as was the excel
lently played Roumanian Rhapsody OF
Enesco before IT, the concerto fell In with
the peculiarly apt powers of Mr.. Stokow-
skis Interpretation. and he ana his men
were worthy OF the great artist who
played with them. There can be no
exaggeration OF Mr.. Casals' talents. I'M
passive and detached TO an extraordinary
degree, he gives TO his instrument such a
technical control as Is in the power OF
few artists. in whatever medium. He
could extend the range OF the cello until
II took In the rich depth of the bass tone,
and reached the exDressiyeness OF the
violin as Krelsler knows TO make II ex-
pressive. To speak OF trilled harmonics,
OF controlled Hbrato. OF any or all OF the
technical exploits OF this master, is a
vain thing. Those are the things which
he alone seems to understand. But his
art every man may understand. II Is, In
all simplicity, the art OF one who has
devoted himself to the highest And In
finding that has found himself.
Mr.. MeCOrmaek's Recital
John Mccormack sang last night at
the Academy OF Music for the second
time this season. He sang much better
than he did several months ago. On that
occasion he sang nothing well Last
night ne sang nothing badly. Then his
voice broke on each separate occasion
Whan be essayed transition from cheat
% head tones or 70 faisetto. Last night