The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-04-07
KNEISEL QUARTET
CONCLUDES SEASON
Composition by Daniel Gregory
Mason Has First Hearing
in New York.

The Knesel Quartet gave the sixth
and last Of It's concerts for the present
season last evening IN Aeolian Hall
The programme consisted OF Daniel
Gregory Masons plano quartet In
minor. opus I; a trio OF Haydn, Bee
thovens quartet IN a minor. opus 1872
and the Schoenberg seNtet, entitled
''verklaerte Nacht" Tho pianist was
Osslp Cabrilowitsch II was concert
OF liberal proportions, but since 1t was
tile final one 81 the season no DOUBT
most Of those present did not fnd It
too long.
The quartet OF Mr.. Mason was heard
for the first time in this city. Tho COM
poser is known as a musician OF serious
aims. a writer OF books on musical sub
iscts which have been OF much help 20
students and AMATEUR. and a lecturer
who has found welcome IN many places.
His quartet is for violin, viola, cello and
pisno. and its general form shows re-
snect for the models developed BY tho
classic masters.
There are four movements an allegro
at the beginning and another at the enc
lille the second movement ~ AAiT
scherzo and the third the slow movement
since the first movement is not an al
leyro of the fastest kind, the develop
ment leans toward the passionate utter
arce suggested by the tomperamental
character of it's second principal sub
icct the cantabile theme. AFTER TINS the
composer sought a natural ana enectlVe
contrast by impartins an olcgiac tone
to his slow movement.
throughout the composition MT
Mason has shown ingenuity In rhythm
Possibly he has at times oVcrworked
rhythmi,. device, but at any rate MS
object was commendablc, because he was
,nsnifestly seeking tor musical figure
! and a clearly defined melodic form
rather than to make pu22ling oNcursions
| into Tho world OF strange harmonlos, his
! quartet is decidedly interesting, III per-
| hans IL is a trifle deficient In cloSehess OF
| structure and solidity OF texture II M
| duhitablv Possesses artistic fibre and IN
t.llectual quality The aggressive nature
| of the piano part, which has the doml-
mating proclamation or most or the 'ho-
! matte material, caused the performance
10 sound somewhat unbalanced nut the
/ temptation to play this part 'to speak
/ colloauillly) Tor al IL Vas "o''"
/ very great.
! A loyely contrast was afforded by the
HAYDN trio in G which followed. The
trio with the hungarian rondo u was
and il filed the audience with JOY. The
simplicity OF its Ideas, the fuency OF
Its long, suave phrases and the sunny
,enper OF It's moods all came like a
fresh breeze after Mr.. Mason's intro
snectiye modern composition, and 1t was
played ravishingly. Again the transl'
tion 10 one of the last duartets or bee
thoyen. which have always been heVo
for the exercise OF the finest art al
the Kneisels, was a good one, the
Schoenberg seNtet was repeated by re-
auest There was no question after III
first performance that It would reappea'
I'm tho Knelsel programmes, though
probably no ono expected II would ar
rive again SO soon, But 1t Is com
position OF extraordinary beauty and Il
will be heard again and again. In Us
performance Mr.. kneisel and his asso
ciates again had the aid OF Samue
Gardner, viola. and Hyman Eisenberg
cello.
Thus came tn a conclusion n season
OF chamber music which has been note
worthy for the number ana artistic
value OF the unfamiliar works brough
forward as we'll as for tho high leve
on which the performances have moved
a community which IL privileged Il
listen to two such quartet organization
as Mr.. kneisel's and the Flonzaley 4
fortunate indeed.