The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-02-19
BOSTON ORCHESTRA
IN BRAHMS MUSIC.
First symphony Played with
Much Dignity and TOnal
Beauty.
BACH CONCERTO ENJOYED

Tho February visit OF the Boston
Symphony Orchestra will he remem.
hcrcd for the sake Of last evenings
concert at Carnegie Hail. even II to-
morrow's matinee should prove to be
much less interesting. The programme
consisted OF Brahms's c minor sym
pAonv. B~eethoven's "Corrolan" overture,
Bach's concerto for two violins and or
chestra Of strings. and ~Beethoven's
'Leonore." No. 3. overture. The first
and second concert masters, Anton Witek
and Sylvan Noack. played the solo
parts in the Bach number.
A concer, such as this raises many
questions. which. for the sake of peace.
must he left unanswered. A long dis.
cusslon OF readings OF the first sym
phony OF Brahms. which has been read
vsriously and amazingly in this patient
town. might possibly interest a few.
anger many. n do no jot Of good to
any. Ye, something must Dc said here
TO commemorate a performance so filed
with the spirit Of the composer and 50
glowing with the life blood OF pure
musical beauty that II must have left
every hearer OF sensibility with nerves
tlngling and heart %throbblng.
Or. Muck accomplished his ends by
The use OF means simple in themselves.
yet apparently beyond the reach OF too
many conductors. Avoiding the rash
impetuosity of those who suppose tenn
permanent TO be a raging and ~devouring
thing. he took his tempt at a deliberate
OCT mot fAtFAFfpr nan. nAA 49,. 49,. 49,
TO make the developments of his light
and shade with clarity and on such
large lines that no ear could lose their
effect.
Thus, too. he freed the long flowing
phrases OF the music. especially in the
last movement. from that angularity
which haste invariably imparts TO them.
AND how pure n rare was the whole
ional atmosphere. rich In manifold deli
cate tints. glorihed by flashes of splen-
did light, and finding it's moments OF
repose IN hnely measured pianissimi
which always sang.
Perfection of balance. exquisite
dnesse in the diminuendi and cres-
cendl. military precision In attack and
an Ind sCribable elastic accuracy OF
unanimity in the progress OF each
phrase were the technical means which
Or. Muck applied 10 an unerrlng pur-
suit OF the melos through every voice
part and through every combination of
instruments. That the reading pos
sessed In an degree the lofty
style OF Brahms and that IL published
convincingly and eloquently the poetic
moods of his extraordinary work of
r niu must have been clear to every
hearer. The slow movement, which is
excelled by perhaps only one other
slow movement in all music. namely.
that OF Bee,hovon's ninth symphony.
was sung with matchless eloquence.
The Bach double concerto has not
been heard here since II was played at
a knsisel Quartet concert in Mendels-
sohn Hall by Messrs. Kneisel and Roent-
gen on February 90. 1909. The COM
position Cir the opinion Of at least
one hearerN loses much by being
played in so large an auditorium as
that of Carnegie Hall.
Il was not conceived as music for
5000 hearers. but for intimate ac-
duaintance of "A few. For this reason
the work is heard TO better advantage
when played az Mr.. Kneisel Il Mr..
Ro ntgen played 4 but Il should not
Re inferred that last evenings perform
ance was wanting in solid merit.
Mr.. Wick and Mr.. Noack are good
violinists and they love Bach. Pos
sihly a more marked contrast in the
quality OF tone OF the two players
would have made the performance more
piquant IN certain places. hut it's gen
ara spirit was sound and II gave pleas
ure to the audience.