The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-11-27
DELIUS CONCERTO
AT PHILHARMONIC
Composition Based on Negro
Melody Is Played by
Percy Granger.
WRITTEN IN AMERICA

Thu fourth Friday afternoon concert
OF the Philha rmonic Society. which took
place at Carnegie Hall yesterday after
noon, was Of interesting cha racter.
The programme was liberal in its va
riety OF styles. beginning. as II did. with
Schubert's c major symphony. and leap
ing from that to Richatu Strauss toni
poem. Don Juan thence to Frederick
Delius's piano concerto in c minor and
10 a finish with Dargomiszky's fantasia.
"Ccsatchoaue." Incidentally. the yellow
crown OF Percy Granger adorned the
platform, for he was the soloist. Up TO
the present time 20 one has called him
a human chrysanthemum or a musical
orchid or anything else fanciful, az pade-
rewski was named when first he shook
his tawny locks above the ktyboay cd
here.
Schubert's G ma jor symphony is one
Of the compositions pon which a con-
ductor may lean with a certain sense OF
security. Its Gus trumpetings and
contrasted breathings OF gentieness will
take care OF themselves If the tempt are
not too eNtravagant and the Interpreter
not too fond of driving his brass to de-
spair. So let II be recorded that the
symphony went fairly well and hat also
the fine creation of Strauss-some think
ing people regard IL as his best--smote
the ear with most OF its plangent SPLEEN
doris and at any rate. left is unfailing
Impression OF emotional vitality.
So we may come to the novelty OF the
day. the concerto OF Mr.. Delius, a man
without a country. liz Is In truth AN
Englishmar. hut he has lived so much In
Germany n eympa,hized so deeply
with German ideals that, being in the
Kaiser's dominiQps when the war broke
out. Britain animated 10 him that he
--.ll - a-., o.- l.A la -,,t
not do because he was an knglishman'
So from a safe retreat In Scandinavia he
IL ~watchfully waiting for all kinds OF
peace projects.
The concerto WAS composed in this
: country. In Florida to he specific. in 1897,
and was first performed in Elberfeld,
Germany. in 1904. II Is a work in one
piece. but its three divisions are clearly
marked. The thematic materials dis
close some sympathy with pr. pvorak's
theory tina good ideas could he obtained
by making melodic subjects after the
style OF negro music. The principal
theme OF the opening part n the second
theme. which becomes the subject OF the
slow movement, are clearly initiative OF
the slave song.
However, national or racial themes dc
not make either a symphony or a con-
certo. Mr.. Delius's method Of develop
ing his materials Is not the happiest
THE piano part in the first and last
sections OF his concerto consists chiefly
OF decorations. II there IL anything from
glissandi to chromatics in double octaves
from two hand shakes to ponderous chord
PROFESSIONS which the composer has no,
framed all around the orchestral utter.
ance IL would be difficult TO name II.
In The slow movement the piano makes
It's one we'll defined attempt at "A melodic
song, but the melody is not suited to the
voice of the instrument and 80 the com
position again falls wide of It's mark
There Is some good writing, but It Is
scattered aud it's sum total does no
make an impression. The piano part
it will he understood. Ia difficult and II
keeps the slayer occupied, Mr.. Granger
played It brilliantly. but II hardly seemed
worth 80 much labor.