New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-01-13
Chorus of 100 Give Even
ing of Russian, Swedish
and Finnish Music.
FOLK TUNES APPEAR
IN PANOPLY OF ART
SOlOists Add Little to Concerts
Success-Finn Melodies
Please Audience.
BY II. f.. KREHBIEL.


Mr.. Kurt SCHNEIDER, gave the first of
two concerts planned for this season
at Carnegie Hall last night.
II was concert I most unusual
character, being devoted entirely to the
exploitation of the music Of three ma
tional schools Of composition-the Rus
sian, Finnish and Swedish.
In the announcements there was an
intmation that the music was that Of
the Russian and Scandinavian peoples,
the implication being that folksong was
meant This was not strictly correct,
for most of the songs sung were art
songs, and even the folksongs, of which
there was considerable infusion, were
presented not as the folk sing them,
but in the artistic settings made by
composers. Many of these settings,
however, preserved not only the spirit
Of the original melodies, but also some
thing OF the characteristic manner OF
their performance, so that, in spirit al
least, the announcement was Justliiable.
For the purposes Of the concert, more
over. there were some changes made
from the original artistic settings.
Some songs originally designed for
mems voices were set for choir OF
men and women; others intended for
vocal quartets were amplifed and en-
riched 10 make them effective for a
choir as large IS the Schola Cantorum.
which last night mustered about 100
voices; other songs with numerous
stanzas for which strophic treatment
was contemplated by the original ar
ranger were supplied with additional
variations to avoid monotony, and two
excerpts from Rimsky-Korsakotf's
opera Christmas Night" originally
for women's voices with orchestra, were
reset for mixed voices, material TO this
and having been drawn from the com
poser's instrumental parts. These
changes were made in the Russian
songs only. however, the Finnish and
| Swedish numbers being given as they
are found on the printed pages of their
authors.
/ AS an exemplifcation Of nationalism
in music, the concert was in q manner
comparable with the highly illuminative
and fascinating folksong recitals intro
/ duced here by Nine. Sembrch few
seasons ago.
Fifteen Russian songs were given,
seven of them being arrangements Of
folk melodies. The composers repre-
scented were Bortniansky founder of the
modern school Of ecclesiastical music
in Russia. Kastalsky, Gartevild (of
Dutch extraction, Pantchinko. Rimsky-
KorsakoT, Zolotarieff, Tschaikovsky,
Moussorgsky, Slonotf and Mr.. SCHNEIDER.
There were three Swedish songs by
Wilhelm Peterson Berger and four Fin
nish songs, three by Selim Palmgren
and one by r. F. FaItin.
Il would be interesting to discuss
the relative merit of these compost
tions and the details of the perform
ance: but that is obviously out OF the
question. The most that We can do is
to speak in general terms of the sing
ing Of the choir and discuss in similar
terms the characteristics Of the songs.
4 In the performance the choir. which
sang without accompaniment. was
aided by four solo singers Anna
Fitziu soprano; Jean Vincent Cooper
contralto; Charles Harrison, tenor
and Hugh Allan, barytone. Their work
cannot be said TO have had sufficient
distinction 20 call for special COM
ment-least Of all that Of Miss Fitzlu
The most satisfactory in voice and
stvle was Miss Cooper.
The choir sang with credit. but, SIM
gularly enough. its most efficient con-
tingent was the masculine. The Fin-
nish songs were given with real refine
ment Of tone and expression and with
much greater precision than anything
sung by the full choir except the tradl-
tional Russian song, Down on Little
Mother Volga," which. from strictly
national point of view, marked the
evenings high water, though there were
tidbits, like the Swedish Lullaby
which stirred the audience to greater
enthusiasm. This song was rcdemand
cd by the audience, as were also a
number of others, including one OF the
Finnish songs of humorous cast, en-
titled. "I'm Going Home"
The songs of Russia nredomlnated In
the concert list and formed far and
away the most important feature Of the
evenings music, though the Swedish
and Finnish songs found greater favor
with the audience. Concerning them a
/ few observations seem 10 be in order.
/ The psychology of Russian music, which
had also great expression in the con
cert. was admirably set forth by Cul
i'm his book on Russian music. from
which we had occasion 10 quote IN an
advance notice Of Stransky's symphony
in last Sunday issue OF The Tribune.
Here is Cuts Characterization:
1T is truly something inestimaole
, their variety. the expressive sentiment
which they contain. the richness and
originality of their themes. Some OF
them are distinguished by their rude
I energy. others by an abandon savage
and without rein; some are tranquil
and majestically dignliied; others gra-
cious, sympathetic or even sweety gay !,
many are characterized by profound
/ melancholy One can imagine the grlet
seeking expression, the passive suOmIs-
/ sion 70 the rigors Of cruel destiny
+ Others embody a beautiful idea ema-
mating from the cause OF all poetry,
without trouble. without disturbance;
a beautiful spirit and loving heart.
Others again are solemn, dlgnined,
grandiose, and they are full OF lnSpira-
+ ton"
! Continuing this inquiry along the
/ lines oS our own observations, whlcn
90 hack many years, but were verified
| AGAIN last night. we add that the DOM
3 man, note OF all Russian folk-muslc,
I and Of much of the artistic music based
upon folk-music, Is that when lolstol
( recognized when he said that IN the
/ lyric utterances Of the Russian peas
antry there was 'yearnlng without end
without hope" but also power invinci-
Bile. the fateful stamp OF destiny IRON
preordination." This painful mood spoke
out of the Ballad OF the hremIin'
/ The majority Of the songs, however
were in a very different spirit Tor
alongside the gloom Of the Russian
/ folksongs which celebrate the soclal
and po.itical hardships OF the great
mas of the people. there runs throb-
/ hing vim of humor. OF this. last nights
audience had demonstration In the
dance songs. the Spinning Top" as