New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-04-10
NOTABLE CONCERT
AT THE OPERA HOUSE
A Triumph for the Visiting Sing
erS End Players-Char-
acter of the Work.
BY ". l.. kREHBIEL.

when naO not previously Deen heald IN
New York. 1t was an imposing incl
dent. and one that in its externsls, 1T
least, will loom large in the history Of
the season.
Whether or not its artistic sgnif-
canoe was equally large is extremely
doubtful. Excellence in artistic prod
ucts is not measured by their dimen-
sions or pretensions Mahler's Eighth
symphony" as it is called for want of
a more defnitiye title. has been ac-
companied by hurly-burly Of noise
ever since il was made known 10 the
world under his direction IN Munich IN
September, 1910. At the time the COM
poser was q resident of New York and
conductor Of the Philharmonic Society.
Less than six months later illness com
PEELED him 10 abandon his labors here
and he went back TO Europe, only to
die. The performance Of the work in
Munich was for him sort OF artistic
apotheosis.
The army OF singers and instrumen-
talists employed in the performance
was enlisted in Munich, Vienna and
Dresden: special trains carried them
and enthusiastic bands Of the com
pcser's admirers TO the Bayarian capi-
tai The performance called out frantic
praise on the one hand. harsh condcm
nation on the other and some pages OF
discriminative criticism from Judges TO
whom the cXternals of the affair were
matters Of indifference. Later It had
performances in Berlin, and at present
10 is the nine days wonder OF Phila-
delphia. The concert organizations OF
New York have ignored II, and Il was
left for band of women TO carry OUT
the enterprise which had its frultlon M
the colossal concert given in the Metro
pOlitan Opera House last night. Inc
,poctacular features of the affair, ap-
pcalirg as they did 20 local pride, were
no doubt largely influential In creating
the extraordinary popular interest ana
amiaDle enthusiasm with when tnc
performances of the composition were
received in Philadelphia. lhey were
less potent here, and the tribute palu
10 the music and the performance may
Significance. OF that something more
may be said presently.
Ir the nature OF the case the appeal
which Nahlcr's music made was large
TX superficial. The attitude OF the
public toward music of all KINDS is IN
,,cnuous. Little more is asked 40 the
ear be gratihed and the surface emo
tions stirred: and there is no more
powerful agency toward these ehdS
than vast sonorities The still small
voice is az nothing 10 the mount-feno-
ing and rock breaking wind, the tohai
earthquake and furious hre. even
though 10 be the voice winch brings the
divine message. So the clamor o.
irumpcts. the din Of drums, the roar OF
the organ, the multitudinous voice o,
a. hundred instruments and ihou5aho
singers united iu the closing measures
of each Of the two divisions OF the
work as they were heard VIII Al
ways loosen such wnlriwind OF ap
flause as SLED the biz room last hIgn' .
and the tempest Will blow away the
unpleasant memories OF many Things
which went before
OF course. the value Ct Mahlers mu-
sic lies in something beyond tAe
sonorous climaXes Tor which IT ire
quently strives. II u did not aiter
the profound purpose proclaimed 9y
his poetic scheme. he would be lttie
better than circus musician. MS ne
was not. His ambition was lofty ana
his aim sincere, though both ambition
and aim frequently ovcrtopped ms Gre
ativc capacity IN this composition as
I'M the symphonies which preceded IT,
TO appreciate the purpose OF ms striV-
ING in this, the most pretenuous ana
IN q way the ripest OF his works with
which we are familiar, II - necessary
TO know what he conceived to be the
spiritual link between the two poems
which he brought into physical union.
Those poems are the medieval NhIt-
suntide hymn beginning "Neni, Crea-
tor Spiritus." and the mysucal ale
CORY with which Goethe concludes ms
"Faust" tragedy.
The manner in which he established
q musical union between these widely
different poems is obvious. Out OF the
melodies or mclodic phrases employed
IN the setting OF the hymn he con ,
structs the themes which are developed
IN connection with the allegory. In
itself such proceeding is purely arbi-
trary and may mean nothing put a
pcrfec. Nahlcritc would not tolerate
such AN assumption IN this case. 10
him the second part must be the psy-
Geological and spiritual Towering OF n
concept contained in the nrst. Such a
union ia not obvious even after care
ful study Of the poems in the light
which Nahlcr's music may throw upon
them "A light which, If accepted, may
he as artificial as the union seems arbi-
trary.
The bvmn is an invocation. an ascrip-
linn and a petition: an invocation Of
tbc snirit which created the world; an
aecription Of praise 10 the spirit as
Tho divine advocate Paraclete), GIT
Of God. fount Of life, fire of love,
cbosNv JUNCTION; a prayer Tor physical
strength. light and love, guidance. en-
Hphtcnmcnt. grace, emancipation from
ain The concluding scene OF Faust
iq the symbolical representation of hu-
no, rcdomption. Of the final purlfca-
ION and TRANSPORTATION Of erring but
honestly striving humanity accom-
nliebcd through the mystery OF divine
iovo as revealed 10 man through per
feet womanhood.
~ establishing thcmatic community
bo.,yccn uortions Of the two poems
MAILER may have made his conception
az their spiritual communion plain 10
Li,reclf Can 10 be plain 20 "A mere
listener? 4 popular aiYcctation OF in
,cllectual enlightenment in Philadel-
nbia aud the Mailer community IN
{,crmany finds expression in the state
mcnt that Mailer has made Goethe
Main. Happy the people with such
rnick and deep penetration. As for
o,bers. the composer should have
,nucbsafed thread through the laby-
ninth. lie was opposed 10 pro
grammes. though he wrote nothing but
nrogrammatic symphonies. HIS atti-
tude was Ike that OF Richard strauss,
who asks that his music be accepted
- -. nnlu hul gives n descrln'lvc