Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-01-22
AMUSEMENT
SECTION
STRAUSS CONFESSES
AT THE ACADEMY
His "Heldenleben" and Miss
Parlow's Playing Feature
Fridays Concert

The attitude of an audience IS infre
quentIy perfect critics guide, and the
statistical measure OF applause at a con-
cert would certainly be no wade mecum
for trip through n symphony concert.
But certainly a concert like that of yes
terday afternoon is as interesting for
the audience as for the Philadelphia
Orchestra, which played It. Notably does
this apply to the two orchestral numbers.
Mozart's overture 10 Don Giovanni
began the program. and there may have
been more than one who sought. i'm the
enthusiasm 10 might arouse a peg for an
attack on the opera companies which fail
TO produce the entire masterpiece Alasl
There was but breath OF applause, and
that perfunctory. although the orchestra
played the overture very WELL and al
though Mr.. Stokowski, as frequently
noticed in these columns. understands
his Mozart and can distinguish between
the silver of The Magic Flute" and the
rich gold Of Don Giovanni" His feel
ing for the tragic tone which crceps un-
b3dden into this opera buffa was shown
In the breathless hold which followed the
opening chords, his feeling for the light
r1ess OF the early drama in It permeated
the whole performance. But 1t passed
for nothing.
Omitting then, for moment the con-
certo played by Miss Parlow we come to
Strauss. The reception of this work.
brazen. inchoate. sardonic, ear-splitting
and tremendously funny. was really in
credible. If II wasn't Missed, that is an
indication of how familiar dssonance has
become in our cars. But ,that It wasn't
loudly laughed at canno' lie explained at
all. There Is a deal of beauty in sections
of this lengthy and firing work, but the
most of II is bound to be amusing. II the
whole Is Strauss story of his own life. of
his battles with the BeCkmessers of his
time and of his final defeat of them
through the conquest of the musical
world. then Mr. Strauss life has surely
been one OF the most negligible of recent
years. Berlioz was infinitely more inter-
esting. As a matter Of pure fact, Strauss
is much greater than "Heldeneben." The
mystery is not Strauss, but his audience.
Is no music to be funny?
or course. In the 40 minutes OF con-
gIomerate sound and fury and music
there were bound to be faults of execu-
tion. The brasses and the wood
wind alike failed critically at times and
Mr.. Rich alone emerged unsCathed In the
difficult trial by fire. II is impossible to
say what Mr.. StokowsKi meant by his
whole-souled reading of the score. Was
II devotion. or generosity, or sarcasm?
Kathleen Parlow played the Beethoven
Gently heard here at the hands of Fritz
Kreisler: SO frequently. so passion |
ately and so perfectly does Mr.. Kreisler |
play this concerto that 1t seems now to |
be his in share with the composers. and |
any attempt to wrest II from him Is fore |
doomed, Yet Miss Parlow's playing was
and tine.' She has all the ap- |
titudes of a great technician except n |
perfect ear, and at times the sensitive |
ear was hurt by her cropping after tones. |
Yet again, at other times. her tone was |
full and great, accurate and powerful I
and sweet. Her trills and double stops |
were simply marvels of execution, her
bowling usually firm, sometimes a little .
hard. But what one appreciated most !
was that in the sentiment of the first |
and in the pathos of the |
larghetto Miss Parlow drviated not by a |
fraction Of an inch from the straight |
path of feeling which was set down for |
her. 1t Is as cas- to spoil this concerto |
as 1t is to spoil that other rare wonder. !
the Chopin concerto for the piano. The |
patrons of the orchestra are doubly |
blest in hearing these works rot only |
played, but nobly played, G. V. S.