Evening journal., 1916-02-15
PHILA. orchestra
CLOSES ITS Season
Lighter Music Made Up
Part Of Closing Concert; Miss
Gates, Soprano, PleaSeS
PLAY IN WILMINGTON
AGAIN NEXT SEASON

Before an audience that completely
filed The Playhouse, the Philadelphia
Orchestra gave its fourth concert last
night with the assistance Of Lucy
Gates. soprano. It was the closing
concert Of the season. The orchestra
is to play in Wilmington again next
season, according to the plans already
made
Leopold Stokowski, the director. is
one Of the few conductors of the day
who impresses one as being fired with
genuine inspiration. He possesses not
only musicianship of the most thor
ough. well-rounded character, but he
has besides a degree of personal
magnetism that puts him in class
with such men as Nikisch and TOs-
canini. II any proof of these state
ments were needed, now that Will
mingtOnians have fortunately had
such ample opportunity to judge OF
his publications, the concert last night
would certainly have furnished it,
The program was an ideal one of
its kind. True enough, il contained
nothing of any very profound musi-
cal significance, but it was so ad
mirably balanced and the numbers
were such excellent examples Of all
that is brilliant and obviously beauti-
ful in music, that the performance
created an unusual sense of satisfac-
ton.
The program was opened with an
exquisite reading Of Cherubinis too
seldom heard "Anacreon." an episode
but none the less interesting work.
The Smyphany Of the evening" Men
delssohn's in A minor, generally
known as the Scotch" Symphony,
was played in a way that left nothing
to be desired, the Scerzo and AgadiO
having been especially fine.
The other orchestral numbers were
Berlioz's brilliantly colOred Carnival
Romain." Percy Grainger's delightful
molly on the Shore. and Sir Edward
Cigars stirring "POmp and Circum-
stances"
Miss Gates received an unusually en-
thusiastic reception. Her voice is uner
ringly truthful and of agreeable timbre
Her upper register is notably good, hcl
top notes being perfectlyclear, sure anG
of excellent carrying power.
She acquitted herself well in the "mal
scene from "Lucia but it was in the
"Bcll Song" from Delibes' "Lakme,
that she did her best work, the latte
being a last-minute change, by request
Miss Gates adhered TO her policy OF no
singing in response to an eRcore.
The closing program was more or les
of popular numbers and the orchestr'
has seldom been heard To better adyan
tagc. Mr.. StOkowski demonstrated all
solutc control over his musicians, pro
ducing entrancingly beautiful lyric ef
fects or swinging into stirring dramati
climaXcs, al with the utmost facility
unfailing dignity and the sort of assuI
ance that bespeaks sympathy and in
sight.
This orchestra i'm many respects
stands unexcelled. particularly in the
rich, mellow quality of the strings
No other in the country is better
qualified TO present for the first time
the great Mahlers Eighth Symphony
Just as no other conductor in the
United States is better fitted to di
rect this noble work than Stokowski
Incidentally, the performance o
Mahlers Eighth symphony in Phila
delphia on the night of March vii
be one of the important events of thu
musical season there.