The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-05-15
AIRS OF THE FUTURE
ARE HEARD AGAIN
0~rnstein, Pianist, and Miss
BarstOw, ViOlinist, Play in
Aeolian Hall.
CONCERT Is INTERESTING

II would perhaps have been unfor-
tunate. or at any rate regrettable. II the
%protracted season Of music, which be-
gan early In October and ID not yet
finished. should have passed away with
out another exhibition Of the art work Of
the future. with all Its characteristic en-
vironments Of long hair. melancholy
nan and amazing frocks. II was
therefore pleasant to attend q concert
given in Aeolian Hall yesterday after
noon by Leo Ornstein. futurist pianist.
and Vera Barstow. violinist.
They began their proceedings with a
performance OF a sonata by Mr.. Orn-
stein. The composition Is In the con-
ventional o u movements. II has ar
andante and even n scherxo. and the lat
ter. Just like those of Beethoven, has
a trio. Nor does the dread shadow of
the past fail to cast It's gloom even still
further over this sonata. For he II
observed that while II Is practicable to
make any kind OF an agglomeration
OF notes sound on q piano. II cannot be
don on a violin. A futuristic com.
poser is %hampered greatly by the re-
qulrements of the instrument.
Yet was the adventurous spirit OF
N's ~ Nv NV ~ e ttbtttIu
the violin to sing. and cling 1t did. es-
pecially In the andantc, with the voice
of Debussy and the sons d'un cor
dams lie foret." Meanwhile the piano part
modulated ~piquantly up hill and down
dale. from tonality to tonality to the
g~ateways Of the scale. And II was all
interesting. for everything new In music
10 interesting.
But 1t was even more than that
SappAttn,no NJ Iva thA nyInntA Nan
downright beautiful. but one persisted In
thinking of "Peleas ct Melisande' and
Les Cloches" and such matters. which
should have nothing to do with Mr.
Ornstein and his dreams Again there
were moments Of discouragement. al
when the trio OF the scherzo became
positively like unto the lyricism OF
Dvorak and swiftly descended into til,
commonplace. which is Of course fata
for n futurist.
And the last movement was exceed
ingly thin. But it was also short hence
It was not out of proportion. The sonata
as a whole left the nearer still unsatis
fed. II could not rave been because
there were no iinal c~adences. for on
learns rather 10 object to such things II
futurist music. II was perhaps be
cause when a movement without warn
ing just quit on a suspension. one sud
Nenly DeCdIUe aware tHdt tucEc WAS -
little to suspend.
Miss Barstow played some solos. amon'
them three Russian Impressions an
two Miniatures" all composed by MI
Ornstein, and also two pieces by Luigi 20
HUNTS and Mr.. ~Spalding's much TRAVELLED
Alabama" Mr.. Orstein also played solos
all but one composed by ancien,s O
the earth. Rubinstein. Grleg. L!sz'
Chopin, Sinding. and ending with
Shakespearian celebration IN the shap
Of Liszt's transcription Of Mendelssohn'
fairies from midsummer Night
Dream"
Both players played we'll. Miss Bar
stow with much beauty OF tone an
with temperament. n Mr.. Ornstei
with that ran and at times baf'in
mixture OF brilliant v~irtuosi,y an
whimsical exagReration. His idiosy II
crasies never quite leave him and the
affect much OF his playing to its detri
ment. But his technic and tone Ar
Of the irst order.