New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-03-19
A Fairy Tale GRATED on
a Russian Symphony
Concert.
LAST APPEARANCE OF
BOSTON ORCHESTRA
Two Saturday Concerts Which
Demanded Comment
Weary Bostonians.
By II. r. KRFHBIEL.

OF the two orchestral concerts given
in Carnegie Hall yesterday the most
interesting, because OF its offerings,
was that of the Russian symphony
Society in the evening. About all OF
the brilliancy in the last OF its con-
certs by the Boston Symphony 0rches-
ira, in the afternoon, was confined to
the last number Of the programme
the prelude TO the "Meistersinger." In
the Beethoven symphony, No. 2 in d,
the band played perfunctorily. as II
DR.. Muck and his men were a-weary
of the world and more thoughtful Of
the bean pots of Boston than the music
they were making. DR.. Muck's tempo
in the slow movement dragged it out
one-third longer than the composer in
tended it should be and the rightly OF
the beat robbed il of all expressive
charm. The Academic Overture" of
Brahms went better but there was not
the precision to which the men from
Boston have accustomed US. Interest
was quickened a trihe by the unfa
miliar music on the programme, Con
certante symphony in E-hat for violin
and viola by Mozart, which was playci
in a very agreeable manner by Anton
Witek and Emile Ferir. Between this
work and Beethoyen's symphony there
was a pretty kinship in spirit, espc-
cially in the last movement, much the
most charming and spontaneous OF the
three. Why did one Of its themes call
back 10 mind the second subject Of the
symphony?
There was nothing TO invite COM
ment. certainly not favorable comment,
in the playing OF the orchestra at the
Russian concert, but considerable in
dUcement 10 discussion more than the
concert givers knew, prObably-in the
The last OF the pieces was
T Relationships Pathetic" symphony,
which has been played so often Of late
that its very name has become night
mare TO those who, like Coleridge's
guest, cannot choose but
hear" Let US not talk about that when
there is so much metal more attractive.
concert-Overture "On Three Grecian
Themes" by Glazunof. opened the list;
then came transcription for orches-
ira. made by Modest Altschuler, of four
pieces by Rachmaninof. Be-
fore and after this music came the
unique feature Of the evening per
formances By Russian artist named
Sascha a. G., Alexander Notitchenko
on an instrument called a tympannon,
which I'm it's primitive form Is OF vast
and in the form seen last
night is the subject OF an interesting
chapter of musical history. In connec-
ton with this concert at least IT has
also been the object of good deal OF
romancing, which ought TO be exposed
in the interest OF historical verify. OF
that something more presently.
Gazunoif's overture. composition
dating back 10 his student days, proved
to have for its themes three folksongs
of the modern Greeks borrowed from
Ducoudray' "Irente Melo.
dies Populaires de Greece et d'Orient."
The first was the exquisite Smyrnlan
Cradle which Nine. Sembrich intro
duced into our concert rooms, ana
with which she never failed 10 create
A deep impression. Forty years ago
Lafcadio Hesrn sent the song TO this
writer, with the comment: perhaps
my mother sang this TO me when WAS
a baby. changing daughter 20 son.
The melody, with It's plalntive Groom,
like the eternal mourning OF the
formed the introduction to
the overture, and REQUIRED at its close.
Its Oriental intervals were set OIL
a painst the strictly Occidental diatonic
scale of the third melody, which Bour-
gault-Ducoudray collected IN Athens.
The young Russian composer did niue
with the melodies in the way OF
thematic treatment, though he mar
mon d and orchestrated them pleas,
antlv. I'm this respect his work formed
"A marked contrast with that which NJ
Altschuler expended on Rachmanlnoh :
fantasia composed for two planofortes.
And now, 10 spoil the fairy tales
which Mr.. Votitchenko has woven
around his instrument and the music
which he plays upon II. The duty seems
imperative. and is rendered somewhat
painful by the fact that the entertain
ment By an obviously gifted artist
is of singular charm and not at / IN
need Of the adventurous help OF the
methods which the gentle
man has resorted 20. and in which he
enlisted the help Of news writer or
this paper Here is the story when
Mr.. Votitchenko tells about hlmself,
his instrument and some Of the music
which he plays: lie is q direct de-
scendant OF Pantaleon Hebenstreit,
Russian musician, who invented the
instrument. which he calls the tym-
panon: that Hebenstreit played his IN
strument at the house Of Ninon de
L'Enclos and at the court of Louis
XIV; that the Grand Monarque was so
charmed with Hebenstreit's instru-
ment that he gave it the name
"pantaleon" in honor OF the in.
ventor. and when Hebenstreit married
one Of the court ladies the King
had beautiful pantaleon made and
gave it 20 the lady as bridal gift.
That this instrument was carried back
BY Hebenstreit 70 his home. in Little
Russia, and was handed down from