The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-04-23
b. W. J. HENDERSON.
HE musical season Of l9l5-l6

"HEm musical season OF l9lo-lS -
almost at its end. There will
be a few more concerts II
Is b. no means. improbable that
some Of them will he interesting. But
so far as the memorable r~eiterations of
the daily press are concerned with
them they might rs well not he. The
newspaper will take note Of them as
items In the news Of the day. As fac
tors in the movements of art they will
be negligible.
Since we face the conclusion of n
of the busiest of musical seasons we
may we'll pause to make "a retrospect
and inquire what has been accom-
plished. That IL has been a continually
occupied season no one car deny; that
Il has been q rich season Is widely open
to dispute. The truth Is that little evil
dence Of creative productivity has been
brought to public notice since the first
concerts were given In early October.
We have heard q vast quantity Of
music. mostly old, but not n little new.
The closest scrutiny Of the records has
failed to yield to the present writer the
titles OF a dozen compositions worthy
OF reconsideration at this time. 1t
should be understood. however. that
opera Is excluded from this review.
The opera season receives its own ex-
animation Immediately after its close.
We now have to do with the musical
Opera House as such.
The novelties which still seem inn
portant are John Alden Carpenters
Adventures With IA Perambulator,"
produced by Walter Damrosch On Mo-
vemher 5: Schoenberg's Hammer
symphonic" given by the Society Of
the Friends of Music on November IL.
and by Mr.. Danrosch again OF Feb
ruary "a: Mahler's Songs Of a Wan
dering Wayfarer." sung by Marcia
van Dresser on February s: Eresco's
octet. produced by Mr.. Kneisel ON
February 8. and Mahler's eighth SYM
phony, given by the Society OF the
Friends of Music OH April .. Second
AIRY consideration might be awarded to
Max Rogers new variations. IN
verses Peace Pipe" and Walter DAM
rosch's "Iphigenia'' music. At any
rate these three works retur to the
memory as claiming recognition
among the admired things Of the sea
son
II TIKI suns commentator were
queried as to his own personal choice
for first place among these concert
novelties he would unhesitatingly
award It to Mr.. Carpenters suite. OF
al the new music produced since the
season began and associated from the
theatre this possessed the most spon.
taneity. the l~iveliest imagination, the
most artistic adaptation of technic to
expression and the most clearly
marked individuality OF style. The
nature Of the subject permitted the
composer to reveal also a humor so
unctuous. so natural and so fresh
that it brought delight to the most
faded hearers. Mr.. Carpenter Ia an
American. His music is his avocation.
He is professedly a business man.
but. thanks to beneficent nature, not
a tired one. II is a source Of graft
fication to the writer to feel that
among more ~pretentious works prof.
Tered by foreign musicians this lyric
utterance OF Mr.. Carpenters Joyous
whimsies commands his warmest ad.
miration.
Mr.. Mahler's ponderous eighth
symphony SO recently fell upon our
astounded ears that 1t hardly calls for
further consideration. The work IL
one OF fervent aspiration and profound
intellectually. But IL fails entirely to
attain the directness OF utterance and
symmetry Of form which are essential
to art creations OF the first rank.
Mahler's songs above mentioned con-
tain far more genuine inspiration and
real beauty.
III Schoenberg "Kammersymphonie'
belongs to the kind OF music which IL
caviar to the general. The time has
not yet arrived when the general con-
certgoer will patiently listen to the
intricate harmonic developments Of
the progressives, although it is i'm
possible TO tell how close the time
is. The writer heard a cheerful and
happy looking man whistling the "Pe.
trouchka' motive through the corridor
OF the Opera House a few nights back.
Presently the boys In the street may
whistle the music Of the critics in
"Heldenlehen' and then children may
begin to ask mother to sing the pretty
tunes in the 'kammersymphonie.H
But We have got to make up our
minds to listen to this sort Of music
and to give it JUDICIAL consideration.
We have no right to demand tina the
composer shall pattern his creation
after that Of some other man or body
of men. All We must do Is 20 examine
the novelty and try to ascertain
whether 1t rests upon a sound artistic
principle and whether ii Is built con-
slstently with its own rules. SchOen-
berg's music has its W methods, and
its purposes are by no means dificult
to perceive. Whether we shall learn
to regard the idiom of its utterance as
. form ~ beautiful lyric speech ~
something that cannot now he told.
What can be said Ia that the closing
season has been richer In It's disclosure
OF influential personalities than its
harvest OF publications. Like the
season OF l9l4-i5 this one has been
seriously affected by the lamentable
conditions existing in the world. We
nave been overstocked with artists OF
the hrst rank in certain departments
ana we have lost something of our
sense or proportion. Such "A season
Was quite hopeless for young ana
3. promising Interpreters, who in better
circumstances would have made them