Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-03-10
MELODY THAT MOURNS
Woe the Theme of Much Music Played
by the Orchestra

The memorial green leaves wreathed for
Fritz Scheel in the lobby of the Academy
yesterday were not the sole emblems Of
woe in evidence. a concert in which sor-
row and suffering predomnated was given.
To be sure, there were exceptions in the
chosen numbers, for Bachs Brandenburg
concerto, the third, was played as an ini-
tial Hail" with the "Huldigungsmarsch"
for Farewell" Neither composition de-
mands or will bear analytical writing at
this time. 1t is enough to say that each
was played with understanding and the Zest
that Mr.. Stokowsh can put into even those
matters which are not of piece with
his rare and radiant temperament.
with four Beethoven songs and Sc
quence by Gustav Mailer to say nothing
Of the Brahms first symphony, the aft
ernoOn heightened out to an hour which
may have been agreeably late to some,
and perhaps a little wearing to others.
Program makers who skimp their patrons,
content with anything that lightens their
work by the clock, are certainly not to be
praised. How about the other side of it?
Isn't it just possible that two and one-half
hours of pre-emnent music is worth three
Of mixed and il-assorted virtues? The in
dividual auditor must determine that ques-
ton for himself and act accordingly.
with all fairness to the eager intellect
that puts much rather than little into his
matnees, some arrangements do seem
shame. At least one writer winces when
the half-divine, magnificenty nodded mel
ody of Brahms in the young flush of his
symphonic talent Is bracketed with avowed
''pot-boiling". like the march of Wagner.
One of Arthur Pryor's initiative musical
jokes could scarcely be less in harmony
with Hamburg's great son.
However, Mr.. Stokowsk plays Brahms
as does no other comparable rival one
might say that he plays Brahms as though
he, the leader were Tschaikowsky perform
ing before thousand Schumanns and
Chopins, The First symphony. given here
twice before during this season, never pals,
any more than shining and wondrous
statue Other musicians leave this statue
of art mobile and nude and antique" Still
others try to put crowns on its head. Mr.,
Stokowski, loving the dimmed outline and
penetrating the secret of it's power, drapes
It i'm the mantle of his own weaving. And
behold, the symbol of man stirs beneath the
folds and is made man and lives. That Is
what the romantic intuition does for great
art il turns cold stone into flesh that can
laugh and adore and give utterance to
tears
Tears are the whole substance of the
Mailer Observation-Disclosures" that Elena Ger
hart elected to sing as her second offering
of the afternoon. Here one finds the COM
poser of the eighth symphony and OF the
strange and haunting Song ofs Earthly
Woe" at his most Maherian, which is not at
| all his best. Perhaps the hardest thing
to convey In poetry or melody is elegy for
a child Certainly 1t has not been con-
yeyed with complete success in this cycle.
| Blame can be laid on the versher Ruckert
| whose pathetic stanzas provided the word
basis for the music. But the whole AFFAIR Is
| one of killing monotony which fails to
make it's point. Ciceronian repetition is not
what IL once was. So the grief OF Mailer
| finally bears such an emphasis that II is not
| even quite decent. IL, moves in the mood OF
|. lament, but 1t does not get anywhere. II
was not for this that celesta and harp were
| Invented and adapted. OF course Nine. Ger
hardt sang the hve songsAwith her usual
power and individual touch-qualities that
came out more brilliantly in the Beethoven
numbers. These were in execution real art.
An artist such as Gerhardt can afford to
disregard the cheap spplause-catching de-
/ vices of bel canto For she IL priestess and
poetess OF human Joy and sorrow not a
vocal freak The support given her by the
orchestra reached its climax In the thrilling
beauty Of "pie Ehrs qottes." which (pursly
| " ~ Wox) Wa most ex{Faqr&1nerIlx lfnnl1