Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-02-10
HAIL, PROGRAM MUSIC!
Story and Picture in Vivid Musical
Form at Academy Yesterday Afternoon

Some concerts are easy to listen to" and
hard to describe. Others (say those of
Doctor Muck are the reverse. OF the for
mer nature was that given by the Phladel-
phia Orchestra yesterday. II was essen
TALLY program" afternoon. Scarcely a
number came to life that did not have its
picture, its motto, it's plot. Now one need
hardly add that such program did not pos
sess the supremest merits. Absolute"
music thated by the lovers of the dramatic
and revered by their opponents) had small
place at matinee that comprised the noble
(but pictoriaD "Alceste" overture. the lilt-
ing eighth symphony Of Beethoven, the
am-haunted Swan OF Tuonela" and the
robustous and theatrically pathetic La
ment and Triumph of Tasso." II anything
Of story value was found necessary besides
these eminently concrete pieces. it was af-
f'.rded in the things which that admirable
baritone, Reinald Werrenrath sang.
1t may be true that Mr. Werrenrath Is
the great proofroom eluder, but 1t is equally
true that the singer cannot elude the praise
that goes to splendid unaffected sonorous,
dramatic vocalism. Lacking the great"
note of believing operate tenors, Mr.. Wer-
renrath has this to content him: the fine,
smooth delivery of the best schooling the
cltan-carved personality that all concert
singers must possess. and the distinction
of literary as we'll as musical understanding.
1t was a real treat to hear George w. Chad
Sir Walter Scott so ringingly delivered.
All praise TO the Interpreter. which must
be withheld from the composer. For the
truth OF the matter is that Mr.. Chadwick
has been so hypnotized by the rushing. the
atrical spell Of the poem that he has for
gotten his rubrlc OF musicianshp. His
little composition reeks of the playhouse
lacking nothing of impulse or impetus,
Young Lochnvar' still rather irrtates,
then satisfies, on such an afternoon. with
romantic costume for Mr. Werrenrath
and little red fire In the wings the illu-
sion of miniature opera would have been
complete.
The sololst also gave the Immortality at
tractive serenade from Don Giovanni" g."
voiced with capital feeling and divining
vocal production, and a recitative and aria
from The Marriage of Figaro" Let us
hope that Mr. Gatti will soon transplant
hither his new production OF this luscious
work-not heard In Philadelphia since the
Dippel performance with Maggie Teyte
Carolina White and Mario Sammarco
The central feature of the concert was
the eighth symphony of Beethoven. No one
who knows the manner in which Mr.. Sto-
kowslu plays the scores of the romantics
can doubt that he extracted some essence
of beauty from this, the solitary caper of
the symphonic master Neither can II be
disputed that he failed to get to the primal
motive OF the work. 1t Is @ curiously con-
trasted series OF moods, this creation. Broad
farce succeeds sublime humor. worthy of
THE Mastersingers." and strange and in
trusive wlstfulness is interblent with the
| major frolicking Yesterday the sentiment
seemed bought rather dearly at the expense
Of the cosmic fun. Obviously, the orchestra
was not in the vein.
The recovery came with 'The Swan -
This Is the sort Of thing that the conductor
does supremely. His reading OF the LIsxf
number but reiterated his power for brill
lance and nagninoence II was proof
~ hia own. especlaI. highly oolorsd taisnts,