New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-02-24
Music Of Yesterday
Polite Performance by the
Philharmonic Society and a
Delightful Archaic En-
tertainment
By ". r. kREHBEIL

By VI. r. kREHBEIL
Orchestral concerts are now nearly
as plentiful in New York as movie
picture shows; and some Of them are
almost as interesting. The equivalent
Of the emotional warmth which the
near view of the heroine with the roll
ing eyes offers IN most of the picture
plays was absent from the meeting Of
the Philharmonic Society in Carnegie
Hall yesterday afternoon; but, being
in the list of subscription affairs, IT
assumed a classical pose and was at
least prim, polite and proper in pro-
gramme and performance, though II
gave as little emotional warmth to the
lover of music ss the ordinary KSrsddl
concert Of Germsny's watering places.
Bach's splendid d major Suite, which
has been in the repertory Of the soei
ETY. since 1853, opened the concert (the
programme which had been previously
played on Thursday evening". and the
"Eroica" symphony Of Beethoven was
its concluding number. Between the
archaic Suite and Beethoven's quasi
romantic creation, Haydn's oxford
Symphony in was unwound from It's
spool with all the decorousnoss which
might have been expected from a New
England spinster of the last century.
As to what happened after its first
movement we can not say, for there
was metal more attractive which called
for attention from the reviewer else
where.
Contrived a VirtuOso
But before commenting on the after
happening, II may be mentioned, SIM
ply as matter of minor history, that
there being no virtuoso attraction IN
this strictly classical concert, Mr..
Stransky contrived one by transform
ing the famous second movement of the
suite into a violin solo played by Dir.
Plzer), with refrain, in defiance of
text and tradition. but in perfect har-
mony with RursddL traditions. Per-
haps il would be churlish 10 protest
against this perversion of a classic. IN
view of the fact that we have an i'm
preston that MIR. Thomas sometimes,
in his popular concerts, at least, used
TO let all his first violins play the air
on the string and give the accom-
paniment TO the wind instruments.
That version. however, is not tradi-
ton Of the Philharmonic Society,
which was ordinarily scrupulous IN us
observance of classic texts.
The matter which called for serious
attention simultaneously with the PhL-
harmonic's concert was an entertain
ment as delightful as 1t was instruc-
tive from n historical point Of view, by
the Societe des instruments Anciens
at the Little Theatre, in West Forty
fourth Street. For the first time since
its coming here the little organization
was heard in a proper environment,
and il was agreeable to observe now
the appreciation of its excellence and
the charm of the music which was
brought forward was Increased by that
circumstance.
The composition of the programme
was like that Of its predecessors
Nearly all of the music fell into the
cars of its hearers as novelties. but
suggestive of things not altogether
strange because Of the echoes reeog-
nized in the works of compositions
which to the students of the classics
are as household words. This was
especially true of the jocose move
ment Of the opening composition. a
so-called symphony by Bruni. whose
acquaintance We made at the concert
of the club given under the auspices
of the Society of the Friends OF
Music. Here the suggestion of
Beethovenian Scherzo was amusIngly
obvious. though this needed 20 cause
no surprise. since long before Bruni
died the form and spirit of the
Scherzo had been established by the
master symphonist.
Reminder of Beethoven
There was again a reminder OF the
shirt Of Beethoven and his arustc
son Schubert in the theme and varl@-.
tions by Nicolay attributed to the year
1886 on the programme), but the me
flower of archaism, music without
sophistication. was found in the soma
tina by Lorenziti tl74O-l7s4l called
ola Chase" with its suggestions OF
the jocund fourishes Of the hunting
horn. PLAYED by VI. Cassadesus on the
viol d'amore. and the ballet lie Pays
du Tendre," by Destouches, when
wound up the afternoons pleasures
As before. Nine. Patornis performances
on the harpsichord not only rlvalled IN
interest those Of NJ. Cassadesus on ms
but the manner IN which
she sympathetically blended its tones
with those of the stringed instruments
in the concerted numbers made one
wonder why the old quilted instrument
had ever been superseded by the piano
forte as the companion Of Instruments /.
of the viol family. As large is the won
der that the viol d'amore was ever per-
mitted to fall into desuetude. Both are
needed in modern music and both Will .
surely return.