Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-04-06
KNEISEL QUARTET ENDS
DISTINGUISHED CAREER
Final Program and Performance
of Rare Proportions, Graces
and Projections

The Knesel Quartet ended it's dstin-
guished career last evening in witherspoon
Hall with a program and performance OF
distinction fitting the climax in the history
of great musical organization.
For thirty-two years this CLASSIC body of
ensemble players has been making the coun-
try-wide tours. which brought to 1t national
fame and to music lovers of the more inti-
mate quality of chamber music edhcation
and delight, Philadelphia has ever been
one of the most appreclatve and consider
able of its audiences.
Yet like oratoro chamber music has
apparently lost its hold as a self-sufficient
and self-supporting enterprise, and the ap-
peal of works written in the smaller forms
for strings. and occasional supplementing
with woodwind or piano in quntets. SEX
tets and even nonets, has dwindled in popu-
larity with the growth OF our great orChcs-
tras and our expensive opera seasons.
Chamber music is not expensive, but,it does
require money TO maintain ii at high level
IF merit in spirit and substance. The must-
ca times have changed and the public with
them. Modernism has won it's victories, per-
haps of a transient day IL s to be hoped
The famous Kneisels go out of existence as
the leader, DR. Franz knesel. explains,
because the responsibilities Of keeping up
the organization have grown too grave to
he longer borne They have been borne for
three decades by men who have sacrificed
much in the cause of good music. and whose
reward is the glorious but hardly tangible
laurel wreaths of memory. The kneisel
Quartet was founded i'm conjunction with
the Boston symphony Orchestra and like
that organization has contributed notably
and pervasively to the growth OF musical
culture in this country. 1t Is significant to
remember that music as a nationally gen
eral profound and organized institution In
this country has chronology little If any
longer than the chronicles of the Boston
band and the kneise Quartet. Tables show
ing the dates of foundation of the estab-
lished or endowed musical enterprises of
our cities the orchestras, conservatories
festivals, operas. singing clubs, If prepared
would show a prcponderating ma jority or
origins subsequent to the inaugural Of the
Kneisel Quartet thrty-two years ago. In
the developments oi 'his score and a half of
years many of the pioneers have passed
their good work done.
Now comes 1t the turn of the great Knei-
sci Quartet. one of the most jealous and
spiritual missioners of the ovangel of the
music, The ''nunc dimtts" for II is uttered.
1t leaves behind it history. not merely musi-
cal history which is passed through. but
history which it shared in, helped to shape.
There was a sense of sorrow last night in
the final audience assembled to greet and
give godspeed to Franz inesel and his
"ss'r'a,eS' , ,,u '"H'' ''e>e"'N' ""'e'i ""'eN'
anu '''no 'e'~
Hail" well farewell" was in all
hearts For twenty years now imaginative
and spiritual participation In the executive
achievements or the kneisel Quartets pro
grams and peerless playing OF them has
been precious musical possession or the
present writer as indeed 1t was evident
from the attitude and comment of the au
dience, programs and performances and
players were hallowed TO many or It's mem-
bers' This mood 1t may be said was not
the sentiment evoked py tne emo.ioh Oh