New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-11-11
Music
Three Orchestral Concerts
and Two Recitals on
Yesterdays List

Yesterdays musical list comprised
three orchestral concerts and two
pianoforte recitals. Fortunately for
the peace of the popular mind there
was nothing which called for an agi-
tation in favor Of a performance OF
THE Star-Spangled Banner" which is
not our national anthem, since We have
none, but the performances were per-
mited 10 follow their proper and peace
full flow, though, it was played.
There being, apparently. neither az
ternons nor evenings enough in which
the city's music rooms are unoceupied
to accommodate the orchestras twhlcn
must live now for the beneht OF the
coaductorsl, Mr.. Walter Damrosch IN
augurated his new series OF symphony
concerts for children at Aeolian Hall
in the forenoon and gave a concert
Obviously orchetral music is now to
pursue US from the cradle to the grave,
since for years adolescent youth and
maternity have ben amply cared for.
But there must be no controversy
with concerts of q professedly educa-
tional character, like those for chill
dren, which had their beginning yester-
day. Mr. Damrosch made them serve
an excellent purpose by describing the
instruments Of the vlol tribe.
DR.. Lyman Beecher once played the
sold Hundredth' on his violin TO prove
TO plous parishioner that the devll
was not necessarily in a fiddle. Inat
demonstration, we fancy, IS no longer
necessary IN this community, but there
is much else that can be learned from
an exposition of the principles ana
capacities Of the violin.
1t is we'll to know the beauties OF
the largo of Handel and the allegrettoo
scherzando of the eighth symphony OF
Beethoven, and they might as well De
made clear at a concert Tor chlldren as
for grownup5; but it can scarcely ne
said that they were necessary under
the circumstances.
Perhaps, however. Mr.. Damfosch's
happy manner of explaining them and
his story OF MaelZels metronome may
have helped his young listeners 70
understand and enjoy the simple bee-
thoven music. 8,
In the afternoon DR.. Muck presented
a more interesting and more varied
programme than he did on Thursday
evening. II embraced Beethovens y
minor symphony, Sibelius's "Finlandla'
(the political tendency of which IS Just
now a great deal in doubt, Rachmani-
noff's "Island Of the Dead" OF which
perhaps the same remark might be
made, and Enesco's Rumanian KNAPP
sody in A minor. Ordinarily it might
suffice to say of the orchestra's play
ing that il was Of the usual eXtraordl-
nary excellence, but since IL has been
unnecessarily asserted in defence OF
DR.. Nuck's political attitude that the
great merit Of the band belongs to him,
il may be asserted simply IN the IN
terest of historical accuracy that the
Boston Orchestra was technically all
that it now is when its magnificent
foundations were laid by Mr.. Gerlcke,
hong before DR.. Muck had succeeded in
making a mark in Berlin or anywhere
else.
1t has been made neither better nor
worse by the conductors yielding to
the popular clamor for a patriotic eX-
preston, which under the circum-
stances can have no significance of any
kind so far as the organization IS con-
cerned. but may be said TO have some
so far as IL relates to the personal
character of the conductor. Patriotism
is not served by compelling foreigner
to affect American sentiments. II IS
not pleasant to say so, but 1t does not
increase our admiration for DR.. Muck
that he now conducts "The Star-Span- I
gled Banner" whereas at first he was /
indisposed to do so. Why should he?
The orchestra could play it without
him. and we have never quarrelled .
with Mr. Bodansky because he felt
that il would hurt his Austrian feel
ings 10 affect TO be an American.
At his recital in the afternoon Mr..
Rauer, who has not found il necessary
10 assume national position OF any
Kind. played music by Bach, Beethoven
Schumann, Brahms and other com,
oosers whose nationality did not need
10 be inquired into, and played 1t all IN
he beautiful objective spirit which
marked the orchestral music OF the
Boston Orchestra.
He made ms most engaging aPPca'i
perhaps, in his "Waldscenen," by
schumann. One of the finest results
Of the effort of pianists to vivify their
has been the discovery, II
50 il may be called, Of the small TO-
mantle pieces Of Schumann.
In the evening there was third or
,hestral concert, this time by the Sym
phony Society. Il
Most of its music will be repeated
this afternoon, and may then more
property come up for discussion than it
could yesterday. The second piano
forte recital was given in the evening
Dy the youthful player Pa1uita Madri-
guerra. considered by the police too
young to play two years ago, but recog-
nized since as a child of prodigious tai
arts II. L. K.