New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-12-19
This Is WheatIess "Wednesday
Music
Musical Art Society Gives
Twenty-6fth Anniversary
Concert

The twenty-ffth anniversary concert
of ,he Musical Art Society, given last
night at Carnegie Hall under the d.
rection of DR.. Frank Damrosch, brought
forward a quantity Of delightful and
unfamiliar music. Il is TO these con-
ccrts, perhaps more than to any other
in New York's musical season, That
the curious and devoted music lover
wcnds his way. For in them one iinds
the best music Of those styles winch
have long gone out of fashion, or o.
those types which do not lend them
selves readily 10 ordinary concert per-
Torrance
Last nights recital surpassed In its
inherent interest any that memory can
recall in several seasons. Inc most
novel item on the programme was
Friedrich Hoses setting for Heine's
ballad. The Pilgrimage to kevlaar,'
composed about 1906, and not previous
ly heard in this country. In this
curious form the story Is told by q
narrator. Miss Edith Wynne Matthison,
and is acted, SO TO speak, by the
choruses, the organ and the orchestra.
The form is highly dramatic, and APP
pears to be worthy Of more frequent
cultivation. Hoses music depicts the
most picturesque moments OF the story
in highly theatrical terms, and with a
thick Wagnerlan technique. reheVed oy
the Uturcical chants and popular
chorales. which supply the musical
background OF the cathedral scene.
The two groups of French religious
folkson-s. especially that arranged IoE
organ accompaniment by Ladmrauit'
breathed an antique beauty by reason
Of the ouasi-liturgical harmonies gwen
10 them. In this respect they accorded
STRANGELY with the lJ0th Psalm ana
the Guam Benignus by the sixteenth
century comuosers. Sweelinck and III
Iasso. This latter music, OF type
ali too seldom heard, is difficult TO
appreciate at first hearing, because
though it is essentially polyphohlc III
its writing. it is instlnctiyely aeeep'eu
as harmonic or "chordaI by modeih
cars. DR.. Damrosch, however, Kept inc
parte commercially free and distinct
But if Ladmirault took permIss' Die
nrivileges with his folk-tunes, Mr. IL.
T. Burleigh, in his arrangements io !,
some remarkable negro "splrltualS'
went TO the disllusioning limit OF
"idealization." and was abetted by Dr.:
Damrosch, who lost the last trace OIL
uerroid flavor in his readings.
Flgar,s "Death on the Hills Is a
clever representative Of a type OF de
Scrintivo unaccompanied choral music
which this composer has more than
oncc attempted with success. But Ber-
lioz's seldom performed choral setting
Of Huro's Sara la Baigneusc' was the
vorthiest Of all the modern music. a
niece strangely potent, albeit bit
cr-rhetorical, in It's dangerous sweet
ness. In this admirable and difficult
work the small chorus Of the society
was Mt its best,
Tho society was assisted by the
cboirs of tho Madison Avenue VI. r.
Church and the Calvary Episcopal
Church. and by the New York SYM
ubonv Orchestra. The extended pro-
rramtne notes. which Mr.. II. L. kreh-
biel prepared, succinctly comprised the
BACKGROUND information necessary to
the enjoyment of the music.
The Salzedo Harp Ensemble. consist
ing of Carlos Salzedo and six young
women. gave a concert Yesterday after
noon in Aeolian Hall. What the harp
can do outside its inclusion in an or
chestra was we'll established by the
Ensembles playing of compositions by
Rameau, Couperin, Daudrlcu, Debussy
and Salzedo, and by Mr.. Saizedo's own
CARNATIONS on an Old Style Theme"
Miss Marcia Van Dresser sang very
effectively five Greek folksongs OF
Maurice Raveps and Duparc's Inv
tation au Voyage" both to the accom-
paniment Of the Ensemble.
IN short. the Ensemble - an organi-
zation well trained and well directed.