New-York tribune., 1918-01-27
A Book About the Orchestra

VIOLIN? The bit of flannel above the
tongue in the jack of spinet, vireinal
and harpsichord does not "softcn" the
tone of the pluckcd string; it stops it,
exactly as the dampcr Of the pianoforte
does. Have valve trumpets "stops"? Is
the Wartburg "celcbrated for the leg
end Of Tannhauser"? In Wagner's
opera. yes, but not in legendary lit
erature or folksong. Nobody, unless it
be Miss Singleton, knows what ancient
Egyptian music was like, and archaol.
ogsts and historians have always won~
dercd how the immense harps define
atcd IN ancient mural paintings could
stand the strain Of tense strings, the
instrument having no front pillar. But
Miss Singleton knows that the big
Egyptian harp, with it's dull, heavy,
thudding sounds, was characteristic of
Egyptian music, and Verdi has marvel
lously reproduced this effect in his
opera Of "Aida." Finally, we regret
that Mr.. Damrosch permitted q mis-
statement Of fact as we'll as a bit Of
pompast and braggadocio to pass with
out correction in this sentence: "Way-
ner's criticisms in his Art of Conduct
i ing show that the orchestras Of Euronc
even the famous ones-gave inter-
pretations of the classic composer that
we Americans would not tolerate, for it
IS no eXaggeration to say that the or.
cnestras OF our country have for many
years been the most brilliant, the most
finished and the most poetic in the
world. This condition we owe to the
guiding minds and high artistic aims
OF tne versatile and intellectual con-
ductors who have developed our SYM
phony orchestras and to the fact that
no national prejudice prevents them
from taking the best players from anv
country-the wood-wind from France
and Belgium, the strings from Austria.
the brass from Germany. together with
an ever-increasing number of young
Americans who show adaptability in
all the orchestral groups" Now let
tho orchcstras Of the Paris Conserya.
tolre, the Leipsic Gcwandhaus and the
Vienna and Berlin Philharmonic con-
certs hide their diminished head An
oracle has spoken.
Constantine Won Sternberg, once a
denizen Of New York, but for many
years teacher Of the pianoforte in
Philadelphia, has written a little boot,
en- Ethics and Esthetics of Piano
Playing" and it has been printed bv G.
Schlrmer (New York and Boston,.
fasslng over an Introductory chapter
OF Philosophical character on "Nfan
and Art" we reach a deal Of sound
practical common sense in a discussion
OF The lnterprctative Artist" Com
mendation will go out from everv Sc.
rlous connolsseur to the man who
1aults current music making because of
ats indifference to the intentions of the
composer and the disregard of tho hear.
er's right to an honest Interpretation
Inc amount of singing that is done
with no higher aim than to displav the
voice OF the singer or the singers
Iaryngeal dexterity may be inferred
from the sad circumstance that the
vast majority of operagoers are nc
longer attracted by the opera itself
put are interested in and applaud only
inc famous vocalists who figure in it.
1T IS still worse with piano playing
nc singer who ignores the composers
ideas may still, and often does. show a
compensating respect for his audience
by a lavish display Of the scnsuous
charms Of his we'll trained voice Plan.
's'.s fail rssSer often 10 grant their