Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-01-24
CAPACITY HOUSE AT
RED CROSS CONCERT
Metropolitan Opera House
"Sold Out" for Philadelphia
Orchestra Benefit
sTOKOWSKI CONDUCTS
"Request Program" Delights Larg-
est Concert Audience of Year.
Receipts Exceed Expectations.

The Metropolitan Opera House was
literally sold OUT last night for the
benefit performance by the Philadelphia
Orchestra in aid of the Red Cross Al
though some Of the boxes were empty
they had been bought and paid for pre-
viously. Tho money realized far ex-
ceeded the most sanguine expectations
Of the committee in charge but definite
figures are not yet ava,able
Music lovers of az varieties turned
out to attend the concert. The usual
Friday afternoon and Saturday evening
subscribers TO the orchestra for the
first time attended a performance to-
gether, and their rangs were augmented
hy faces seen only at the opera or at
the miscellaneous concerts that help
crowd the season. In addition there
were some few nonconcert-going Red
Cross workers and supporters Of the
humanitarian cause i'm whose behalf the
concert was given. Altogether it was
the most representative and largest au-
dlencc that has ever paid TO attend an
orchestra concert in this city.
Two additional features that added in.
terest to the concert were the facts that
the orchestra's services were donated,
and that the program was n request"
one. The charaCbr Of this latter was
particularly cnlghtoning. 1t showed
the sound musical judgment of tic peo-
pie Of Philadelphia. \ more interesting.
more highly entertaining or better bal
anced program is difficult to imagine.
To Mr.. Stokowsi must go the credit
for the skillful arrangement of the COM
positions chosen. once more he showed
his mastery at program building. We
In Philadelphia have come to take the
programs of the Philadelphia Orchestra
concerts as matter of course, without
once giving a thought to the complete
entity Of each concert. In New York
and Boston the audiences are not nearly
80 we'll favored. as this city has learned
from the periodic visitations of repre-
sentative organizations from those cities
Last nights program follows:
Schuber,
.. AndRnte con motto.
"SBpTSes ae mldi AtTTT dyn faune fSeSS5e SSSssT
Tone poem. "Finlandla" "........... .Sibelius
The orchestra sounded almost like a
different body in the larger auditorium
Metropolitan Opera House is SO far
from Broad and Chestnut streets But
even the finer proportions Of the opera
house could not Of itself account for the
excellent performance. Last nights
concert emphasized again the sterling
qualities of the Philadelphia Orchestra
other Orchestras may excel in particu
lar, specialized direction, but there is
none that gives such consistently fins
concerts throughout the season. Las
night was one of the exceptionally
splendid performances at which the Or
chestra and its conductor won new
glories.
OF the program itself only the "PoomC
de PEXtase" requires special mention
At its second hearing the Skryabir
composition took on more definite form
Perhaps the larger spaces reduced wha
sounded like cacophones In the Acad
eny Of Music 20 more recognizable
melodies and harmonies. There Is rea
struggle between ecstasy and detection
in which the former is victorious aftel
a notable toual dual between horns ant
trumpets. The subject OF ecstacy TN
deed, all the themes and episodes) tint
a goodly share of their melody in th'
rhythn-much as vers libre meets IL
rhyme in rhythm.
Last nights concert was the result o
the Joint efforts of a Red Cross commit
tee consisting of Mrs 4. J. Cassatt, Mrs
Edward T.. Stotesbury and Mrs. Georg
w. Childs DreXel and a committee fror
the philadelphia Orchestra consisting o
Mrs II. T.. Harnall, Dr.. Charles y. Hart
Alexander van Rensselaer, and Arthu
Judson.
Tho hn--hoIlcrs were.