The Washington times., 1918-12-18

enables them to let the orchestra
carry them into realms made real
through the varied language of the
great orchestral speech. These paint
ings in tone he limned in a charm
ing program that contained, for or
chestra.e the scenic music OF the
Brahms third symphony. a 'Serenade"
for strings by Tschaikowsky, in four
movements, and a novelty-"Two
Belgian Folk Songs" by De Greet
wandering through a maze OF national
pictures that spoke in the sympathetic
harmony of music this universal Ian
guage of beautiful sound.
Dance Spirit In Concert.
There was a spirit of the dance
throughout the concert of tempera-
mental peoples. And in them all the
orchestra played with rich and sinu-
Gus charm. The old folk qualities and
Brahms harmonies of the symphony,
the alluring waltz, and the episodes
so full of melody and sweeping
rhythms, were exquisitely played. ris-
ing in the syncopated finale to a
rhythmic climax.
In the Tschaikowsky "Serenade" this
same ingratiating suavity threaded
its way through execution of the
greatest delicacy and fineness. The
waltz was delightful. while he took
the sedate Elegie into a humorous
gay fugue in the finale that held a
presto rarely delivered and resolved
into a mood of mock seriousness.
Josef Hoffman, always seems to
surpass himself. He played the List
Concerto with all the beauty, the vel
vet touch. the ripping passages of its
80 hv.A nf
which the art of the piano seems capa-
ble And then he builds monu-
mentally. executing. in truly great
orchestral color, this music OF vital
themes and rare tone qualities. And
to this great mastery of this ever
pianistic artist, the orchestra gave en-
chanting color and texture and al
ways the charm of its melody and its
typical character.
The second Belgian folk song, of
De Greet, was particularly rich in in
strumentation and fascinating in a
covered Spanish dance.
Second Explanatory Concert.
The evening concert was the second
OF the explanatory series being given
by Mr.. Damrosch for the Washington
Society of the Fine Arts in the audi,
torium Of the Central High School.
with the~fu orchestra of the SYM
phony Society to illustrate it.
Going from the pure classic beauty
of the Gluck overture to 'Tphigenie
en- Aulide," Mr.. Damrosch gave the
most Russian OF Russian symphonic
second symphony OF BorodiDe-"the
composers" Fascinating music that
contained, through Mr.. Damrosch's
word painting. a whole dramatis
personae. And rarely did they play
the FACILITATING rhythms," the swift,
hurried "Prestissimi" of the Scherzo.
or the vibrant yet lucid and slow trio
like clear lake in those. prairies
OF Russia"
AS poet interpreter, Mr.. Damrosch
gives one a host of fancies and as
master musician. whether at the piano
or in he7conducting of his players.
he lets the music unfold them in an
Illuminating array. And as q whim-
steal creator of fairy tales in tone. he
gave the excerpts from RaveTs
Mother Goose Suite" with a Chinese
story told in the Chinese scale-that
is also the Scotch scalei The magic
of this music concluded with infinite
charm a feast Of music made richer
by the power to convey his message
that Mr.. Damrosch gives in words,
and the orchestra fulfills in deeds.
]. Mach.