The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-11-15
NEW FIRST VIOLA
WINS HIS AUDIENCE
Rene Pollain Plays "Harold in
Italy" at Symphony So
ciety Concert.
MABEL GARRISON SINGS
philharmonic Orchestra Gives
Programme in Carnegie Hall
in che Evening.
MABEL GARRISON SINGS

Two local orchestras were heard ir
Carnegie Hall yesterday. the Symphony
Society In the afternoon and the Phil.
harmonic In the evening. Mr.. Dam.
rosch invited the attention Of his audi.
ence to the familiar Harold in Italy
symphony of Berlioz. which was chosen
no doubt. to enable the newly engaged
first viola, M. Rene Pollain. TO display
his art. II 80 the choice was fully jus.
titled.
Not In some years has the Harold
symphony had such n satisfactory per
formance. The last previous presenta-
ton rising above the common level was
by the Boston Orchestra toward the
close OF the season of 1e14-15, when
Emil Ferir played the obbligato. But
that performance was not MS finished as
yesterdays
The Symphony Society musicians
showed a transparency and richness OF
tone, a clear pellucid depth, a delicacy
Of nuance and a remarkable control OF
dynamlcs which evoked expressions OF
delight from music lovers. NJ. Pollain
proved himself to be an artist OF the
soundest merit. equipped with a beau
tiful tone and a suave eloquence of de-
livery refreshingiy consenial to all who
cherish an affection for purity and re-
pose in art.
The other orchestral numbers were
Mozart's LOS Petlts Riens' ballet music
and the symphonic excerpt from Cesar
Franck's Redemption" The soloisI
was Mabel Garrison, who sang two mum.
bers. Tho second was Edgar Sthlman
Kelley's california Idyi," which was
heard in public for the first time. A
very pretty and grateful song II proved
to be for any soprano with facility. a
good range and taste. Miss Garrison
sang 1t very we'll indeed.
The first OF her numbers was Mozart'e
concert air, Mia speranza adorata." II
Miss Garrison had done nothing else she
would have convinced her hearers that
Nine. Lange. for whom the air was writ
ten, was q singer Of extended scale and
command OF both canti-
lena and fioridity. Having done that
the young singer should have been salts
fed.
The Philharmonic Society's concert In
the evening was the first Of its series
for the season. The programme was
In effect because 1t con-
tained six numbers These were the
venerable and venerated "Melpomene''
overture Of the dean of American COM
poeers, George Whitfield Chadwick OF
Boston. Dvorak's q major symphony.
Roger -Ducasses symphonic poem "Sar-
abande." heard for the first time in this
Sir Charles Villiers Stanford
tone poem 'Verdun.' produced at the
festival Of last June; Debussy' 8
-Rondes do Printemps" and Tschaikow-
sky's "Marchs Slav."
Mr. Chadwick's overture was good to
hear again for the sake OF its soundness.
The Dvorak's work would have been
more pleasing had Mr.. Stransky been
better acquainted with the tempt. Fur
thermore, the style Of the orchestra was
much too heavy and opaque; but there
was vigor In the last movement.
The Roger-Ducasse number proved to
be one OF the prevailing type of mood
pictures In which neither purposes nor
tonalities are clear. The employment OF
the invisible choir was very skilful and
the character Of the music allotted TO IL
went far toward the establishment OF
a determinable feeling OF wide and mel
ancholy spaces. Just as the Invisible
chorus In "Pelleas ct Melisande" does.
Tho composition was excellently COM
posed in respect OF technic, particularly
In the Instrumentation.
Sir Charles Villiers Stanfords Yer
dun" Is work OF very slight texture
In which fragments OF '~rhe MarseIl-
laise" are used as the chief melodic
material. The work ends with the grea t
anthem In full orchestration. Every one
stood up and there was much applause.