New-York tribune., 1918-11-01
Music
+ irst Of a Long Series of
Symphony Concerts-A
New Trio
By Fl. f. Krehbiel

ent season by local and visiting organ
lzatlons, and the first Of these was
given by the Symphony Society, under
the direction of Walter Damrosch, at
Carnegie Hall yesterday afternoon. It's
programme as originally planned was
changed, partly to its betterment, by
the excision of Bach suite and by the
substitution Of Mr. Leo Ornstein as the
solo pianist for Ossip Gabrlowitsch
and the introduction of MacDowell's
concerto in minor in place of Tschai-
kowsky's in B fat. The other numbers
were Heethoven's Seventh Symphony
and two movements from Debussy's
string quartet, the andantino and
scherzo, played by all the strings of
the band.
This feature was the most interest
ing and, IN sense, the most delightful
OF the entertainment, showing, as it
dld, the greatest care in preparation,
the greatest finish in performance and
providing a test of the quality of the
fundamental body of the orchestra.
the substra tum of its tone Devoted
and highly cultivated lovers of cham
Der music are pretty generally agreed
that much OF the essential charm of
quartet music vanishes when its
voices are multiplied, and this seemed
tricky scherzo; but conductors de-
light TO resort to this device when
they can thereby publish the quality
OF their string choir or exhibit its
technical proficiency. Both of these
aims We're achieved by Mr.. Damrosch,
the latter IN the etfervescent jocose
movement, the former in the andantino.
which was peculiarly lovely in feeling
and sensuously luscious.
MacDowell's second concerto had its
lrst performance at a concert of Theo-
dore Thomas's Orchestra in March,
1853, when, as was remarked by The
Tribune's reviewer, it had the good
fortune Of an accompaniment whcl,
Tut no letters upon it. 1t is rather
/ turgidly and gloomily orchestrated at
times, and yesterday the hand weighed Il
so heavily upon the pianoforte part
that much Of The solo work sounded
Ike cropping in the dark, the pas
ages obscured and the rhythms dulled
or deadencd. Time was when conduc-
tors had a better realization than they
have now Of the fact that there can
and ought to be an adjustment of The
differing volumes Of a solo instrument
and the orchestral cohorts, even if
composers have wrought change in
the relationship which they occupied
toward each other in the classic period.
To employ the entire army of strings
all the time. regardless of the nature
Of the solo part, is to crush the life
Of the latter, despite the fact that the
rianoforte has become monster Of
steel.
Mr.. Ornstein's presence removed a
suspicion of Teutonic taint which
might have adhered to the concert
from Mr.. Gabrilowitsch's not too re-
mote record, and to that extent, at
least, was welcome. His playing was
not as proclamant Of the contents of
thc work as used to be that Of the
composer or his best interpreter, Nine.
Carrino, and was not notable for song
fulness; but there was reason for
compositions of his own. The sym
phony received straig ghtforward. un-
affected reading, which was most vital
and telling in the finale.
1t was Mrs. General Gilfory's obser-
vation that D071l,nes de terre sounded
better than potatoes and the Hon.
Bardwell Slote's triumphant conten-
ton that the vegetable tasted the same
in all languages. The incident comes
to mind at the contemplation of the
name Of now chamber music organi-
zatlon which introduced itself to the
Ne" York public in Aeolian Hall last
night 1t calls itself the Elshuco Trio.
We hope no one will rack his brains
to endow the word with a meaning, be-
cause it means nothing.
1t is merely a compages Of letters
taken. we believe, from the Christian
and surname of public spirited lady,
Mrs. Coolidge, who has built a music
hall for Yale University, is the patron
Of the Berkshire Quartet was the pre-
siding genius of q festival of chamber
music recently held at Pittstield, with
which was cOnsorted composition
contest for which she provided the
monetary stimulus. We do not like
the name; it is reflex of the literary
decay which has given unmeaning des-
lgnations TO medical nostrums and
breakfast foods. 1t is irritating and
undignifed and invites less sympa-
thetic interest than is challenged by
tho names of the members who com
pose it.
The name did not affect the quality
OF the music last night - though MI.
Willeke's name in the title, or MA
Gardeners or Mr.. Epstein's would have
been more inviting to music lovers in
the announcements. These are the men
NSo compose the trio - Mr.. Samuel
Gardner, violin; Mr.. Willem Willeke.
yioloncello Mr.. Richard Epstein, piano
i'ilr- - new organization, but one with
re spirit of one already thoroughly
ac&soned, AS the playing showed - a
combination of ripe artists, deep in
Sn owledge of the high form of art
which they have undertaken to cult
Tate. and devoted to its lovely vvangcl.
Theirs was the best trio playing which
We have heard in years, the most per-
fect in appreciation of the common
task, the freest and at the same time
most homogeneous in expression
Three works were on their pro
CANINE. and of only one of them is it
necessary to speak. The beginning
vas made with Brahmss Trio in c
minor, On. 101. the conclusion with
Schubert's in fiat, Op. 90 Between
these wholesome, whole -souled works,
III which music speaks its perfect
speech with conscious directness, un-
afraid of convention because it makes
convention lovely came a composition
of new type, new but strangely fas-
cinatng, till at it's close it ran out into
saturnalia of crashing and clashing
harmonies which suggested that chaos
was come to reign III the composers
fancy or that his mind had gone awry.
bur the earlier movements were filled
with q myriad of things which not only
kept thought and imagination active
but charmed them with an inexplicable
mystic witchery. Wonderfully pict-
urcsque was the web woven by the
seemingly disparate parts. wandering
along. far from each other, like three
men faced in different directions, yet
nurSDiOo tho snme peth tomard cor,