The Washington times., 1918-11-07
MESSAGER LEADS
AS WITH ZEPHYRS

One CT the rarest OF musical treats
yesterday afternoon. when the Sym
phony Orchestra of the Conservatory
OF Paris, under the direction OF Andre
Messager. gave its nrst conceut at
Polls Theater. with the distinguished
French pianist, Alfred Cortot. az
soloist.
To greet these notable guests OF
, the nation, who come to US under
the auspices OF tho French govern
ment and the French high commits
sion, a large and distinguished audi
ence was gathered. II was made Of
fcially important bv the prominence
+ of the uniforms or the military dip
: iomatie mission OF our allies here
I 81 our own army snd navy officer.
High were ones hopes at hsR~. :
: this foremost orchestra OF Paris, gHi
I they were fully realized M. Message
plays upon his orchestra as though
/ he had .he zephyrs 81 rs eomman nd
There Is no sense OF Instruments
/ tion In the flow OF this music. In
tone OF faultiess purity, OF amazing
oneness. ard pastel shades OF color ia
its subtle gradations. this orchestra
plays with a sinuous rhythm that
charms through its every phase OF
musical utterance. And varied are
the tone pictures Il evokes, But
whether It is the absolute repose OF
exquisite pastorals. or the mellow
toned vital life OF the dTndy Ecene.
always Is there felt a vibrant beauty
OF tone that answers to the will OF
the director.
Almost Silent Laudseapes.
II was an interesting combination.
the placing OF the Berlioz Symphonic
Fantastique- just before the DeBussy
prelude a PApres-Midi dun Faune"
"A pastoral fantasy OF yesterday and
today in French art. In both, the
winds were significantly perfect in
information or in quiet blend. Almost
silent landscapes they we're at times,
out Of which the tneffable sounds Of
nature came iu- exquisite flow and
subtle gradations, while mythical
Pipes o. Pan" camo from near and
far to people these fancies.
Surely music for music's sakei It
has been said that NJ Messenger loses
himself in the presenting OF the music's
message. He does even moro, for he
summons IN imagery in tone. In gentle
dynamic stress, in nuance-such as the
rare Summertime" OF the BerIioz
fantasy-that aWakens a slumbering
Nature in marvellous sufused tone and.
with the voice OF q rare oboe. speaks
out Of this picture, and then sinks
away in an amazing finale where the
kettle-drum throbs the earth message
out again.
Added to this. m the Debussy IdyI
the fused orchestral web holds an ex-
quisite harmony out OF which come
rarest colored themes. and amid the
sounds Of far-oi pipes and distant
carnival there was a veryI ecstacy OF
Nature sounds-aIl quiet. as II one
voice alone created the feauty OF It
COrtOt Plays a. Poet
II. Cortot played the Saint-Saens
fourth concerto. Breadth, orchestral
color, suavity IN most compelling
rhythm. and superb mastery of his in
strument were combined in this emf
nent artist, who put the impress OF q
poetic conception even in his most
virile moments. He employed q whole
palette Of color in his tones, while
his EC"Id runs were velyety. holding
the sac dynamic rhythmic power
that s..syed his massive passages
4htAS was SAOPlu QuAllLy OF
beauty in cadenza, developed with
the subtlest virtuosity, and a DELI
cacy that was permested with poetic
feeling. The measured tones OF an
andante were luminous in their quail
ity, while the warm, strongly defined
staccato Of the allegro vivace was
again impressively characterized
against the orchestra, that held the
sweeping rhythms in ever-sympa-
thetic accord and gave episodes OF