Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-01-19
A BRILLIANT CONCERT
nlahmS symphony Replaces MAILER
Work-Thaddeus Rich an Ad-
mirable Soloist

The public has been freoueptr, e..
by mishaps preventing the nrodpc,io,, -
novelties by the PhiladeIphia oran...-D'
Musical experiments have been oas. -,
ana Mr. Stokowsld has gone directly 70 f,,,t,,
"a 'upeln"i beauty to find substitutions for
VIC worms originally billed. Circumstances Of
inns klhd resulted in a delightful concert ar
the Academy yesterday afternoon. wbsp tho
Second symphony OF Brahms was givsp IN
stead of the Fifth of Gustav Mailer ,rha
Mahler composition has never been board
here Like many modern works. ifs or,is,i,
rating cannot be accurately made no,, os
the Brahms No. 2 no such doubts ara o,..,,
permissible. II is an inspired n,as,errta,.
from its romantic opening notes to its sniritsd
eNultant finale. A red slip I'm the nros,,s,-
DooN announced that the change had been
Ihaue owing TO the delay occasoned by the
western tour. 'eNe"'
Surely this symphony in should answer
concluSiNely the shallow criticism tb,t
Brahms Is dry, dun or unmelodious Notbins,
IN Schuman is more tunely, more gracious
more simply and purfyingiy lovely than the
nrst three movements which are sIp,nst
lyrlc IN character, The finale has tho
breadth and vgor of Beethoven, whose man
tie Of symphonic mastery unduestionahIv get
tied on Johannes Brahms. Save for nm cc-
casional roughness of the horn cholrs I'm the
last movement the work was adnirahIy
played and Mr.. StolowskI interpreted H.
spirit with rare sympathy.
The soloist was the Orchostra's autbori
tatiVe concertmaster, Thaddeus Rich IJIs
ouerlng was a novelty, a "Poeme" for NyioIin
and orchestra by Ernest Chausson a nuniI
OF Cesar Franck and composer who ofter
reflects the great Belgian's prevailing mood
OF musical reflection. The work, which has
much delicate beauty and is inspired bv
tender poetic feeling is unusually free from
violin pyrotechnics, Mr.. Richs sound accom-
plishments in the cantabe vein were elo
quently summoned and he played the haunt
Ing measures with rich beauty Of tone and
his familiar facile command of the mechanics
Of his instrument.
The program closed with a vivid exposi-
tion OF the colorfui charm and the brilliant
orchestration of suite from BerIioz's
"Damnaton Of Faust" that included the
'Menuet des Follets." the "Danse des
Sylphes' and the "Marche Hongroise" The
last named Is that infectious instrunentaP ?
setting OF the famous Rakoczy March which
displays Berliozs contrapuntal supremacy in
dazzling style. The original basic air is still
used by Austrian military bands IN the pres
ent war But as a Frenchman made the
arrangement disclosed yesterday the ques-
tion Of patriotic proprlety hardly arises.
The star Spangled Banner" with which
Mr.. Stokowski began the concert, was given
according to his new Instrumentation OF the
anthem made recently when the director was
snowbound In Kalamazoo. II combines slnl-
plicty and dignity with new effects OF horns,
drums and strings that are decidedly thrill
ing. Following the symphony Doctor Hart
made an appeal for support OF the Orches-
tras Red Cross concert which will be given
In the Metropolitan Opeh, House on Thurs
aay night u next week A. &c