Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-04-05
THE CRITIC TALKS
TO MUSIC LOVERS
Weekly Comment on Things
Musical in Discriminating
Philadelphia

INTENTION has been made in this
AA column more than once of the
mating applause at our principal con-
certs. This had a distinctly humorous
exemplifcation at last Saturday eve
ning's concert OF the Philadelphia Or
schestra, in spite Of the fact that 1t con-
cerned matter as serious as the illness
of Mr.. Stokowski.
Before the concert began Mr. Mattson
appeared on the stage and announced
that the grip which had afYiicted Mr..
Stokowski for some weeks had reap
peared in more serious form and that 1t
would be impossible for him to conduct
the concert and that Mr.. Rich would
take his place This statement was
greeted with lot of the unthinking ap-
plause against which the writer OF this
column has so often protested.
OF course, no one imagines for mo-
nfent that the applause was intended
as anything but tribute to Mr..
Rich, who has had to step In several
times and conduct a difficult concert
without a rehearsal. But 1t would have
seemed to be in far better taste IL the
audience had awaited the appearance of
Mr.. Rich on the stage before according
2 him the tribute which is undoubtedly his
due.
DUT still more humorous incident
- was to come. Mr.. Mattson stilled
the wave of applause which his first
announcement had started by raising his
band and then proceeded to say further
that, owing to the illness of Mr.. Sto-
kowski, 1t had been decided to postpone
the extra concerts scheduled for Tues
day afternoon and Wednesday evening
of this week and give them at later
date. which would be made public in due
season. Unbelievable as 1t may sound,
this, too. was received with applause,
for what reason it Is impossible to un-
derstand. unless it was a tribute to MIR.
Mattson's powers as an orator. Then
Mr.. Rich appeared to conduct the open
ing number and, for the first time, the
applause with which he was received
had some reason.
1t is meaningless demonstrations Of
approval like these which to some de-
gree at least nullify the effect Of the
spontaneous outbreaks which follow the
close of fine performance such as Mr..
Rachmannoff gave last Saturday eve
ming. They mike the soloists and the
members of the orchestras-and this
does not apply alone'to the Philadelphia
Orchestra-discredit or at least ques-
ton the sincerity of their hearers.
Demonstrations In this country are
confined to those Of approval; in for
eign countries the audiences reserve the
right to disapprove also, and 1t is no
infrequent thing to hear misses in the
concert halls and opera houses on the
Continent. while the "booing' of the
London galleries Is one of the most
feared things mong British actors
} While this custom Is not altogether
pleasant, It at Least has the redeeming
feature that the applause. when 1t is
granted, really means something. One
of the most keen-mlnded Of solosts now
before the public once said to the writer
who complimented him upon the favora-
BILE reception which he had received at
the close of his solo, Yes, they applaud
with their hands-but would like to
know what they really think"
ATHE music critics often charge that
4 "the influence of such-and-such COM
poser was apparent upon the work of
: Mr.. So-and-So" But why should 1t not
i be? This is usually the case only with
young composers. because IL the infu-
ence of any composer lies too strongly
upon the works of another, the compo-
sitions of the latter gradually (and in
some cases suddenly cease to appear
on important programs.
For that matter, the influence OF
Haydn and Mozart was apparent in Bee
thoven himself up to the third SYM
Y phony. And one will go far before he
will find a composer whose intense In
dividuality expressed itself earlier than
did Beethovens. 1t is only natural
that young composer who has not yet
"found himself" as every composer must,
should initiate his musical gods, al
4 though this imitation the writer believes
is mostly unconscious. The youthful
composer has so absorbed the content
Of those compositions which he greatly
admires that he writes unconsciously
in the idiom expressed in them. IL he
has the genius to develop a style Of his
own later, he becomes a great composer
II he has not, his work is soon blotted
out and forgotten.
Furthermore, 1t is only natural that
this apparent imitation should be more
noticeable in works in the larger forms
than in those in the smaller ones for 1t
Z is in the great works that the charac-
teristics and the individuality Of the
I foremost composers find their freest ex-
preston. Therefore it is Incompetent
sible that a young composer who writes
4 symphony In the classic style should
= not use the model of Beethoven or that
one who composes an opera should not
pattern after Wagner or Verdi, accord
5 ing TO the manner In which he Is COM
posing.
1t is because these men have shown
/ new Gin their day) and great paths that
the young composer must first tread
these paths before he can safely seek new
nnes, even as Beethoven trod those Of
Haydn and Mozart, and Verdi those Of
<19ellini and Donizetti and Rossini, be-
a<ore their own musical identity became
clear even to themselves.
YTyIIERE is one danger in 1T. however,
l and that is that in too close fol-
lowing of the great models the young
composer may fail to develop his own
personality, but IL this personality is
really worth while, it will. sooner or
later, insist upon expression. IL 1t does
not, it is not strong enough for the
world to have missed much.
1t Is in this absolute rejection Of the
mast and all the good things which 1t
has brought forth that the peril of the
musical radicals, now so much In evil
dence, lies. Most of them have sought
\. TO achieve at the age of twenty-five
4 or thirty what the greatest masters OF
tone have been willing to. acquire at
double that age. They are seeking to
walk and run. muslcally, at an age when
they should be creeping.
II ID all very well to break the rules
hut the composer must know exactly
what he is doing in this case. and they
f.~.,..t 10 hrokan for n definite Durpose