New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-11-28
Orchestra From
Cincinnati Heard
Here i'm Concert
How Mr.. Ysaye's Band Com
pares With Other Har-
monious Visitors; West
ern Symphonic Music


mere Will PROBABLY never be SaClS-
factory meeting of minds in answer to
the question why out-of-town or
chestras visit New York. 1t can
scarcely be conceived that the public
spirited men and women who give of
their wealth to maintain these or
! chcstras think that the metropolis
needs to hear more symphonic music
than its bands provide, for it ought to
be obvious to every intelligent human
being that the citys regular quota of
over 1875 orchestral concerts is more
than the community can properly as
! similate
Neither is it likely that the or
chestras are sent here for the edifica-
ton of the players and their con-
ductors, or for their instruction and re-
proof in artistic righteousness. OF
that our experience has shown that
neither the musicians nor their home
cities are tolerant
New York's curiosity to know what
manner of music is making in Phila-
delphia, Chicago, Cleveland, Cincinnati,
st. Louis, San Francisco, Los Angeles
and Minneapolis and half dozen or
more other cities is not keen, for it is
so satlatcd by its own music-makers
that 1T has no desire to institute COM
parsons even if there existed desire
to indulge in so unamiable an intel
lectual exercise.
Concert by Cincinnati Orchestra
All of which obse rvations are merely
predatory to a record of the fact that
the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra,
now under the direction of Eugen
lsaye, gave a concert in Carnegie Hall
last night. The concert was heard by
large audience gathered into the
room by methods fully understoo cd
only by the managers of such affairs.
This audience, being Of the kind that
1T was, listened with interest and gave
gracious expression Of appreciation to
consisted Of Goldmark's "Sakuntala"
overture, Cesar Franck's Symphony in
d minor, poem" for a string band
composed OF volins and violas COM
posed by Ysaye whether by the con-
ductor or his brother we do not know
and the violin concerto by Brahms of
which the solo part was played by
Mischa Elman. The orchestra com
rares favorably with others which
have visited New York of late years
IN some respects with that of Phia-
/
apois. but scarcely with those of Bos-
ton and Chicago.
Lacks First Glass Players
1t would not do to bring 1t into
critical iuXtaposition with any one of
New Iork's permanent organizations
The reason is obvious enough to per-
sons familiar with the prime require
ments of good orchestral playing
| "a tfirio kar Of
first-class orchestral players in the
country to go around, and the rletrop-
oils monopolizes the best that are to
be had Mr.. Ysaye has trained his men
to commendable degree of precision
and IN the ability to give mechanical
expression to his wishes. He cannot
infuse their voices with all the beauty
that instruments are capable of nor can
he create the homogeneity and Gu
phony which we have been taught to
expect. These qualities are not in
| hercnt in the men or their Instruments
The concert gave gratifying proof
that good music is well cared for in
Cincinnati, as indeed it has been for
twoscore years, during which period
symphonic music has been intelligently
affcctionatcly, enthusiastically and eff
fectively cultivated in that city AS
historical demonstration the coming
of the orchestra was interesting in
view of the fact that "The Bulletin of
the Symphony Society, recently
/ quoted Mr.. Walter Damrosch as saying
that when he appeared on the field
there were only four orchestras in
the country playing symphonic music
Not only were there three or four
series of such music in New York at
the time but Boston and half a dozen
cities besides were enjoying annual
sets of symphony concerts. Theodore
/ Thomas rcorganiZed the Cincinnati
Orchestra in 1878 and it has been in
existence ever since, with Michael
Brand Schradieck, Van der Stucken,
Kunwald and others at its head. 1t
seems to be hopeless undertaking to
keep the generation Of to-day in the
straight path of history.