Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-12-02
BOSTON ORCHESTRA
IN FINE CONCERT
Some Interesting Novelties on
the Second Program--Mme.
Louise Homer the Soloist

Three modern orchestral works, two
of them never before played as con
cert numbers in Philadelphia, and
Madam Louise Homer as soloist were
the attractions of the second concert of
the Boston Symphony Orchestra last
evening, and they were potent enough
completely to fill the Academy Of Music,
even to the extent of all the chairs that
the orchestra pit would hold.
The symphony Chausson's In j fiat.
opened the program. Its American
history is bound closely to Philadel-
phiu. for its first American perform
ance was in this city by the Boston
Orchestra. under Vincent d'Indy as
guest conductor. almost exactly fourteen
years ago Last season it was played
by the Philadelphia Orchestra under the
baton of another guest conductor NJ
Alphonse Catherine. and last evening
under the leadership of Mr. Monteux.
1t is serious work, conceived and car
ried out along sane, modern lines and
finely orchestrated. Owing, perhaps,
to the many changes of time and tempt
in the various movements, the compo-
sition savors of the rhapsodic more than
Of the strictly symphonic, but it is
fine work and will bear frequent hear
ings.
The Balakireff number was sym
phOnic poem. "Thamar.' written after
the poem of Michail Lermontoff, and is
another of those fantastic legends to
which the later Russian composers are
so fond of giving tonal settings. This
one of Balakireff has some fine places
and some undeniabe weaknesses. 1t is
rhythnically. at least. first cousin to
Rimsky Korsnkoff's 'Scheherazade.
which our own orchestra gave last week
but without the melodic inspiration and
marvellous orchestration of that work.
The third number was cleyeriy
written "Bourree Fantasque' by Cha
brier, wonderfully orchestrated by Felix
Mottl. 1t is an interesting and original
work and made an excellent close to the
varied program.
Madam Homer again proved the
favorite she always is. She evidently
had cold, but her superb voice was
rich and had all of its usual volume.
She first sang three songs. Mature =
Adoration." by Beethoven "Ombra mai
fu," which is the original form OF
IIaendel's famous Largo, beloved OF
the populace, and the air my Heart
Ever Faithful" from one of the can
tatas of Sebastian Bach. OF course, the
Largo made the biggest hit, although
all were loudly applauded. On her sec
ond appearance Madam Homer sang the
we'll known aria from Don Carlo" I"
with even greater success.
The orchestra played better than IL
has in this city for at least year, de
spite couple of slips in intonation in
the beginning of the symphony and in
the "Don Carlos" accompaniment
There is evidently return of the dis
cipline which was so conspicuously lack
ing toward the close of last season, with
better tone quality, more unanimity OF
attack and more of an effort to give the
conductor the effects and the results he
wishes to obtain. =
Mr.. Monteux was apparently en- rap
port with the program. especially with
the symphony, which he read sympa
thetically and with considerably more of
the emotional elements than NJ. Cath :
crime displayed in his Interpretation.
with our own orchestra, last spring. The
whole program was one which showed
him at his best, and he bids fair to put
the great organization back into the
prestige of it's former position.