Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-04-12
THE critic TALKS
TO MUSIC LOVERS
Weekly Comment on Things
Musical in Discriminating
Philadelphia ,
THE Chamber Music Association Of
i Philadelphia ended its second season

great success that marked its first sea-
son, and may now be considered to be
among the permanent musical institu
tions of the city. Certainly it has been
the first organization which has con-
Quoted two successive years of high
class chamber music concerts without
serious deficit. This year there was not
only no deficit at the end Of the season
as originally planned. but there was
sufficient money in the treasury to give
an additional concert. which marked
the debut of new organization of un-
usual merit, the Maquarrc Sextet.
The success which has attended this
association from the start is most en-
couraging. Chamber music is appre
ciatcd chiefly by the musical elect, those
who have gone through long course
of study or of intensive" concert
going, and that the new association has
been able to carry out its original plans
so well not only reflects great credit
on its officers and board but is good
augury for the concerts of next season,
which. it is understood, arc now being
planned.
The musical organizations which have
appeared on its programs are the best,
including concerts by the Flonzalcy
Quartet. by the Rich and the Schmidt
Quartets and the Society Of Ancient In
struments. as we'll as the first Philadel
phia hearing of two excellent organiza-
tions, the Maquarre Sextet, already re-
ferred to, and the Berkshire Quartet. 1t
is not only in the cultivation of music
of the highest class that the Chamber
Music Association is performing a great
service for Philadelphia, but also in
giving us the opportunity of hearing
organizations which otherwise would not
be likely to give concerts here as well as
lin the encouragement of the local cham
Der music bodies, by giving those
worthy n chance to be heard before a
discriminating and cultured audience.
TNHAT the taste for music of this type
L is growing rapidly received forceful
confirmation in the series of free
afternoon musicales which were given
at the Academy of the Fine Arts on
Sunday afternoons and which were at
tended by very large and appreciative
audiences. and which happily are to be
resumed tomorrow.
These concerts more than justified
their existence, and there is every rea :
son to believe that they will be as
largely attended for the remainder of
fhe season as they were before the
annual spring exhibition of the Academy
caused their temporary suspension. The
-. = ., al TT. 4
in them and their work was received
with every possible evidence of delight
and appreciation.
The expenses Of these concerts are
not large. but there is some, and any
Que who cares to contribute to this most
worthy cause in the interests of the
music of the city can do so through
+. the treasurer. Mrs. Herbert l.. Clark,
sof Bryn Mawr.
OROBABLI the outsta nding feature
l. of Nerdi's 'Rigoletto,' which was
- well presented at the Metropolitan
/ yoncra House last Tuesday evening. is
the famous melody. la Donna e. Mo
lille 1t is said of this melody that it
was never heard in the rehearsals of
the opera which preceded its premiere
sat Venice on March 8, 1851.
Verdi. according to the story, had
composed the air among the last NUN =
bers of the opera, but he knew the Ital =
ian public so we'll that he dared not let
it be sung in rehearsal. for fear that il
would find its way out of the opera
house and the effect which he knew
that it would produce at the first hear
ing be spoiled. His wisdom was fully
justified by the sequel.
The melody, then as now, was ac-
claimed to be the finest thing in the
whole work from popular point oi
view, at least. and was the principal
factor in making the opera an imme
diats success. 1t spread over Europe
, like wildhre and has held its own tc
this day. Every tenor in the world had
doubtless sung this song since the night
Z in Venice when Signor Beaucarde first
gave 1t to an admiring world, and II
has been worthy rival for first place
= with the "Miserere" from "Il Trova
tore" in the repertoire of the hand
organs so much affected by humble com
patriots of the great Italian composer
CPEAKING of Verdi and the exten
- siye repertoire he supplied for tn,
hand organ for more than fifty years
it is fact not generally known that SC
popular in England did the melodies OF
III Trovatore" become, the same beins
purveyed to the British public through
the medium of the hand organ, that ar
act was actually introduced into th,
British Parliament forbidding not onl,
the hand organ, with its accompanyin,
crew of Latins from southern Europe
but the melodies from ''Il Trovatore. >
The measure came to vote. but wa
defeated. Whether this was an act in
dicative of British musical wisdom OF
unwisdom, all depends upon your poin
of view.
But LA Donna e. Mobile" which oc
ours in the last act of ''Rigoletto," /
certainly legitimate outgrowth of tn
earlier melodies of the same work, s
strongly so that in composer who's
sense of thematic development was NOR
marked than Verdi, it would seem a
4 though this tune was the melodic crow
of the entire opera and was con
structed from what appeared before |
in the opera.
For example, compare the close q
the melody with the close of the Duke
ACADEMY OF MUSIC
q