Omaha daily bee., 1920-02-15
M,U s | c
BY HENRIETTA M. RIEs.

Do you ever stop to think what
wonderful thing an orchestra IS! A
great instrument in itself, played up
on by one man, yet every component
rart of it 4 separate instrument
played upon by .other men, who
cause their instruments to speak and
sing at the direction of the con-
ductor, according to the will OF the
composer.
An orchestra is the greatest means
OF instrumental expression IN the
world.
Before the seventeenth century
the orchestra was without form and
void. In other words there was no
systematic combination OF instru-
ments. But the great musicians were
cxperimenting with them and by the
time of Hadyn, Mozart and Beetho,,
ven the symphonic orchestra had
assumed a combination OF instru-
ments so grouped as to torn the
foundation Of all the great orchestras
of our present day.
There are such wonderful things
about an orchestra. There are the
four distinct kinds of instruments
the strings, the woodwindss' inc
brasses ard the percussion instru-
vents. There are the four distinct
yoiccs Of the string band which hoia
The most important places OF ali
the first violins, the second vioiins'
the viola. and the 'cellos and BASES
a most harmonious family: / hels
are the woodwinds, in, Whicn easn
voice has its distinct indivlduahty,
the arte. the oboe. the clarinet ana
,hs hassoon-not OF the same family
hut related and able to get along TO-
oether Sometimes in modern or
nhestras there are more than one
ante an English horn, when IS
nrsctically an alto oboe, and whole
family of clarinets. alto; tenor tnes anu
bass, with perhaps double oas5 S
sarrusophone for good measure sr,. anu
70 furnish certain low tones. men
,bere n are the lovely horns. which
,n;neIe in friendly relationship win VII.
the woodwinds and brasses anke;
a,d the brasses themselves, the thira
"rorn aro Of the orchestra, the least mu-
,nerous and least important. WY
= T. that III an orchestra as IN HIS
10 ,o;s;est are usually the least I'M
nortant? Nevertheless, the prasseo
have their places, the tlulip'ttS, t%
trombones and big bass tuoa, us
heir verv character at times giving
strength and brave encouragement
to the timid listener, , s,e-
~ Then there are the drums espe-
c;ally the kettle drums. and the Gym.
hals and triangle. Who does no'
rsvel when they come in at Just INC
r;o,t nIace? And who does not en-
iov having his ears ravished oy inc
liouid tones OF the harp, when pre-,
cedinp music, by its character anu
mood has made his emotions reaoy
for it?
The most fascinating thing. about
the whole orchestra is that all these
;nstruments of such different tenn
peraments and characteristics can
intermingle and associate with such
widely different results in tone COLOR
mood emotional expression or pic
turcsoue suggestion, and in unllm-
tied variety OF combination, to con-
yev such extremes OF subject matter
to the listener.
And here is where the art OF the
comnoser comes in. 1t is not by
accident that the flute and violin,
perhaps. sing a duet, or thar al en-
tire group of instruments IS con-
trasted with another group, ~
doesn't lust happen that all the IN
struments soften down in certain
nlaces as a solo voice. peeps out. that
some instruments drop out entirely
az others with characteristic timbre
;ntone a certain important melody,
or that other instruments are pres
ent. only to speak few times al
the right moment.
Each note, every rest. and every
combination and contrast OF tone
color, rhythm and melody. even ev,,
cry dissonarce, is carefully planned
and foreordained by the great
composer. Each note is assigned
with care to that special instrument
best suited to play it. And the great
composer through ihs wisdom is
,l,rs able to arrange it that all these
instruments serve a previously
planned purpose. The affable, adapt
able instruments which can do 'al-
most anything, the voluble, merry
ones. the plaintiff ones, which hint al
tragedy in even the gayest times
and the uncompromising difficult
personalities among the instruments
which will only do what is as
signed to them in their own un-
Welding way, all OF these are so ar
ranged as to marvelously fulfill their
mission in the great musical plan
And when mere men can do this, il
almost confirms one in belief in
fate, doesn't it?
"Such piano playing as was heart
from Josef Holman is a thins
that is never to be forgotten &C
cording to the discerning judgmen
OF no less critic than the great Fl
E. Krehbiel. for years the dean o
American music reviewers. "Suct
playing might occur once in half ;
dozen Seasons" added Mr.. Krehbiel
but it is SO rare as to be virtually
beyond compare with that of an,
other pianist" 1t is strange tina
so many years have elapsed since
Josef Hofmann has been heard il
Omaha for other critics are agreec
in giving this great artist one of thu
highest positions of present da,
musicians. Many of the Oman;
music teachers heard Mr.. Holman
in Lincoln last year at the time o
the Nebraska Music Teachers as
sociation. when they were amaze'
and delighted by his rare artistry
His is an unusual style and techni
-. ,,L;ot, .. ,,o< duoi;c,tsd IN an,