Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-11-20
THE CRITIC TALKS
TO MUSIC LOVERS

Philadelphia Orchestra. 1t was an event
which, as the years have proved, was TO
have u far-reachng influence not only
upon the musical life OF Philadelphia but
also upon that OF many other cities as
we'll
For the program this week Mr. Sto-
kowsh long ago decided to present ex-
actly the same numbers given at the
first concert Of the orchestra. which
took place on November 10, 1900. This
was the reason of the somewhat mystify-
ing announcement in the program two
weeks ago, that the concerto at this
concert would be the Tschaikowsky No.
l for piano and orchestra, and that the
soloist would be announced later.
IL was hoped that the services of Mr..
Gabrilowitsch, who performed the con-
certo at the first concert OF the or
chestra, might be secured. but owing to
his work with the Detroit Orchestra this
was round to be impossible, and the
management was therefore compelled TO
omit the name of the soloist at the time
or the publication OF the program, as It
was not then known who would play.
TNl1E early struggles OF the Philadel-
Il phia Orchestra are we'll known. as
Is its subsequent history up to the pres
ent day, when Philadelphians may safely
assert that their city has the finest or
chestra in the United States. This an
niverSary IS n triumph, however, not
only for the orchestra itself. but also for
that group of devoted lovers Of music
and loyal Philadelp headed then.
as now, by Alexander Van Rensselaer,
VINO stood by gallantly in the dark days
or the organization and contributed the
wise direction (and incidentally madc
up the financial shortages) which
enabled the orchestra to weather the
storm and stress of its early years.
II Is q matter for public congratula-
ton to Mr. Van Rensselaer,, Charles \.
Braun, John H. Ingham, Andrew
wheeler and the other members OF the
earlier board of directors, who are still
serving, that their efforts have been
crowned with success not paralleled
by that OF any other orchestra in the
United states. Nor should the splendid
work of Dr. L. I. keffer be forgotten
Tor eSncCially In its first year. the or
chestra owed more to his efforts than to
those of any other one person. In fac,
It was due to the unerring musical
judgment of DR.. keffer that Fritz Schecl
was chosen as the first conductor He
heard Mr.. Scheel conduct a symphony
with small orchestra at one of Phila-
delphias summer parks. and Immediately
spotted him az man whom Phila-
dclphia could use in the upbuilding OF
its music. The original plan was for
making up the orchestra, which was TO
be under the direction os Mr.. Scheel
The outcome was the Philadelphia Or
chestra of today. Associated with Dr.
G. McCollln, Oliver Boyce Judson anc
Oscar A. Knipe. The next season Mr.
| Van Rensselaer, became president anc
Henry Whelen, Jr.,. treasurer.
OF COURSE. the chief difficulty Of the
~ early days, as well as some of the
, ones, were financial, until Mr.. Rop
made the orchestra permanent by raising
| the endowment fund n year ago in q
campaign which Is now PhiladelphIs
history, but there were other troubles
| some Of them musical.
For n few years after the establish.
ment Of the Philadelphia Orchestra the
! Boston symphony, which had beer
giving the orchestral concerts de luxe oi
| Philadelphia for long time, began tn,
annoying habit of playing almost exactly
| the same programs as those presented
| at the nearest concert of the infant
! Philadelphia Orchestra.
The reason for this singular procedure
| was never made public, but the writer
| as a person interested in the music OF
! this city for considerable number ol
! years, heard many competent musca
! judges Of Philadelphia express ther
| opinion and II was unanimous. The
reader Is entitled to three guesses with
| out charge, as to what this reason was
| Time works many changes, and It would
| be an interesting experiment for som,
! peOple) for the Boston Orchestra to try
the same thing today
! NEVERTHELESS the Boston SYM
~ phony was, in a way, the barometc
. Cf the philadelphia Orchestra In tn
. early days OF the Philadelphia OrCheStri
( the Boston organization, responding 9
{ the demand 90 tEe philadelphiu publ
I for more symphony concerts, was givinl
| n double series of concerts. one on Mon
/ day evenings, the traditional night " tn
I Boston orchestra in Philadelphia. an,
/ the other on the Wednesday evening o
aV.RN 1ts.F.V VFs.v,
the Philadelphia Orchestra was beCom
I ing a power in Philadelphia music wa
in the disCOntinuanCe Of the "Wednesday
evening =rieS.
This may in n manner have been tn
fault Of the Boston orchestra, for al
entirely different program was given a
each series, with the result that man
Of the Monday evening regulars" he'll
off to see what was going TO be glNel
on Wednesday evening. When an unat
traCtiVe program was presented tn
natural result Was that There was a rela
lively small attendance at both concerts
alEOugh the call for symphonic music !
Philadelphia was so great that all tn
| concerts were well patrOniZed.
Nevertheless, this was the psyche
logical moment for tho Philadelphia Or
stra to come into existence. Their
was a demand in Philadelphia for NOR
symphonic, or, rather, orchestral musl
than could be supplied by the visitin
organizations.
TIRE Philadelphia Orchestra also wa
i fortunate in having selected the rigl
Tt'n as the conductors in the most ei
f-ctive places. Mr. Scheel, the frs
conductor. was just tire man TO hull
up n permanent orchestra. lie had a
exceptional insight as TO the capabil
ties Of orchestral players and did NJ
hesitate to make the necessary change
when the interests of the organizatio
demanded them. He was a rigid disc
plinarian, a hard worker himself and
, sistent upon equally hard work on Il
part Of his men Thcsc We're the quail
ties especially required At the heginniI
OF thr organization, and Mr.. SchecI po
, scssed them 10 the utmost.
, Mr. pOhlig continued the work begu
: by Mr. Scheei. and the personnel Of II
=, orchestra gradually became stronger m
stronger He was a musician Of muC
f. learning and an almost unCunny abilI
at score reading. However he dtVt
oprd some characteristics which did n
make for his unqualified success her
notably in his reckless and unwarrant'
2 "rvtI Lg" OS great orchestral l"aSle
9 pieces.
- an excellent orchestra awaiting him, b
he has improved II greatly What
n has done Is a matter OF so recent HI
n tory as 10 need no recOuntng. lie
t. n conductor Of more temperament thi
; either Of his predecessors and h
s thrown himself heart and soul into I
a work Of giving Philadelphia the fine
orchestra in the country. work
, which he may now bo congratulat
n upon having accomplished
Il nIHE personnel or a large orchestra
= bound 20 60 through many chang
: 50 long a period rs twenty yea