Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-02-07
BELLS" BEST WORK
OF RACHMANlN0FF
First Performance in America,
by Philadelphia Orchestra and
Chorus, a Noteworthy One


Third Piano Concerto. ........ Rachmanlnonf
Sergei Rachmaninoff
symphony No. 3. THE BELLS Rachmaninoir
Philadelphia Orchestra and Chorus
Yesterday was Rachmaninoff Day at
the concert of the Philadelphia Orches
ira at the Academy of Music, for the
program consisted of only two numbers,
both by the great Russian composer,
and in the first of them be appeared as
soloist. However, great as Mr.. Rach =
maninoff showed himself to be as per-
former, and his playing had everything
Of virtuosity, temperament and general
all-round artistry that performance
could possibly have, it was as a creative
artist that he won the highest laurels.
His third symphony. 'The Bells, y"
set to transcription of the words of
the poem by Edgar Allan Poe. stands
forth as conspicuously the finest COM
position of his that has yet been heard
in this city. The music fits the words,
or rather the spirit, of the original as
closely as the artistic personality of the
composer blends with that of the poet.
In this the work is one of the highest
class. not taking into consideration the
wonderful workmanship which is mani
fest in every measure, the intimate
knowledge Of the possibilities and the
limitations of both the orchestra and the
voices and the wonderfully effective
orchestration.
A L.. .oF "a L. ~a1o a Aha
poem to the music and the remarkable
points of similarity of artistic feeling
of both composer and poet appeared In
these columns yesterday, and therefore
it is not necessary now to go into these
details. The composition is real sym
phony, and it is the only choral work in
existence, so far as is known to the
general musical public, which follows
the symphonic lines in all four move
ments with the voices as well as with
the instruments.
But it is in its musical values and
not its technical workmanship that the
great value of the music lies, and this
is the thing. and this alone, which will
determine the ultimate position of the
composition, which seems on a first
hearing to be a gigantic work. Knowl-
edge is there in abundance, but it is
always subordinated to the musical eff
feet to be achieved.
The work is full of the finest musical
effects imaginable. One of the very
best of these is the close of the third
movement, which corresponds to the
scherZo in an orchestral symphony.
The voices end fortissimo on chord
unaccompanieG and the effect is cleo
trical. 1t was so stupendouS that the
audience sat in silence after the move
ment had been concluded. At first
there is little doubt that the hearers
were undecided as to whether the move
ment had been finished and whether it
was the right time to applaud, but even
after this doubt was removed. they sat
IN silence, more eloquent tribute to
the genius that had inspired the move
ment than the most tumultuous applause
could have been. This is only one of
the many effects with which Mr.. Rach-
maninoff has filled the composition.
The work was superbly performed
from beginning to end. The orchestra
was fine, as always. and the chorus
shuwed an immense improvement over
ITS work in the Beethoven Choral Fam
fasia, in tone qualify attack and in
ensemble. Mr.. Townsend has done Il
line piece of work in preparing them
10 so high degree for the public per-
formance under Mr.. Stokowski. The
soloists also did exceedingly well. Miss
ainkle has the best kind of voice
Tor singing with a large orchestra
having exceptional clearness and a tim
bre that makes it stand out from any
or all the instruments of the orchestra
Mr.. Arthur Hackett has also a fine
voice, although a little more power
might have been desirable and q little
more clearness of enunciation. Mr..
Patton, the baritone, made a most
favorable impression. His enunciation
was far the most clear of any of the
soloists and his power, tone quality and
manner of singing left little to be de-
sired.
Mr.. Stokowski did one of the finest
bits of conducting that he mas vet done
in this city. Always at his best in
the production of great choral compost
tions. he is evidently en- rapport with
Mr.. Rachmaninoff' s work. and he knew
the involved and complicated score from
end to end. The result of this combina
tion of fortunate circumstances was a
magnificent performance and one well
worthy of the genius of the compost
ton.
The first number on the program was
the third piano concerto BY Mr.. Rach
maninoff. the one in d minor. which
Mr.. Cortot recently played with the
Philadelphia Orchestra. A certain great
writer once said comparisons are
odorous," and so they would be il
this case. Mr.. Rachmaninoff. in hi.
reading of the concerto. took the entire
work at much more rapid tempo thar
did Mr.. Cortot. but. strangely enough
this did not result in a gain in bril-.
liancy. for the Cortot reading was NOR,
brilliant than that of the composer
But it is evident from his playing of i
that Mr.. Rachmaninoff does not intenC
the composition as brilliant work. A.
he played it it follows the model o
Beethoven and Brahms in their violil
concertos. in that it is almost a sym
phony with an obligato for the solo in
strument. whereas Mr.. Cortot treated
the work as piano concerto pure AM
simple. The two readings were thos
of great pianist and of a great com
poser, respectively.
An audience well worthy of the occa
sion was present. every seat bein
y taken and the orchestra pit as we'll bein
filed Mr.. Rachmaninoff was receive
with the cordial reception which hi
genius merits, both after the concert
and after the symphony when Mr.. Sto
kowski insisted that he rise from tn
box in which he heard the work an
acknowledge the applause.