Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-12-04
THE NINTH SYMPHONY
Fine Production Of Masterpiece by
Philadelphia Orchestra and Chorus

Ey%nSSny ',%rI mnor mo- ;Ng a. I Rsr'%%yfr1 %Sf1
Rnkrr, soprano, Lambert Murphy ignnr
Ellen Rumsey, contraito; Royal Dadmun'
baritone.
The Philadelphia Orchestra Chorus
made its first appearance of the season
ut yesterday afternoons concert when
Mr.. Stokowski gave exactly the same
program as that with which he closed
the last ScasOn--thc LcOnOre overture
No. 3 and the ninth Symphony. The
mcIodious overture made most ad-
mirablp prelude for the great work which
concluded the program.
The Ninth Symphony is compost Q
ton unlike any which preceded or fol
lowed it, either by Beethoven or any
! other composer. not so much III the
advance in melody, harmon .zation or
Orchcstration. for in all Of these details
Beethoven himself has done greater
work in several of the preceding sym
| phOnics than in tn" ninth. But it iS
unique in the grandeur Of its plan ana
| in the dignity which Is the chief char
actcristiC Of every movement, even the
Schcr2o, one Of his very finest orchestral
movements. The summarizing of the
! themes of the various movements, IN
! the order OF their original appearance III
the symphony, just before the voices
enter with the reiterated recitntivc OF
! the basses and CCllOS, between each, -
| only one example Of the complicated and
! elaborate architecture of the work.
! This string rccitativc. by the way, cost
! Beethoven more thought Than nny other
! part of the symphony. aS he was t"r
months ut n loss ns 10 the best manner
of introducing the vocal parts without
too much abruptncss.
The Ninth was spIcnddly played and
sung. Virtually the same chorus which
gave the work last May sung in 1t yes
! tcrdny, and their familiarity with the
music wa. apparent There IL little
question that tho Hat seating o. th'
orchestra. nccrSsitatpd by the chorus
having to use the raised Sents at the r"nI
of the stago, causes a loss OF tonal pa
ancc. which doe, not exist when it oc'
cupics It's usual seats, but this is &
matter for which there is no remedy
II is principally apparent in the over
balancing Of the reeds by the string"
when all nrc on the same level. anI
was more noticeable in the first than II
any Of the succeeding movements. lh'
Srhcrzo. the best of the three Orchcs
tral movements. was beautifully played
aud there was mu"h tonal beauty in TN
Adagio. which, while perhaps undulJ
long, is another lovely number.
But the main interest ccntcr"d II
tho work Of the chorus. The cnormou
difficulty of the vocal parts makes then
almost unsingablc. especially the 50
IranO. but the confidence Of the MON
hers of the chorus and their familiar
ity with the composition enabled then
to give the best performance of the worI
flat has vet been heard in Philadel
Min. The balance Of the chorus Is OK
| rcllrnt and the tone Qualty good' d'
mitp the fact that the music require
tho various parts to remain at tn
extremes of their registers most OF IN
, time.
.. The four soloists. Della Baker. 50
I prnno: Ellen RumSCy. contra'to; Lam
e bert Murphy. tenor. and ROYAL DAD
; mum, baritone. sang the trying par'
! nIlnttpd 70 them with excellent under
standing and good tone. The solo par.
of the Symphony are unusually h"rI
and tho orchcstratiOn rather heavy. &c
r mnndirg great range and muCn NoIum
Tho solo parts are IL anything MOI
. ..unyocor' than the choral parts al
= nhnupd in imitation and other tcrhn
n coI resources Of composition found mo
= frequently in string quartet man III
:. : composition for four voices. lloWeN'
.. the soloists did well the dif'rult Wo,
> demanded of them. At TIA" clos" OF u
Il concert all concerned vera rendered
= popular ovation by the immense aud
# rnrr, Mr.. StokowSki bringing torWai
- Mr.. Townsend. tn" chorus master
- share in the applause.