Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-03-06
ORCHESTRA APPEARS
IN VARIED PROGRAM
Brahms's c-minor Symphony
Given Plays Paganini Concerto
Finely Performed-Thelma

Schubert . . Excerpts from "Rosar,undc'.
Paganlni Concerto for violin and orchestra
Brahms ......,..s symphony No G minor
The program offered by Mr.. Stokow.
ski at the concert OF the philadelphia y
Orchestra Yesterday afternoon, and
which will be repeated tonight. rcp
resented three distinct types Of music,
These were. respectively. the work OF
the greatest melodist Of the classics In
the "Rosamunde" excerpts BY Schubert.
strong contrast in the almost entirely
technical violin concerto in d major
of Paganini and one of the most som
berly thoughtful and phiosophic of all
symphonies. that in e minor by
Brahms. austcre in its first movement.
! oxquisitoly beautiful ia its slow move
mcnt and scbcrzo and unmistakaby
! showing the influence of Beethoven in
| the finale.
From the 'Rosamundc' music Mr..
| StoRowsk selected the overture. the
! entr acte No. 3 containing the famous
melody which the great composer used
also in his A minor string quartet and
|
the ballet music No. .. The orchestra
has seldom shown more perfect en-
semblc than it did in the wonderful
melodies which Schubert has scattered
with so prodigal a hand through this
4 work The balance of the accompanf-
ment' generally in the strings) against
the solo voices was perfection. the conn
position showing off the woodwind in
struments to especial advantage. as the
melodies are universally written in the
best registers Of these instruments and
! in character are wonderfully well
ADAPTED to their capabilities.
The same perfection of execution was
shown in the symphony, notably in the
second and third movements, unques
, tionaby the two finest and most original
in the composition. 1t is question,
however, whether the program would not
have been improved by putting the SYM
phony first and closing with Schubert.
The work is heroic in it's architecture
and makes considerable demands upon
the audience mentally, but does not close
with an emotion climax. Mr.. Sto-
i kowskis reading Of the symphony ives
along the accepted lines Of the Brahms
tradition, IL such term may be APP
piled to. composed so variously in
terpreted.
The soloist was Miss Thclma Given.
who played the ungrateful and i'm
mensely difficult D major concerto Of
Paganini. The concerto is an exposition
of violin playing. not of music, vague in
: structure and appealing only TO those
who set technique on the highest plane
| 1t requires super -technician to make
anything Of this work, anC musician
ship, tonal beauty and emotional quail.
ties find small opportunity for display.
This concerto above all others. with the
possible exception Of the Ernst concerto
in sharp minor, must be played with
the utmost technical ease o be effective.
and Miss Given has hardly yet reached
that stage of technical development and
dehnitencss of style to do this to the
, greatest advantage. She was percepti-
D bly, nervous. especially at the beginning
Q of the concerto. which had an undcniabls
{ effect upon both her tone and her in
tonation. She is, however, SINGER,
{ and talented young performer. who
\ would have appeared to much better nd
= vantage in some concerto which woulc
D have been more COngenial 20 her both
tempcramentally and technically.