New-York tribune., 1920-12-05
Varied Music
By Orchestra
From Boston
Program of Contrasts at
Carnegie Hall Serves to
Bring Out Skill Of SYM
phony i'll Eminent Degree
Familiar Ballet Given
Jean Bcdctti, in Solo Part
of NiOloncel'o Concerto.
Shows Suave Mastery
BY II. E. krehbiel

Yesterday afternoons concert in
Carnegie Hall by the Boston Sym
rhony Orchestra offered pre- gram of
contrasts: Mendelssohn's Octet in f
Hat for strings; Lalo's Concerto for
v;o!oncello aud what was called a
"symph onic suite" (why, we cannot
even guess) made out of some of the
music composed by Stravinsky for the
ballet "Petrouchka.' The ballet music
was the most familiar of these compo-
sltIons to the people who go to the
opera, as we'll as to symphonic con-
certs, and what remarks upon it the
occasion invited may as we'll as not be
made at once. In its place-which
means in the theatcr and as an ac-
compartment to pictures and action
this music is quite the most Cxtraordi-
nary composition with which we arc
familiar. Not in the region in which
high Imagination dwells, but in the
abode of careless fancy, Stravinsky's
music, illustrative to a story of poor
Punchnello. is an amazing agency in
confounding them, making the eyes
hear and the ears see But as music
pure and simple there is little of it
which bas the qualifications which fit
1t for the concert room. That little
i summed up in his treatment of Rus
sian folksong tunes or melodies based
on those tunes. The rest is mere
erotesquerie which may amuse; in
fact, it does that, but must also be-
wilder all those who listen to it with
out having gone through the expert
ence of witnessing the comically pa
thetic or pathetically comic panto-
mime in the theater Again we sug-
Gest, with perfect seriousness, that
when played in the concert room it
ought always to be accompanied by
moving pictures. Here is a matter for
Mr.. Eastman's consideration.
1t served yesterday to display Mr.
Monteux's appreciation of Stravin-
sky's score and the skill of the
orchestra; both in an eminent degree.
The performance was admirable, thrill
ing indeed. The vertiginous move
ment of the music written to delineate
the confused hustle of a Russian null
tltude III enjoyment of fair was al
most dizzying. The device is one of
Stravinsky's early inventions; we knew
of nothing like it previous to the ad-
vent OF his piece called "Firewor.s." :"
In a different manner the fine mus
cularity Of the body Of string instru-
nent players which Mr.. Monteux has
enlisted was brought into notice by
the performance Of ndelssohn's 5
Octet. When a composition designed
for intimate rformance by a group
Of solo instruments is transferred to
a large band the question whether or
not it has gained or lost in effective
ness always comes to the fore in the
minds of experienced listeners. Yes
terday the Transformation seemed JUS
tilted in the first movement with its
large lines of JOY and jubilation of
splendid color effects in the middle
voices; but in the andante we missed
he individual utterances which are
native and essential to chamber COM
positions. After the many attacks by
serried brass and strident dissonances,
however, the music fell like a sooth-
ing balm into the ear.
The solo part of the violoncello con-
certo was played by NJ Jean Bedetti
VINO ined the ranks of the Boston
ians I the beginning of last season.
He is an excellent artist, master of a
sua g and sonorous tone, richly en-
lowed with technical skill, and he
brought out much, if not all, of the
contents of the composition.