New-York tribune., 1920-12-01
Philadelphia
Music Appeals
To New Y orlx
Third Concert by Visiting
Orchestra Shows Ii Has
Won ii Finer Clientele
Than Local Musicians
Work Carefully Studied
Home Organizations SUI
perior, but Play Too FIRE.
quenily for Best Results
Bv III. T.. krehbiel

There was an intimation in these
columns some time ago that with the
multiplicity OF symphony concerts.
which are TO be given this season. the
duty OF a reviewer. outside Of preserv-
ing record of incid. d.ntS and comment
ing on works aew to the current lst,
might we'll be limited to an occasional
discussion Of the Interpretation OF a
familiar work IT the nands Of this or
the other conductor.
Such an occasion was offered last
night IN Carnegie Ball, when the Phila-
delphia Orchestra came before d local
audience for the third time this season
A circumstance which has not been
referred to in this journal heretofore
may first be mentioned: the visiting or.
ganization has this year enlisted a
larger clientele and one of finer musi-
cal character than any OF the local
orchestras. Its audiences are become
like in number and kind to those which
were long attracted to the vast music
room Of the Boston Orchestra. An IN
ouirv into the reason for this would.
we fear, result in disclosures the re
verse Of hatterng to New Norks con-
ductors. if not necessarily to its sym
phonic institutions. 1t is become eVi-
dent that while the conductors are
satisfied with good enough" perform
QncGS.
chestral music who think, with a recent
British essayist, that garment cannot
be clean enough to pass muster unless
it be as perfectly and wholly clean as
il can be made. We have better fabrics
than those woven into the Philadelphia
Or .hestra in at least two Of our bands,
but our leaders seem to be less fastidi
Gus about their disclosure than Mr.
Stokowsky.
We know, of course, that we are
prone to detect delicate tiavors in for
which we do not find in our perhaps
too familiar growths, but to offset this
there is the civic pride of a great me
tropolis which hesitates to admit that
it can be done in any field of endeavor
and that spirit of devotion to leaders
which has resulted in giving us a
plethora where fewer things and better
would more greatly advantage us. In
stead of d one-souled, whole souled
body of music lovers we have cliques
and parties, prejudices and jealousies
which are costly to music's patrons
and detrimental, at least not helpful,
to musical culture. Besides there
seems to be too much concert-giving
to admit of adequate preparation.
In this respect botn of the orchestras
which visit us have an advantage over
the local bands. The music which they
rlay for us has been studiously pre-
pared for performances in their homes,
and when they come to New York the
players put forth special efforts and
give us the best that is in them. We
know that to be true, for we heard
many concerts in Boston in the days
of Gericke and Nikisch, and they never
reached the high standard which they
maintained in New York. But these
are generalities, and we must become
specific.
The programme Of last nights con-
cert comprised Dvorak's symphony
From the New World,' Brahms's VAR
atons or theme by Haydn and the
overture and bacchanalian ballet scene
from Wagner's Tam hauser'- familiar
music, all OF it. The symphony in
deed, is become so worn by frequent
usage that it would be threadbare
were it made of more perishabe stuff
We do not see why the orchestras
should not play it without the help Of
the printed page 1t calls up memories
Of Berlloz's story about the Mendels-
sohn concerto which the pianofortcs
played as soon as their falIboards were
raised, without waiting for the fingers
Of the Conservatory pupils.
But it did not sound hackneyed last
night because Mr Stokowsky invited,
nay compelled, us to observe more
tnan its surface beauties. He dis
closed the ruddy. onulent life which
courses through all its veins, the eX-
Guisitc organisms out Of which its
palpitant BODY is compounded, and this
he did not 50 much by applying
analytical methods which may be
iikened to the work OF SURGEONS