Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-05-08
ORCHESTRA, CHORUS
IN BEETHOVEN NINTH
Gigantic Composition Given a,
Fine Interpretation by Both
Instrumentalists and Singers

The Friday afternoon concerts Of the
Philadelphia Orchestra closed yesterday
In blaze Of glory with what was up :
aucstionably the finest production OF
Beethoven's Ninth Symphony that has
ever beon given In Philadelphia. The
sudience was as large as could be got
into the Academy and filed every seat
that could be placed anywhere.
Mr.. Stokowski put only two num-
bers on the program, a wise proceeding
In view of the length Of the symphony;
The concert opened with spirited
reading Of Beethoven 3 overture, Leo.
more, No, 3, In which, however, some
Of the orchestral detail brought out IN
previous renditioDs WIS lost, owing
doubtless to the fat seating arrange
ment OF the orchestra necessitated by
the use OF the chorus, which occu-
pied the elevated seats usually used by
the orchestra. However, this was q
small matter when the tonal beauty and
the spirit Of the performance are taken
into consideration. The temperamental
mood of the overture made an admirable
prelude for the majestic composition to
follow.
An Unique Composition
The Ninth Symphony Of Beethoven
occupies a position unique in musical
composition. 1t is utterly different
from any previous works, even OF Bee
tboyen himself, and its character is par
ticipated In by only three Of his later
compositiops, tho quartets in A minor.
q sharp minor and F major, all OF
which were written after tho Ninth
Symphony. On tho other hand, the
work epitomized practically all that has
been done in symphonic composition
since II was written, the indebtedness
OF Brahms. Dvorak and oven some OF
the Russians being apparent. :,
The emotional tone of the whole work
IA OF the utmost seriousness, but " Is
never morbid, and while IL has not that
perfect unity which characteri1es tns
Eftb sympbony Undoubtedly tho finest
snecinen of cohesiveness OF compon-
tion that exists) It nevertheless rises to
heights which are not attained BY any
other work II tho literature OF music,
with the possible exception OF certain
nlsces in the Brahms Requiem and the
Bach b minor Mass.
Tho performance Of the work as
yhole was magnificent. Mr.. Sto-
Lowaki conducted from memory, as
nsuaI. n tour de force Of memory and
NOT upaccompanied with dangers when
the necessarily limited number OF re-
bearsals with the chorus is considered,
together with the fact that choral sing
ing with orchestral accompaniment Is
always full Of pitfalls. Nevertheless,
everything went of almost faultlessiy.
II is true that there were few spots
where the orchestral balance might have
been better, as in the open hfths at
the beginning OF the hrst movement;
with its sinister feeling of the lack OF
n defined tonality, which we're too loud,
the string unison at the end Of the same
movement, also too loud, and several
places where the solo and accompanying
Instruments were not quite in the right
relationship to each other as to vol
ume. but these were due to the unusual
seating formation. The three orches-
trail numbers of the symphony are in
yolyed and are almost altogether tut
IL" especially the first movement, but
thew were played with great reverence
and beauty Of tone.
Fine Work Of Chorus
Naturally, the main interest of the
afternoon was In the work Of the chorus,
which was very fine. Beethoven was
by no means fine choral writer, in the
sense that he knew how to get the
finest effects of the voice in "prsc-
tical' vocal way, and the result is that
the voice parts of the Ninth Symphony,
the Mass in d and other Of his greatest
choral works are almost unsingable.
In tho face of this fact, the chorus did
the highest grade Of work, especially
the sopranos, with their tremendously
difficult part. The chorus is we'll bal =
anced and has been admirably trained
by Mr.. Townsend, and they entered into
the spirit of Beethoven with enthusiasm
restrained by good judgment. The Ninth
Symphony is not a work which can bo
''torn to pieces" as can some of the
modern choral compositions. It must
be given with emotional restraint, and
this exceedingly difficult attribute Mr..
Stokowski succeeded In instilling into
both the chorus and orchestra.
The solo parts were taken we'll BY
yahrah Hanbury, soprano, Alice Fid-
Ter, contralto; Robert Quait, tenor, and
j. Campbell McInnes, baritone. As q
rule, the solo parts are as unsiugable as
the choral ones, but all gave them with
excellent voice and understanding. The
horribly difficult passage COMMONLY
known as the ''cadenza, !" for four solo
voices, was one of the best bits of tho