New-York tribune., 1920-11-10
Philadelphia
Orchestra at
Carnegie Hall
Performance of Brahms'a
Symphony in f Minor Is
Presented in Program
Given by Organization
Cyril Scott at the Piano
Fragments of Irish Mel
odies Arc Offered in
His Portion of Evening
Ry II. E. Krehbiel

1t is comforting reflection for the
reviewers of musical doings.'in cohtem-
plating long concert which ends with
the only feature which demands COM
ment on the score of novelty. that
he must empty his mind of the
matter before midnight. When the
music is like that which was heard in
the second part of the concert given by
the Philadelphia Orchestra in Carnegie
Hall last night, the thought that it must
be speedily be got out of the reviewers
intellectual system, like poison or a
noxious and baneful gas. is not only
comforting but gratifying. Once rid Of
the perlous stuff he VIII never be trou-
bied by its again, unless he chooses to
call it up to illustrate the vagaries Of
the peculiar ccniuses who, by handing
about the canded stick Of mutual adul-
alton, humor their belief that they are
leading the world into new paths.
Impressions of Concert
1t was q pleasurable conviction when
Mr.. Stokowski carried his baton from
the platform after conducting d per
formance of Brahms's symphony in 7,
minor that the high-water mark Of the
concert season so far as it had pro-
gressed had been reached. There was
nothing which could be called back to
mind to equal it for sheer musical olo-
ouence and loveliness. Larnbent flames
seemed to play around its every meas
ure, witt their suggestion Of Pente-
costal benediction. The final passa-
caglia was heaven-storning And then
came Cyril Scott with his pianoforte
concerto in c and two orchestral pieces,
which (heaven save the mark,) We're
also called passacaglias. The English
s composer played the pianoforte part Of
his concerto and conducted the two
orchestral pieces.
lie did his work very energctcally,
and it seemed pity that such energy
could not have been expended in a bet
ter cause. a pity. also, that his or
chestral pieces should have been
brought into juxtapo sition, and conse-
quently contrast, with the last move
mont of the symphony. Was it neces-
sary that he should measure his
strength with that Of B.ahms in so
recondite q form? A theme which is
little more than fragment Of the
diatonic scale suificed the German mas
ter, and with it he achieved an artistic
miracle.
MIR. Scots Presentation
Mr.. Scott labored with fragments of
two Irish melodies, one Of q lugubrious,
the other of rollickjng character. IN
the words Of the song from which the
first theme was borrowed there is a
lamentation, We believe, OF the diminu-
tive size of the potatoes which grew in
Ireland in the year of an historical
famine. No potato could have been SO
small 70 the ideas in the concerto con-
sidered rs melody, and no folksong
theme was ever so be-plastered with
Grass dissonances as the one which
served as the unhappy foundations of
Mr. SCOTS variations. We know Of no
man who has ever more effectually CON
cealed tune than MIR. Scott in some
Of his arrangements of folksong me O.
dies for pianoforte He did not hide
the contour of his themes in his Passa-
caglias. brt he outraged their spirit as
he outraged every conception OF
euphony IN all three compositions
Listeners with alert and curious minds
were no doubt interested in following
him in his excursions into strange in
strumental realms and entertained by
such combinations of voices as those Of
the celesta, harp. xylophone, snare
drEm and pianoforte, but we doubt if
any considerable number found edi-
tication or delectation in the pursuit.