The New York herald., 1921-11-01
Strauss Leads Philadelphia Orchestra
Famous German Composer Reappears Here Con-
ductor of His Own Music.

Richard Strauss, famous German COM
poser. reaprcared before American
music lovers in an orchestra concert In
Carnegie Hall last night He conducted
the Philadelphia Orchestra in perform
ances of his Don Juan.'' "Til Eulen-
spiegels Merry Franks" and "Sympho-
MIA Domestica."
lie gan with ALSO sprach Zarathustra.
but the composer after arriving here
saw great light. The ponderous musi-
cal description Of the development OF
the human race from the Cebus Azarae,
the Cynopithecus Niger (see Darwin's
Descent of Man." chapter - or some
other prehensile peripatetic. to the
''Ueber-Mensch'' Of Nietszche. was put
aside for the Instrumental delineation
OF satiated sensuality, a composition
much more familiar and grateful to the
indulgent but already too much lectured
public.
Richard Strauss is an experienced and
competent conductor. When he was
here before he had ,nisfortunes. That
previous visit began with an orchestral
concert in Carnegie Hall on February
"a. 1904. when he conducted "Ein Hell
denleben." Herman Hans Wetzler con-
Quoted "Also sprach Zarathustra" and
David Bispham sang three songs. Later
in the series Of concerts DR.. Strauss con-
Quoted Don Quixote," and in the midst
OF one Of the variations the orchestra
became SO entangled that it came to a
dead stop. Such catastrophe seemed
to be inconceivaple with the organiza-
ton which DR.. Strauss commanded last
evening, when he was received by an
audience commensurate with his artistic
Importance and was applauded with fer
vor.
DR.. Strauss naturally looks older than
when he visited this city before. His
hair is grayer, 1t Is shorter and 1t oc-
cupies a smaller area. His face is fuller
and ruddier. His form Is still slender.
tall and erect. He walks with elasticity
and conducts with a steady flow Of mag
netism and occas sional flashes Of energy
But as a conductor he does not belong
to the motion picture class He presents
to the eyes Of an audience figure Of
dignity and force. He possesses a clear
and decided beat. uses few graphic gcs-
lures, gives entrances in an unmistak-
able manner. indicates accelerandi and
ritardandi with directness and confronts
an orchestra with an authority which
commands respect.
1hSIc 10 HOtuiIiS ucW 10 DC Sdlu at
this moment about the compositions on
the programme. Don Juan" is familiar
to all music lovers. It'll Eulenspiegel"
is heard less frequently and not often
as DIR. Strauss conducted it. He took the
general tempo somewhat more slowly
than is usual here and with most ex-
cellent results. He made no attempt to
emphasize his effects. He did not make
the clarinet shrek the famous last squeal
of Til. He caused the passage to be
played normally and thereby gave 1t a
legitimate musical character. He treated
the fortes with discretion, seeking for
true sorority rather than noise. A
scathing. though unconscious, comment
on the readings of many other conduc-
tors was made by lady who said to
her companion, 1T didn't sound loud
enough" DR.. Strauss had misconceived
the true dynamics Of his own brilliant
extravaganza.
The eminent composer evidently cher