New-York tribune., 1921-11-11
New Symphony by
Sibelius Is Work
OF Musical [ Creator
Given Its First Presentation
Here by Philharmonic Or
chestra, Il Has the Spirit
and Substance Of Beauty
By RI. E. Krehhiel

Richard Wagner, after arguing in
one book that the last word In the field
of the symphony had been spoken by
Beethoven CATER the Ninth there was
nothing to be done except the develop
ment of the lyric drama, wkich was
Wagner's task), admitted in another
book that it might be possible to COM
pose symphony concerning which
som ething might be said. This was
considerate of the great dramatic poet
composer, though 1t ignored the fact
that Schubert, Mendelssohn and Schu-
mann, to mention only supreme mas
ters, had not only invited speech by
their symphonies, hut had themselves
uttered beautiful thoughts which had
not been uttered before and which in
themselves proved that they were de-
serving of utterance. The extremists
of the latter-day schools, who affect to
hold with Wagner in his earlier book,
have all laid stress upon. the, notion
that the one thing necdful in the sym
phony has been ''something different"
Their productions have been that, but
there was also something different
from Beethoven in Schubert, Mendels-
sohn and Schumann--also In Brahms.
There will continue to be something
different in every symphonic utterance
which comes from a genius, because a
genius will have something individual
to say and will have an individual way
of saying it. His inspiration will dis
close itself in the creation Of themes,
lin their poetical and emotional content,
in their development and in their har-
monic and instrumental investiture. 1t
will not cxpend itself in pursuit of the
new, unusual, strange and bizarre. 1t
will manifest itself in matter as we'll
as manner, in vitality Of creative in
thoughts and their expressive develop
ment and exfoliation.
Has No Descriptive Title
!, All of which, though it should be
aesthetic commonplace, is said by way
of bringing into court new symphony
by Sibelius which was heard for the
first time in America at the concert Of
the Philharmonic Society In Carnegie
Hall last night. The announcement in
the program % read : !. SIMPLY, sympno;ny my
title, thank heaven! and the only de-
plorable thing in Mr.. Gilman's pro-
gram note (asfde from possible error
touching it's first performance was
the statement, quoted from an English
announcement, that "the composer de-
sires his work to be regarded as abso-
Lutte music, having no direct" Git
should have read "alleged") "poetic
basis" That was deplorable, because
the same remark is appended to every
bit of descriptive musical clap-trap
which comes from the press nova
days. Grunting, groaning, squalling,
squeaking cacophony is music, pure
music, absolute music, in the protesta-
tion Of it's makers, though their COM
mentaries are always necessary to
make it plain to the hearers that soul
states, not rat-traps and planning mills,
Mr.. Sibelius might have spared him
self the stcreotyped phrase. His
music speaks for itself. IL is music
which is "different,' not in the vulgar,
but in lefty sense. 1t isl the music
of musical creator, Of poet whose
soul reflects individual experiences,
aspects of life which are his, emotions
which are his, reactions from an en-
|.vironment which is his, psychic COM
inunings which are his. 1t is original
in thought and also in expression, but
both thought and expression are free,
spontaneous, unconstrained, untainted
by a desire to be what other mems
thoughts and expressions are not. 1t
is clear in structure, though unconven-
tional. 1t is instfumefFtally idiomatic;
its instruments speak thcir natural
language, they do not essay volapIk.
Has Spirit and Substance of Beauty
1t cannot be adequately described
after the brief and inadequate ac-
ouaintanceship resulting from a single