The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1921-02-13
SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
DELIGHTS EVERYBODY

Emil Oberhoffer is a conductor pan
of musicians.
His work at the head of the Min
|neapolis Symphony orchestra yester-
day afternoon and the response to
treatment" Of the members demon
strated this fact more wildly than
words can express.
The spectacle OF twoscore violinists
playing as one man under obernoI-
fers direction could never i-,--ess one
as in Tschaikowsky's "Andante Can
table" for strings. The rhythmic
swing of the strings sways one as
the wind plays the rushes by tho
riverside. 1t is the soft passing OF
the south wind through the. trees. Sud
denly the sound grows to the proper
tions of fast approaching storm,
Then the sharp transition to the
nerve-tingling Spanish Caprice the
joint work of Rimsky and Korsakow
Such verve. and spirit could not be at
tanned without the coordination of
instruments obtained by the musicians
of Oberhoffer
In Evening Under the hndens."
from "Aisatian Scenes" of Massenet
the wonderful cellist Engelbsrt
Roentgen placed himself in the first
rank of masters of that instrument
His work reminds one of Pablo Casals
Mr.. Oberhoffer's reading of Webers
overture to Oberon, a wonderful sub
ject for demonstrating contrasts.
brings out the lights and shades. the
inspiring rendition that sways one into
he ~
TOO much cannot be said in praise
of the work of the woodwinds. es-
pecially in the "Aubade," for the rendi-
ton of which the harpist should not
De neglected. Guy d'Isere, ciarinetist,
Is due applause for his work in the
evening Under the Lindens"
AS an encore, the favorite Of Bir-
mingham music lovers. Dvorak,s
Humoresdue" was rendered in a vein
seldom before the like of which has
been heard in this city. Every detail
OF tne laugh with a sob in it was
Drought out sharply and wildly
me master personnel of the SYM
phony orchestra was demonstrated to
L luii advantage in the collection of
DTS from Tschaikowsky's .The NM.
cracker" The woodwinds. the clar,.
nets, flutes and piccoIos. the brasses
Strings, xylophones, drums: in fact. thu
"hoie orchestra, is effectively brought
INTO the action under the baton Of
ooerhoffer in glittering, sparkling
and inspiring offering.
me slow movement of Dvorak,s
Largo is set off to perfection Of
harmonious effect in a manner which
leaves nothing to be desired excent
mat the soothing, smooth glide might
go on indefinitely
me type Of personnel composing tho
orchestra was demonstrated during the
rendition of the Spanish Caprice"
one Oh The strings of the harp snapped
shortly before time for the harp to !
stand out in semi-solo work. The
harpist without being frustrated in
the least. calmly replaced the string
in ample time, launching into the score
as If nothing had happened
Truly, Emil Oberhoffer is a master
musician and marvel as a director
OF men. Birmingham has been
peculiarly fortunate in hearing The
Minneapolis symphony orchestra.
NIGHT PERFORMANCE
visions OF old Castilian days, when
knlghthood was in flower. combined with
touch of the poetic and strong lines of !
the drama, the Minneapolis Symphony or |
chestra, under the direction of Emil |
Operhoffer, scored a triumphant hit in |
its final recital ut the jefferson theatre |
last night.
Opening the programme with Bee |
thoven's Symphony No. in C minor |
the entire run of selections was re- |
ceived with thunderous applause. and
Birmingham music lovers we're again |
given an opportunity to observe the keen [
insight of Oberhoffer in opera and
rhapsody alike.
Wonderful string work on the violins
ana ceiios marked the symphonic poem,
Les Preludes, by List, and the man.
ner in which it was carried to it's close
it's most subtle beauty.
The Paris version of the .Bacchanales''
from Tannhauser," Wagner's famous
was rendered after fash
ion which was deeply appreciated by the
The feature score Of the programme,
however, followed the ntermission, when
Engelbert Roentgen gave cello solo OF
Bruch's ancient Hebrew chant, "KoIl
Nidrei." The artist carried the number
through in a masterful fashion, rewarded
by long, lasting applause.
Another touch of the poets muse was
again rendered in Sibelius' "Finlandia,
which, followed by 'Valse Trieste" from
the same authors 'Kuolema," got over
in fine fashion.
BY popular request. Luiginis "Aubade,'
for woodwinds and harps, a hit of the
afternoon performance, was repeated,
and the concert closed with Chabrier's
Spanish Rhapsody" which marked a
most triumphant finale. The vivacious.
nasterful Spanish strokes, the tambou-
-ine and the general atmosphere created
by the music took one across the years
10 Castilian palmy days.