Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-03-19


f'O" es} Ala FRO from "Anrs,,jc , .ieSci?
Hulda Tashanska ,-,
Tone Ttp"PT P"sn ''''' * rrcroSs tfs" strauss
dedicated & Mir MenEo'o rg'
Wilcm Mpngelbcrg. conductor of the
Conccrtgcbouw Orchestra OF AmNt'r'
dam, was guest conductor Of the ihlia-
dclphia Orchestra at its concert ycStcr-
day afternoon aud it is safe to say that
no conductor who ever visited this city
created the tremendous impression both
upon the audience and tho members oi
the orchestra itself that Mr.. Mcngcl-
berg did. From the first note of the
"Oberon' overture to the close of "A
Hcro's life" the conductor was 1.-THE
whole thing" and not for his virtuosi-
~. for in tho strict sense Of the word.
he Is not "prima donna conductor.
but for tho fact that he brought out of
The music and out Of the orchestra
everything that the mind could conccN"
that It contained.
Mr.. Mcngelberg made some changes
IN the physical arrangements or tho
stage, and also some in the seating OF
the orchestra. apparently with the id'a
OF securing n more compact orchestra
with a consequent gain in ensemble. rs
a conductor. Mr.. Mcngclbcrg is moro
ennhatir than graceful. but he knows
exactly what hc wants and how TO get
II, lie conducted from memory. bur
rave all tho cues. even the most lnSlg-
nihcsnt ones. and his beat was clear
and hence easy to follow. Every mo-
tion Of the hands and arms had def
mite meaning.
In his conducting as a whole. Mr..
Mengelberg did not pay attention to
any one detail at the expense of others:
He apparently sought TO get the. tull
meaning Of the composer out or the
music. and the details of architecture.
of composition. OF tonal color and the
Thousand and one other things that 60
to make up fine reading of n com
position, we're naturally and logically
brought out and developed. Nothing
was forced there was no cNaGGcratlon
Of tone nor Of sentiment: everything
was natural and vet finished. with the
result that the Friday afternoon AUDI
enre, which rarely rises to point
beyond polite commentator. was
literally swept of its feet and gave tn"
great Dutch leader n reception Su'h as
n has seldom gwen ANY NI'' 'AAh'A ''4
ductor or SolOiSt.
The orchestral numbers of tho pro-
rrsm we're such ~ ~ demand great
Versatility on the part Of the conductor.
,anrirr AS it did. from the iairylikc
general character Of "Oberon through
tbe sentimental LIES Prcludcs OF
List. perhaps the least bombastlr oi
the symphonic poems. to the heroic at
mosphpre Of the Strauss ton" poem In
each Of these Mr.. Mcn@clhorg adjusted
both himself and the orchestra cNa"t!y
70 the characteristics OF the conpoSl
from. In "I.os PrCludcs hH avoided
the vuIgarity generally evident IN inc
renid development of the first norm
melodv bv n Skilful shading both OF
torc and time at tho close OF Na"h
phrase and this was the only ono oi
the MANY clever devices h" employed
to make tho composition sound hk"
rcaiIv great piece Of orchestral music
Rut he rose to his greatest heights IN
he Strauss tone no"n. which Is u"d. .
catcd 10 Mr.. Mcngclb"rg him S"i' ~ =
the last Of the tone poems. beng com
poscd in 1899. and it cannot b." 3"h"'i
thnt il docs not rise to the muSIcaI nN'i
Of Death and TRANSPORTATION or
"7ill EuIenSpieGei. mere III" i,'i,!
messages of the greatest beauty lh H.
but thcv are raror than in IN" carrier
tonc rocmg. while there arc long stretches
~ commounlacc music, together WITH an
evident striving after sensational "H'''S
(which arc frequently arhl"N"d) ana
much brutal orchpstratiou. But, IN spite
~ this. Mr. Mengelberg made most I'm =
nrpsgivc display Of III" work. IL" 'El-
IDENTIFY realized that orchestral tone '"I"r
must NJ times take th' Nia'" "l r'a
musical inspiration in IN" thcmatl' ma =
/. q