Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-10-08
THE CRITIC TALKS
TO MUSIC LOVERS
THE Philadelphia music season Of

THE Philadelphia music season Of
- 1921 30 opened in a blaze of glory at
the concert Of the Philadelphia Orches-
ira at the Academy Of Music yesterday
afternoon. This year the orchestra be.
gan its season a little earlier thnn It
usually does, with the result that yes
terday's was not only the first impor-
tant concert of the season, but was al
most the first Of any description.
The music lovers of the city may look
forward to what will probably be the
biggest year in the musical history OF
Philadelphia. 1t Is true that the Bos-
ton Orchestra will not be with us this
season, but there will be no lack OF in
terestlng and important events. or-
chestrnlly we shall have our own series
Of twenty five afternoon and evening
concerts, and We are already assured
of the Damrosch series of five concerts
at two of which Albert Coates, the
British conductor who made such a u
favorable impression last year, VIII
lead.
Other orchestral concerts are rather
nebulous as yet, but there will DOUBT
less be several other organizations
heard here. 1t is to be hoped that we
shall have the opportunity TO hear the
phony of New York, with any OF itS
three conductors, Mcngelberg, BodanzKy
or Stransky.
MIE SHALL probably have the chance
w to hear some Of the western
organizations, as the orchestrns or re
troit, Cincinnati. Cleveland and Ihl :
cago are coming East on tour, IL is
always interesting to hear visiting or
Chestras. even though to hear them IN
nm auditorium strange them doeS NV
allow n strictly fair basis for CRITICISM l'
especially when consciously or unCon :
sciously they are always, compared
| with our own organization by the au =
dicnce.
Operatically the season already ohers
many attractions. The Mctropolitnn
Company will give it's usual sixteen
performances and the San Carlo Opcr"
| Company, unde. the leadership OF inc
intrepid Fortune Gallo, has been booked
! for three solid weeks Mt the Metropoh'
ran Opera House. There are also vague
I rumors of another visit of the ChlcagC
Opera Company, now under IN" rule o.
! Miss Garden. whose success az n man
| ager threatens to equal her TRIUMPH
| as n performer.
! 1t is to be hoped that this year W.
shall be free from the sporadic opcrr
! performances which had so bad ar
effect upon the opera loving public las
year The regular season Of the Met
! ropolitan, with the San Carlo and TN
| possibility of the Chicago companies
/ will furnish about all the opcrn Phtla'
! delpha can digest in the course OF th'
season.
THE season is making brave star
i for the recitalists. with John Nc
! Cormack. CALI -Curci and Srhumann
IIcink all in the opening week. The!
will be followed by n host of others a
the season progresses. In the dcSplsc'
and rejected field Of chamber MUSE
there will be the concerts Of the Cham
Der Music Association with very few
others on sight.
The local choral associations ar
looking forward to n big year, and It i
70 be hoped that their expectations VII
BE- realized, for these organizations fur
Lish singers with an opportunity TO be-
come practically acquainted with th'
great choral compositions, which the!
could not otherwise obtain. The pos
s!biliticS Of the choral associations as
means Of musical education have beer
long overlooked BY the singing public
AT THE first concert of the Orches
"A ira yesterday it was seen that Mr.
Stokowali has arranged his seating p!al
in q radical manner. II IS doubtful /
any other orchestra in the world use
this same plan. the principal feature o
which is the seating Of the wood wind
at the extreme right of the stage an
In the seats nearest the audience.
The new arrangement makes for thrc
things above all others, sorority OF tone
unity Of enunciatiOn, especially whcI
the separate Choirs are playing by them
selves. and clarity of the solo voices u
the reeds. These were noticeable IN u
program yesterday.
The reason for these things IS OBJ
vious. The sonority is given by group
ing Nil the Instruments Of III" same gen
oral tonality which ar" seated in ad
iacrnt positions. Thus tho tubas m
the tromboncJ are directly in front q
tho basses instead Of being separate
from them by the length of the stag
as in the former arrangement. III
horns. ccllos and baSSoonS, which US
Virtually the S,me register. are ais
closely grouped, and the fly" strin
: bodies are now side by side instead. G
iutcrspprsed with the wood winds DC
,, tween, as formerly.