Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-12-31
THE CRITIC TALKS TO MUSIC LOVERS.

soloiTs of international reputation, and
to give the opportunity to the most
talented of Philadelphia musicians to
appear as soloists or as composers.
This is o program which deserves the
support Of the Philadelphia public. That
they are giving it is evidenced by the
immensely increased membership this
season. There is still an opportunity
to obtain limited number of mem.
berships in this most worthy musical
cause. Those who wish to avail them
selves of the opportunity should com
municate with DIR. Charles $. Hirsch,
900 Pine street.
l. Saens removes from the sphere of
earthly endeavor one of the great figures
of contemporaneous musical history.
lie was man unique in bis art for
many years. Great as composer, as
n performer both on the piano and the
organ. he occupied place in present.
day music which has been vouchsafcd
to but few musicians since the. days
when a musician was supposed to be the
master of all branches of his art.
From the beginnings of bis career
Saint Sacns was recognized as one OF
the greatest Of exccutants. His ability
to reproduce at sight orchestral scores
on the piano excited the admiration OF
Wagner, for whom Saint Saens. during
the stay Of Wagner in Paris in the early
sixties. played the entire scores of
Tannhaeuscr. Lohcngrin and Tristan.
But as composer. Saint -Saens had
the provcrbial tribulations Of "a pro-
phct in his own country" Germany
recognized him aS-if not really the
bcst--at least among tho most i'm.
portant of tho French composers. The
very qualifications which proved an
obstacle 20 the French public appealed
TO the Gcrmans--dccidcd preference for
tho instrumental forms. both classical
and modern. brilliant Instrumentation.
mastery workmanship and solid CON
trapuntaI learning. Resides there was
certain lightneSs of touch in COM
position which made an appeal to the
Germans. perphaps because it is found
so seldom among the composers of their
own race.
DUT Saint Sacns was. in way, as
- immutablc as tho Chinese. lie re-
fused to recognize tho changes which
music was undergoing in his own
time. When Cesar Franck, who had
the most sincere admiration for Saint
Sacns, dedicated his great quintet for
piano and strings to Saint Sarus, the
latter accepted his dedication with
courtly grace and then went away and
left the autograph score, which is the
ultimate compliment of the composer
to the person to whom it is dcdica ted
wing on the piano where Franck had
left It.
The result Of this stagnation of thought
was inevitable; music had outlived the
possibilities Of the composer. Saint
Sacns gifted With IA mclodic genius given
to but few of the modCrns. did not rec
ognize the harmonic progress of his art
and he either did not believe in the
modern tendency, or else he believed it
to be false growth which in time
would return to what Mr.. Harding
would term normalcy.
What tho ultimate result will be. nc
ono now can say. but it seems that in
any event Saint -SacmB pursued The
wrong course. ITc will be remembered
principally by his opera Samson ct
Dalila.' And yet he has contributed
much to absolute music. His concerto
in G minor for the piano, not to men
ton the brilliant but meretricious fifth
concerto in & minor. or his own favor
ite the fourth in + majo together with
the violin concerto in Il minor, tht
piano trio in +. the cello concerto. the
cello sonata and the piano quartet will
long remain in the repertoire. Saint
Sacns is one Of the piteous figures ot
musical history-a man whose physical
life outlivcd his musical vogue.