New-York tribune., 1922-12-11
Nine. Hempel
Again SOlOist
'WithSymphony
CharmingR Rendition of Scene
From "Der Freischutz"
Serves to Revive Glory
Of Won Weber Tradition
Fairchild Ballet Is Given
Music Of ''Dame Libellule"
Proves Graceful Though
Lacking Pictorial Setting
Bv n. E Krehbiel


Nine. Frge8a Hempei provided the
solo numbers for the concert of the
Symphony Orchestra in Asoiian Han
Yesterday afternoon. and they were the
sane songs that she had sung IN the
afternoon Of Saturday at the symphony
concert for young people, also con
dresed By Mr.. walter Damroseh. NO
harm IN that Listening 70 her lovely
voice and style IN the familiar scene
and air from "Der Freisehotz,' we
felt our dutiful desire 20 keep up with
the procession and bo ~progressive"
gradually ooziEg away under the infu-
euee OF the glory which was Weber
and 70 Be reTerting 10 willing thrall-
dom 70 the beauty and dramatic truth
fulness Of the composer who linked
Beethoven with Wagner. "Fidelio'
With sTannhAuser" and It's companions
down 70 "Parsifal." II msy be con-
fession which is pitiful, but eonfes-
sion is good for the soul. Conceal
fnent cannot help the matter. We must
out with thus much Of our artistic
eredo-Carl Maria Won Weber was
fner, q truer. a higher type Of genius
Than Il Ciaeomo Pueeini or Erieh
Kornrold; better musician and bet
ter dramatic composer. The belief may
be periious stuff IN these advanced
days. bat we will not purge our soul
of II.
Let us frankly admit that We are
slipplng backward We had hope
after the reasonable thrill with when
Nine. Hempers singing Of "Leise, leise
frommo Weisa" flled US that Mr.
Blair Fairehild would save US from
topping over the brink into the wa
ters Of conservatism with his music 20
o ballet entitled Dame Libellule.
which the program notes told US mas
10 do with the devastating effects
wrought upon the insectile and reptil-
ian world By the heartless cOquetry OF
a vamp Of the genus hexapoda." We
read the story OF the ballet and from
il learned that the characters were
somswhat In likeness 10 those in the
drama now occupying Mr. Jolson's
playhouse, and that among the other
wicked things done by Dame Llbellule
(who might be called Miss DragonAy
In tho vernacular) was that she played
mischief with the affections Of our
humble tumble-bug, a toad and a liz
ard. stirring up the jealous passions OF
the latter two until they engaged in
deadly battle. and az the end fitting
away with q butterfly.
Mr.. Fairchild's music was deftly
fitted 10 this story, though perhaps
little too closely 70 be wholly satisfac-
tory as eoncert-musie. Il needed the
ballet OF (let Us say again what We
have said several times when purely
pictorial music has been played disso-
eiated from the scenes which II was
written to accompany Il might prop
erly have been accompanied by moving
photographs. or course, we heard the
toad eroak. though In nature the toad
Is q peculiarly reticent and unloqua-
eious creature, and we saw with our
ears the hutter Of the dragon-hy's
wings; but the music frequently left
US In the lurch, even with the plot in
our hands. Besides, the conservative
spell being still upon US, we couldn't
help remembering that one Of the
Niennese Strausses had written a
"Libellenpolka," which, though IL told
no story at all. gave far more graphic,
or suggestive, picture In music Of the
flight Of q DEVILS darning-needle than
Mr.. Fairehild's with all his modern or
che5tTal accessories. But this Is trea-
son Again-doublo treason, for Mr.
Fairchild is on American composer and
Mr.. Damrosch invited the audience 20
pay him tribute by directing attention
10 the fact that he was an occupant Of
one Of the boxes. There Is much grace
ful fancy In the composition and fine
craftsmanship. II would be pleasurable
20 hear Il again with its complement
tGry action.
The other orchestral pieces were the
overture 10 "Der Freiseh1tz." Brshms's
Variations on q Theme by Haydn" and
Lalo's overture 20 lie Roi dYs."