The Washington times., 1922-02-22
COATES CALLED
MAGNIFICENT IN
MPH0NY ART.
Guidance Of Orchestra at Re-
citaI Tuesday Invites High
est Appraisal.

Someone called Albert Coats the
Colossus Of Rhodes" yesterday at
the final concert Of the season OF the
New York Symphony Orchestra,
given at Central High School. when
this master Of the orchestra again
thrilled his large audience with the
broad sweep of his conducting and
with his vital, buoyant, ever youth
fully boyish personality. A modern
Colossus is he, astride the music
world, as his massive form towers
over the imagination of his hearers
and over the truly thrilling work OF
his orchestra.
For there were times yesterday
when each instrument Of the hun
dred seemed to respond like vir-
tuoso instrument. each choir was an
individual in dramatic and poetic
expression, Of the wealth Of idea In
the music. And they played
Beethoven, Strauss and Tschaikow
sky-master minds in the symphonic
world.
Beethoven's seventh symphony that
has been called the symphony Of the
dance, was a varied pattern Of fair
est lace work and Of dynamic vigor
in huge form, with sharp contrasts,
with soaring rhythm, with capri
cious delicacy side-by-side with com.
manding dignity. Yet there We're no
joints in this music; 1t was a blend
of flowing tone in which each tone
value in a meditation was feenly
felt.
Yet what big drama he made of
1t! The allegretto came in with
solemn chords. dark color of the
cello, a veritable dead march. There
was wailing In the slow potent ca
dence, and he fairly lifted them up
in the power of his rhythm. Strong
sustained tones gave impressive
pedal effects, and seldom has one
so felt the personal quality Of
the choirs of instruments. The
finale was a made dance, "furioso"
in tempo and spirit, yet with quick
transitions into the gay and the
light. Withal 1t was clear, having
a wholesome fresh vigor and no
lack of exquisite delicacy.
And that fairy story Of the
Merry Franks" Of Richard Strauss
obstreperous boy Till Eulenspeigel!
1t was Strauss in his purest lyric
ism. and Strauss in an orchestral
fantasy Of fun that cavorted like a
big rough bear-drums and has.
soons acting like comedians-or
again found home sweet under the
spell of a simple song told in
orthodox and melodious four-tour
time. Such imagery in music, with
so amazing a tone palette, Is seldom
heard. 1t was given magnificienuy
with humor and joy, and mad-cap
climaxes of dissonances. Yet ever
the beauty of peace returned like,
was it Bohm's song? at was
Dream"
And then came Tschaikowsky, in
his tone-poem of Francesca di Ri
mini" Here Is. in the music, much
Of melodrama. 1t thunders In mag
nificent climax of sound that is
often obviously orthodox. an early
Tschaikowsky. But his typical ro-
nance comes in at the close in rare
accent Of oboe and Of clarinet,
wherein Mr.. Coates was felt in no.
bility of poetic spirit with theme
painting of exquisite beauty and
again a towering climax that was
tragic like the Dusk OF the Gods"
The elastic expressive hands OF
Albert Coates held a hundred in
struments in their grasp. His is
one of the most forceful PERSONAL
ties we have heard with orchestra.
1t is welcome news that he returns
as guest" conductor with this or
chestra for two concerts next sea-
son.
JESSIE MacBRIDE.