New-York tribune., 1922-10-08

~ there have been Concerts
Touche in Paris, nor can
remember ''le pere Touche"
without bald spot in the
middle Of his head or a wild black
beard. This season the beard has been
trimmed, though it is still imposing,
the muetaches are carefully combed
out, the nose is as thick as ever and
slightly more red. He still turns
round from his score to glare at late
comefs, as | discovered last evening
and to hiss loudly at the swells in the
8 francs seats (costliest in the hall),
who whisper during the performances
Touches sixteen-piece orchestra
plays in the old hall of the Conser-
yatolre, curious, l,igh-ceilinged
room. very deep and narrow, cross
shaped in the middle, with a stand for
the players in the exact center of its
strange and uncomfortable design.
The orchestra is supported partly by
the national government and partly
by the City of Paris. 1t plays every
evening except Monday, and on Thurs
day and Sunday afternoons there are
recitals by the Touche Quartet.
Prices are from two to eight francs,
with seats for about $50 persons.
Francis Touche himself is 'cellist of
high order. Save i'll exceptional cir
cumstances he conducts from cello
score playing the while his instru-
ment, for his is the only cello in the
orchestra. A soloist plays at each per-
Torrance, and one is always happier
when it is father Touches turn to per-
form. His orchestra never plays the
same program twice; you may be in
terested in the programs for the cur
rent week.
Fridsy--schuua Franci1 Boellmann,
Rinlsky (Antsr), Haendel Concerto for
two victims, cello and strings), Wagner,
.Mende]ssefn
SATURDAY Gutraud, pierne, Berli.z, Ea
Saint -ssens.
SUNDAY syn Hayd8 1ryn wsE
Chausson, Noel Gallon, Saint Saens, Haen-
del, Lalo.
sunday evening -Grieg. schrlitt. De-
bceENCVSB L n,
Weber, Massenet.
Tuesday Beethoven notwithstanding
the Pastoral, Romance in F, Leonore No.
2, the Ssptet.
wednesday - mozart. Francls.. Berlez,
Lekeu, Bizet.
Thursday, the cuartet--Berodine, Gries.
Beethoyen (Trio., op. s!1.
Thursday evening--~Wagner
1t was on Tuesday that ] went, and
Touche gave the Beethoven program.
Certainly, with his orchestra and in
such quarters, he cannot be expected
to play like Nikisch or Muck or Stock
(who is the best Beethoven conductor
in America). But his people are hand
picked, excellent performers; they are
superbly trained; they really love
music, and are not neighborhood "pro-
fessors,'' making an accidental living
in music when they should be selling
shoes or driving milk wagons. And the
fashion in which the half of them
played the great septet, an infrequent-
~ heard masterpiece, certainly was be-
yond the criticism of listener whose
only qualification is long familiarity
with this music. -. 1t is good to
get away from the France of Poincare
into the France of the Concerts Touchc.
q
IL is good, but it isn't, you will say,
the job OF the literary reporter. here
is note more pertinent to my BALL
wick.
NJ. PIERS Benoit, as everybody
knows, is very popular French novel
ist, He published romance recently
which dealt with revolutionary ireland
and was entitled La Chaussce des
sGsants.'' Having read previous effu-
sions by M. Bcnoit. did not stop TO
examine this orc, but heard ,ncurl-
ously that it was rather favorable TO
the revolutionists. There must be
sorae error here. For M. Faralicq, the
Police Commissioner, received the
other morning young woman by the
name OF Laferriere, who announced
herself as the fiancee of d. Benoit and
told the following story
M. Benoit, It appears, Wss approached
by an Individual disg sguised as q priest
FhD told him that III Il. de Valera de-
sired To speak to him privately. He
Was conducted into the presence of u
number Of masked gentlemen who
threatened him wfth revolvers and or
dered him 4A HiSA Snmed diatsly 4n his