San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-02-25
Is Succeeded by William
Won Hoogstraaten Who
Is Expected to Make the
Most of His Opportunity.
BY PIERRE v. r. KEY.

by PlEhhE v. II. hE1.
New York, Feb. ga change il
the character of symphony orchestr,
skies is becoming apparent. Thos'
scintillating spots which represent tn
conductors are shifting. Newer spot
are visible; and there is one which
has broken out boldly. Within tn,
brief space of one week have com,
the resignation of Josef Stransky. al
co-conductor of the New York Phil
harmonic National, and the appoint
ment of Wilton Won Hoogstraaton t.
succeed him. Those few who wer,
in close touch with the situation ar,
not surprised. The Dutch musician
who will share next season will
Willem Mangelberg the music respon
sibilities of this distinguished organi
cation, was the "favorite choice
among those on the inside of Philhar
monte affairs. Now we know that
Georges Enesco, Bruno Walter and
Albert Coates were never even consid
cred.
A few days after Chairman Clar
ence Mackay announced his acceptance
of the Stransky withdrawal he made
known the Hoogstraaton nomination
As a consequence the "I-told-you-sos'
are jubilant. Their next act will bt
to sit in judgment of the newcomers
capacities, when he takes hold Of the
Philharmonic in October.
| Hoogstraaton made q strong impress
sion when he appeared at recent
concert by this organization, as guest
conductor. He had enlisted many
supporters through his efforts with
the Stadium Concerts Orchestra, last
summer. Now he is to have his
chance, and it is the prevailing belief
that he will turn it to productive &C.
count.
Stransky Retirement No Surprise.
The retirement of Stransky occa.
sions no surprise to many New York
| ers. He doubtless realizes the adj
vantages which change will bring
Z. =. to himself no less than to the
Philharmonic National With large
opportunities offered him. Stransky
profited through his extended en-
| gagement. and he will proceed to an
| other field shortly to be decided on.
New York is keen over the Philhar-
monic-National. Under Mr.. Mackay'S
administration its efficiency has been
materially enhanced; its influence
broadened. The plans formulated TO
develop it into an. institution which
might properly take rank alo,-sjde
the Metropolitan Museum of Art and
the Metropolitan Opera Company are
being realized. Few people appre-
ciate the many difficulties and prob
lens incident to the direction of an
institution such as the Philharmonic
Orchestra. and which. like our own
Metropolitan Opera, seeks only the
highest standards. g.
Because of all this the debt the ma
ton will owe Mr.. MackEy, when his
task has been completed Gas it as
suredly will be-, must be one of mag
nitude.
German Opera Festival.
Precisely why the visiting COM
pany of opera singers from Ger.
many should be put forward as rho
German Opera Festival" we cannot
say. Their performances do not consti
tute festival, but season. And the
start, few evenings ago in the Man
haitian in West Thirty-fourth street
| (where the late Oscar Hammerstain
used to reign, was most favorable.
The introductory effort was Die
Meistersinger. No more difficult work
could have been selected. 1t requires
primarily a first rate orchestra for
adequate presentation, which was not
| possible. The music union forbade
the organization its own orchestra
SO the substitute, picked up from
what was left of musicians who coul
be secured here, was inferior.
What Leo Biech did with his force
deserves a hearty slap on the. back
He is distinguished conductor
Some of the principal singers ais,
merit high concentrations. The en-
tire performance had genuine quail
ties of excellence, as did some o.
those which came afterward. In mex
weeks article we will go into detail
concerning all that is interesting.
A Bizarre Composition.
The long looked for Pierrot Lunai
reached a public hearing for thu
first time in this country few even
ings ago, when it was performed b.
the International Composers Guild il
the Klaw Theater. The Schoenber
melodrama is crazy enough-beyon
all shadow of doubt. Musical Europ
has been fussing over it for som
months; now our music debaters vii
have their opportunities to rave or
The composition is a tonal settini
of twenty-one poems adapted from
the French of Albert Giraud by OFT,
Erich Hartelben, and for whicl
Charles Henry Meltzer has made
free English transcription. The voca
part of the work had as its interpr'
ter Miss Greta Torpadie. The instru
ments consisted of piano, violin, viola
clarinet, flute. pocolo, base clarinet
and 'cello-which were directed b!
Louis Gutenberg.
What a maze of strange sounds
We always felt music to be somethin
agreeable to the ear; Pierrot LUNAR
is never that. The discords are cor
slant; the rhythms fantastic; I'll
dynamics astoundingly sudden an
shifting. Miss Torpadie is a painstak
ing and artistic>lyric soprano, but 81
had little chance to be effective. w
of course are glad to have had Ii
chance to hear this work; but we cal
dispense. for our part, with any other
japanese Tenor Pleases.
Japanese sopranos have been hear
in this country: tenors from the Ian
of the Rising Sun are novelties. Al
most the first we ever heard who dis
closed serious music intentions
Eosie Fujiwara, whose New York d.
but attracted mild interest.
Like the now celebrated soprano
nrNrD AR nVHHnN