Evening star., 1923-01-22
Cleveland Orchestra.

1t is NOT we'll 20 draw comparisons
but safely 1t may be said that WASH
ington has seldom heard a concert
on a higher artistic plane than nTs .hTs
Theater by the Cleveland symphony
Orchestra, under the direction Oh
Nikolai Sokoloff.
The tonal balance of the orchestIaa d
can hardly be bettered, nor couio
there be asked a more spirited fol-
lowing of the baton of the leaoer.
The instant and exact response "
every call proclaimed not only q won.
derfully well-drilled organization, pu. !.
a deep appreciation of the music
It took but a few bars of the open
ing number to satisfy the audlence
that q rare treat was in store. Inc
program opened with Cesar Franck 5
.Syn1phony in d Minor" divided In
three movements, lento-alleSro non
troppo, allegretto and allegro non
troppo. The first movement was
played largely by the strings ana
over his orchestra. The shading was
delicate and the response to the cres-
cendos and diminuendos was as eten
as the opening and closing OF lne
swell box of an organ. The coior wa
unchanged and nothing OF the beauti-
full round tone in the pianisslmo was
lost as the volume grew in a 1e"
short bars to a great hrm 1orIe.
Every instrument responded eNentS
in the great waves that eokoiol
seemed to draw out with MS s"eepihe
gestures.
The entire symphony is based on
number of fugue themes. Win ohe
termed the theme of falth CROWNS
more and more dominant as the laSt
movement approaches. The alleEretto
movement starts with a clean-cut
introduction by the strings, atleI
which the leading theme is announced
on the baSSoonS. All through the
first two movements. one was coiI-
scious of the steady building up pom
in harmony and tempo. until III the
finale, the entire orchestra opened up
and the theme of faith, now familiar
because of it's frequent and eyermore
prominent sounding during the Irst I
TWO movements. became the ieauinS
motif. The movement was filled with
ante climaxes. with strings breaking
out IN full tone on the leading theme,
followed by a diminuendo and then
the starting of q new fugue by Varl-
GUS Of the wood winds. the Whole-
souled manner in which the strings
went at these ante climaXes and the
final climax was aSrdemonstratlve OF the
spirit which Sokoloh has developed
in his organization.
The second number was a dramatlc
poen, La Mort de Tintagtles," Op. 10,
Of Charles Martin Loetfier, written
while he was a member of the Bos-
ron Symphony Orchestra. This work
introduces a solo for the Vole
damour, an instrument seIuoIn useu :,
in modern times, although common
in the seventeenth and eighteenth
centuries.
The same exact shadings, precision
Of attack and clear cut-offs that at
ended the symphony brought out the
rcauties of this tragedy. The sudden
nd radical changes in mood were
harply outlined until with a rapid
reScendo the orchestra built up TO a
rashing climax, with the brass be-
.oming dominant for the only time
4 the concert, and then gradually
wing away until only the viole was
1T, and then, almost impercepubly,
ceased speaking. the harp adding
nc last delicate tinkling note.
The final number, Straus' Don
Tuan," OPP. 20, with it's fiery, dashing
passages and its sharply contrasted
periods of calm, was exceptionally
veil read by Sokoloff
The orchestra, presenting a pleas.
ng balance with the great number of
;tfings. and the large proportion OF
vood winds, as compared to the bra ss
rave a much richer and less rasping
tone than is sometimes noted. The
placing OF the harp in front seems
,Tise, as the tinllling notes were not
'ost by a barrier of strings. Incl
',ntally, the beauty and gracefuln ess
I the harpist added much to her eX-
client playing.
The audience at the conclusion paid
Mr.. .Sokoloff an unusual tribute by
making no move to go until he had
been recalled five times.
Mr.. Sokoloff is a product of the
Yale Music School, and it was here in
1902 that his ability as a leader and
interpreter first was discovered. Aft
er graduating he took an added two
year course, and then organized his
orchestra, which is now in the front
rank of symphony organizations