The Washington times., 1925-03-11
|MENGELBERG IS
DELIGHT TO
CRITIC
Magic Baton Of Philharmonic
Conductor Stirs Orchestra
to Heroic Strains
By JESSIE MacBRIDE.


MengeIberg is always a surprise.
The great Dutch conductor, in the
only concert here this season OF
the delightful Philharmonic Or
chestra OF New York, welded his
magic baton to heroic strains, a:
the National Theater yesterday
afternoon, the program giving but
two works and these the symphonic
praise Of heroes with the Beethoven
''Hroica" ana Richard Strauss
''HAro's Life"
what tone the Philharmonic has!
Menkelbers gets the utmost out
Of each instrument. out Of each
individual. IL the art of dramatic
suspense may be used for orches-
tral comparison, then Mengelberg
ID q supreme draInatiSt, who yet
never loses 8 line Of the text. He
would read new meanings into his
musical Hamlet.
Contrary to the program he gave
the Symphony first. Never has one
found more joy In the Eroica. 1t
held Mo1artian gayety. This hero
stormed the ears OF his contenn'
poraries with raucous tragedy In
tone, but he also sang huge songs
Of praise to Venus or In simple
pastoral. In blithe three-four time.
had hous OF simple happiness such
90 all great souls enjoy.
Straight From the Master.
It was fresh and enticing Beeth-
oven canvas. But then Mengelberg
naaa ersAA
that Beethoven wished, straight
from the master himself" Oc.
cultisn? No. He comes as q sort
Of fourth generation, for in his own
wOrda: IT had It from Wullner.
who had II from SCHNEIDER. who
had Il straight from Beethoven,
Highest praise must be given the
orchestra for its response to Its
great conductor. Responding in
perfect unity to the broad sweep
and depth Of the Beethoven Fun.
eral March" Of the second move
r1Ant, they rose 70 stunning tone.
more radiantly glowing than any
we have heard this season. The
Echerzo was q feather fantasy with
rugged scene Of the hunt in
which the horns were again stun
ming in tone. The second violin
choir was notable, while mighty
fugues rang out between q ballet
lightness and dissonant immensities.
The final religious theme given to
winds was exquisite In churchly
beauty. Noble IL Beethoven, alive
In an agitato, as Mengelberg plays
his mighty third symphony.
Strauss and the 'Heldenleben"
was again 4 new drama, vibrant
from the opening depths OF the
cellos into q Quixotic adventure.
There was q surge as OF tumul-
tuous waters, q lyric Of rare purity.
Or the violins scared to stupendous
feeling Of moro tone, more tone
Every Value Held.
Yet never q value lost! There
was q chatter like fauns at play.
though programs call 1t gossip
ana coquetry." Humor, that most
illusive Of moods FOR music, was
here. Then MengeIberg fairly
draws the bow for the cellos, at
whose desk we recognize our
friends Of many years. Cornelius
Van Vliet and Lee Schulz.
a DOtol1C or rare attainment, IN
the concert-master of the orchestra.
Scipione Guidi gave long episodes
in the romance Of the hero's life
that were entrancingly beautiful.
Tenderness Of tone, infinite fine
ness in tone values and color, be-
spoke q rarely sensiti1ed artist.
He reflected too that alive in
spirAtion that dominated the entire
concert.
Cacaphony OF Strauss stcrmed in
martial tumult, yet Mengelberg can
eloquently create a dolce far
nionte" Of astonishing repose, out
OF which he awakeS a Brunhilde to
q marvellous song as Strauss peals
out the "Traum durch die Dam
merung." The difference about
Mengelberg IL that, with all the
emotion, he still paints his music
dramas with the detail Of q minia-
turist. His coming and that of the
orchestra, among whom we find a
Washington boy, Harry Waller, at
q viola desk, was rare privilege
for all who stood and cheered and
demanded recall after recall.