HARMONIC SOCIETY’S CONCERT

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 196, 16 May 1930, Page 11

HARMONIC SOCIETY’S CONCERT

Sir, —The writer of the report of the above concert which appeared in Monday's issue is to be congratulated upon his refreshing departure from the beaten track of indiscriminate eulogy that for many years has characterised toucert. notices in our local Press. So long as criticism has the weight of recognised authority behind it, nothing but good 'can result from outspoken comment: it is a case of having to be cruel to be kind. But whilst agreeing in the main with the greater part of your contributor’s remarks, on two points I must beg to join issue with him. Whilst conceding that Friedemann’s “Slavonic Rhapsody” is an unfortunate selection for a small orchestra, I submit that your critic's description of its “great, dramatic . . . dynamic glories,” etc., was equally unlucky, as, in the opinion of many competent judges, it is a blatant, empty composition, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing. I have conducted it dozens of times, always against my better instincts; and I venture to assert that, even if played by. the Philadelphia Orchestra, it would carry no musical conviction. The second point refers to SaintSaens’ “March Militaire,” which, your critic says, “with the trickling melodies played by a single instrument, was ever so remote from the military spirit of the work.” May I ask your contributor whether he has heard the H.M.V. historical record D 8704, on which is preserved for all time the composer’s own performance of this composition as a pianoforte solo? Surely not. or he would certainly not term the melodies “trickling,” nor deny the power of the single instrument to reproduce the extraordinary breadth, and vivid character of a work so essentially true to its title.—l am. etc., L. V. AUSTIN. May 12. [The critic concerned replies to the above as follows: —“I cheerfully break a lance with Mr. Austin in his estimation of the place of Freidmann’s “Slavonic Rhapsody,” which is in my humble estimation a very ably scored piece of dramatic music, signifying in a Very effec-tive-manner the Slavonic mood. I have never heard such applause in the De Luxe Theatre as greeted its performance last year by professional musicians tin? dor the baton of Mr. Aarons, and when I heard the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra, under Mr. Hertz, play the Rhapsody” the effect on the audience was electrical; so that to assort that ( 7 Bn 'f played by the Philadelphia Orchestra it would carry no conviction, is .lust a state of mind. I differ. I repeat that the ‘Marche Militaire” of SaintSaens. as played by the 2YA Orchestra, unfortunate choice, as except in the final twenty bars or so, there was in the pretty trickling melodies for solo instruments no suggestion of military elan was conveyed to me. Saint-Saens wrote much exquisite music, but his moods seldom ran to the festal and often flambuoyant pugnacity associated with a military march; and, if it lives in this number, all I can say is that it was not well reproduced by the 2YA Orchestra. Still, for all that, it is a cheering sign to see members of the public taking an intelligent interest in criticism, remembering ; at the same time that there never has j been nor will he entire agreement in the gauging of quality in music or its per- I formance.J