Concerts Reviewed

March 20, 1921

La Damnation de Faust, op. 24, Hector Berlioz

March 25, 1921

Parsifal, WWV. 111, “Great religious scene,” Act I, scene 2, Richard Wagner

Mass (“Missa solemnis”), D major, op. 123, Ludwig van Beethoven

Symphony no. 9, D minor, op. 125, Ludwig van Beethoven

March 26, 1921

Symphonie fantastique, op. 14, Hector Berlioz

Rhapsodic d’Auvergne, C major, op. 73, Camille Saint-Saëns

Ramuntcho, Gabriel Pierne

Chansons populaires

L’Arlesienne, suite no. 1, op. 23bis, Georges Bizet

April 2, 1921

Parsifal, WWV. 111, “Great religious scene,” Act I, scene 2, Richard Wagner

Symphony no. 9, D minor, op. 125, Ludwig van Beethoven

April 3, 1921

La Damnation de Faust, op. 24, Hector Berlioz

April 9, 1921

Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, WWV. 96, “Overture,” Richard Wagner

Symphony no. 3, E-flat major, op. 55, Ludwig van Beethoven Le Chasseur maudit, César Franck

Ma mère l’Oye, Maurice Ravel

Zhar’-ptitsa [TheFirebird], Igor Stravinsky

Feyerverk [Fireworks], op. 4, Igor Stravinsky

The Concerts Colonne, to finish the season, have given a few concerts that, through their unity, through the splendor of the works and the fervor with which they were played, have reached the highest peaks of music. Some people believe that it serves music poorly to continually return to these essential points, which nevertheless remain like incompletely grasped truths, so great are their depths. Other people find that attracting the audience in this way is too easy. Still others consider that this delays artistic evolution and prevents new works from finding their place.

I do not think these objections are justified, for contact with the past cannot harm that which tomorrow will be merged with it, and juxtaposition attempted with discernment, of even very different periods, cannot create uneasiness and does not damage modern art, except insofar as the latter distances itself from unchanging principles of harmony, balance, and unity.