CARNEGIE HALL .... NEW YORK Thursday Evening, November 19, at 8.45 Saturday Afternoon, November 21, at 2.30 PRoGRTWVE "Ike BOSTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA: 188M931" By M. A. De WOLFE HOWE Semi'Centennial Edition It is seventeen years since M. A. De Wolfe Ilowe's history of the Boston Symphony Orchestra was published. The Fiftieth season of the Orches- tra seemed a fitting time to re-publish this prized narrative of its earlier days, and likewise to record, in additional chapters, the last years of Dr. Muck's conductorship, and those of Henri Rabaud, Pierre Monteux, and Dr. Serge Koussevitzky. Xew appendices include a complete list of the music played at the regular concerts, giving the dates of performances. The soloists and the personnel through fifty years are also recorded, and the address on Henry Lee Higginson made by Bliss Perry at the Bach Festival, March 25, 1931. Now on sale at the Box Office, or by money order to Symphony Hall, Boston Price $1.50 (postage included) CARNEGIE HALL - - - NEW YORK Forty-sixth Season in New York FIFTY-FIRST SEASON, 1931-1932 INC. Dr. SERGE KOUSSEVITZKY, Conductor THURSDAY EVENING, NOVEMBER 19, at 8.45 AND THE SATURDAY AFTERNOON, NOVEMBER 21, at 2.30 WITH HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE NOTES BY PHILIP HALE COPYRIGHT, 1931, BY BOSTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, INC. THE OFFICERS AND TRUSTEES OF THE BOSTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, Inc. FREDERICK P. CABOT President BENTLEY W. WARREN Vice-President ERNEST B. DANE Treasurer FREDERICK P. CABOT ARTHUR LYMAN ERNEST B. DANE WILLIAM PHILLIPS N. PENROSE HALLOWELL EDWARD M. PICKMAN M. A. DE WOLFE HOWE HENRY B. SAWYER FREDERICK E. LOWELL BENTLEY W. WARREN W. H. BRENNAN, Manager G. E. JUDD, Assistant Manager 1 Dr. SERGE KOUSSEVITZKY Fifty-first Season, 1931-1932 Dr. SERGE KOUSSEVITZKY, Conductor Violins. Burgin, R. Elcus, G. Gundersen, R. Sauvlet, H. Cherkassky, P. Concert-master Kreinin, B. Kassman, N. Hamilton, V. Eisler, D. Theodorowicz, J. Hansen, E. Lauga, N. Fedorovsky, P. Leibovici, J. Pinfield, C. Mariotti, V. Leveen, P. Tapley, R. Thiliois, F. Zung, M. Knudson, C. Gorodetzky, L. Mayer, P. Diamond, S. Zide, L. Fiedler, B. Bryant, M. Beale, M. Stonestreet, L. Messina, S. Murray, J. - Del Sordo, R Erkelens, H. Seiniger, S. Violas. Lefranc, J. Fourel, G. Bernard, A. Grover, H. Fiedler, A. Artieres, L. Cauhape, J. Van Wynbergen, C. Werner, H. Avierino, N. Deane, C. Gerhardt, S. Jacob, R. Violoncellos. Bedetti, J. Langendoen, J. Chardon, Y. Stockbridge, C. Fabrizio, E. Zighera, A. Barth, C. Droeghmans, H. Warnke, }. Marjollet, L. Basses. Kunze, M. Lemaire, J. Ludwig, O. Girard, H. Moleux, G. Vondrak, A. Oliver, F. Frankel, I. Dufresnt , G. Kelley, A. Flutes. Oboes. Clarinets. Bassoons. Laurent, G. Gillet, F. Polatschek, V. Laus, A. • Bladet, G. Devergie, J. Mimart, P. Allard, R. Amerena, P. Stanislaus, H. Arcieri, E. Panenka, E. Allegra, E. {E-flat Clarinet) Piccolo. English Horn. Bass Clarinet. Contra-Bassoon. Battles, A. Speyer, L. Bettoney, F. Piller, B. Horns. Horns. Trumpets. Trombones. Boettcher, G. Valkenier, W. Mager, G. Raichman, J. Pogrebniak, S. Schindler, G. Lafosse, M. Hansotte, L. Van Den Berg, C. Lannoye, M. Grundey, T. Kenfield, L. Lorbeer, H. Blot, G. Perret, G. Adam, E. Voisin, R. Mann, J. Tubas. Harps. Timpani. Percussion. Sidow, P. Zighera, B. Ritter, A. Sternburg, S. Adam, E. Caughey, E. Polster, M. White, L. Organ. Celesta. Librarian. Snow, A. Fiedler, A. Rogers, L. I « 5. The The SAVOY- PLAZA PLAZA The Savoy-Plaza, Ideally located on Fifth Avenue at the entrance to newer associate of Central Park, The Plaza The Plaza, faces Cen- offers the highest standards tral Park and offers of hospitality and cuisine. the same excellence Near business . transpor- of hospitality and tation . theatres shops cuisine that distin- . yet away from the noise guishes The Plaza. and confusion of the city. Henry A. Rost Fred Sterry John D. Owen President President Manager Recognized as one of the finest hotels in the world . richly furnished . modern in every respect . located in historic Copley Square, probably the most accessible and attractive in . .. spot Boston. m * * S. j? $ i* * ' f i t Arthur L. Race J H ( >: «.( i - a 1 Managing Director 111 Jjnifj iij ij Hi HOT€LS OF 'SflVOY-PLflZfl- <r& plaza tJl.'&uryork. DISTinCTIOn CARNEGIE HALL NEW YORK Forty-sixth Season in New York Fifty-first Season, 1931-1932 Dr. SERGE KOUSSEVITZKY, Conductor FIRST CONCERT THURSDAY EVENING, NOVEMBER 19 AT 8.45 PROGRAMME Mahler . Symphony No. 9 I. Andante comodo. II. Im Tempo eines Gemachlichen Landlers. III. Rondo; Burleske. IV. Adagio. (First Performance in New York) Debussy Two Nocturnes a. Nuages. b. Fetes. Ravel Orchestral Excerpts "Daphnis et Chlo'," Ballet (Second Suite) Lever du Jour—Pantomime—Danse Generale There will be an intermission of ten minutes after the symphony The music of these programmes is available at the 58th Street Library 5 Symphony No. 9 Gustav Mahler (Born at Kaliseht in Bohemia, on July 7, *1860 ; died at Vienna on May 18, 1911) This symphony, begun in 1906, was not produced while Mahler was alive. The first performance was at Vienna, in June, 1912. Bruno Walter conducted it. The symphony was published in 1912. The score calls for an unusually large orchestra, with an uncom- flutes, oboes, clarinets, bassoons. mon number of and , Mahler looked on analytical or explanatory programme notes as the abomination of desolation. He voiced his objections whenever one of his works was announced for performance. If he gave sub- titles to the movements of two symphonies—thus the programme of Symphony No. 1, when it was first performed, bore these subtitles: I, "Spring and No End"; II, "Mosaic"; III, "Under Full Sail"; IV, "The Hunter's Funeral Procession : A Dead March in the Man- ner of Callot"; V, "Dall' Inferno al Paradiso"—these subtitles are not to be found in the published scores. Mahler's parents were of the tradesman class, in very moderate circumstances. They were ambitious in their longing for education. They moved to Iglau soon after the birth of Gustav. He was a shy, quiet child, sensitive to the hymns and songs of the Moravians and to military music. When he was four years old, he played on an ac- cordion whatever he heard, especially marches of the brass band. Two years later he spent hours with an old pianoforte. When he was eight, he gave lessons at five kreutzers a lesson to a seven-year- old. Music and reading were his passions. He studied at the Iglau Gymnasium, and for a short time at Prague, but his taste for music was so pronounced that in 1875 his father took him to Julius Epsteinf at Vienna and begged him to say whether the boy's talent warranted the necessary cost of development. Epstein heard Gustav play, talked with him, and declared him to be "a born genius." Mahler was fifteen years old when, in the fall of 1875, he entered the Vienna Conservatory. Like Hugo Wolf, he was once described by the authorities as "rebellious," but, unlike Wolf, he was not ex- pelled. He studied pianoforte playing with Epstein; harmony with Robert Fuchs; composition with Franz Krenn. (Krenn [1816- 1897], organist, Kapellmeister at the Michaels Church, composed fifteen Masses and other church music, two oratorios, a symphony, and lesser works, and he wrote treatises. He has been described as an excellent musician, taciturn, dry. It was said of him that he had *Mahler's parents, as he himself said, believed July 1st to be the correct date. The papers relating to his birth were lost. fPamous pianist and teacher at the Vienna Conservatory (1832—1918). never been young.) At the end of the first year Mahler took a prize for pianoforte playing, and one for the first movement of a piano- forte quintet. In the second year the director, Joseph Hellmes- berger, excused him from counterpoint because his compositions showed his knowledge. Mahler in after years regretted that he had been excused. He took other prizes. On July 11, 1878, at the "Schluss production," a Scherzo from his pianoforte quintet was played, with him as the pianist. It is often stated that Mahler was a pupil of Anton Bruckner, but Mahler never studied with him at the Conservatory or in private. They were warm friends and Bruckner would often play passages from his symphonies to him. Guido Adler, noting the influence of Bruckner, described him as the "adopted father-instructor" of the young man, who afterwards gave practical expression of his admira- tion by conducting Bruckner's symphonies. His arrangement for the pianoforte (four hands) of Bruckner's Symphony No. 3, was published probably in 1878. While Mahler was at the Conservatory, he studied at the Gymnasium and entered his name at the Vienna University as a student of philosophy and history. Philosophy was a favorite study with him ; he -was well versed in the writings of Kant, Schopenhauer, and Fechner. Goethe and Schiller were fa- Holiday Gift Books For DITSON PUBLICATIONS Music Students, Music Lovers and Teachers THE MUSICIANS LIBRARY Ninety-seven volumes issued The Masterpieces of Song and Piano Music in a Series of Splendid Volumes edited with Authority, Engraved, Printed and Bound with Surpassing Excellence. These books are especially appropriate for gifts of lasting enjoyment and worth The Musicians Library is indispensable to Piano and Voice Teachers, Music Students and Music Lovers for research work. It is almost inexhaustible in its supply of valuable information. In paper, cloth back, $2.50 each volume Full cloth, gilt, 3.50 each volume OLIVER DITSON COMPANY, Inc. 359 Boylston Street Boston, Mass. : miliar to him ; he delighted in historical, biological, and psycho- logical investigations. His favorite authors were E. T. A.