Whatever may be said of Mr. Monteux's choice of program, the opening of the Symphony season last Friday and Saturday was a welcome occasion. The violins are to be commended for a smooth, clear tone, inclusive and clearcut where need be, broad and following at other times. These qualities they displayed to good advantage in the second and third movements of the Fantastic Symphony of Berlioz; in the graceful rhythm of the Ball and the pastoral idyll of the Meadows. In the latter movement the wood-wind choir did especially good work. But these are the only movements of the Symphony wherein Berlioz displays full poetic instinct. The work as a whole is married by that garish morbid-ness too frequent in his work. Mr. Monteux, however, is extremely successful with such "program music".

The leaves from Bossi's exercise book would have been more acceptable had not his "Theme and Variations" suffered so acutely from melodic poetry. As it stands the technical skill it displays is hardly sufficient excuse for its production. The overture to the "Meistersinger" and the manner in which it was played deserve only praise. Its beauty will survive when many of the clever modern cacophonies have long been forgotten.

Next week: a symphony of Dvorak yet unheard here, pieces from Strauss and Rimsky-Korsakoff, and songs of Korngold and Marx fill the program. The soloist is Frances Alda.