In 1881, when Henry Lee Higginson founded the Boston Symphony Orchestra, he stipulated that several concerts each year must be played in Cambridge for the benefit of the Harvard community. Tuesday night marked the beginning of this year's Cambridge season, and that part of the Harvard community lucky enough to get into Sanders Theater was certainly benefited immeasurably.

The audience, which was made up largely of faculty members and their wives, heard Charles Munch conducting the orchestra for the first time in this area. When the concert was over the listeners rose to give the conductor a standing ovation, something almost unheard of for Harvard.

Hearing the concert Tuesday night was like listening to a new orchestra. With a few exceptions, the members of the Boston Symphony are French, and now they have a French conductor. The "rapport" thus created resulted in a sound totally different from that made by the same musicians under Serge Koussevitzky.

The two main differences are dynamics and precision. Beethoven's Seventh Symphony, which received the greatest applause, probably showed these differences most clearly. The first movement was played at a tempo as lively as has been heard in a long time. Yet the staccato notes of the entire string section came out as clearly as one instrument. The second movement, a funeral piece in contrast, was played with all the quiet dignity and feeling that could be expected by even the most demanding.

The outstanding work of the evening as far as performance was concerned if not musical excellence was probably Ravel's Daphnis and Chloe Suite. Here both the orchestra and the conductor were in their element. A completely impressionistic work such as this requires deep understanding, and the orchestra, which has been seated differently to create a different tonal effect, certainly gave it that.

Charles Munch, who is capable of the most energetic gymnastics during the forte passages and the most sulxlued style of conducting during the piano parts to draw out the orchestra, used his ability to the utmost. The effect was such that Ravel's work sounded like a new and wonderful piece being performed for the first time.

The sounds of the birds and the brook in the beginning were created with great peace and restraint, and at the next moment Sanders Theater was rocked by the loud and wild dance. Enormous credit is due to Georges Laurent, first flutist, whose performance was inspired.

The first work on the program, another French piece though not impressionistic, was also well done. Rabaud's romantic and moody La Procession Nocturne requires tremendous feeling on the part of both orchestra and leader. And that was certainly manifest in its performance Tuesday.

It is unfortunate that Walter Piston's Second Suite did not go over better than it did. It is a difficult piece both to play and understand. The orchestra certainly did its part in the performance, but the audience sat on its hands until the composer went up to the podium to congratulate Mr. Munch.

Charles Munch and the Boston Symphony gave a truly great concert Tuesday night. If the inspiration shown by both continues, the Harvard community is in for many benefits this coming winter.