The Philadelphia Chamber String Simfonietta

              1929
THE PHILADELPHIA CHAMBER STRING

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SIMFONIETTA
FABIEN SEVITZKY
CONDUCTOR
COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY
Auspices: INSTITUTE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES
McMILLIN ACADEMIC THEATRE
Broadway and 116th Street

Tuesday Evening, DECEMBER 3rd, 1929, at 8:15 P. M.
All seats reserved   Prices $1.00, $1.50, $2.00

Tickets now on sale at box office.
Special prices to Institute members

CONCERT MANAGEMENT ARTHUR JUDSON, INC.

Packard Building
Philadelphia

Steinway Building
New York City

VICTOR RECORDS   STEINWAY PIANO



PHILADELPHIA CHAMBER STRING SIMFONIETTA

NEW YORK

Mr. Sevitzky offers his audience ample and interesting fare.  In the performances of the music he showed sound knowledge of his task, command of his forces, and enthusiasm of his task.  The performances were euphonious, spirited, unhackneyed in character.—
Olin Downes, Times.


An evening of excellent music excellently performed.  Mr. Sevitzky's performance of Verklarte Nacht was captivating in its beauty of tone and finish.  Warm and communicative interpretation.—
W. J. Henderson, Evening Sun.


Playing of high artistic order.  Tonal balances adjusted with taste.  Accurate technique.  Ensemble precise and pliable.  Sevitzky made the lines of interpretation distinct and dignified.  A gracious, delicate color and atmosphere infused all of the performances, which were applauded with every evidence of interested response from the listeners.—
Leonard Liebling, American


Few things, outside of Toscanini's works of wonder, to exceed them.  It should be invited to enrich our music season at frequent and regular intervals.  Most memorable experience of the year.  Silken beauty of tone for transparency, richness and careful graduation of sonority.  Exceptional finish.  … Mr. Sevitzky's earnest and graceful leadership, with taste, delicacy and a blithely classic spirit.—
Herbert Peyser, Evening Telegram.


Philadelphia sends New York another admirable orchestra.  (Headline)
There is a distinct place for such an organization.  Played the music with such finish and taste; skill and brio characterized this event.—

Oscar Thompson, Evening Post.


Mr. Sevitzky and his men filled the auditorium with music of such perfection that one will remember joyously in seasons to come.—
Morning World


Fabien Sevitzky proved himself an interpreter of distinct taste, and nicety in the program.  A unity of microscopic finesse, a tone in each section as of a single instrument.—
Richard L. Stokes, Evening World.


Mr. Sevitzky showed himself to be remarkably capable as a conductor, with a good deal of a flair for sane and trenchant interpretation of music.—
Irving Weil, Evening Journal.




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OTHER CITIES

The complete satisfaction to be found in perfectly played chamber music was granted the audience, the grace and discernment of the conductor, the rarity and charm of the selections and the individual performance of each player all combined to produce the perfect concert.
Lynchburg News.


The wonder of that little orchestra, of the Simfonietta!  Even the clatter of these typewriter keys cannot drown its remembered music in ears still ringing with its loveliness.
Norfolk Ledger.


The Simfonietta, under the conductorship of Fabien Sevitzky, has become one of the most popular of Quaker City musical organizations.
Haddonfield, N. J.


Of the orchestra one can speak only words of highest praise.  The finished ensemble played its testimony in eloquent form to a unity of effort, real artistry, virtuoso technique, musical understanding and all the other attributes necessary in the building of a smooth working organization.
Bridgeport, Conn.


It was a novel and beautiful concert.—
Richmond News Leader.



PHILADELPHIA

The Simfonietta, it would seem, can be counted on not only to present unhackneyed programs, but also to offer novelties that have charm and musical importance—a none too common combination.—
Record.


Another notable success was scored by the Simfonietta at the Penn Athletic Club last night.  Under the very able direction of Fabien Sevitzky, the entire program reached superb heights.—
Bulletin.


More musical history was made by the Simfonietta at its concert last night.  The organization was heard in a program that contrasted Bach numbers of breadth of beauty with modern music that was at once alluring and intelligble.—
Inquirer.


The organization, which has been unusually successful in its concerts, has never played better than it did last evening.  The tonal quality was fine and the intonation virtually perfect.  The program was excellent.  Mr. Sevitzky was recalled many times by the audience, sharing the applause with the members.—
Public Ledger.


Fabien Sevitzky reserved by far the most artistic work for his final concert, of the regular series offered in the Ball Room of the Bellevue-Stratford, for last evening.  Visualizing the charm and beauty of this admirable menu were the technical finish, flexibility and balance of tone in this unique organization, which has become so distinctive a favorite in the musical life of the community.  Here the resources of Simfonietta and Mr. Sevitzky as a conductor, assumed prime significance in an exquisite reading of the Mozart Serenade.—
Record.


(Headlines: Last Concert, Spring 1929.)  Simfonietta in final program superb.—
Inquirer.


Simfonietta gets great ovation at Penn Athletic Club.—
Evening Ledger.


Novelties charm lovers of music.—
Record.





THE SIMFONIETTA'S STORY
An unique and interesting organization now in its fifth year before the public is the Philadelphia Chamber String Simfonietta, founded and conducted by Fabien Sevitzky, and composed of eighteen members of the Philadelphia Orchestra.  During its four years of existence it has played thirty-four concerts in Philadelphia and other cities, and offered thirty-three novelties on its programs.  Aiming to present modern as well as classic music, and to familiarize music-lovers with the large, beautiful, and generally unfamiliar literature for string orchestra, the Simfonietta has more than justified its existence and ideals, and has become, according to the Philadelphia Record, one of the most popular of our chamber music combinations.

The Philadelphia Chamber String Simfonietta was founded in 1925 and played its first concert in the Gethsemane Baptist Church in that year.  During 1925–26 it played two important concerts in Philadelphia, before the Matinee Musical Club and before the Chamber Music Association.  The Evening Bulletin said: It promises at once to take a foremost place among organizations of its kind.  Mr. Sevitzky is a conductor of the finest musicianship, of discernment, and of easy graceful manner.  It is to be hoped that the wider public of music lovers will soon enjoy the privilege of hearing it.

During the season 1926–27 that privilege was extended to other cities who found it an ideal organization, offering delightful and unfamiliar chamber music in a new and glorified form.  Encouraged by the reception the Simfonietta received, Mr. Sevitzky incorporated the organization and that year gave the first series of three concerts at the Penn Athletic Club.  It was instantly successful and this series has been repeated each season since then.

Linton Martin wrote in the Philadelphia Inquirer: Such an organization as the Simfonietta is a substantial artistic asset to the city, not only because of the unusual interest of the programs themselves, but also because the public performances thus far have demonstrated that the members are satisfied with nothing but the utmost artistry of ensemble and interpretation.  Herbert Peyser agreed in the New York Telegram of March 27, 1929: Orchestral or chamber music have brought few things outside of Toscanini's works of wonder to exceed them.

(Printed in U. S. A.)