Die Stellung des Symphonikers Bruckner kommt in einem Gespräch mit Frederick Stock zur Sprache, das in The Chicago Tribune Nr. 17 auf S. 53 [?] (= S. 1 des 8. Teils) veröffentlicht wird:

"Mr. Stock's Plans for Next Orchestra Season.

EVEN the position of musical director has its disadvantages. The director of a symphony orchestra is known by his band and by his press agent, and by his back. Much may be learned, indeed, from these. Mr. Frederick Stock is known by his band and by his back to thousands. But he has no press agent.

     [... man kennt ihn aus seinen Aktionen, nicht aber aus Gesprächen ... schwierig, passende Musik für das 25jährige Orchesterjubiläum zu finden ...]. Mr. Stock told, a few days ago, about some of the difficulties and some of his plans to overcome them.

     The chief obstacle, he said, lies in an almost universal barrenness in musical creation. This state is not traceable to the war, but to the fact that both in the symphonic poem and in the symphony the highest degree of development seems to have been attained.

     "After Bruckner and Brahms," he said," symphonies can hardly be anything but imitation, and imitation will not do. We need more standard symphonies. We cannot keep on playing the same symphonies year after year."

     Nothing much is to be expected from the Germans, nor the French, nor the Russians. All of them are, of course, tied up with a war, and their music is music for special occasions–chauvinism turned into sound.

     "And I do not expect much from this war," Mr. Stock continued." [... Beethovens Eroica ... über die Auswirkungen des Kriegs auf die Komponisten und das Konzertleben ... für Mahlers Achte habe ein anderer Dirigent die amerikanischen Rechte ... andere Symphonien von Mahler, oder Alfven? ... die Orchesterbibliothek habe kaum noch Novitäten ... einige Ideen (Bruckner deest) ...]."

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