I ought to mention here a concert which had a certain importance for me in view of my new orchestral experiments. On December 6 a first performance of 'Le Chant du Rossignol' was given at Geneva at one of the subscription concerts of the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande under the direction of Ernest Ansermet. I say new experiment because, in this symphonic poem, written for an orchestra of ordinary size, I treated the latter more as a chamber orchestra, and laid stress on the 'concertante' side, not only of the various solo instruments, but also gave this role to whole groups of instruments. This orchestral treatment was well adapted to music full of cadenzas, vocalises, and melismata of all kinds, and in which tutti were the exception. I enjoyed the performance greatly, for the rendering was careful and highly finished. I reached the conclusion- very regretfully, since I was the author of many works for the theatre- that a perfect rendering can be achieved only in the concert hall, because the stage presents a combination of several elements upon which the music has often to depend, so that it cannot rely upon the exclusive consideration which it receives at a concert. I was confirmed in this view when tow months later, under the direction of the same conductor, Ansermet, 'Le Chant du Rossignol' was given as a ballet by Diaghileff at the Paris Opera. << less