Evening star. [volume], March 21, 1936, Page B-4, Image 20

About Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972

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MUSIC SCHEDULE SLACKENS AS SEASON NEARS CLOSE
■ 1
Gershwin Creates Opera
Of Tremendous Power
‘‘Porgy and Bess” an Example of Cleverness
• and Originality in Establishing
- New Type.
By Alice Eversman.
MR. GERSHWIN S much-discussed opera, ‘ Porgy and Bess,” presented
at the National Theater this week, seems to point to an advance in
idea not only of American opera, but of grand opera of any kind. He
has proven that the typical American musical idiom of the present
time is capable of real dramatic expression and that an American subject con
tains the elements of a musical drama equaling that which is customarily heard
in th* nnprntir rpnprfmrp More t.han«& .. . ■■
that, he has shown that opera can
sustain the interest of the audience
from start to finish in a perfectly
natural way and without recourse to
any stilted dramatic action.
This latter point touches on the
favorite argument of those who, un
schooled in opera productions, are
•orea witn what tney hear and see of
xhe foreign output and therefore claim
that opera can never be popular in
’.his country. For all but the serious
music lover, opera, whether German,
French or Italian, is comprehended
■with difficulty, both by reason of the
foreign subject matter and the style
of dramatic action which is heavier
and less spontaneous than that of the
drama. The long-drawn-out moments,
when action and gesture are sparse,
and the story is hidden through the
use of a foreign language, have
counted mere than a little toward the
lack of interest in opera in this coun
try.
'T'HE opening night of “Porgy and
' Bess" was a revelation of what
cah be done when a musical drama is
handled by those who bring the influ
ence of the dramatic stage to bear on
the action of the opera. The singers
had no difficulty in putting over the
really intricate music without sacri
ficing the continuous and life-like ac
tion of the story. Scene followed scene
with a smoothly running continuity
and with a remarkable stressing of
every dramatic opportunity. Each
individual fitted into his character and
sustained it throughout. Gestures, fa
cial expression, and the small group
ings of types were as nearly perfect
and appropriate as has ever been seen
on the stage. It proves that a music
story can be interesting and entertain
ing, provided it is presented in a suffi
ciently vital manner.
The singers in both the principal
roles and in the chorus were splen
didly natural in everything they did,
a great change from the usual opera
tic manner. Their gestures were free
and spontaneous yet full of expression
while the whole performance glowed
with a vitality seldom associated with
a musical presentation of this charac
ter. One felt that for each individual
the unfolding of the story was real
And something he himself had experi- j
enced and therefore there was no need
of simulation.
'T'HIS is what is necessary for opera !
today. The old way has lost its
appeal, and if opera is not only to
survive, but grow in value as a part of ,
the musical life, a newer and more I
true-to-life color must be infused into
It. This is the duty of Americans, who
come to all operatic production with a
fresh outlook and with fresh enthu
siasm. Heretofore the traditional
manner of presenting opera has been
adhered to because no one has had the
courage to defy tradition or to seek
new material with which to try out
the effect of new departures. The j
few grand operas which have been ]
written by American composers and
produced by the great opera com- j
panics of this country were fashioned
after the old model In spite of the
attempt to adjust American themes to
the operatic frame devised for old
world acceptance.
Mr. Gershwin is ttie first American
composer who has succeeded in being
thoroughly original. His writings are
not witnout faults and his opera is
open to criticism from several points,
but what is striking in this work of
his is that he has caught a local spirit
and put it into a musical form of
tremendous power. He has captured
the surging force of this small cross
section of life and found a powerful
musical expression for it, as great In
its fashion as that of the famed com
posers associated with music drama.
He has pointed the way by which the
many interesting elements of Amer
ican life can be used to build up an
operatic literature of our own and
that in a manner to accord w-ith the
spirit and temperament of this coun
V*
'THE cast of Negro singers has dem
onstrated in singing and acting
how to combine a real dramatic art
with the vocal. A few of our cele
brated operatic artists have tried to
introduce this same natural feeling for
dramatic effects into the older operatic
roles which they interpreted, but the
dissimilarity with all the traditions
associated with these productions for
so many years counteracted its force
fulness. The music of the general run
of operas does not lend itself to more
elaborate dramatic action, with the
result that just so much can be done
with it and no more. It is difficult to
create more drama in a scene than
the composer has visualized or the
subject contains. The circle of the
operatic character seems unbreakable
unless composers become more ven
turesome in their manner of writing
and more clairvoyant in their selec
tion of dramatic material.
The young singer of America today
is a distinct type, educated in a world
of action and clever ideas, and as far
away from an understanding of the
feeling that motivates many operatic
stories as can be imagined. To be
successful in interpreting them, he
must transform himself almost en
tirely and portray characters and
thought which are artificial to him.
America is rich with fine operatic :
talent, which should be utilized to
form American opera. Give these
gifted singers characters to interpret |
which are familiar to them and a j
story which is a part of life as they j
know it and the problem of American :
opera and the future of American
opera singers will be solved for all
time.
Mr. Gershwin has begun the good
work, and the success of his “Porgy
and Bess” should act as a stimulant
to other composers to produce some
thing with the same vital quality in
it. A few trials and the question of
whether opera can be interesting to
others besides music lovers would be
answered.
--——-<
Midweek
Concert to
Close Series
Symphony Is Making
New Plans for
Next Season.
J^UILDINQ a program from selec
tions which have perennial appeal,
and for which there have been many
requests recently, Hans Kindler, con
ductor, brings the National Symphony
Orchestra to Its last Thursday concert
of the season next week. -The concert,
featuring works of Bach, Mozart,
Schubert, Debussy and Weinberger,
will be at 4:45 p.m. Thursday in Con
stitution Hall.
This concert may be significant, not
only because it affords the orchestra's
Thursday patrons their last opportu
nity to meet this season, but also be
cause it may be the last Thursday con
cert the National Symphony Orchestra
will present. C. C. Cappel, orchestra
manager, announced that nmt sea
son’s midweek concerts may be shifted
to another day. The Board of Direc
tors of the National Symphony Or
chestra Association is considering a
schedule in which the orchestra would
give a Wednesday series, instead of a
Thursday group, and at least half of
the programs in the new series would
be at night. Only two of the eight
Thursday concerts this year were
presented in the evening. The direc
tors expect to announce these plans
as soon as they are completed.
Meanwhile, the orchestra associa
tion is continuing its campaign for
funds, which, after all, affect plans
for next year. Having raised approxi
mately one-half of their $100,000 goal
when the 10-day financial drive ended
officially fast Monday, the workers
have agreed to extend the time. They
will carry on until the full amount is
obtained. At the final report luncheon
last Monday in the Carlton Hotel, it
was announced that many of the com
mittees had not completed their can
vass, and that several of the orches
tra’s contributors, being out of town,
could not be reached by solicitors dur
ing the campaign period.
Upon the workers’ success in obtain
ing the full $100,000 depends not only
the plans for the regular season next
year, but also those for a series of
Summer concerts this year. The
Board of Directors has pointed out
that because of the popular admission
price, and the great numbers of seats
made available at the water gate at no
co6t, the association mast be prepared
to meet some deficit on the outdoor
series.
■ - — ■ ■ • ■ --
Last Concert by Quartet.
'T'HE last in a series of four concerts
by the Washington String Quartet
will take place at the home of Mrs.
Edwin B. Parker Tuesday at 4 p.m.
at 2001 Twenty-fourth street north
west. Members of the quartet are
Milton. Schwartz and Paul Brighten
burg, violins; George Wargo, viola, and
Howard Mitchell, cello.
The program will include Mozart’s
“Quartet in G Major, No. 3”; Tschai
kowsky's “Quartet in D Major. Opus
11," and Quincy Porter’s “Fourth
Quartet,” which this organization re
cently presented at a concert in New
York. The Porter quartet is being
repeated in Washington by request.
Tickets for Tuesday's concert may
be obtained from Mrs. John Rowland
Hill at 2633 Fifteenth street northwest,
or at Mrs. Parker’s home before the
concert begins.
— ■ • -
“Butterfly” as Operalogue.
'T'HE International Art Forum,
Amelia Conti, founder-president,
presents at the Washington Club next
Wednesday evening Mme. Regina
Vicarino, operatic prima donna, who
has sung leading operatic soprano roles
in opera houses of Europe, South
America and the United States.
Mme. Vicarino, first introduced to
American operagoers by Oscar Ham
merstein in New York City, will pre
sent Puccini’s “Madama Butterfly” in
the form of an operalogue with piano
accompaniment.
Tickets may be secured before the
concert at the T. A. Smith Bureau,
910 G street.
In Local Music Circles
<frT-\HE HOLY CITY," oratorio]
by A. R. Gaul, will be given
on Sunday, March 22, at 8
p.m. by the combined Senior
and Young People's Choirs of Calvary
Methodist Episcopal Church. Colum
bia road near Fifteenth street north
west. Louis A. Potter, organist and
director, will conduct the choruses,
while the accompaniments will be sus
tained by Evangeline Pendleton, or
ganist, and Harriet Frush, pianist.
Soloists for this occasion will be
Ruby Potter, soprano: Bertha Morgan,
contralto: Bert Granoff, tenor, and
Edwin Steile, baritone. The public Is
cordially Invited.
A program of Instrumental and
Wocal music will be presented at the
Arts Club Tuesday evening by Har
den Church, pianist-composer, Malda
Fan! d'Aulby, soprano, and Francis
Garzia, cellist. Mme. d'Aulby and Mr.
Garzia will feature compositions of
Harden Church. Mr. Church will be
heard In works of Haydn and Schu
bert.
The music section of the Woman's
Club of Chevy Chase will give a pro
gram tea Monday at 2 p.m. in the
home of Mrs. Myron Witters. 2100
Plymouth street northwest, with Mrs.
A. L. Hancock acting as hostess. The
program, under the direction of Mrs.
Howard Hosmer, will consist of read
ings by Tedda Graff; soprano solos,
Kathryn Murrell; piona solos, Hazel
Brown Piers, and a vocal quartet
composed of Mrs. Murrell, Mrs. Ed
ward F. Loomis, Mrs. Francis M.
Shore and Mrs. Ben Fisher, with Mrs.
Dawson Olmstead as accompanist.
The program for the music hour
tomorrow at 5 p.m. at the Y. W. C. A.
will be given by the Madrigal Singers
Under the direction of Mrs. Milton
6ylvester. The public is cordially
The quartet of the Washington
Hebrew Congregation will assist lewis
Atwater, organist, in a program of
Jewish music tomorrow afternoon at
B o'clock at All Souls' Church, Uni
tarian. The quartet consists of
Florence Sindell, soprano; Flora Bry
lawskl, contralto; George Myers,
tenor, and John Marville, bass.
The Lyric Music Club, Dorothy
Sherman Pierson, director, will hold
lta March meeting Tuesday evening
at the home of Jeanette Higgins. A
novelty will be introduced in the
form of a radio party, given by the
members having had radio experi
ence, these being Ethel West Bonuso,
Frances Burger. Edna Cecilia More
land, Violet Warren Pierson. Betty
Sando, Joanne Sapp and Thelma Eliz
abeth Steele. Stanley Bell, former
announcer of WMAL, will announce
the program. A group of numbers
will be given by the well-known radio
act “Three Maids on a Mike."
The Friday Morning Music Club
will present Evelyn Scott, violinist;
Flora McGill Keefer, contralto, and
tha Singers Opera Club on Friday
at 11:30 am. in Barker Hall, Y. W. \
C. A. The personnel of the singers
includes Norma Simonson, Catherine
Warren, Velwa Barnett. Fred Dennis
ton, Betty Galbraith, lone Hoflman,
James Mann, Phillip Charles and
Dolph Atherton. They will sing com
positions by Mary Howe.
Three Wagnerian lecture-recitals
will be given at the Washington Col
lege of Music by Julia Schelllng, Wag
nerian authority, and Fanny Amstuts
Roberts, pianist, as follows: "The
Meistersinger,” Tuesday: "Tristan and
Isolde,” Tuesday, March 31, and "Par
sifal,” Friday, April 10.
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UNOER'THE DIRECTION Of
MESSRS. HENRY E. ABBEY
a-” MAURICE GRAU -J
Reproduction of the front page of the program of Mr. Hof
mann’s first recital in this city in February, 1886, when he was a
piano prodigy 10 years old. The concert was given in the old
Albaugh Theater.
> h
Sponsors of Music Events in Washington
At left: Arturo Papalardo, Neio York vocal teacher and coach, who has organized the Wash
ington Schola Cantorum, which will soon begin rehearsing under his direction for a Fall concert.
Right: Mrs. Edwin B. Parker, sponsor for music day at the music conference of the Girl Reserves
on Saturday at the Y. W. C. A. High school girls from several cities will join the District Girl Re
serves in the conference, which is under the direction of the National Board of the Y. W. C. A.
i
Stokowski'
To Conduct
At Concert
Season’s Last Visit for
Philadelphia Musi
cians Here.
”J”HE fourth and concluding concert
to be given in Constitution Hall
this season by the Philadelphia Or
chestra, will take place Thursday eve
ning, April 2, with Leopold Stokow
ski conducting. Mr. Stokowski will
officiate in place of Eugene Ormandy,
conductor of the Minneapolis Sym
phony Orchestra, who was scheduled
originally for this event. A change
of plans by the board of directors of
the Minneapolis Symphony made It
possible for Mr. Stokowski to conduct
for a second time this season in Wash
ington, his concert on December 19
having been canceled because of a
painful injury to his shoulder.
Mr. Ormandy will come to Philadel
phia during 1936-7 to share the sea
son with Mr. Stokowski, and in view
of this arrangement the directors in
Minneapolis requested that he remain
there this Spring, instead of coming
East, as had been originally planned.
Mr. Stokowski's program will include
three excerpts from Wagner's ''Parsi
fal”—the Prelude, the Good Friday
music and the music in the third act
following the development from the
time when Parsifal receives enlighten
ment and initiation from Guememanz.
The concluding number will be Rim
sky-Korsakov's overture “Le Grande
Paque Russe’’ ("The Russian Easter.”)
By way of contrast Mr. Stokowski
has listed two compositions by Dmitri
Shotakovich, youthful Soviet composer,
whose opera, "Lady Macbeth of
Mzensk,'' was protested when it was
given in Philadelphia last April dur
ing the Philadelphia Orchestra opera
season. Music from an entr'acte in
the opera will be played and also a
'Prelude in E Flat Minor,” which Mr.
Stokowski orchestrated.
I-i
Concert
Schedule
Tomorrow.
Josef Hofmann, piano recital.
Constitution Hall, 4 p.m.
Georgetown University Glee
Club, Gaston Hall, 8:30 pm.
Monday.
Navy Band, Hour of Memories,
program, 11 a.m.
Army Band, 6 p.m.
Tuesday.
Conrad Bernier, organ recital.
National City Christian Church,
8:15 p.m.
Washington String Quartet,
2001 Twenty-fourth street, 4 p.m.
Julia Schelling, lecture recital,
"The Meistersinger,” Washington
College of Music, 8 p.m.
Public Library concert, 7:30
p.m.
Pauline Chellis, dance recital,
Armstrong High School, 8:30
p.m.
Navy Band Symphony Orches
tra. 8 p.m.
Marine Band, Shut-ins Dream
Hour, 11 a.m.
Soldiers’ Home Band Orches
tra, 5:30 p.m.
Wednesday.
Regina Vicarino, operalogue,
"Mme. Butterfly,” Washington
Club.
Navy Band, Music Appreciation
Series, 4 p.m.
Marine Band Symphony,French
composers' program, 8 p.m.
Thursday.
National Symphony Orchestra,
Dr. Hans Kindler, conductor,
Constitution Hall, 4:45 p.m.
Navy Band, Patriotic Half
Hour, 11:30 a.m.
Soldiers’ Home Band Orches
tra, 5:30 p.m.
Friday.
Frank Mellor, song recital.
First Congregational Church, 8
p.m.
Concert. Friday Morning Music
Club. Barker Hall, Y. W. C. A.,
11:30 a.m.
Army Band, 4:15 p.m.
Marine Band, 3 p.m.
Saturday.
Guilford College A Cappella
Choir, Columbia Heights Chris
tian Church, 8 p.m.
Soldiers’ Homa Band Orches
tra. 5:30 p.m.
A
Hofmann, Great Pianist,
Plays Here Tomorrow
Visits Washington After Absence of Five
Years, While Making Tour in Observ
ance of Fiftieth Anniversary.
JOSEF HOFMANN, world famous pianist, who has not been heard in
Washington for five years, will give a full length recital at Constitution
Hall tomorrow afternoon at 4 o’clock, under the management of
Dorothy Hodgkin Dorsey, in Hofmann's 50th anniversary tour of the
United States. He will play the following program:
"Variations In D Minor'' _Handtifr
"Chorus of the Dervishes.
north nvan.Saint Ssani 1 __ ■ ... ..... •
"Sonata quasi una Fantasia. Opus 27.
No. 2*’ - _Beethoven
Four etudes—
E major. G fi»t major. C sharp minor.
C minor Chopin
"Nocturne in P Sharp Major"-Chopin
• Sherzo in B Flat Minor"_Chopin
"Penguin" -Dvorsky
"The Sanctuary”--Dvorsky
• Barcarolle In G Major"_Rubinstein
"Rhapsody No. 12" . Liszt
• Mr. Hofmann'* composing psueoonym.
Josef Hofmann was born In Cracow,
Poland. January 20,1876. which means
that Hofmann recently passed his
60th birthday anniversary and is
celebrating the 50th anniversary of
the season of 1886 when, as a boy of
10, he understock the musical con
quest of the United States with a
concert tour that became historic.
The son of an operatic soprano and
a pianist, who was also composer and
conductor, Josef Hofmann early showed
signs of uncanny musical Insight.
He began to play the piano at the
age of 3’j years, being taught first
by his aunt and later by his father.
He made his first public appearance
in a town near Warsaw at the age
of 5. Other concerts in the leading
cities of Poland followed, and when
he was 8. the great Anton Rubin
stein heard him and predicted a great
career. At the age of 9 Hofmann
tourned Germany, Prance, England
and Scandinavia and the following
year he came to the United States.
JLJIS debut at the Metropolitan
Opera House, in New York, is
American musical history. Scarcely
4 feet tall, sturdy, broad-shouldered,
his hands possessing an amazing grip,
the child was perfectly self-possessed
and seemed unconscious of the ex
citement he aroused.
His first American program, played
to the accompaniment of an orchestra
of 100, consisted of Beethoven’s first
concerto, a polacca of Weber, arranged
by Liszt: a Chopin waltz and nocturne,
a set of Rameau variations and a
berceuse and waltz of his own com
position.
An American tour of 80 concerts
was almost immediately booked, but
Hofmann's health breaking under the
strain of too many concerts, the tour
was broken off, and at that time an
anonymous patron, who later turned
out to be Alfred Corning Clark, a
wealthy New York real estate dealer,
offered $50,000 to educate young Josef.
At the age of 18 Hofmann returned
to the concert platform, a mature and
Immediately recognized artist. After
two years of touring Germany, Eng
land, Russia and other European coun
tries, Hofmann reappeared In America,
which he subsequently made his home.
He is now a naturalized citizen of the
Georgetown U. Glee Glub.
TJOR the annual mi-careme concert
of the Georgetown University Glee
Club, which will be given tomorrow at
8:30 o’clock in Gaston Hall, Dr. Ed
ward P. Donovan, director, has se
lected a diversified program.
During the Winter the Georgetown
gleemen have sung frequently before
important groups in the city, but the
mi-careme concert is the only one
given at the university during the
year. For that reason it has a wide
appeal to the many alumni In the
city, and tonight the university offi
cials extend an open invitation.
Two soloists, John P. Hicks, pianist,
and Ray Tokar, violinist, will be
heard. Mr. Hicks will play the “Span
ish Dance," by Moszkowski: “Orien
tale,” by Amani, and “Festival at
Madrid,” by Thome. The selections
for Mr. Tokar are “Poem,” by Flbich,
and “Moment Musical," by Schubert.
The Glee Club numbers include
"Serenade,” by Foster; “My Little
Banjo,” by Dichmont; chorus from
“Pinafore,” by Sullivan; “Sylvia,” by
Speaks; “A Song of India,” by Rtm
sky-Korsakoff; “Cossack Battle Cho
rus,” a Russian folksong; “Puer Nobis
Nascitor,” a sixteenth century Christ
mas carol; "Requiem Aetemam,” by
Liszt, and a Russian church response
by Lvovsky. Their numbers will con
clude with two Negro spirituals, “Steal
Away” and “De Gospel Train,” and
the alma mater song, "Sons of George
town.”
Dr. Donovan, who is professor of
music, is well known in local circles
and has successfully conducted the
glee clubs at Georgetown for many
run, joto Htoto a tt» Mwimntfr
L
kj i ui cu ouuca. ouicc ui<u uuir uc
has been almost constantly before the
public as concert pianist and com
poser, and in recent years has devoted
much of his time to the work of the
Curtis Institute of Music in Philadel
phia, the piano faculty of which he
heads.
Seats for the Hofmann concert at
Constitution Hall tomorrow afternoon
at 4 o’clock will be available at the
Constitution Hall box office after 10
o’clock tomorrow morning.
Given Chairmanship.
J A SALLE SPIER has recently been
appointed general chairman of
the Washington, D. C.t unit of the
National Piano-playing Tournament,
according to a dispatch from na
tional headquarters of the National
Guild of Piano Teachers, the spon
sorship of the movement.
The tournament, an annual affair,
will bring piano pupils from the dis
; trict within a hundred-mile radius
of Washington to play especially pre
pared programs for honors in this
national piano-playing classic. The
1 students try to make honor rolls that
j are achieved by ratings upon the
j programs played. Those who pre
sent 4-piece programs creditably will
achieve district honors: all who ably
play 7-piece programs will attain
State honors, while those who capa
bly perform 10-piece programs will
gain a place upon the national honor
roll, it was said.
The local tournament will be a
part of a coast-to-coast chain of sim
ilar events that will take place from
Boston to San Diego this Spring, the
final affair being scheduled the first
week in June in New York City.
More than 4,000 young pianists will
play programs for 1936 honor rolls.
& -
Comments on Symphony
By Orchestra Director
National Organization to Appear in Concert
Thursday Afternoon at Constitu
tion Hall.
By Hans Kindler.
Program for Thursday's concert:
"P»«s*e»illa and Fusus---Bach
"Elne Klein* Nachtmusik” ——Mozart
"Symphony No. 8 In B Minor"._.6chubert
<The "Unfinished.")
Two Ancient Greek Dances. .Satle-Debuaiy
(Gymnopedles.) ... , ,
From "Schwanda"-Weinberger
Polka and Fugue. ,
DURING the season, besides the
‘‘official” votes for the an
nual request programs, I re
ceive, both by word of mouth
and in writing, a number of requests
for performances of different works.
These are at any time most wel
come. There is nothing whieh is as
stimulating for an artist as the real
ization of the active participation
on the part of a listener. A per
formance depends after all not only
on what the artist has to give, but
also on the readiness to receive on
the part of the listener. If this read
iness becomes an activity, the artist’s
gratitude is quite unbounded. It
is a pleasant spur for him to try to
make even greater efforts. The aver
age of the requests for the final pro
gram on April 5 is of the most marked
importance.
It looks now as though the Brahms
"C Minor Symphony” will be the fa
vorite, with the "Pathetique” a very
close second. Other votes are nu
merous for the Cesar Franck, the
‘‘Unfinished” of Schubert, the Brahms
“Second Symphony,” the Beethoven
“Eroica” and even the Shostakovich.
The votes also are more widely dis
tributed than they were in previous
years.
For this reason, as well as for those
mentioned, I plan to play for the com
ing Thursday concert a number of
the works which probably will not
be the ones chosen for April 5, but
will be among the higher number of
vot'i, as well as a few of the "sug
gestions” made verbally during the
season.
i
'J'HE first number will be the Bach
"Passacaglia.” This master work
of the Leipzig cantor was the climax
of a previous program. Its cathedral
like proportions, its mighty climax, the
fervor of its utterance, are so stirring
that the desire to hear this work again
is readily understood by any one who
has once heard it.
That the next number—the "Kleine
Nachtmusik” of Mozart—should have
been redemanded is a source of grati
fication. It is music which can be un
derstood by any one, but which at the
same time holds the most subtle per- ,
fectlon for those who can venture into \
the difficulties of his scoring, and who,
I would say. nearly visually under
stand Mozart’s perfection, as well as
the enchanting tenderness of his grave
! and gay moods.
A genius similar to Mozart, in talent j
if not in development, was Schubert.
As far as purely melodic talent is con- |
cerned, I do not think that the world ;
has ever known his equal. He was
even younger than Mozart when he
died. In fact, his death came at the
age of 31, and the output which he
left seems scarcely humanly possible.
He covered every form of music, from
the simple lied and elementary piano
pieces to the complex symphony form
with all its intervening stages, includ
ing over 600 songs, several operas, bal
lets, symphonies and countless cham
ber music works.
His output is remarkably uneven.
Next to such gems as the "Erl King,’’
“Margaret at the Spinning Wheel,”
“The Raven,” the A minor and the D
minor ion the song "Death and the
■ Maiden”) quartets, the overtures, some
of the symphonies and many other
j works, there are those of uncouth :
! formlessness, as well as of an inferior
| rush-quality of workmanship. But his
best has never been outdone, and
among his best belongs the symphony
known as the "Unfinished.”
poOR Schubert, never a favored son
of fortune, left this symphony
without ever having heard it per
formed. In fact, it was not until 30
years after his death that it was re
discovered and its first performance
took place. Today, if for no other
work, this composition would assure
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him a place among the great master*
of all ages. It Is perfect in every way.
Its inspiration has enchanted listeners
all over the world. Its perfection of
form, Its instrumentation, Its melodic
line, as well as its great dramatic
depth, remain a source of delight and
wonder to musicians.
The next number on the program
is the Debussy version of the Satie
‘‘Gymnopedies.” Satie wa* one of
those curious talents who considered
that the very putting on paper of their
musical thoughts did them harm. In
consequence, he was an inspirer more
than a creator, and Seld in modern
French music the same position that
Dargomishky held in early Russian
music. His music offers no problems
except those of true refinement and
delicacy. Quite naturally he Influ
enced the kind of genius which was
particularly Debussy’s, and the latter
repaid his debt to his master by a
most delicate instrumentation of these
beautiful and utterly simple Greek
dances.
The final number on the program
will be to many in the audience a
semi-novelty. It has some of the
same effect as "Bolero” by Ravel, ex
cept that it is more melodious and
typically Bohemian in character.
Weinberger, a comparatively young
man, made his greatest success and
became widely known when the Met
ropolitan Opera performed his
"Schwanda,” the "Player of th* Bag
Pipes.” He is like a modern Smetana
or Dvorak, using the orchestra with
the utmost brilliance. The “Polka and
Fugue” are the high points of this
work, and will be, I think, a fit ending
of a season of Thursday concerts
which has created a more genuine in
terest in the efforts of the National
Symphony Orchestra than ever before.
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Guilford Choir Program.
rJ,HE A Capella Choir of Guilford
College, North Carolina, will give
its fifth concert in this city on Sat
urday evening at Columbia Heights
Christian Church at 8 o'clock. The
choir is under the direction of Ezra
H. Weis. The choir last appeared
here in a sacred program two years
ago at the same church.
The choir made its initial appear
ance in 1929. This also was the first
appearance of such an organization
in a Southern institution and intro
duced a new feature into the college.
and music life of that section. The
choir has not only rendered concerts
in many of the churches in the home
State, but has made tours into the
North and Midwest States. They
also have been heard locally and na
tionally over the radio.
The concert is being sponsored by
the Guilford College Club of Wash
ington. There are no admission
charges, but an opportunity is given
for a free-will offering.
The following is the program:
“Praise the Lord. All Ye Nations'.JommelH
“In Mirth and in Gladness”_ Niedt
'Blessed Saviour. Our Lord Jesus," Hassler
“I Wrestle and Pray" __ Bach
“Hosanna to the Son of David.” Gibbons
“Hark. Now O Shepherds.”
Arr. M. J. Luvass
"The Bonk of Mary” _ Fischer-Kranz
“Hodle Christus Natus est” Palestrina
“The Cherubic Hymn.” op. 29.
GretchaninofT
“Hospodee Pomeelooy” _Lvovsky
“Emitte Spiritum Tuum”_Schuety
“A RafYaello Divino” . _ Bossi
"God Is in His Holy Temple”_Mueller
•‘Let Us Go Into the House”_Bunnell
"Voix Celestes' _ Alcock
“Lost In the Night" Christiansen
' Sing We Merrily Unto God”_Noss
Concert by Frank Mellor.
'T'HE Organized Bible Class Associa
tion will present Frank Mellor,
the well-know lyric tenor of New
York, in concert at the First Congre
gational Church on Friday evening at
8 o'clock. Mr. Mellor is a Marylander
by birth and received his musical
training at the Peabody Conservatory.
He served in the World War and since
has engaged in concert work and as
tenor soloist at the First Presbyterian
Church in New York City during the
pastorate of Dr. Harry Emerson Fos
dlck and later the the Madison Ave
nue Presbyterian Church, with which
he now is associated. Lucille Shan
non Etchison will be the accompanist
for Mr. Mellor.
Tickets may be secured at the Y. M.
C. A., 1736 G street northwest. The
proceeds from the concert will be used
for the work of the Organized Bible
Class Association and especially for a
memorial room to the late President
Albert Norman Ward of Western
Maryland College.
Noted Dancer Coming.
A NGNA ENTERS, dancer, will offer
her world-famous program en
titled “Episodes and Compositions in
Dance Form” on Monday night, March
30, at 9 o'clock, in the King Smith
Playhouse, sponsored and presented
by the King Smith Studio School of
Washington.
Strictly speaking, Miss Enters’ work
cannot be classed as dancing. She
does not "interpret” a musical com
position. But by her inimitable grasp
of mood and action she paints a
picture against a background of
rhythm.
Miss Enters is American born. Her
parentage is French-Austrian. Among
her numbers will be "Queen of
Heaven,” “Delsarte”—with a not too
classical nod to the Greeks, and
‘L’Antique a la Francaise,” her satire
pf the bourgeois* aristocrats of Na
poleon’s court, and many others.
A limited number of reservations
ire available for this event, and may
pe had at the King Smith Playhouse
md at the King Smith Studio School.
Presents Dancer.
THE Concert Series Committee of
A Howard University announces,
lor the fifth recital, Pauline Chellls,
iancer, at the Armstrong High School
Auditorium on Tuesday evening at
1:30 p.m.
Miss Chellis is the director of the
3hellis School of the Dance in Bos
on, Mass., and is a celebrated ex
ponent of the dance.
JOSEF HOFMANN,
Famous pianist, who will be heard in recital tomorrow afternoon
at Constitution Hall. Mr. Hofmann is making a concert tour of
this country in celebration of his fiftieth anniversary as a con
cert artist, 1
•j i.
Armando Jannuzzi
Grand Opera, Dramatic Tenor
Voice Specialist
Italian Method
■ekNl at hd cant*
Nat. 1403 733 11tk St. M.W. *
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