Evening star. [volume], July 22, 1940, Page B-7, Image 25

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

Image provided by: Library of Congress, Washington, DC

                
Frank Black Confirms
His Musical Reputation
Number From ‘Bartered Bride’
Is Given a New Interpretation by
Symphony’s Guest Conductor
By ELENA de SAYN.
The debut of Frank Black, as guest
conductor, added interest to the
Water Gate “sunset symphonies”
series last night. With his partici
pation, the National Symphony
Orchestra returned to the routine of
symphonic music, after its success
ful venture into the operatic field.
Harvey Shapiro, violin-cellist, was
the first instrumental soloist of the
season.
Mr. Black, whose radio fame pre
ceded his debut here , is regarded
as an artist of exceptional versatility
and endowment, a reputation which
he confirmed early in the evening.
Indicative of his personal regard for
the value of time, a pronounced feel
for rhythm is one of his chief assets.
His readings reflect dignity and a
certain reserve which avoids effects
for the sake of effect. His presenta
tions had form and proportion. A
musical audience, with nine years
of symphonic music back of it, could
thoroughly appreciate the excellent
points of Mr. Black’s conducting and
gave him a cordial reception.
After the national anthem which
opened the program Mr. Black broke
Into the lively overture to Mozart’s
“The Marriage of Figaro.” He estab
lished himself at once as a deft
technician and a commanding fig
ure on the paltform dominating the
players at all times.
A New Interpretation.
The melodious character of the
Dvorak's "New World Symphony”
received a careful consideration in
his hands. There were individual
inflections and orchestral color with
the stress placed on the lyric side in
preference to the dramatic, and,
while there were no crashes of
orchestra tone in “con fuoco” mo
ments, the performance was im
pressive. At times, one felt that
capacity for greater speed on the
part of the orchestra would have
been in keeping with Mr. Black’s
vision, yet as it could not have been
Civil Liberties Appeal
Is Sent to President
Sixty-five American writers, edu
cators, churchmen, attorneys and
labor and civic leaders have sent an
open letter to President Roosevelt
and Attorney General Jackson, ask
ing immediate enforcement of laws
against local vigilante groups al
legedly using violence to deny cer
tain citizens the constitutional
rights of petition and secret ballot.
It was announced today.
‘‘These acts threaten to destroy
the very liberty that is consonant
with the name America and to im
peril our national security by sowing
hysteria, prejudice, violence and
hate,” the letter stated.
Quits Water Project
Halted by Failure
Improvement of the water system
of Quito, Ecuador, has been seri
ously handicapped by the failure
of a French company in the war
zone to fill a $500,000 order for pipe.
New proposals are being considered.
The project embraces the construc
tion of a tunnel approximately 1.400
yards long through the mountains
surrounding Quito to the main col
lection basin. This tunnel is not
quite half completed. The city's
water supply will be conducted
through the tunnel to a new purify
ing plant, which is yet to be built,
and from there will be distributed
to three storage tanks in the hills.
From the storage tanks the water
Will reach the city in large pipes.
Poster on Dance Hall
Proves Prophetic
"Fire. Fire. Calling all dancers
to a bright event,” read a poster
In large letters placed on Belfast
Plaza, Northern Ireland’s biggest
dance hall, to advertise a coming
dance.
That night fire broke out in the
hall, spread to a billiard parlor and
stores, causing $400,000 damage.
The dance hall is only 200 yards
from the Belfast Fire Department
headquarters.
Blackout in Bible
Reading in a London newspaper a
report of Egypt's first blackout of
the present war, a pian called up the
newspaper office and said: ‘‘Look
up Exodus, chapter 10, verse 22.”
This Is what the editor found: "And
Moses stretched forth his hand to
ward Heaven; and there was thick
enforced, the conductor forwent It
for the sake of clarity.
One of the most delightful num
bers proved to be the overture to
Smetana's “Bartered Bride.” Some
how, it was never perceived in quite
the same light before. The tech
nical effect of the spiccato passages
in the string sections had an almost
sculptured outline, there was a solid
ity and a continuity of idea that
held the attention. Contrasted with
this, “Les Preludes,” by Liszt, seemed
thin and old-fashioned. It is possi
ble that the amplification system
was not doing justice to all the sec
tions of the orchestra. Yet the
musicians seemed closely to follow
the conductor’s indications as to dy
namics and tone quality.
Shapiro Plays.
The cello concerto by Saint Saens,
played by Mr. Shapiro, added an
other number to several by Saint
Saens already heard through the
participation of other instrumental
ists. Mr. Shapiro has a beautiful
tone and a well-developed virtuoso
technique which is indispensable to
do the concerto justice. Yet his
intonation, although true in pitch,
lacks the overtones which lend bril
liancy to a performance and satisfy
the ear. It is wanting in intensity
of a higher projection.
This particular concerto does not
belong to the most grateful com
positions, for the cello having little
cantilena and a great deal of pas
sage work extended through the full
length of the instrument’s range,
high into the violin register. Mr.
Shapiro, admirably supported by the
orchestra and Mr. Black, gave a
comprehensive reading and found
favor with the large audience which
recalled him several times.
At the conclusion of the orchestral
program, Mr. Black responded with
several encores, including the popu
lar “Meditation” from Massenet’s
“Thais.”
darkness in all the land of Egypt
three days.”
Henry Fountain Ashurst, Demo
crat, of Arizona is the only member
of the United States Senate without
a predecessor. He has served con
tinuously since Arizona attained
statehood in 1912,
travel" ~~~~~
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Maryland Gets Park Site
Sought for 20 Years
By the Associated Press.
OAKLAND, Md„ July 33.—Mary
land la to acquire a new State park
soon—a 390-acre tract In Western
Maryland which State Forester F.
W. Besley has described as "with
out doubt the most beautiful natural
scenic spot in the State.”
The tract, studded with massive
hemlock and pine trees, Is within
the Swallow Falls State Forest, and
the Forestry Department has sought
for 20 years to acquire It. Mr. Besley
said the Board of Public Works and
the University of Maryland's Board
of Regents had approved the pur
chase.
A Masonic lodge of Pennsylvania
and West Virginia was given the
tract 35 years ago, Mr. Besley said,
and although Maryland has been
using It, the State heretofore has
been unable to purchase it.
Virginia Tobacco Scores
Although Egyptian cigarettes have
acquired a universal reputation for.
quality and aroma, smokers in Egypt
are showing an increasing prefer*
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from Virginia and Near Eastern to*
baccos.
Man Kills Five Lions #
Searching for lost cattle in the
Transvaal, a fanner found himself
surrounded by 12 lions, according to
a Pretoria report. With four suc
cessive shots he killed a lion, a
lioness and two young lions. Still
the others remained. Another shot
wounded a lioness. She sprang at
him. His sixth shot killed her.
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