The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-01-24
At THE CONCERT.

by way OF further1ng her metrOpOu-
tan aspirations. Topeka has opened
her heart to chamber music. as pre-
scented by the Flonza1ey quartet. the
best stringed quartet in the world.
Two or three years ago the F1onzaley
people stopped in Topeka and played
in a lodge hall to about twenty three
people. including the janitor. Friday
afternoon they appeared at the Grand
theater before a packed house that
poured out q Hbation of enthusiasm
mastery abilities. Hence, our taste
| must be advancing in the direction of
the artistic.
While chamber music does not prop
| rather to the studio. the F'lonzaley
Quartet have the faculty of the bring
| ing to the hall the atmosphere Of the
studio, and whatever the work may
| lack in volume of tone required to fill
! the larger space is fully compensa ted
for by the character and individual
value of the music OF the separate in
| struments. Every member of the quar-
| tet is a virtuoso of note, and in the
choice of themes, the quartet kept to
most uninterrupted union of the four
instruments. And though they are all
! able soloists, they are sufficiently self
effacing to leave the ensemble free of
/ the marrlng ef1ectS OF an unOue en-
phasis on any one desk.
| The program for the afternoon COM
prised three numbers, and encores. The
Beethoven Quartet in G. major opened
] the concert and the closing number
was Schubert's variations and finale
from the Quartet in D minor. There
Is such a wide contrast between these
two stupendous works of genius that
one wishes the one might have fol-
lowed the other Immediately without
the Intervening selection by Moor. that
the audience might have had a chance
to note them in succession. They are
irreproachable models. One little point
deserves notice as showing the COM
parattve strength Of the two compos-
ers. Beethoven gives frequent rest to
mind to fill in the lacking harmony,
| thus producing a clearness, boldness,
and contrast, not found in other works
OF the kind. Schubert, on the other
hand, makes all four parts work their
best to hide the thinness OF sound
in a large hall. In both, however. the
bass and tenor. that is, the cello and
viola, are not made to serve a. accom-
paniments to the violins. and to mark
the time. Every instrument has its
own value and character.
The quartet expresses ideas of deli
cacy, refinement and completely, and
shuns the themes that require a great
DO0y OF tone production. The Schu-
bert number had a grace and charm
) that eludes the defining word. 1t con-
ta1ns an incalcu1able amount Of modu-
lation, passages repeated in different
keys, and the theme is tossed from the
violin to the viola and amplified by
the other strings.
The second number was Suite fol
, violin and cello, by Emanuel Moor
No graces Of tone nor spirit Of per.
Torrance could have given it anything
like the life of the other two numbers
1t was as placid as q frog pond an6
suggests the days of dutiful practice
and two finger exercises However, 9
second hearing OF the piece would like.
ly reveal beauties that one misses IL
following for the first time unfamiliar
: lines. The duo was played by Pochor
and dArchamb beau. and intelligent1y
, and tastefully as it was done, the cal
yearned for the trumpets and horns IL
some Of the phrases that seemed tt
call for greater volume.
The first encore was responded to b.
a Rubenstein number. that was in It
/ self worthy of second encore. Their,
1 was in its execution a precision ans
flexibility of infection, and certain
| spontaneity of expression that gave
l subtle charm to its honeyed phrases
The applause that followed the Schu
bert quartet. called for a concludin,
! number, and a short selection Of Rus
| sian music was given in response.
Ii The number was one OF the Radcliffe
| concerts, and the next musicale of tn
| series will be given February q b,
/ Alma Gluck, soprano B. H.