Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-12-30
RICH QUARTET HEARD
IN FINE CONCERT
Beautiful Playing in DebusSy and
Schumann Works; Tabuteau
Assists in Oboe Quartet

The Rich Quartet Thaddeus Rich, first
violin Hedda van den Beemt, second violin
Emile Ferr, viola, and Hans Kinder. cello.
assisted by Marcel Tabuteau, oboe, gave the
fourth concert of the Chamber Music Associ-
alton at tho Bellevue-Stratford yesterday
afternoon.
The first OF the three numbers on the pro-
gram was the Mozart Quartet In +, for oboe,
violin, viola and cello Naturally. a compo-
sition for three stringed Instruments, to-
gether with an instrument of such dlstinctive
and penetrating tone qualities as the oboe,
must necessarily be written around" the
oboe. which thus assumes almost the proper
tons Of a solo part rather than ono of a
quartet. That Mozart, with his unfaiing
sense of instrumental values, had something
of this in mind when he composed this
work. is shown by the fact that the oboe
part throughout gives out the principal
themes and has little 10 do on the contra
puntal side. SO prominent Is the instrument
that the work might be nearly termed an
oboe solo, with string accompaniment. rising
In brillancy in the rondo almost to The level
of concerto.
The oboe part is very difficult. being
written uncOmfortably high in places, besides
being full OF rapid staccato and legato runs
and sk!ps of intervals OF nearly two octaVes.
calling for great suCeness of embouchere
and absolute coordination OF lip and fingers,
Mr. Tabuteaus artistic work as first oboe
Of the Philadelphia Orchestra is well known,
rants the assertion that he Is one of the best
oboists in the country. Not only in the clear
ness of his technique, but also in great
beauty OF tone, after all the main points in
the playing OF any reed instrument. as we'll
as by his good taste, Mr. Tabuteau proved
himself an artist of the highest rank. The
string parts, which form the background to
the oboe part, were admirably played by
Messrs. Rich, Ferir and Kinder.
The Rich Quartet did its best work in the
next number, the slow movement and the
Scher2o OF the Debussy quartet In G minor.
Especially beautiful was the andantlno, not
only in tonal beauty and balance. but in
comprehension as to construction, and above
all in real understanding OF the ar OF
Debussy. 1t was quartet playing OF very
high order. The scherzo, which followed.
was also beautifully played, tho intricate
rhythms being clearly maintained and the
whole movement given with the same beauty
OF tone and perfection of balance which
marked the SLOW movement. The atmosphere
of both movements was the subtle one of the
real Debussy. a difficult but thoroughly salts
factory achievement by the members OF the
quartet
The Schumann quartet in \ minor, which
closed the program, was finely played, but
did not show at all times tho perfection OF
finish that marked the Debussy number.
The allegro in Z major following tho intro
duction was taken at speed just within
the limits of safety in so far as the graceful
rhythmCal character Of the movement Is
concerned The allegro was played with
much sympathy and beauty OF tone, and the
difficult finale with the sparkle and brillancy
which the character Of the movement de-
mands.