New-York tribune., 1920-11-07
London String
Quartet Scores
Triumph Here
British Artists in Recital at
Aeolian Hall at Last Get
Proper Recognition From
New York Music Lovers
Edwin Hughes in Concert
American Artist Tries to Put
''Turkey in the Straw
Among the Masterpieces

Besides the orchestral music played
&C Carnegie Hall by the Boston Or
chestra, there were three other CON
ccrts yesterday. In the afternoon the
I London String Quartet made exquisite
'nusic at Aeolan Hall. A somewhat
tardy appreciation of the supreme
muscianship OF these British artists.
which resulted in rather slim audiences
at their miniature Beethoven festival
earlier in the> autumn, brought many
to the hall. But there should not
nave been a vacant scat
1t was an opportunity to hear the
quartet IN modern works, but MozArt's
Quartet, No. 13, in D minor, began the
program for balance and good meas
ure. The first modern piece came
IcXt-a Folk Song Quartet in one
movement, based on a Berkshire
melody, Dance to Your Daddy" in
Cecil Sharp's Collection, by H. Waldo
Warner, the gifted viola player of the
Le ndon Quartet. This work won first
prize in the w. W. Corbett Compet-
Quartet is full Of cnarm and skilful.y
written to display the individual merits
Of the organization of which he is
member. In the latter half of the
composition, for example, there were
striking opportunities for the deep
toned chant OF Mr. Evans's cello.
Play Goossens's Sketches
This was followed by two sketches by
Eugene Goosscns, "By the Tarn" and
Jack O. Lantern" The first piece held
the more merit. In it's mystery of
troubled water there was kihship in
color to Dcbussys sea music in
"Pelleas,' although without the French
mans note Of cXultation. Percy Grain
gers "Molly on the Shore" and De
bussy's Quartet in G minor, Op. 10,
completed the program.
The four musicians showed them
selves as inspired in their interpreta-
tons of modern music as in their treat
ment on other occasions of music by
Beethoven and Brahms High donors
too, were paid to the Mozart Quartet,
but the climax of rarely enjoyable
concert came with Debussy's Quartet.
Not nuance, not delicate modula-
tion was overlooked. At times, as in
the andante, their playing took on al
almost unearthly beauty akin to muse
heard in dreams. Small wonder that the
audience remained to cheer and aI-
p.aud until the lights were dimmcd.
In the evening, az the same ha
Edwin Hughes gave a piano recit.
On his program, which made for COZ
trast, Busonls arrangement of Bach
Chaconne, DebusSy's Pagodes, La Soire
dans Grenade aad Jurdins sous l.
Pluie, four mazurkas and a baladc b.
Chopin found them selves in the COM
pany of a Zuni Indian rain dance al.
the American barn dance, "Turkey IN
the Straw"
Rain Dance Meets Approval
"The pianist had EVIDENTLY supplied
the program notes, and his inclusion OF
TIE familiar American tune appeared
% be patriotic attempt TO boost this
melody into the realms Q: the Spanish
scguidil4a, the hungarian czardas, the
Italian tarantelia and the Russian
norak. But turkey in the Straw
sounds better in barn than IN a con-
cert hail. The rain dance is an in
.eNlous trap 1or applause and the audi
cnce promptly justified this character
l@atlcn b. ins!s,ine upon a repetition.
Only pianists of the martelian type, to
which Busoni himself belongs, can
cope impressively with the formidable
demands of Hach's Chaconne when ar
ranged for this instruments Few are
wise who attempt the feat. Al tim s, Mr..
Hughes's memory seemed to play him
false 2r his fingers betrayed him He
also was more at hor,e in the mazurkas .
of Chopin than in the China and
Spain Of Debussy. On the other hand
there were charming moments in his
playing of MacDowcll's Novelette, and
Ilfn Dance.
At the same time in Carnegie Hall,
Mildred Wcllerson, child 'cellist was
giving recital. Her program included
a sonata by Corelli, Volkmanns Con
ccrto in A minor, and pieces by Bach,
,kolnik and Others