The Washington herald., 1921-01-09

in being a e-hound, a statistican, a keeper
i - of facts and records Right now for instance
how interesting it would compile record OF
the musical comedies OF the last two years alone
that have been marred for a good many OF us by
caperng antics of music directors in the orchestra
[ pit of theater.
\ OF all the cities of America. suppose. Washing
Aton is the cursed in this regard The city is
Ery-out center and that means that good deal or
the musical directing sees in Washington is as
renzied and obtrusive dress rehearsal Not con-
fent with dragging miniature flour barrel into
fhe aisle and mounting it, a good many Of
kur so-called directors further cloak the stage ac-
dion by series of convulsfTe elbow-jerkings and
Ravings that make their spasmodic. conVulsions
Die chief center OF distraction.
Somewhere I've seen rumor that
Cbrain theaters about to the whole gentry
beIow-decks by the simple device of lowering the
hestra pit. This course, will be rather trying
Oh the Musicians Union which will thus be denied
View of the performance but in some cases, it will
lower the orchestra leader and elevate at the same
time. the character of the performance.
4 There times, OF course, when one is violently
in favor idea Such periods of annoyance
ally after a particularly violent spell of al
y legged direction but occasionally along comes
director who knows his business and who contributes
materially to the smoothness and enjoyment of the
performance Such individual is Previn-Charles
Preyin. think, is his full Previn in my judg
ment. has had his just deserts in this world
Previn would make fine subject for a critical
spree bv James Gibbons Huneker. Henry L. Mencken
could do him justice. Previn belongs of
directors who keep the orchestra above-decks. A
poo musical comedy with Previn is frequently
smallish, grinnish youngster, hardly than 80.
with personality dripping from every pore.
scarcely more than five feet tall his hair is wiry
and bushy and dark and his teeth are set in
petual small-bOy grin.
THE baton to Prevn is a magic knitting needle
with which he weaves his gussamer wells
melody. With it. he is tragedian, clown and
PierrOt all in He has way of coaxing and
wheedlng a comic grace note from the French horn,
a rumbling blur from the bass-vio hurry Of tune
full squeaks from the violius and final, resonant,
resounding, periodic crash from the talks
gith every move Of his bushy head; he extracts
list, least ounce of melody with queer ndescribable
rawing movement of his wand. He capers he prances
stops the show, he takes his bows, yet never
bes Previn lose that undertone of gravity that
dominant note of fierce, unqualified enthusiasm that
res the imagination of his orchestra the zest
bf adolescence.
Twice in the past two years the Washington
theater has seen Previn, to knowledge. At each
appearance. he is the entract hero An audience
listens Previn's and laughs uproariousIv
conductors of popular music today is an actor first
and musician afterward Outside, lie is a rather
obscure figure, the Ernest Truck in
general appearance, but when he steps into the
orchestra pit, he is at the Charlie Chaplin
and the Barrymore of the baton.
One enjoys direction of the Previn sort and it
noticeable that Preyin for all his dimfnutive
rarely elevates himself above the footlight
level There is no clamorous gestures; kissing
at the drummer the ceIlist just even, in
tense performance that heightens its excel
Ience by the cOncealment thereof.
Previn of course is character There are
however, a number of good, journeymen con-
auctors who conduct without cIamor or distinction
with such have quarrel. Mr. Sigmund Rom
berg, at Polls last week, however, displayed type
of directing that is distinctly hard the audience
n OMBERG is a good composer He has been
* eminently successful at stringing together the
jazz melodies of the period and it hoped he
will continue at his melodous calling. As a director
Of orchestras, however, Romberg is precisely a
genius He is tall by nature his elevation on a
thigh pedestal is hardly cOntributOry of
view Of the stage
Romberg, however marvel of placidity
compared to the Napoleonic figure a bald headed
director who fought pitched battle from first act
last with his musicians during the opening week
of Irene" here, over a year ago. He brooked not
to call them by in his loudIy-hissed denun-
Citations, which were actually much distracting
than Joe's imperfect manipulation of the cymbalon
With such, Of course the attentive theatergoer
has no patience and yet for my part, I'm not con-
tent to Danish the whole outfit below the present
level Of the pit. For thing, the musicians
themselves seem rarely blame. They preserve
their gravity and inclination toot and fiddle
IN Une OF appalling odds thoupb
4, drummer completely overcome when the
of a tenor cracked completely in 'IIeigh-Ho"
The change involves the possible loss of the
anticry Of PreYn and his sort and that never
do. Something, however, should be done and done
soon the Washington theater to curb the handi
Gaping of musical shows by direction that is neither
and intelligence.
The unfavorable diagnosis Of Love Birds" in
last Mondays Herald construed, only fortv
eight hours later. into a glowing advertising pane
gyric by the producers, who simply deIeted a few
unfayorabe qualifying adjectives cast context
the winds to make it that this particular
journal has rated Love Birds" hit in quite full
some terms.
Furthermore alleged that various otbsr
reviewers of the town had spent much valuable
white paper gushing the latest wilmer -Rombers
output, which would seem to place your corrss
pondent in an altogether lone-minded position.