Evening star., 1923-11-03
ADJUSTMENTS
NATI0NAL-The Ukrainian
Chorus.

The Ukrainian National Chorus, TO
which European critics long ago gave
the trademark Of the human sym
phony," was heard in another of its
marvellous programs at the National
Theater yesterday afternoon, under
the direction of Alexander Koshetz
and presented by Max Rabinoff.
A large audience sat in relaxed alb
sorption and listened to eXGellently
harmonized songs, poured forth with
apparently little or no effort, from
the group of men and women who
filed the stage with gay peasant cos
tunes and the entire auditorium with
wonderful melodies In only two or
three songs was the pitch given the
group from a small instrument. In
most of the numbers there was no
preliminary sounding of the pitch.
but at a signal from the director the
entire group began to sing with clear
cut attack and unified shading Of
tone. In the high notes there was no
attempt at yelling or shrieking. At
all times the members of the chorus
kept their mouths only slightly open.
hut the tones We're unerringly placed
forward and high and there was no
. suggestion of throatiiness or tremolo.
Each voice was distinct in quality
from every other voice. and one could
listen with as keen enjoyment to the
various voices as 10 dlI1erent 1nStru-
ments in symphony orchestra
Every one was true to pitch and sang
round notes.
The first two groups sung includ-
ed native songs of the Ukrainian
steppes,'which ranged through all the
moods of life in their motifs. Some
were short and merry, with a lilt
that had mischief in it. others were
somber and held the tragic poignancy
that is essentially Russian. A fine
Our Lady of Potchaiv," which SEEM
ed to be of the old ballad type. and
sweet contralto sang the Lullaby"
Of Barvinsky koshetz, with the
human accompaniment of the other
voices that was almost uncanny at
times in imitation of stringed instru-
ments. This lullaby was so lovely
that it was among the numbers en-
Enthusiastically asked for repetition
In the final group of songs the
folk songs, of which "Old Folks at
Home" was by far the most impress
sive. The plaintive solo, was given
in manner truly fascinating, and
the humming part Of the chorus was
beautiful, though the hurried out
hurst into the first part of the chorus
was q little jarring and sounded out
Of place between the solo and the
humming The contrast was too
sianized Was faI of very yoctf1 mIfh Rus
and Listen to the Lambs" was given
the spiritual quality so distinctive
Of American negro music. with a good
soprano 500 voice and rich choral
background.
Mr.. Koshetz own arrangement of
the Creole "Nente Nina" was pleas
ing. His arrangement of the lazily
voluptuous "Paloma Blanca" seemed
to totally destroy the Spanish Ian
Rutdness of the songs usual interpre-
tation, but made it an interesting Sc
lection. with the fine suggestion of
twanging guitars. Mr.. Koshetz is in
deed the master, and the members of
the chorus give him perfect obedience
and spontaneous response.
An effective musical contrast to the
brilliant work by the chorus was pro-
vided oy the exquisite numbers given
on the cello by Ewssei Beloussoff. a
famous Russian artist NJ. Nicholas
Stember gave him splendid support at
the piano, particularly in the diff
cult Tschaikowsky Variations sur
UP theme rococo." The theme was
tossed carelessly back and forth, first
Hitting from the strings in feather
like notes, then tinkling back in
echoes from the piano, while the fine
ly woven harmonies yelled the simple
melodies before revealing them NJ
Beloussoff also played an "Etude of
Scriabin's. Rachmaninoff's enticine
''Danse Orientale" and Glazounoff's s
"Serenade Espagnole." The beauti-
full "Traumerei" was his final encore
Washington will probably hear more
of this artist in the future.