Evening star., 1924-02-08
CONCERT TRIUMPH
in FREERGALLER
Chamber Music by Quartet
and Trio First Program
..sr
; in New Building.

A program Of chamber music that
was veritable food for the soul ana
mind was given yesterday afternoon
In the auditorium of the Freer Art
Gallery by the South Mountain Fes-
tival Quartet and the Elshuco Trio. In
the first OF a series Of three being
given this week as the gift Of Mrs.
Frederic Shurtleff Coolidge.
Chamber music, which. for time.
fell almost into the discard, has once
past ten or fifteen years have seen a
?eEirth of interest in this delightful
phase of the musicians art. Such
lofty compositions as those played
yesterday by such highly cultured
musicians cannot help but give i'm
petus to the growing interest.
Tribute to Wilson.
Preceding the stated program, Her.
bert Putnam. librarian of Congress.
paid a tlibute to Woodrow Wilson:
Upon the eve Of these recitals
death has released to history a very
eminent American the foremost IDEAL
ist of his time, leader of democracy
In the lcftier ways - and to them
Chief Magistrate of the republic dur
ing a great crisis" he said.
1--WE have thought the mood and
the purpose CT our programs by no
means inconsistent with the gravity
of this event, with our natural con
Germ in it. with due respect. put, III
recognition OF 1t, we shall today pre-
cede the stated program with u mum
Der especially suited to the thought OIL
one whose own form OF expression
vas so noble and go exquisite.
1T is the 'cavatina, from the B 3
fat majcr quartet of Beethoven. IL
Is brief, and its commemorative pur,
pose will be emphasized II you VIII
listen to it standing and let 1t con-
clude in silence"
The "Cavatina" was then played,
and its majestic melancholy awoke a
responsive chord in the minds of the
audience. The fine sentiment or the
.Cavatina' well portrayed the nigh
mindedness of him for whom 1t was
played. ,.
torium for the concerts, Mr.. Putnam
said, in part:
'The explanation Of these recit&ls
was, briefly, III the invitation. IL Is
amplitied in the program. the oust-
fication of this place for them-ln
lined of the arts-will appear also In
the performance.
What does not sufficiently appear
anywhere is our gratitude to Mrs:
Coolidge, but that 1 shall not attempt
to compass in words. 1t would be
f5artlcuIarly difficult in her presence,
as her habit is to regard q beneht
which she confeTs as If rather grace
and pleasure accorded to herself.
Music Peer Among Arts.
Were 1 speaking for her it would.
| am sure, be not merely to welcome
you to the program, but to empha-
size her satisfaction that 1t Is to be
auspices; that it is in effect a dedica-
tion Of this hall to the finer arts,
and that in those facts music is rec
ogrized as a peer among the arts
and a legitimate concern of the gov
ernment. And I should express for
her. as do for the library, keen
appreciation to the Smithsonian In
stitution. which. as overload of the
Freer Gallery, is our host and the
host of our hostess on this occasion
1.-THE fact that the Smithsonian Is
mainly concerned with science signt-
ifts the more. It indicates-as does
this gallery and the National gal
1ery--an enlargement of its function
from the increase and diffusion OF
knowledge" to the increase and diff
fusion of culture"
The regular program was divided
into three parts, the first, Haydn's
String Quartet in D Major. Op. 90.
No. A. being for the quartet. which
was composed of William kroll. first
violin; Karl Kraeuter, second violin;
hOTtSCUdh, NIOld, anu WI
Villeke, violoncello. 1t was typically
Haydn, with it's solid, rich harmonies
and it's f1orid runs. Stirring fugues
were interspersed and built up into
powerful climaxes. The quartet play
I'D this magnificent group with excel
lent phrasinG and we'll pronounced
accent. The shading was perfect and
the technique masterful.
Play Modern Composition.
The Elshuco Trio, .Aurelio Giorni,
pianist; William Kroll, violinist. and
Willem Willeke, cellist, chose to leap
over the years since Haydn and play
ed a modern composition, a suite by
II. Waldo Warner, the manuscript of