Evening star., 1924-11-22
CONCERT OF JAZZ
ST|RS BIG AUDIENCE
Crowd at Whiteman Perform
ance Remains Half Hour to
Demand EnCOreS.

An unusual Washington concert
audience composed of a great many
more young people and older men
than customarily attend afternoon re-
citals filled Polls Theater to capacity
yesterday and listened to the re-
markable program offered by PAU
Whiteman and his concert orchestra.
Although the last number scheduled
was completed by o'clock the ma
jority of the audience refused to
bulge until 25 minutes OF Z, but ap-
plauded with enthusiasm bewilder-
ing series of encores selected from
the orcheStras previous vaudeville
, program and finishing with delight
full, artistic singing Of "A June Night
by Morton Downey. Mr.. Downey is
q young lyric tenor whose soft tones
and clear-cut enunCiation made TINS
number quite as pleasing as MS sing
Ing of the solo in "Esmeralda,' said
to be the first Irish fantasy scored
for modern orchestra. He also sang
"NEhen the Girl l Love Loves You.
Those who went to this recital with
the impression that they would hear
1ust another jazz program were
doubtless surprised. for Mr.. White
mans program was glorlhed Jazz
with rich symphonic quality. In the
lengthy explanation offered for the
popularity of music of this type, in
basic reason is stated as follows:
Its syncopative quality is really the
reason for it's instantaneous vogue.
Sounds. crashes, thunderings of war
ring brasses and all the other varied
and violent auxiliary noises that
characterized it's appeal were so in
terIaced and overlaid rhythmically
that tempo soon outStepped 'sound
conflict in popular esteem"
illustrate Early Jazz.
A glimpse of the crude early jazz
was given in the opening number, La
Rocca's "Dixieland," presented by
small group from among the 70 mu-
sicians, aided with such equipment
as small skillets and a large gal
vanized pail. given before the gold
curtain with caricature silhouettes
of the entire orchestra painted upon
it, Then, against the glorious back
ground of gold brocaded curtains
with their own instruments. except
the brasses, forming spots or Whlte
contrast, the whole orchestra played
a similar melody, san" with the
modern scoring and completely dit-
ferent effect.
The one bit of trespassing on sacred
ground was the comical handling OF
themes from Handel's massive Mes
siah" to give Yes, We Have NO Ba-
nanas" Arbans Carnival of Venice
also furnished themes for the Amer
loan jazz humoresque, 80 This Is
Venice" In vivid contrast was the
poetical group, "Persimmon Fucker,
given with true African rhythmS and
subtle nuances; "A Minuet for Betty
Schuyler: and a truly impressive
marine tone painting, Sea Burial"
Give "Rhnpsody In Blue.
Indian motifs, both Oriental and
American, were given fascinating
syncopation in frank jazz versions Of
Frederick Logan's Pale Moon,
Rimsky-korsakoff's Hymn To The
Sun" and Lieurance's BY the Waters
of Minnetonka," which took a semi
classical work and made a poignant
tragedy of it. A group of leading
dance hits of the past season con-
cluded the first half of the program,
including ''Limehouse Blues, "Whatll
Do" Shanghai Lullaby" Wonder
full One" and ''Linger Awhile"
Michael Pingatore, wizard banjoist,
won tremendous applause for his
solo with the Last number.
A suite of Spanish, Chinese. Cuban
and oriental serenades, the only COM
positions for the modern American
orchestra composed by the late Vic
tor Herbert and Con Conrad's "ESyp-
tian Rose" were interesting selections
that led up to the feature OF the ait
ernoon, George Gershwin's famous
Rhapsody in Blue" true rhapsody
of modern hits" filled with quaint
dissonances, alluring melodies and
throbbing dance rhythms. Harry
Perrella, pianist, who played the solo
that Mr.. Gershwin himself had played
in New York performances, was so
good that the audience insisted on
solo encore.
Mr.. Whiteman stated during the in
termission that he expects to bring
a new program of even more ambi-
tious jazz classics to Washington
January 2. He says that such noted
American composers of the modern
school as Ernest Schelling, who ap-
peared here last March with Mengel-
berg and the New York Philhar
monic. and Leo Sowerby are writing
special works for his orchestra.