Evening star., 1925-03-12
QUARTET AND HARP
PLEASE IN RECITAL
De Reszke Singers and Al
berto SaIvi Present Un-
usual Program.

a beautiful program was present.
ed at Polls Theater yesterday after
noon by the De .Reszke Singers and
Alberto Salvi, harpist. In the score
and more concerts heard in Wash
ington this season there have been
few which possessed the merits of
this recital and which at the same
time seemed SO fully appreciated and
enjoyed by the audience.
Enthusiastic applause and instant
response was given to the mood and
presentation of every number by
both singers and harpist. Encores
were demanded after each group.
When here with the Duncan
Dancers last season Washington
music lovers had the opportunity
to hear the remarkable technique OF
Salvi. Yesterday NJ. Salvi's program
gave wider scope for the exposition
of his skill and of his artistic. reading
of compositions rarely heard In harp
recitaks. There have been at
tempts to ARRANGE" works Of Chopin,
master composer for the piano and for
nearly every other instrument. Few
such attempts are successful. Iester-
day, however, was proved that
Chopin's compositions may be given
excellent sympathetic Interpretation
through the medium of the harp. NJ.
Chopin's "Etude in 4 Flat" and the
Fantasia Impromptu" beautifully.
His opening number was Zabel's Per
petual Etude in L Flat" a difficult ana
brilliant number. Nj. Salvi's arrange
ment of Debussy's exquisite Rain IN
the Garden retained the composer
style and mood. The ripping effect of
gusts of rain was perfectly achieved.
"Amaryllis,". the dainty gavotte from
mis- encOTeS.
Credit is due both Jean De Reszke
and Oscar Seagle, his pupil, for that
remarkable organization, the De
Reszke Singers. This is quartet
extraordinary 1t seems to be TO
male quartets what the Flonzaleys
are to string quartets-a superpiy
blended unit of individual artists.
Hardesty Johnson and Floyd Towns
ley, tenors; Erwyn Mutch, baritone
and Sigurd Nelson, basso, are the
personnel. Each is fine soloist.
The marvel of their singing, how
ever, is in the perfection of their
ensemble work. The unity of shad-
ing, clean-cut attack and rhythm are
unusual Their selections also are
unhackneyed. The opening group
included Saint-Saens "Serenade
oliver" "Languir me fais' and
"Dieu to garde voisin Thibaut," both
j
tury; Lady, Why Grieve You Still
Me?" an old English madrigal of the
sixteenth century, written by Thomas
Morley, and Lure, Falconers, Lure.
another madrigal by John Bennett OF
the seventeenth century. All were
charming and both languages excel
lently enunciated. Vaughn Williams
arrangement of an old English folk
song, Bushes and Briars," was de-
lightful encore. Unusually and
laughably quaint were the musical
parodes, including There Was an
Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe"
after Brahms; Mary Had a Little
Lamb" after Delibes; Simple ST.
mon," after Coreli, with amusing
iment; Doctor Foster Went to Glou-
cester," after Handel; "Humpty
Dumpty' and "Tom, the Pipers
Son." written in the general style of
the French modernists. Mr.. Nelson
had special opportunities in the
Brahms imitation, and the other So
loists had bits in each number. Mr..
Johnson played the accompaniments.
A group of negro spirituals, well
sung, included "7Tis Me, o Lord"
(also called "Standin' in the Need o
PrayerD, "Scandalize My Name"
Were You There?" and 'Heav'n,
Heav'n" (also called "All Gods Chill
lun Got Shoes'). Burleigh's arrange
ment of THE Creation" and the pop
ular me an Ma Lii Banjo" were the
encoreS.
Features of the last group were a
comical song by Cyril Scott, THE
Ratcatcher" and a breezy, vivid
Pirate Song" by the American COM
poser, Clarence Olmstead. who was
present yesterday to hear the quar-
tet. John Hyatt Brewers 1--WE Are
the Music Makers opened the group,
which also included Mendelssohn's
beautiful "On Wings of Song" sung
in German, and Schumann's THE
Peaceful Lake" Swing Along" by
Will Marion Cooke, was the final
encore.