Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-02-03
NJ u
BOSTON SYMPHONY CONCERT.

The Boston Symphony Orchestra
under the leadership of Serge kous-
sevitzky, famous Russian conductor,
gave the first of the two concerts
scheduled for Washington for the
present season at Polls Theater yes
terdaF afternoon before a large audi
ence that showed marked enthusiasm
German, French and Russian music
was presented. Music of Teutonic
composers, widely varied. opened and
closed the program. The overture
was Carl Maria Won Weber's overture
to "Euryanthe, given original and
painstaktng shading Of tone with an
effect OF recitatives for different
groups of instruments in the various
passages. The violins would announce
q theme that was embroidered and
varied by the celloS and other instru-
mentS. 1t was as though Mr. Kousse-
Vttzky turned an imaginary spotlight
OF concentration on first one group of
instruments and then on another.
In decided contrast to the Won
Weber work was Debussv's prelude
to THE Afternoon of F-aun," full
Of soft, nebulous imageries. with the
wind and harp instruments dominat-
ing. Mr.. kousseVitZky'S interpreta-
ton OF this work may not prove the
most popular reading of it. but 1t is
certainly distinctive. At the end of
the work the conductor insisted that
NJ. Laurent. flutist. take part of the
warm applause separately from the
rest OF the performers
Again the nationality and mood of
the music changed decidedly as the
orchestra began the suite from
Rimsky-k orsakov's "Tsar Satan"
with military flourish and swung
into musical narrative touched with
the eerle quality that prevadeS a fairy
tale. In the second part of the suite
the pizzrato music of the first yiolins
was swept into a sea of strdent
orchestral volume most descriptive of
the story told. and in the last part an
entirely different quality of pizzicato
vas used In portraying the happy end
ing OF the story of fairy enchantment.
The whole orchestra received an ova-
ton following this work
1t is small wonder that there are so
many admirers of the music of
Johannes Brahms that the title
'Brahmsians" has long since been
coined He is indeed one of the mas
ter composers. Probably never has
his symphony in c Minor" appeared
to better advantage than it did yes
.erday when played as the real feature
of the Boston OrcheStra's program
The four movements We're played with
only n short pause between them
unusual for a symphony in Washing
ton. 1t has been noticed that even in
Boston Mr.. koussevitzky's method of
doing this has aroused much discus
sion and even argument as to its
effectiveness. In the case of the
Brahms work yesterday this plan was
most effective, building up the music
without any of the detrimental breaks
caused so frequently by applause OF
course, it did make a long stretch of
attentive listening for those inclined
to be restless and also gave those who
always seem to have to leave early
no opportunity to do 50 gracefully
On the whole. however. it proved an
admirable idea and the performance
won continued ovatiOnS for both leader
and orchestra at the symphony'S con-
clusion.
The beautiful themes of this SYM
phony, which rise with the effect of
instrumental chants with a sonorous
hymn-like quality, were given fine
reading. The angry chattering of the
pizzicato passages in the latter part
was a vivid bit. Above all, the rising
Of the musical climax into an inspired
outburst of melody that was almost
poignant to the listeners ears in it's
beauty gave an aurtcal picture that
can never be quite obliterated.
The orchestra appeared under the
auspices Of Mrs. Wilson-Greene and
will be presented in the other concert
here this year on April 10.
H. F.