The Washington times., 1926-03-03
NOVELTIES fine
At CONCERT
By JESSIE MacBRTDR

Two Important novelties IA ghV
music world featured the fine con-
cert of the Philadelphia Orchestra
yesterday afternoon. The John
Hays Hammond, jr., plano inven-
ton. which is added to the normal
grand piano, was played by Lester
Donahue for the first time in Wash
! ington. The orchestral Aetting of
/ Debussy's "Engulfed Cathedral, "
made and conducted by Leopold
Stokowski. adds yet another great
tone picture to orchestral literal ure.
The concert in the T. Arthur Smith
Iseries had large and most en-.
thusiastic audience at the Washing
ton Auditorium.
To the new piano: The music
was the great Rachmaninoff second
concerto. Mr.. Donahue proved him.
| self q pianist Of note, with fluent
and peari-like technique and O COM
manding rhythm. Sonorities are.
the essence of the new invention
with two sets OF reflectors above
and below the body Of the piano
that are controlled by an extra
pedal added to the piano.
three inches higher and about four
inches lower. It Is Installed in a.
Chickering concert grand.
New Pianos Rich Promise
A greater blend between orchestral
tone and piano tone seems manifest.
Yet there Is also touch Of the
metallic IN the tone, which may be
accounted for by the fact that the
'reflectors" are made of aluminium.
But no matter how much fortis-I
simo the orchestra used, the piano
held its volume well up to the in
struments.
Several cadenzas brought out the
solo possibilities OF the Hammond
invention. In chords there seemed
an added richness.
The resolution Of chord passages
had an added wealth. And, as IN
ventor and demonstration both state,
this is but q beginning OF q new
and radically different theory, APP
piled to the pianoforte.
The Rachmaninoff music was glori-
ously given, from both soloist and
orchestra.
1t Is . stupendous work, the
sweep OF themes, particularly in the
finale, soar up al only the Russ
seems to do, with ali the longing
ana the passion Of perfect romantic
music. And Mr.. Donahue held up
this impulse in fine broad piano
playing, while his minute bits were
delightfully."- clear In articulation.
Mr.. StokowslSi, with the orchestra.
was both sympathetic and I'M
pressive.
: stokowsIxi has painted an orches-
trail canvas Of mammoth proper
tons in the huge climax and ulli-
mate fading away Of the 'Cathedraie
Engloutie'' Of Debussy. Oddly
enough, or with his dramatic taste
In program-making between the aD-
solufe music of Rachmaninoff twhOl
belongs TO the romance school Of tne1
classicsb and the stunning Bach
''PasaacagIia," also set by StokoW-
ski, were three works In which
music has mirrOred the tones. she
stir and life oE Nature herself
Family nature Quivers, In the
waIdweben that began with Wagner.
but into which the French impress
sionist has added more dissOnance
that gives a new individual pastel.
Then the great poetic thought OF
that ghost cathedral booming out
its bells, rising from its watery
grave, towering one moment In joy
Gus changing sound, then suddenly
sinking away I'm NEUROLOGICAL 81
lence. beneath a placid swaying
lake-the immense dynamics u
tone, the rich use of orchestral
choirs. the perfection Of the winds
have been employed by DR.. St0kow-
ski monumentally.
Albeniz's "Fete Seville" and the
Fire Bird" of Strawinslky both
added familiar graphic life to the
program.
The latter was repeated by re-.
quest. As was the Bach. And
here the stunning double fugue, the
rare and huge construction, the
beautiful flute playing Of William
Kincaid, closed q program that held
all the charm and glow that IL In
separable from the name Of Stokow-
ski and his PhiIadAlOhia YNIayePa