Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-02

OF all forms OF musical en-
~ deavor, came into its own
in 100 per cent American proportions
last Wednesday night. when Rodman
Wanamaker entertained an audi
ence of 1900 people with a concert
presented by leading chamber music
performers of the world on the
rarest of old stringed instruments
and the beautiful organ in the grand
court of the John Wanamaker store
in Philadelphia. Never in the his
tory of music has so beautiful col
lection of stringed instruments been
heard in single performance
played by musicians who are all in
,ternationally famous.
This splendid and inspiring pro-
gram was really DR.. Thaddeus Ricl1's
party, to all intents and purposes.
Following the dinner and reception
given to those noted in musical and
social circles of several cities. num-
bering 1900 guests, in honor of Dr..
Rich, that genial maestro himself
conducted a cappella numbers of the
stringed instruments and also was
the one soloist of the evening. He
played the lovely melody that fol-
lows the "fugato" part of the prelude
to Saint Saens opera, The Deluge,
on one of the supreme violins of the
world, an instrument made by Jo-
seph Guarnarius del Jesu, in 1887.
The whole atmosphere of this work
was excellently suggested in the
cappella work, and the finale was as
crystal clear in the last short note
a.. ia
"deluge" described in the music.
To sit there, facing the group of
players who had as their background
the graceful gold pipes of the organ
facade, topped by slender angel
with trumpetS, and touched with
Christmas evergreens with the star
shaped lights swung high i'll the air.
twinkling and ever changing, a great
many-sided star hanging lower as a
pendant TO this sparkling necklace,
the auditor felt the Muse of Music
must be symbolicaliy present, almost
to the point of physical identity.
Silver starred blue flags, interpreted
with many-colored flags of various
nations, hung from the nezzanine
balconies. The tall pillars of the
court, with the names of great ma
tons of the past, including Greece.
Judea, Egypt, as we'll as many of
the present, seemed to add signih-
canoe to this event. In the Siamese
court below, of mosaic. glittering
pillars and quantity poised figures,
with that anachronism, giant eagle
in the center, that gives inspiration
TO the main floor decor, symbolism
also seemed to be abroad, flinging
suggestions to those who cared to
see.
All across the space before the
organ were seated the members of
the Flonzaley Quartet, dean of string
quartets today; the Pro Arte Quar-
tet, that splendid young group of
Belgian musicians; the Lenox String
Quartet. popular in its series of
monthly concerts this year given in
Washington at the Library of Con-
gress; the New York String Quar-
tet, the Verchamp Quartet, with
Anton Torello, Albin Hase, Fabien
Koussevitzky and Heinrich Wemann
for the double BASES, and Charles
NJ. Courboin, French organist, at
the organ. The violinists were
Adolfo BETH, Alfred Pochon, Al
phonse Onnou, Laurent Halleux,
Wolfe Wolhnsohn, Edwin Ideler, OF
tokar Cadek, Jaroslav Siskovsky, Al
bert Verchamp, Rudolph Fuchs.
The viola players were Nicholas
Moldavan, German Provost, Her
bert Borodkin, Ludvik Schwab and
Emmanuel Hirsh. The violoncellos
were played by Ivan d'Archambeau,
Robert Mas, Emmeran Stober, Bed
rich Vaska and John Mundy
The rustling and settling of the
great audience was hushed into quiet
with an eloquent cadenza on the
organ swelling into marvellous tone
and then dying away on "a" Then
the tinkling exquisiteness of Purcell's
Suite in c Major" with its precise,
crisp prelude, saraband, minuet and
march, arranged for capella by w.
7. Hurlstone, seemed simply too
good to be true-elfin music from
mellow-voiced strings.
The Flonzaley Quartet then played
Mozart's Quartet in d Major as
only that group OF fine ensemble
players can present the polished deli
cacies OF the genius of Salzburg's
music. The SaintSaens' number
followed, and was succeeded by the
Pro Arte Quartet in Debussys fas-
cinating Quartet in g Minor" full
OF fantastic daintiness and piquancy.
1t seemed, as this music sprang
forth and crossed the space of that
huge court, as though it were truly
mans inspired version of signing,
laughing. eloquent winds in pine
trees. In accord with the old
truism, distance lent added enchant-
ment to the waiting ear.
The finale was Veracihis Con
certo Crosse, Dell Opera Seconda.
especially arranged for strings and
organ by francesca Malipiero, who
lent all his musicianly skill and sub
dued his modern i1npishness to the
modes Of this ancient work. The
organ part OF this number was
blended into the whole with the
discrimination and thorough artist
ry for which NJ Courboin is so
widely noted. 1t was perfect end
TO an evening that placed a mile
stone in the musical history OF the
United States.
x y x =
a 7 the dinner following d recep-
A ton, held in the crystal room
DOT the building, John Philip Sousa.
the great American band leader and
march king OF the world, was hon
ored when his STARS and Stripes
Forever march was played. The
hundreds ~ die "A ,~os1zre 80,