Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-02-07
M u C
THE MINNEAPOLIS ORCHESTRA.

An unusually brilliant audience. In
GLIDING many leaders in political, dip
lomatic and social circles, attended
the concert given last night by the
Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra un-
der a conductor whose talents seem
to touch the heights Of geniuS-Henr
verbrugghen. There were those who
were amazed to fnd that the MIDDLE
West could provide such top-rank
orchestra-an orchestra OF practically
100 men and / woman, a violinist.
Jenny Cullen-that played beautiful
music In an inspiring fashion. Inc
audience became SO enthusiastic tnat
A. insisted upon leader and men re-
oeivinC an ovation after the symphony
and at the end Of the concert. wnen'
on each occasion, Mr.. Verbruggnen
asked the entire orchestra TO rise III
acknowledgment.
Mr.. Verbrugghen began the pro-
wrarn with the overture to Gluck's
SIuhigenia in Aulis," in which the
delicate. haunting melodies were excel
lantIy set forth. The symphony
chosen was the beautiful Symphony
In d Minor" written by Cesar FrancK,
that great Belgian composer. 1t is IN
teresting In passing to note that Mr..
Verbrugghen, also, is Belgian. FER
haps that was why he gave such a
really thrilling reading OF this work.
In the first movement he brought out
tho vividness of the stormy climaxes
when the leading theme seemed voiced
An frantic appeaI from the whole or
chestra. At such times the sweeping
swell of the strings into fortissimo or
their instant united throbbing in
noftest pianissimo resembled nothing
no much as a master organ of gigantic
proportions played by great organ
fst. The pizzicato passages that led
into the second movement, when
strings and harp announced the new
theme which was taken up by the
wood winds, made the second move
ment the poetic center of the SYM
phony. The finale quite lived up to
the preparation made by the first and
second movements. There is much In
Mr.. Verbrugghens conducting that
suggests Toscanini.
Following the intermission Mr.. Yer
brugghen showed his versatility in the
completely satisfactory way in which
he played Richard Strauss It'll Flu.
lenspiegel" 1t is a work that until
now has been best liked here as read
by Mr.. Mengelberg. Mr.. Verbrugghen's
reading will stand favorable conpari-
son when placed alongside OF the
gifted Dutchman's. Never has Till
seemed more truly real figure or the
entire score seemed so alive
The last selection was q novelty
written by the modernist. Jacques
I'Sert 1t was given it's first perform
ance in Washington last night, al
though it's premiere was in Paris three
years ago Called Les Escales" Ports
of CalD, ii Is a descriptive work and
seemed to fascinate the audience.
There are three ports" SO described:
Palermo is the first, and the music be.
gins with shimmering whispers among
the strings and harp: there are faint
dissonances as though Of voices and
other sounds heard through a mist
and there is delicate. weird melody
based on folk song. The second, Tunis
Meta, uses the strings to give the
effect of beating tomtOn1s and other
Oriental gourd instruments, while the
wood-winds carry a typical Algerian
melody. The primitive rhythms and
simplicity of melodic embroidery make
this an especially effective musical pic
ture. The final movement, Valencia
has all the lure and voluptuousness OF
rhythm and color that is generally
recognized as Spanish and provides q
brilliant ending to an unusually in
triguing group Of Impressions" The
work is scored for piccolo, two flutes
two oboes, English horn. two clarinets
three bassoons, four horns, three trum
pets, three trombones, bass-tuba. a Sc
Of four kettledrums, side drum, tam
BOURNE, bass drum, cymbals, triangle
xylophone, castanents, tomtoms, celes
IA, two harps and the usual strings.
II. f.