Evening star., 1928-12-09
NJ u S &c
BY HELEN FETTER.

! composer - Felix MendelSsohn,
who performed it in Leipzig the
following year.
VERY different from this Schu-
bert work will be the domi-
nant composition on the program
Saturday to be given by White
mans famous Jazz Orchestra.
This is said to be a premiere per-
fOrmance. The work is entitled
Metropolis" and Sub-titled, "a
Blue FantaSie in E fiat" The
composer is Ferde Grofe, whose
handiwork has developed one of
the leading styles in modern jazz
composing. Metropolis" is said to
be based upon two themes, origi-
nally devised by Harry BarriS and
Matt Malneck, both members of
Mr.. Whiteman'S group of musi-
clans. Mr.. Grofe took these
themes and is said to have bent
them to his purpose" a process
which, in his own words, is de-
Scribed as seeing what I could do
in the way of making a serious
composition out of two typical
Broadway bits Of music"
The result must be somewhat
absorbing to listen to for it is said
that the French modernist, Maui
rice Ravel, attended a rehearsal of
it, planning to stay only 10 min
uteS and that instead, he re-
manned all evening listening to
repetitions of the Grofe work.
metropolis" is said to be en-
tirely modern in conception and
treatment, following no tradi-
tional form. The first theme is
the melody; the second accents
rhythm.
Another ambitious feature of
this Saturday program which
combines the aristocrats of Tin
pan Alley with the latest Broad
way fapperS in hits" will be a
performance of the GerShWin
Concerto in F." which was first
given here by the New York SYM
phony Orchestra under Walter
DamroSch with the composer at
the piano.
A recollection of an informal in
terview with Mr.. GerShwin brings
to the writer's mind the |
amusing expression on the jazz
composers face when he told Of
how Mr.. DamroSch had commits
stoned him to write this concerto. |
Why" said Mr.. GerShWin, Il
wouldn't have known concerto II |
I had met one walking down the
street. I had no idea what the |
style of composition was like and,
believe me, I spent a lot of long
hours diving into tones on mu-
Sical construction. No college kid |
ever spent more hours in burning |
the midnight oil "boning up for
exams than I spent finding out |
what a concerto should look and |
sound like"
There has been wide diversity |
of opinions as to how Mr.. GerSh-
wins concerto looked and sound |
ed but it still seems to be going |
strong and has not yet been laid |
on the shelf.
MAURICE BURDETTE
A is a name that has been
known in local music circles for
many years and is highly revered |
there. Mrs. Burdette, who was
born in Washington in July, 1878, !
was one of those child prodigies
who really made good" in after
life as an excellent musician. |
When she was only about eight !
years old she played with the
United States Marine Band, as
guest Soloist, under the magnetic
baton of SouSa, "the March King"
She studied under DR.. BiSchoff, |
Washington organiSt, teacher and
composer. Later she continued
piano study under Mrs. Jeannette
Thurber at the National ConServ-
atory of Music in New York City. !
Returning to Washington, the |
young and charming Mamie |
Maurice fell under the spell of
Cupid, and although her teacher
heard of it and came proteStingly
to Washington to snatch the
talented young pianist away for a
great career, romance outwitted
ueI anu IIl6 young COup1e-MdIIlle
Maurice and William w. Burdette,
son Of the prominent Walter w.
Burdette-eloped to Baltimore and
were married.
Later Mrs. Burdette became Of
fetal Soloist for the Rubinstein
Club and proved a highly efficient
one. She also did considerable
solo work and numbered among
her most unusual programs one
that was given for Mrs. Grover
Cleveland in the White House.
AS this column goes to press
Mrs. Burdette is seriously i'll at
her home in Clarendon, Va, and
it is at her special request that
this word from her is put in this
column today.