Evening star., 1928-12-01
M USIC
NATIONAL QUARTET AND FLORA
KEEFER.

KEEFER.
A particularly happy combination OF
Washington artists presented the pro-
gram yesterday before the members OF
the Friday Morning Music Club. The
National String Quartet played three
selections and Flora MacGill Keefer
contralto was heard in two short
groups of songs. In spite of the in
clement weather the audience attend
ing taxed the capacity Of the Cosmos
Club auditorium and showed marked
enthusiasm.
Mrs. Keefer has such q remarkable
range of voice and such thorough
muSicianship In her singing that 1t is
always a pleasure to hear her. Also,
she chooses songs that are not COM
programs, and she sings always with
finish In style and with careful prepa-
ration. Mrs. Keefer has complete un-
derstanding of the lyrics as well as the
melody of each song. The remarkable
f1exibility of her voice and clear ring
ing high notes featured this contralto's S
presentation of Mo1art's "Allelulia, Z"
'Gesang Weyla's" by Hugo Wolf and
Handel's "Furibonde,' followed as
encore by the we'll known Come and
Trip It." More dramatic and excellently
contrasted songs composed the second
group, Brahms 'Das Maedchen
Spricht," "LHeure SilencieuSe" of Vic
tor Staub, and q very new song by
Frank la Forge, Into the Light"
Concerning this last song. Mrs. Keefer
explained that it was inspired by Lind
bergh's flight to Europe. The words,
by Marie Corelli. were found soon after
that event, by Mr.. la Forge, and his
musical setting conveys exactly the
StupendouS character of the fight as
well as suggesting the fight against
the natural elements that brought VIC
tory to the young aviator. AS Mrs.
Keefer coaches with Mr.. Ia Forge, it
may be taken for granted that her
reading Of this song is given his ofacial
sanction. Yesterdays presentation of 1t
was its debut on local concert pro-
grams. Mrs. Keefer gave as encore
Rachmaninoff's "AS Fair Is She" The
singer had completely competent and
sympathetic support at the piano from
Lucy BrickenStein.
Washington may we'll be proud Of the
National String Quartet, for every sea-
son this admirable, sincere organization
of talented musicians shows growth in
stature in this, the most exacting Of all
types of musical performance. The
quartet is composed of Henri Sokolov,
first violin; Max Pugatsky, second
violin; Samuel Feldman, viola, and
Richard Lorleberg, violoncello. It SEEM
ed, yesterday morning. as though this
quartet never had played quite so well
before. More and more they are
achieving that ultimate goal Of single
ness in blend of the four instruments,
that is so much to be desired.
The program opened with Quartet
in E Flat Major" written by Karl Dit
terS Won Dittersdorf (173o-99), who
wrote q good deal Of chamber music
and also operas. Mr.. Won DitterSdorf
played the first violin in q string
quartet which included Josef Haydn as
second violin, Wolfgang Amadeus
Mozart as viola player and Wanhal as
violoncellist. 1t was fitting that one
who played with two other inlmortalized
composers should write so lovely a
quartet as the one in z fiat major. It
is not often heard, but 1t is certainly
full of rich, melodic material and q
quartet writing. The andante move
ment is unusually graceful and inspiring
and the oriental color of the first theme
in the finale. is brilliantly attractive.
There are moments of organ-like tone
in this quartet and the parts for the
four instruments are interviewer In q
fascinating manner.
Franz Schubert'S Quartet Satz in c
Minor" was particularly charming, with
the silver melody from Mr.. Sokolov'S
facile bow The Debussy Quartet,
Opus TO-" from which two movements
were played, was given with a finish
that showed practiced command over
its intricate phraSing in the typical
DebuSsy style. The National String
Quartet received It's Interpretation Of
this work under the guidance of Charles
Martin Loef1ler this Summer. Mr..
Loefier played in the initial perform
ance of this composition himself, and so
is an authority on how 1t should be
read. H. r.