Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-10-08
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THE FIRST FESTIVAL PROGRAM.

, THE FIRST fES1kEAA 1NOOkSkAAu.
! Alert enthusiasm and anticipation Of
the program, which opened the festi-
val of chamber music of the Elizabeth
Sprague Coolidge foundation at the
Library Of Congress last night, were
noticeable qualities in the audience
! which gathered in large part fully half
an hour before the time set for the
event in the corridors of the music d.
vision. Carl Engel, chief OF the music
division, and Herbert Putnam, librarian,
held informal reception. Mrs. Frederick
S. Coolidge, founder and donor OF the
foundation which has made these 1estl-
walls possible, first on South Mountain,
Pittsfield, Mass, and four years ago
| brought to washington in the Library
of Congress, is abroad.
The program itself was one to arouse
alert attention. It was masterpiece OF
musical contrasts. The first two selec-
tions were by composers, who lived IN
the same period over 100 years ago.
1. Nothing could have been more diner
ent than these two selections. Franz
which opened the program, IS very MO-
Zartean in character. In this day Wnen
wind instruments are put through Such
intricate PAGES in jazz composition, the
smooth flow Of simple melody with It's
coloratura trills for Mr.. Barreres
flute. and the utter placidity OF the
andante movement especially, seemed
almost to drag AS the quaint accented,
l1urdy-gurdy- like melody OF the mlnu-
etto burst upon the unsuspecting audi
ence amusement swept the AUDITORIUM.
n was a musicianly amusement, how
ever The ensemble work OF the Barrere
group in this composition was complete.
" admirable and Mr.. Barrere's playing
was delightful. He played the accents
of the amusing passages, TOO, WIN ap-
parent relish.
There followed Harold Bauer's ar
rangement for two pianos OF the FOUR
hand piano transcription made py Bee
thoven himself on his grand fugue. the
fugue, originally written as the nnale OF
the "String Quartet in B nat" was
very unpopular with audiences OF that
time. The indications were last night
that, even with particularly muslcai
audience, the two-piano arrangement
of this grand fugue was not much more
popular. It is a clever arrangement.
Mr.. Bauer, himself. played many OF
the passages with charming lyric 1eel-
ing, bringing out soft beauty from
work generally rugged In character.
Fugues are planned to be many voiced
This one was two-voiced throughout
the entire evening, so different was
touch and style of the two pianists,
MIR. Bauer and Arthur Loesser. The
latter appeared to much better advan-
tage in the Huettel work later in the
evening. During this very "un-Beetho-
venish" Beethoven composition, both
pianists pounded away Justify, but they
did not achieve impressive results. Pos
sibly two-piano ensemble more
matched in tonal color would bring
out great deal more beauty In this
work
The musical and artistic joy Of the
evening was Johann Sebastian Bach's
Sonata in E major" beautifully in
terpreted by Mr.. Barrere at the flute
and Mr.. Bauer at the piano. 1t is
lovely score and was in the happiest
hands with these two artists. It ap-
preached. the summit of perfection. It
was awarded applause, which soon turn
ed to soft groans in anticipating the