Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-05-22
MUSIC
MR.. sHURE's NEW QUINTET.

A composition which has melodious
material that is skillfully handled was
given its premiere performance at the
home of Edward C. Potter when the
Washington Composers Club held
meeting there last night. The work is
g quintet for piano and strings writ
ten by r. Dean Shure, we'll known choir
director and organist OF Washington.
Not since his study of chamber music
form number of years ago in Ger
many has Mr.. Shure written anything
for this exacting type Of musical compo-
sition. He has confined most Of his eff
forts to works for large choruSeS, organ
and piano suites. Therefore, his ability
to Intervene his themes and counter
themes cleverly for the instruments of
q string quartet also making the piano
part an interdependent part and not
solo obbligato as some writers who write
chiefly for piano or organ are inclined
to do. came as a particularly pleasant
surprise. Mr.. Shure was the recipient
Of heartiest congratulations from all
his confrereS as well as other guests
last night.
This quintet was played by the men,
bers of the National String Quartet
Henri Sokolov, Max RoSenstein, Samuel
Feldman and Richard Lorleberg-with
LaSalle Spier at the piano. MIR. Potter
explained before its presentation that
Mr.. Shure was inspired by the pictures
Of three of the famous muses. which
are depicted in the Library of Congress,
and so wrote the music in the three
parts, each one dedicated to different
muse. OF the nine muses., goddeSSes
Of the liberal arts Originally said to
have been nymphs of inspiring foun-
tains, which would be most appropriate
for giving inspiration to composerS),
Mr.. Shure chose Melpomerfe, the Tragic
Muse, for the first movement; Erato.
muse of lyric and erotic poetry, for
the second, and Terpsichore, the Dance
Muse, for the third. In the first, the
inevitability of great forces clashing to
dramatic tragedy was admirably sug-
and non-Saccharine melody to a bril-
liant climax. The second movement
was less unusual, but very pretty. The
third seemed to combine both the syn
copating lit of the lightest dance music
themes with a sacred organ undertone.
Had the latter theme been Oriental It
might have suggested ancient dance
rituals of pagan worship. The order OF
the three movements might have been
reversed to advantage and ended on
the dignity of the tragic movement
rather than on the piquant frivolity of
the last theme in the dance movemnt.
Another unusually ambitious compo-
Sition, one which has weathered several
previous performances, even in New
York, was another feature Of the eve
ming. It was a sonata for violin and
piona by La Sale Spier and was
played by Sylvia Lent. the famous
little yiolinist. who is native OF Wash
ington, and Mr.. Spier. This work was
given first performance q year ago at
q meeting Of this club. The perform
ance last night showed that it Is a
work which is even more welcome after
frequent hearings 1t has maturity in
style and authority; it shows adroit
use OF varied technical effects and
while modern in many respects. 1t has
some lovely moments of melody. The
droll little theme given to the violin
for pizzicato Interpretation fingers in
the memory pleasantly and persistently..
The evening opened with vocal
uuartet's singing of DR.. Alexander
Hennemann's setting of the poem
Refuge" which Is being sung quite
bit at the present time. 1t was sung by
the Washington Quartet, composed by
Mrs. Fred Rice, Edna Jones, Mason
Willis and Roland Comley.
Elvina Neal Rowe, popular young
Washington soprano. sang a new song
written by the host OF the evening, Mr.
Potter. entitled There Is No Night"
1t is sympathetic setting of charm
ing verse. n. r.