Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-10-13


~ Congress offers much food
for thought and arouSeS not few
ideas concerning the development
of musical conditions both here
and abroad. This was the fourth
such festival held under the
auspices of the Elizabeth Sprague
Coolidge Foundation since the lit
tie hall was built for chamber
music in the Library of Congress. |
The first was held in the Fall Of
1925; the second a year later, also
in the FALL the third in the
Spring of 1928; and now, the
fourth, Fall event.
Mrs. Coolidge herself was not |
present this time, leaving GER
tain vacancy and incompleteneSS |
to those who have grown accuS- |
toned to seeing her descend |
genially, beaming on all her guests |
as she went to her seat in the mid
die of the front row, or when as |
cending at the end of program. |
1t is probable, however, that Mrs. |
Coolidge will be here for the an
nual Founders day program to be |
given october 80, which is her |
birthday. /
1T is really an invaluable gift to
the cultural interests of the
United States that Mrs. Coolidge |
has given in the endowment of
this auditorium and these events
that show musicians of the inner
circle the laboratory experiments
in various stages of musical de-
velopment by actual performance
&c {,.o 81 |
given last week To the less in
formed but equally keen music
lovers the educational values of
such programs as Carl Engel
builds for these festivals are
really are under governmental
sanction and notice was taken of
them officially by the presence of
Mrs. Herbert Hoover as ar
honored guest at two of the five
events this year. Previously, ia
the last administration, Mrs. Cal
vim Coolidge also attended many
of these concerts. Cabinet Of
f1cialS and members of Congress
and their families were noted
among those present during the
past week as well as many diplo-
guiShed out-of-toWn patrons and
performers of music.
Particular aStuteneSS was shown
generally in the arrangement of
these programs There were
changes here and there that some
might have cared to make, eSpe
cially in the program when that
excellent quartet, the Roth String +
V-fo f nf mr. ~ ~ 0iY00fnd
so that the quartet, as quartet,
might have been heard in work
of first Importance instead of hay
ing a fifth and even a sixth vince!
tied to its beautifully balanced en-
Semble for the more serious works
presented. However, no one look
ing back on that series of five pro-
grams as whole can deny that
practically every phase of muSi- /
cal composition that is vital, and |
being presented with more or less |
popularity and plenty of discus
sion on programs all over the |
world today, was represented. The
balance of contrasts in styles and
also in light and serious works
was generally admirably main
tanned. What could have offered
thought than the two first Selec-
tons of the opening program?
Franz DanZi and Ludwig Won Bee
thoven, both German composers,
lived at the same time and the
two compositions by which they
were represented were written
within a decade of each other.
DanZi's work was of the light,
EYYoa II iol7 f.f of
the standard. BeethoVen'S grand
of the String Quartet in B fat,
opus 100, was given as Harold
Bauer transcribed for two pianos,
Beethoven's own transcription for
four hands for the piano. The
general consensus of opinion, |
however, seemed to favor the string /
quartet original form, although
there was no doubt that both Bee
thoven and Mr.. Bauer did their |
best in their respective turns in |
trying to make interesting piano |
literature of this work.
One of the real high-lights of |
the festival followed in the per-
feet trilogy formed by Bach, Bauer
and Barrere in the performance of |
the Sonata in E major" 1t was
just about perfect.
Joseph Huettel's prize winning |
work written last year, "Di- |
vertisSement GroteSque," for piano |
and wind instruments, and win
ming the Coolidge 1929 award. was
an inconsequential finale.
*
TUESDAY contrast again ruled, |
but this time it was contrast
of two complete programs. In the
morning Negro and mountaineer
folk music of America and jazz
orchestral compositions with clas-
steal warnings toward the goal
that was set by Gershwin'S "Rhap-
sody in Blue" were given. In the
afternoon three nineteenth CEN
fury composers were represented.
This was probably the first per-
Torrance anywhere in serious
chamber music program of Ameri-
can folk songs mot arranged
Spirictuals) and jazz. The folk
songs in particular won their
audience to ovation proportions.
Ishbel Macdonald, daughter OF
Great Britain's premier. was pres
ent to hear them and later, at a
tea, the writer asked Miss Mac
donald how she liked the folk
songs.
ooh, liked them very much in
D.,