Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-24
NJ u S &c
:. 49,
BY HELEN FETTER.

service, compelled Mr.. Ara, the
original viola player. to resign. M
Bailly filled that role for a short
time. Mr.. Moldavan filled it as
the quartet has rounded out its
quarter of century and he filled
it most satisfactory.
The Flonzaley String Quartet
gave its last public concert in
Washington January II of this
year. The last public concert in
New York was presented Monday
night of last week in Town Hall
when a fund of $4,000 was raised
for the Musicians Foundation,
which has as its purpose the aid
of musicians in distress through
age, sickness, lack of employment
or other misfortune. 1t is re-
ported that the Flonzaleys will
formally disband May 9.
However, like the famous sym
Dol of natural history-the oak
this quartet will not have COM
pletely vanished when it is cut
down as an organization in the
prime of its endeavors. It already
is intimated that at least one
hardy acorn has sprouted and will
take root a couple of days fol-
lowing May 9. This is the Stradi-
variuS String Quartet, organized
by NJ Pochon, who will play the
second violin, while Mr.. Molda-
van, also of the Flonzaleys, will
play the viola. The first violinist
will be Wolfe Wolfinsohn (who
has been heard in Washington
frequently at the Library of Con-
greSS as first violiniSt of the LenoX
String Quartet and Gerald War
burg will be the violoncelliSt. AS
the name of the quartet would in
dictate, each of the four members
will play a real Stradivarius in
Strument-four of these precious
instruments having been placed
at the disposal of the group. The
quartet aims to follow in the foot
steps of its distinguished prede-
ceSSor and present the best music,
both old and new, and, when re-
quired, short, concise explanatory
talks to illumine each selection
for such audiences as might de-
sire such talks. The chief aim of
the Stradivarius String Quartet
will be to make it possible for set
Elements, schools, colleges. univer-
stiles and similar groups to get a
f1rSt-claSS quartet within the limi-
tationS of their budgets. The
quartet starts it's activities by fill
ing an engagement next Spring of
% concerts at Mills College, Cali
fornia, and, after a vacation, will
be located the beginning of No
vember in New York City, where
engagements already have been
booked for their first Winter.
WASHINGTON, through the
W brilliant efforts of the chief
of the music division of the
Library of Congressional Engel-
and the famous Elizabeth Sprague
Coolidge Foundation, established
in the library by this generous
and far-sighted patroness of
music, Mrs. Coolidge, on various
occasions has been the scene of
the debut in this country of sew
eral extremely distinctive musical
organizations of Europe. The
presentation of first perform
ances" of manuscripts by worthy
composers also have been given in
this chamber music hall.
Announcement has been re-
ceived from well known mana
ger of musical attractions that
the name of another group is to
be added to this list, which in
cludes the English Singers of
London, England; the Society of
Ancient instruments of Paris,
France; the Rose Quartet of
Vienna, Austria, and the Roth
String Quartet of Budapest, Hun
gary. The last mentioned, strictly
speaking, had its American debut
under Mrs. Coolidge's auspices at
Pittsfield, Mass, last Fall, making
its Washington premiere appear
ance a few weeks later in the
Library Of Congress.
The newest group to have its
first American appearance in the
National Capital is 1.-The Vienna
MasterSingers," a group of about
20 young boys, who, under the di-
rection of Prof. Rudolf Flicker,
present programs of Gothic
Music" Prof. Flicker is consid-
cred one of the foremost authori-
ties on medieval music. The
singers presented feature of the
famous Beethoven Centenary FeS-
tival, in Vienna, in March, 1927.
They are scheduled, according to
their manager, to make their de-
but here october 8, 1929, as a fea-
ture of the next festival of cham
Der music at the Library of Con-
gresS. Mr.. Engel was one of the
small group of American dele
gates sent as formal representa-
tives of the United States to this
centenary festival just two years
ago. 1t was then that he heard
this unusual group, which, he is
quoted as saying, made the most
profound impression upon me-"
This group of young master
singers" quite evidently is an ex-
ample of the result of that de-
tailed, exacting training that
builds after the manner of a
mosaic worker for a we'll balanced
and complete exposition Of musi-
cal beauty.
The Barber of Seville