Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-02-10
NJ U SIC
BY HELEN FETTER.

composition under Paul Vidal at
Fountainbleau, and later studied
with Nadia Boulanger in Paris.
Then, in Berlin, he wrote a leu
tonic ballet, "Grohg," which is said
to concern a magician who makes
corpSeS dance-a dainty subject
that has intrigued more than one
composer in one way or another.
The Summer of 1923 COPELAND
was in Vienna, where he wrote the
lovely song, "As It Fell Upon a
Day." which has been adjudged, by
some authorities as the best music
he had yet written. 1t was success
fully presented the next Winter at
a concert of the Societe Musicale
independence The young COM
poser returned to America the fol-
lowing Spring with a symphony
for Organ and Orchestra" which
had its first performance when
Mile. Boulanger played it during
her American tour.
Aaron COPELAND spent the Sum-
mer of 1925 at the Mcdowell Col
ony, when, commissioned by the
League of Composers, he composed
the suite "MuSic for the Theater,"
which had its first performance at
the leagues November concert in
Town Hall. Next in order came
1.-THE Two-part Diversion for Vio-
lin and Piano" and a concerto.
The following is said of them:
I'm the former we have real
Americana. The nocturne is a
beautiful lyric inspiration in
blue style and has a second
theme of noble depth. The sere-
made is 100 per cent jazz and is
enormously exciting, almost in
variably having to be repeated.
These efforts, however, were
but child's play to the concerto. 1t
is the apotheosiS of jazz-not the
sort of thing one dances to, but a
highly styled variety, something
like what StravinSky did to the
Russian folk song in 'Noces,
Chopin to the mazurka or Bach to
| the gavOtteS and n1inuetS of his
day. Here at last is absolute
| freedom of form; so completely
part of the idea that one forgetS
| it has a form, though on inSpec-
ton it proves surprisingly simple
and direct. It is difficult to think
of a more beautiful projection in
modern music of an intense and
healthy ecstasy: It seems to be
agreed the Copland's concerto is
the best example of the fuSing OF
| Jazz and classical music F"
aaron COPELAND wrote a song to
a verse of E. E. Cummings, re-
markable miniature showing that
the composer is seeking new dl-
rection, expressing new feelings.
It is much the simplest and most
| inwardly moving of his songs
simple in pattern, not in harmony,
for it borders on the atonal. This
new point of view also is shown IN
his lately finished 'Lento Motto"
for string quartet, the theme OF
which is built on major triads."
The very newest of Mr.. Cop
lands works is a trio which will
be given it's premiere at the Cop
land Sessions concert Saturday
night in New York. Not much is
known about this work except that
it is based upon theme found in
song sung in the play "The
Dybbuk," which was presented in
the metropolis couple OF seasons
ago.
WHILE Debussy's lovely mystic
w music in the symphonic
sketches ia Mer" will be a fea-
ture of the Philadelphia Sym
phony program Tuesday, when
Brahms beautiful First Sym
phony in C Minor" will be given
for the first time this season in
Washington, the most unusual
work listed is "Hary JanoS," writ
ten by Zoltan Kodaly, living
Hungarian composer of note. It
is suite arranged from the music
of the comic opera of the same
title. The opera was produced at
the Royal Opera in Budapest DC
tober 16, 1925. The suite has been
played in New York with some
success. It is in six movements
entitled: "Prelude-the Tale Be
gins; "Viennese Musical Clock;
Song; "The Battle and Napo-
Icons Defeat; "Intermezzo";;
Entrance of the Emperor and His
Court" It is very programmatic,
as may be seen from the above,
and tells the adventures of ma
tional hero of folklore, Harry
Janos. An ex-soldier with what
seem to be Muenchhausen tenden-
cies, this hero is pictured as sitting
before the village inn day after
day, as is the way of such
heroes" telling of his wonderful
exploits.