New Britain herald., 1930-04-09
THREE COMPOSERS
 WITH LOCAL CLUB
Hear Works Performed at Meet ing in West Hartford

It was composers night in the New Britain Musical club last night, three of the devotees of the stayed paper being present, one of them a guest composer from afar. Compo- sitions, some published and others brand new and two never before performed elsewhere, were played and sung.
 The meeting of the club took place at the home of MT. and Mrs. Howard E. Horton in West Hartford with Mrs. Jane Sartori Futile the associate hostess, and the feast of tone lasted from S:S0 until near mid night, when refreshments terminated the party, which was one of the largest attended and most cnthusi- astic in the history of the club.
 The guest of honor was s. Reid Spencer, now of Brooklyn, N. Y. prior to that of Manhattan, and prior to that of the Northwestern Univer- sity School of Music, Chicago. He was presented by George Hahn, who studied theory, counterpoint, har- mony, form and what not under him for six years, back around the turn of the century, when both were thirty years younger.
 Three of Mr. Spencer's published compositions were given. These were an anthem, which was sung twice by the quartet consisting of Mrs. Horton, Jane Sartor Futile, Phillip c. Magnuson and John A. Lindsay, with Theron w. Hart at the piano; his organ fuguc was transcribed fer piano and"played by Walter L. Mag nuson; his Minuet in E for piano was also played by MT. Magnuson.
 The anthem was impressive in its solemnity and churchliness; the fugue a remarkable one in largeness of design. its flowing and intricate | counterpoint, and it's general effect; the minuct exposition of melodic charm and musicianly treatment. Mir. Spencer was loud in his praises for the able manner in which his compositions were performed, and was called upon for a short address.
 His former pupil, MT. Hahn, fol- lowed with five compositions from his own store. consisting of the in troduction and two slow movements from his orchestral suite, ITO a Child" which has been broadcast and the first two movements from a rew suite yet unnamed. which was given with violin and piano.
 The "To a Child" selections were presented by a quintet consisting Of | Caroline Barsch, Marcus II. FleitzcT, violins; Adolph Sundell, viola; Wal ter Occupin, cello, and Charles A.. Johnson, piano, with MT. Hahn con- ducting. The two remaining num- | bcrs, heard for the first time last right, were played by J. George Wes- 1 terman, violin, and with the com poser at the keyboard. AS the com- poser happens to be writing these lines nothing additional need be said | about the compositions The quin- tct and MT. Wcsterman gave per- formances of high artistic values. , The second number of the new suite will be played in public for the first ! time by Mir. Wcsterman and MT. | Magnuson at q spring concert 10 be l given at the Swedish Bethany i church.
 | The third composing originality were the two opening stanzas of Mir. Hart's setting of Gray's "Elegy," sung by the vocal quartet and with , the composer at the piano. It was the third opportunity members of the club had to judge the high merits and beauties of the work.
 This was, not all the music of the evening, however The string and piano quintet began with several se- ns-"Meditation" and "Resig- naton' by Frauconier. And in the body of the program were ultra modern works played by Walter L. 1 Magnuson. These were a richly har- monic setting of Folk Song" by Eugene Goosens. and 'En Alsacc, by NJ. L. Erb, a French modcrnist with a poetic turn of mind. Mir. Magnuson had heavy assignment in presenting these complicated com- positions, and gave his usual im- pressive presentation.
 Then there were three lieder by Frederick Rechenberg, baritone, newly admitted to the club. who had the help of Miss Jean Eanderslice at the piano. MT. Rechenberg, with great feeling and eNpressivcncss, and with voice of plant beauty, sang Tom der Reincr,' by Loewe. 'Dcr Ncugierigc," by Schubert, and "Ich Hattc Einst ein Schocncs Natcrland," by Lassen.
 The next house meeting will take place at the home of MT. and Mrs.