Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-03-30

by Sergel RacnmanlnOT1 was TIT
last of the formal concert serie
programs for 1929-3O. The visit
Ing orchestraS made their fina
bow locally when the New Yorl
Philharmonic Symphony OrcheS
ira appeared here under the di
Tection of Arturo ToScanini. Thu
newly organized National Sym.
phony Orchestra is to give thu
third and final program of it's mi.
tial series of endeavors April s
which will be the last professional
program here.
AT the same time, even as the
winds of March carry away the
professional note in music, The
amateur season arrives. The com.
ing week has another of the pro,
grams being given by members o.
the Washington Composers Club
and formal recital by Flora Nc
Gill Keefer. Later April will wave
particularly gay music banners
when the Metropolitan Crane
Opera Co. comes for three operas
Each day rumorS and announce
ments of local endeavors for April
and May are forthcoming. More
over, these do not include the
Spring recital season, which
doubtless will bloom as soon as
Easter music is over.
WHEN Arturo Toscanini was in
Washington on a fleeting
visit to receive the honor of the
medallion awarded him at George
town University Tuesday night
his few words of greeting seemed
to those who could catch what he
said to concern his birthday. II
so happened that he was SO years
old that very day and had en-
joyed an informal birthday party
on the private car of Clarence
Mackay, in which he had Travelled
from New York to the Capital.
This reminds us that among ia
nous musicians who will have
achieved that quoted milestone
of three score years and ten
during the current year are Ig-
mace Paderewski. pianist, and the
two famous conductors and must
cal educators, DR.. Karl Muck and
Dr. Frank Damrosch.
It is to be hoped that Arturo
ToScanini will still be able to con-
duct Wagnerian works as he did
the "Tannhauser" music here a
couple of weeks ago when he, too
reaches 10 years of age.
X x -
THERE is not a little news to
consider, orchestrally speak
ing. Particularly gratifying is the
announcement that the Phila-
delphia Symphony concerts fol-
Washington next season are be-
ing planned for evening events
instead of afternoon affairs.
Always, while there is a neces-
sity for having concerts in the
afternoons, there are rebelliouS
souls. There is sound reason and
varied, too. for having these en-
tertainmentS at night. Medica.
authorities have long since made
it known that the state of mind
and body was at lowest ebb at
o'clock in the morning and the
same hour in the afternoon. That
is why, in the Orient, there are
long afternoon SieStas and why
even in Europe, the custom OF
drinking tea or coffee or other
stimulantS at 4 and 5 o'clock in
the afternoon has come to be. To
go to a concert after a day OF
business or teaching or shopping
or visiting, depending on the &C
tivitieS of the various people that
make up these audienceS-tired
often without time to "freShen
up"-it is not possible to get full
enjoyment from even the most
inspiring music eXcellently played
Also, in the back of the mind is
the thought of having to get
home for dinner, so as to make
proper connections for other af-
fairs in the evening. Also, again
and more prosaically, there is liza
BILE to be lurking emptiness else
where in the human anatomy.
On the contrary, in the evening
one is refreshed, recently fed and
consequently, relaxed and at least
partially rested. There is no ur-
gent duty lying at the other enc
of the concert, except bed, even
tually. How much more logical g
time and condition for real en-
joyment of music!
OF course, the chief reason why
concerts have been afternoon af-
fairs for so long is the fact thai
programs had to be given in thea
ters where regular theatrical at
fractions were playing in the eve
ming hours. Now, however, that
drawback is eliminated. The Sat
urday evening course of concerts
that Mrs. wilson Greene gave this
past season showed the definite
interest of the public in attend.
ing evening musical events. 1t i!
to be hoped that gradually al
such programs may be given a
later hours than 4:30 in the aft.
ernoonS.
x I: X
THE United Service Orchestra il
to make even a more repre-
sentative bow than previousl,
when it appears in the next pro
gram of "all-American music" a
the Pan-American Union Build
ing the evening of April 81
Whereas until now the orchestri
has been composed of about 4
men chosen from the Unitet
States Army and Navy Band Or
chestras, now, by special orde
from headquarters, the Unite'
States Marine Band Orchestra
"the Presidents OWNS sendin
in its quota and giving the serv
ices of its conductor.
This means that 100 mer
picked from about 275 in the thre
service organizations, will presen
a program that is to include sew
eral first performances" OF work
by Latin American composer
one of which, at least, was write