The Washington times., 1931-11-03

Orchestra
Triumiphs
BY WILLIAM MOORE


built more like an athlete than a
musician. except for q thick
thatch Of wavy brown hair, took
a potpourri Of musical masculin-
ity, breathed on it the breath of
genius, moulded it firmly but sym
pathetically and, presto!-
A full-fledged, finely-rounded
symphony orchestra!
washing ton may well be
pround Of the result-a pride that
was manifested by the salvos of
applause that rocked Constitution
Hall yesterday afternoon when
the National Symphony Orchestra
made its first appearance before
a large and brilliant audience.
Everybody and his wife were
there to give Hans Kinder, the
dynamic young conductor, and his
musicians an appropriate sendOff
on the most ambitious musical
venture Washington has ever
tackled.
First Lady Present
From Mrs. Herbert Hoover
garbed becomingly in brown--to
the lowliest music student, sitting
open-mouthed in wonder, it was
an audience that said as plain as
day:
"This is MY orchestra and
I'm proud Of it,"
Hans Kinder has built an or
ganization that cannot but. help
please Washington music lovers. It
is typically Washigtonian, if you
know what I mean-no fuss or
feathers about it; doing it's work
with an air Of conscious dignity
that proclaimed more loudly than
words that here at last, was a
symphony organization worthy of
representing the Capital of the
nation.
Mr.. Kinder was particularly
happy in his choice of pro
gram. It pleased everyone who
likes real music. Perhaps a few
ltra.ultraS, whose ears are per
hapS more keenly attuned to the
diShpan diSsonanceS of futuriStic
writer's than yours or mine, might.
have smiled superciliously, at the
"old-fashioned" numbers selected
by the conductor. But ninety
nine out of a hundred can't be.
wrong-and ninety-nine constitute
a healthy majority, and this ma
jcrity thundered its applause.
The Opening Number
The program opened with the
popular overture to die Frei-
schultz" of Carl Maria Won Weber.
Then followed BeethOven's beau
tifuI Fifth Symphony, played with
q spOntanity and tOnal pOiSc that
was truly amazing. This was par
ticularly true in the second
movement, the andante con mOtO,
with its beautiful passage for the
cello, answered by the first strings
and wOOdwindS.
Three Dutch tunes of the six
teenth century were models of
fine orcheStration and execution.
They were especially arranged by
Mr.. Kinder and dedicated to the
National Symphony Orchestra.
The program closed with Nous
sorgSky'S Chant RuSSe," and the
glorious 'Marche Slav," of Tschai-
kowsky.
Mr.. Kinder has moulded re-
markable string choir. The first
with Louis Ferrera as con-
certmaster, and the 'cellos are
particularly good. They have
and singing tone that
might be envied by older and
more experienced orchestras.
WeIl-BaIanced Unit
The contra. .basses and brasses,
however, might be strengthened
just bit more, but on the whole
it is a well-baIanced and thor
Oughly musiCianly aggregation
Mr.. Kinder has constructed.
Unlike most symphonies, Mr..
Kinder did not attempt to knock
down the walls of Jericho with
volume; he played real music
Satisfyingly.
Musical history was made in
the Nations Capital yesterday.
This city has at last evolved a
organization of which
it need not be ashamed, if the
type of program presented at it's
premiere in Constitution Hall
was an indication of its future ,
A fine organization, directed
BY a leader Of recognized ability,