Evening star., 1932-10-21
National Symphony Opens Music Season
7HE openinp of Washington's Off

'NHE opening OF washington ON
cial music season was brought
sbcut last night by the National
i Symphony Orchestra, which, un-
der the direction of Hans Kinder,
performed before large, distinguis he'd
and socially brilliant audience at Con-
stituticn Hall.
Confirmation of the hopsS Washing
| ton has placed in its Symphony Orches-
ira was assured by this auSpiciouS
opening. The enthusiasm OF the almost
| capacity audience was unstintlnsly eX-
pressed, greeting the first appearance
| Of the popular conductcr with personal
applause and according each result Of
| his aspiring efforts its full approval.
The orchestra, augmented this season,
is being gradually shaped to the require
ments of the larger symphonies.
! 1t is a privilege to have in cur midst
a man who is a Through musician by
education and endowment and able by
his talent to mod and develop the
diverse material at hand into an organ
lied whole. His ambitions were evil
denced in the program he selected
Many a more routined orchestra would
have trcub'e with the lat of the four
Brahms SymphOniss. In this work
wherein the composer Intentionally
sought new forms of expression. both
technical and interpretive difficulties
are manifold Mr. Kindler's conception
was concise and distinguishable and the
rendering achieved his intentions en- the
technical side. The peculiar beauty of
Brahms was'not Immediately found in
the first two movements, although the
cell caug t the spirit fer a lovely
moment i'll the second movement. This
is perhaps partly due to certain lack
OF spiritual quality in the strings, which.
while soncrouS enough, have not suffi-
Gent elasticity and thereby hamper the
effects Mr.. Kinder is striving for.
Strange TO say, because of the tricky
lntrlcacies of the pa Sacaglia design, the
allegro energicO was the most clearly
outlined. while the third movement with
its rubustO was viri.e and effective.
The organ concerto of Bach. which
was especially orchestrated for this con-
cert and with which the program
opened, was played with excellent tone
quality reminiscent of the instrument
for which it was written. If the exc
cution was a bit pedantic, lacking the
Suavity that can be so beautifully put
into Bach, it was well defined and sure
in its dynamics.
''Natchez on the Hill" the latest Or
chestra composition of John Powell.
was given a first Washington hearing
as the opening number after the inter-
mission. This is a joyous arrangement
of old Anglo-SaXon folk songs. colorful
and graceful, with delicately etched
play of mood. Mr.. Powell is master
magician of effective Instrumentation
and has used his skill in an ennobling
construction of these choice bits of old
melody. The piccolo solo. supported
and embellished by woodwind and celli
was especially pleasing and unusual
and enlivened the rather demure tempo
of the delivery. Mr. Kinder discovered
the composer in a box, to the audience
and he was compelled to rise several
times to acknowledge the outbursts OF
applause.
In the last numbers on the short pro-
gram, the two preludes from Die
Meistersinger," one could see the full
est and fine capabilities of the OrcheS-
ira In the prelude in act three. the
tone quality was warm and vibrant and
the melody carefully woven with sing
ing effect, while in the prelude to act
one, the climaXeS were reached with
sweeping freedom. Die Meistersinger"
is one of the scores that Wagner
minutely marked with instruction as
to its Interpretation. but the orchestra
went further and put into il the fire
tlaC no simple redQlIlS cOulI acilleVe.
Mr.. Kinder is to be felicitated for
what he has accomplished. Although
his men are still somewhat occupied i'll
meticulously following his crescendo
diminuendo instructions. he has been
able by force of his musical vision and
intelligence to produce an organization
which is on the way to competition
with the best and he deserves the
thanks and undivided cooperation OF
the public ne so Fundamentally serves.
F.