Evening star., 1933-11-26

and too-rarely played operas), the
Swans Lake Ballet" the songs and
piano composition, the "Roccoco varla-
tions" for cello and orchestra, and
numerous other works.
There is one quality, besides those Of
genuine inspiration and charm, in this
suite which has given it firm value
in the eyes, or rather the ears. of the
musician, and that is the superb in
Strumentation. Every number is in that
respect perfect little masterpiece. In
the overture, for instance, no cellos or
basses are used at all, but the effect is
always one of complete balance. In
the dances, the braSses, the woodWinds,
the strings (often muted and plucked
instead Of bowed) are used with telling
effect throughout. Special attention
should be drawn TO the effective use Of
the celesta in the "Danse de la Fee
Dragee" CTchaikowsky heard this fairy
like little piano shortly after its lnyen-
tion, at the Paris Exposition, and was
the first TO employ it,; to the use OF
the woodWinds over one long-drawn
note Ca so-called organ point
throughout the entire Arabian Dance"
and the contraStingly comic effect OF
"oompiRg" basSoons and shrillest pic
colo in the Chinese dance. The 'Valse
des Fleurs," the last number, is the
best known of the numerous Waltzes
which Tchaikowsky has written.
In the "Lohengrin" Vorspiel No. 1,
Wagner, although then only at the be
ginning of his career. showed that
eventually Parsifal would be created.
Although in simplified form, it has
the same quality of ecstasy, and, be-
cause of its simplicity. 1t works more
directly on the average listener than
does the later and more complex work.
What is remarkable is the essential dlf-
ference between the works written at
the same time by other composers and
this first but definite step on the part
of great genius into the music OF the
future 1t was that, undoubtedly, which
made Liszt perform the work at the
time when Wagner was in the most de-
pressed period OF his life thereby CIV
ing him not only the necessary 1lnan-
cial aid, but also the artistic and moral
courage TO carry on"
The Ride of the Valkyries' is prob
ably one Of the most vivid tone pictures
ever created. and for pure brllliance
and the expression OF flercely pagan
JOY stands alone in musical literature.
The whistling of the winds, the galop-
ing hoIseS, the shTiekS OF the valkyr.es,
the lightning on their shields and
/ spears, the whole movement Of rushing
force is there from the very beginning
and continues to increase with over
whelming force until the very end. It
! is, even among Wagner's cOlOrfui
works, one Of his most Inspired and
brilliant canvases.
The songs by Mr.. johnson are the
! following: Il Pastori' tThe Herdsmen)
/ by Pizzetti, song of migration by the
Italian poet, dAnnunzio. The entire
song is in a slightly BuIne-Jones. Pre-
! Raphaelite mood. 1t has the pastoral
quality which is in accordance with the
! text.
| The aria of Carmen" is in complete
contrast to this song, confessing Don
! JoSeS captivity in the Snares Of Carmen
and his despair about this.
In the second half Of the program,
| Mr.. johnson will sing "Walther's Preis-
| lied from Die Meistersinger." one Of
the greatest Of love songs. Il Is the
song with which Walther hopes to, and
eventually does, gain the hand Of the
prize bride, Ava. who was to be given
in marriage to the most eminent con-
testant amongst the meistersingers. It
may be interesting TO know that Brahms
used the first bar of this song in one
of his violin sonatas. At the first per-
formance lit happened at the court Of
Meiningen) one Of the court dignitarles,
implying that Brahms needed to borrow
his themes. remarked. isn't it curious
that this theme is exactly like that Of
| Walther's 'Preislied'?" WhereupCn
Brahms answered, Yes, and II is more
curious still that even half-wits noticc
itI'