Evening star., 1933-04-25
.HE Adolf Busch String Quartet.
Adolf Busch first violin. Costa

Il DOkCO[, V1OllSC, ana feIUldu1l
Busch, cellist, made its first bow
to an American public yesterday morn
ing at the Coolidge Festival Of Cham
The occasion also served to introduce
ndobrando Pizzetti's new Quartet in
D" and to give first hearing in
America of Mine Pieces" by Adolf
Busch.
The reception accorded the members
of the Busch Quartet on their appear
ance was enthusiastic and second
acknowledgment of the applause was
necessary before they were permitted
to begin the program. The interest
Of the audience was at its height not
only as regards the new compositions,
but as to the visiting organization,
which had come to join the ranks OF
those already well known to the festival
public.
It must be confessed that the first
reaction to the playing OF the quartet
musicians as they are, with well or
ganized ensemble, 1t was nevertheless
not entirely satisfying from a chamber
music standpoint. The suave quality
of tone which an ensemble Of this kind
can SO well attain was lacking, the tone
being forced and even shrill at times.
The abandon with which they played
was more in keeping with orchestral
than quartet style and the absence Of
repose was disturbing element.
These qualities, however, were more
or less eradicated when the quartet
played the Beethoven Quartet in E
Flat" The tone of the instruments
Immediately became more sonorous and
the artists played with carefully spun
legato and thoughtful shadings. In the
adagio movement an unusually fine
pianissimo was achieved and the violin
and viola accomplished a refinement Of
quality Of decided richness. 1t was in
every respect a splendid Interpretation
Of Beethoven and deserving Of the long
applause which broke forth at its finish.
The Quartet in D." by Pizzetti, with
which the program opened, proved to
be of operate structure in SO far as the
general melodic plan was concerned.
The motto sostenuto was reminiscent
somewhat of Debussy, but the adagio
returned to the Italian idiom and was
an ideal representation of such a scene
as might pass between a Paolo and q
Francesca. The melody was skillfully
developed with Southern languor and
passion, while the transmission through
the movimento di scherzo to a really
magnificent finale was done with sure
dramatic instinct. It was an interest
ing composition with well-cut pattern
and with an unfailing sense of inspira-
ton back Of 1t, but represented no new
departure either in form or melodic
construction. The quartet gave 1t q
colorless Interpretation with a tone
quality mellow enough but wanting in
virility. The romantic passages were
too restrained and the same factor held
back the fire that should have gone
into the contrasting moments.
The Mine Pieces" by Adolph Busch,
based on different tempo markings,
gave evidence Of excellent workmanship
and were original In conception. Their
technical difficulties would tax the
powers. Of almost any group Of players
and the intricate ensembles require
soloists of the first water to put them
it accurately and with>a regard for de-
to the listener.
THE music-loving public can well be
grateful to Elizabeth Sprague Cool
idge for the opportunities she provides
fer keeping up with the latest ideas OF
the music creators. Something novel
and extraordinary is the rule of her
festivals, and If all is not beautiful and
tuneful, it is nevertheless interesting to
become acquainted with.
Last evenings program at the Library
Of Congress, given by members OF the
Boston Symphony Orchestra, Serge
Koussevitsky conducting. was decidedly
novel, and as such left series OF emo
tions difficult to define. Both the neces-
sity of going forward in search OF new
expression and the earnestness OF the
composers who are undertaking this
makes one give serious consideration TO
their efforts however erratic they may
seem. 1t would not be fair to form a
definite opinion or to dismiss them
completely after only one hearing.
The program presented appropriate
messages from the pens OF the modern
composers of Germany, France, Russia
and America. It was clever idea OF
Serge Koussevitsky to begin the pro-
gram with Bach and to finish with
his very modern disciple, Hindemith. In
this way it was proven that Germany
Is still in the vanguard as regards COM
position, with America following close
behind. Having been put into an ex-
alted frame of mind by the truly beau
tiful rendition of the Bach suite in B
minor for flute, strings with harpsi-
chord, the listeners were led through
the native exuberance Of COPELAND. the
barren waste of Stravinsky. the medioc-
rity of Ravel to the real genius of
Hindemith.
However futile Hindemith's technic
may appear the certainty of a logical
idea and plan is indubitably present in
the "Kammermusik No. l Opus "a"
It is rich and full with play of fanci-
full ideas that borders on the bizarre.
In Hindemith more than with the other
composers, with the exception of Cop
land, one responds to that fundamental
sincerity Of purpose and inherent
musicianship of a superlative order.
His work IS alive, as is also Coplands.
and young with a freshness that will
endure. In the "Kammermusik" is
1nterpolated magnificent part for
piano which Hindemith handles from
the point Of a percussion instrument
40 ~YY - IvYv~ ~ YY~