The Washington times., 1935-07-26

size crowd was listening to the
National Symphony Orchestra
concert Wednesday night, an
audience several times as large
was gathered together to help
make their own music in a big
community sing.
Last week a similar crowd
gathered on the Polo Grounds in
New York city to listen to q music
festival Of monster proportions in
which several thousand singers
formed a maSsed choir and many
bands played in contest.
All this vast mass interest in
music is but q glimpse of what is
going on all over the country in
an increasing wave Of enthusiasm.
No doubt the main reason that the
Sunset Symphonies" have been
so successful here is that Wash
ington is accustomed to more sum-
mer outdoor concerts than any
other city in the country. We are
fortunate in having always with
us the three great service bands.
In one Of the most beautiful
settings in the city, the Marine
Band played last night at the
D. c. World War Memorial. AS
the noble strains of the "Sieg-
fried" (Wagner) music arose, rain
began to fall; but most Of the
large crowd stayed until the
band could play no longer be-
cause of the windswept rain.
Anyone who has not heard one
of the service bands play at this
location, has missed rare treat.
Not only is the setting quiet and
beautiful but the acoustics are
nearly perfect; no loud speakers
are required to distort the music.
Festival Leader
Sander Harnati, who appears
as the guest conductor Sunday
night with the National SYM
phony Orchestra at the Potomac
|V'atergate. comes to the Capital
from New York where he directs
the highly successful Westches-
ter Musical Festivals.
The young visiting conductor Is
also a noted composer and violin
player, being first known to the
musical world as a Soloist and
string quartet player. Declared q
professor Of music at the age OF
II by the Budapest Academy OF
Music, Sander Harmati devoted
all his time to violin playing,
and became in a short time con-
cert master of the State OrcheS'
ira of Budapest.
America lured him, and in 1914
he came across the Atlantic for
q visit. The World War started
in Europe while he was here, so
he prolonged his visit until it has
become his permanent residence
He is now firmly established In
musical America.
For 10 years Harmati's talents
were directed to the string quar-
tet. He played first in the Letz
Quartet, and then in the Lenox
Quartet, Not until he was in
vited to lead the Omaha Sym
phony Orchestra in 1925 did he
substitute conducting for cham
Der music, playing as q major
activity.
His phenomenal success with
the Omaha Orchestra so eStab-
lished him as a baton master that
he has been a director since. He
has occupied the podium Of the
st. Louis Symphony Orchestra,
the Berlin Symphony Orchestra
and other large symphonic ensem-
bleS. He has arranged and con-
Quoted numerous symphonic radio
broadcasts; and since 1880 he has
had charge of the Westminster
Music Festivals.
Appropriately enough, Mr.. 9Ar.
matt will lead off the Sunday eve
ming concert with Hande's "a
nous "Water Music" written 200
years ago to be played on another
river, the English Thames. MO
zart's "Haffner" Symphony, be.
loved for its lightness and sparkle,
bring the first part of the pro-
gram to a conclusion.
The first movement, Allegro con
spirito, is the longest movement
Of the symphony. It is based
largely on the theme shown above.