Evening star., 1937-03-12
COOLIDGE QUARTET ENDS
SPLENDID SERIES HERE
Works by Thompson and Hinde-
mith Are Heard on Last Pro-
gram at Library.

The saying: "All is we'll that ends
we'll" may be applied to the last pro-
gram of the Coolidge Quartet series at
the Library of Congress yesterday
afternoon, the choice of compositions
and the manner of execution being the
crowning point of their efforts.
The members of the organization: ::
Willim Kroll and Nicolai Berezowsky,
violins Nicolas Moldavan, viola, and
Victor Gottlieb, cello, presented in a
course of eight events "a major works
by classic and modern composers,
which included four quartets by Beeth-
oven, three by Haydn, two by Mozart,
two lesser known masters of the same
period; Pierre Vachon and F. J. Gossec
and II works of composers of various
nationalitieS who have adapted the
modern idiom Of writing Taken in
chronological order according to the
years of their birth the following were
honored: Serge Tanejev, Ernst Won
Donanyi, G. F. Malipiero, Bohuslav
Martinu, Darius Milhaud, Walter
Piston, Quincy Porter, Paul Hinde-
NTH, Randall Thompson and Nicolai
Berezowsky.
Making summary of this gigantic
undertaking, one can only have words
of praise for the group which, with
each concert, grew in the estimation
Of its public and emerged victorious
from many pitfalls invariably con-
nected with such an undertaking. Re-
hearsed to perfection, the artists
marked their performance yesterday
by choice use of nuance and dy-
namicS, while the quality and beauty
Of tone made their rendition one Of
real enjoyment.
1t may be matter of preference,
but the Haydn's Quartet in F, Or. II
No 2" may be termed the most beauti-
ful OF the three heard in the SERIES
Aside from its melodic contents the
quartet has an originality of its own
especially evident in the "Menuetto"
movement. The execution by the
Coolidge ensemble left nothing to be
desired
THE Wind in the Willows" by Ran
dali Thompson, suggested by the book
for children by Kenneth Graham, in
three parts, unfolded pictures in keep
Ing with the titles River Bank" with
Its opening duet for violin and cello
and its prominent first violin part
throughout, was original in it's treat
ment OF harmonies and beautiful to the
ear. Toad Esq" had delightful mo-
ments Of grotesqueness suggested by
the cello, while THE Wild Woods"
played practically all through con
sordino, full of weird melodies, gave
food for imagination.
OF the two modern works on the
program. the last one being that of
Paul Hindemith Quartet No. 8, On.
22,' the average listener would un-
doubtedly give preference to that of
Randall Thompson. It is difficult to
be enthusiastic over Hindemith, whose
careful planning of proportion and
symmetry of architectural nature and
q constant reiteration of given themes
by the four instruments in turn, gives
one the impression of an innovator who
delights in invention for invention s
sake rather than of one who creates
because Of an inner urge for self ex-
preston. True 1t is that there were
moments of lofty melodic strains
carried by either of the four instru-
ments or in ensemble, but on the whole
the objective Of the work is obscure
except for the idea suggested Of a
preeminent satisfaction of the COM
poser with his own self
The artists were warmly received
and recalled several times by ca
pacity audience. e. de S.