Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1937-11-13
Crowd Braves
r ain for
Concert
Second of Stradivari
Series Varies
In Excellence.
BY ALICE EVERSMAN.

TINE second concert in the Stradi-
vari Bicentennial Festival took
place at the Library OF Con-
4 gress last evening and in spite
of the inclement weather drew large
crowd Of eager listeners. The Gordon
Quartet again gave the program and
in the Quintet for Piano and String
Quartet" by Ernest Bloch, had the as
sistance of Frank Sheridan at the
piano, Besides this number, which
closed the program, Schubert and
Brahms were represented by one of
their outstanding chamber music
works, the former with the Quartet
in G Major, OPP. 16l" and the latter
with the Sonata in A Major, OBJ. 100"
for violin and piano.
Although the Schubert Quartet" is
one of the loveliest numbers this
versatile composer wrote, with its dra-
matte first movement, its beautiful
Scherzo and its gay finale, neither
the artists nor the famed quartet of
Stradivari instruments did it full JUS
tice. The weather may have affected
the instruments or the rather strenu-
Gus manner Of playing of the members
OF the quartet for the most part may
have roughened the tone unduly but
Whatever the reason the tOnal quality
at times was not of the best.
The Gordon players missed the
f1nesse that can embellish the drama
tic character of the first movement
and their zeal in emphasizing that
character somewhat overstepped the
proper bounds. However, in the
Scherzo where more relaxation was re-
quired, 1t was delicately and beautiful
iy played The tonal blending of the
Tour instruments is a Joy to hear and
that feeling of unlimited depth Of
sound which can only be found in
complete unanimity in these instru-
ments Is one of their most remarkable
points. There were moments in the
quartet when one revelled in the
fullness and sorority of four equally
tuned voices with their corresponding
power of emotional creation.
But the climax of the program was
reached in the Brahms Sonata f."
played by jacques Gordon, first vio-
inst OF the quartet, and Frank Sheri-
dan. pianist. Mr.. Gordon drew an ex-
quisite tone from the Belts" violin.
quite different from what he was able
to do in the Schubert number. The
lovely lyric quality and the deep vibra-
ton OF the instrument is ideally suited
TO this particular Sonata and the two
artists played it with loving care for
every possible bit of coloring. II
would seem that Brahms has con-
densed all his gift of song into this
Sonata as we'll as his ingenuity at
carving graceful lines and melodic
phrases. Mr.. Gordon, ably abetted by
Mr.. Sheridan. gave mastery per-
Torrance in which the technique of
expression matched the poetry he put
into the Interpretation.
Concluding the program was the
Bloch Quartet. in three movements.
composed in 1923 during the period
when the composer was director of
the Cleveland Institute of Music. He
has specified the movements of the
quartet as "Agitato." "Andante Mis-
tico" and Allegro Energico" and
therein has given full play to the in
dividual character of his musical feel
ing. The genuineness of his idea
dominates the composition carried
along in a powerful speech in which
new and noteworthy denominations
register tellingly. He has a gift for
particular tonAl concord that is thrill
ing in its effect. especially as repro
duced by the magnificent tone of the
quartet of instruments.
The Gordon Quartet, of which
Jacques Gordon and David Sackson
are the violinists; William Lincer. the
violist and Naoum Benditzky the GEL
list. gave it a carefully thought -out
reading, their well-developed ensemble
again in evidence Next week on
wednesday and Friday evenings, the
Musical Art Quartet will give the pro-
grams with assisting artists.