Evening star., 1938-03-01
Candlelight
Given
Harpist Assists
PrO.Musica
Quartet.

"HIS seasons last candlelight
concert of the Washington
Chamber Music Society took
Il place yesterday afternoon at
the Phillips Memorial Gallery, pre-
senting as usual the Pro-Musica
String Quartet, Frederick Dvonch and
Jeno Sevely. violins: Ralph Hirsh,
viola, and William Brennand, cello.
This time the group had the assist
ance of Washington's well-known
harpist of the National Symphony
Orchestra, Sylvia Meyer
Among familiar compositions were
the quartet in D Major. Op. H."
by TschaikoWsky, with its famous
"Andante Cantabile"; also Debussy's
"Andantino" for string quartet and
Dance Sacree" and Dance Profane,"
for harp and strings. A novelty was
introduced in the form of Fantasia
for String Quartet" by Frederick
Dvonch. A short work, which dates
back to his student days. it has
freshness of youth and can be IA
vorably compared with the prolific out
put of similar experiments along mod
ernistic lines. 1t is to Mr.. Dvonch's
credit that his harmonies are never
objectionable to the ear. The theme,
introduced by the cello in the first
bar, is carried on by other instruments
alone, and in a concerted form. Pos
sibly longer lines in the development
of ideas would have given more sub
stance to this work, which is too short
in its present form to be thoroughly
effective.
The ensemble of the group. with a
stronger support given by the second
violin has gained in evenness of tone
and balance. However in the Tschai-
kowsky quartet the first violin had
many lapses in pitch when playing in
the high positions. OF the four move
ments the Allegro non tanto con
fuoco' was performed best
The participation of Miss Meyer
lent special interest to the recital
She played two dances for harp and
strings by Debussy, heard in her in
terpretations here on several occa-
Sions before.
AS the concert season is rapidly
coming to its close, another final event
was held last night at the Roosevelt
High School auditorium. The Ma
tional Symphony Orchestra, under Dr.
Hans Kindler's direction, gave the last
of its three "Children's Concerts for
Adults" sponsored by the Music Com
mittee of the Junior Board Of Com
merce, with the cooperation of the
Community Center Department.
In his Introductory speech, DR.. Kind
Ter thanked those present for their
sympathetic reactions and receptive
frame of mind which enabled him to
make success of this new venture
His talk of the evening, covering the
sonata form, the symphony and other
forms of composition, was informative
and concise. The musical illustrations
by the orchestra consisted of Fresco-
haldi's "Toccata," the first movement
from Mozart's symphony in A." the
finale from Beethoven's Symphony
No. T." Mossolov's The Iron Foun-
dry" Jaernfelt's "Preludium" and
Wagner's Overture" to die Aeister-
singer" The customary deinonstra-
ton of musical instruments was not
omitted, concluding with the brasses,
the percussion instruments and the
harp.
DR.. Kinder, who seems to possess
the happy gift of storytelling, has
been able to demonstrate the value Of
this type of concert. The large at
tendance and the unmistakable inter-
est with which his words are followed
speak for themselves. E. de S.