Evening star., 1938-03-02

in
Works of Best
Chamber Music
Composers Heard.
BY ALICE EVERSMAN.

TINE thirty-third concert of the
Friends of Music in the Lii
brary of Congress took place
last evening in the Coolidge
auditorium with program of music
for chamber orchestra played by men,
bers of the National Symphony Or
chestra under the direction of DR..
Kinder. The soloist Of the occa-
sion was Olga Averino. soprano, who
is we'll known from her previous ap-
pearances at the Library concerts.
1t is not often that the public is
given an opportunity to have a
birds-eye glimpse, as it were. of the
literature written for this charming
combination. Yesterday the program
was so arranged that one followed
from the 18th century down to 1887 the
type of compositions dedicated to
strings and woodwinds through the
works of the prominent writer's
OF their respective periods. That
there is a particular appeal to
composers in the tonal color of this
union of instruments could be felt
even in the works of modernists. like
Maurice Jaubert and Hindemth. 1t
proved that not the restricted or
chestral possibility of the earlier eras
alone was the incentive which formed
this particular literature, but that
the beauty of the softer voiced in
struments could also inspire the writ
ers of ultramodern harmonies.
Among the older composers rep
resented were Corelli. Monteverdi,
Lully and Couperin, while works by
Jaubert, Pizzetti and Hindemith
brought the list down to the present
day. The orchestra gave unusually
fine readings of the "Sarabande
Giga Badinerie," taken from three
sonatas of Coreln's "Opus S" and ar
ranged for string orchestra, and Of
Malipiero's arrangement of excerpts
from Monteverdi's "Orfeo." The con-
trasts in the Corelli numbers and
the .colorful and skillful transcript
ton by Malipiero of the Monteverdi
formed perhaps the most beautiful
CAdulplCS Vi pllC CllGllS oAA'
Couperin's Suite" Transcribed and
orchestrated by Mabel Wood Hill, was
charming but less effective.
But little gem in modern idiom
was disclosed in Maurice Jaubert's
"Intermedes, which was written last
year. Divided into "Ouverture ct For
lane" ''Musique de Mutt" and CHA
come ct Allegro" it is imaginatively
conceived with delicate capturing OF
atmosphere in the "Musique de Mutt"
and a smooth and graceful line in the
last movement. OF more robust and
less subtle character was Hindemith
third work of his "Opus 45," Elm
Jaeger aus Kurpfalz, der reitet durch
den gruenen Wald." His mastery gift
has taken this German folk song and
adapted it with fine discrimination to
the orchestral combination, making
of it gay and interesting number.
Nine. Alverino's excellent musician
ship was fully called upon by the
varied character of the five numbers
she sang to string orchestra accompa-
niment. These included the "Lamanto
d'Arianna," from Monteverdi's "Ari-
anna; 'Heureuse une anne indiffer-
ente," from Lully's "Phaeton," arranged
for voice and strings by Roy Harris,
and three songs by Pizzetti, Donna
Lombarda," LA Prigioniera" and LA
Pesca dell 'Anello." The quality of
her voice, which is of wide range and
strong in volume, was enjoyed best
in the works of classic style, for
Pizzetti has not been kind to the
voice in that respect. His music in
these songs does not lie well nor give
the singer the proper opportunity for
effect while imposing many difficulties
which only an artist of Nine. Alver-
mos ability could vanquish. His Or
chestration, on the contrary, is rich
and interesting, to which the voice
sustains a rather barren obligato.
The audience was quick in its
appreciation of Nine. Alverino's work
and recalled the singer repeatedly.
The very fine and detailed playing of
the orchestra and DR.. Kindler's care
full direction were also generously
applauded by the many prominent
musicians and music lovers present.
National health insurance Is being
urged by the New Zealand govern
1aAnk