Evening star., 1938-10-02

pleCcly unQeTSCanQ or rejoice IN tne
modernism OF their musical speech,
acclaimed them as sincere and talented
seekers toward a broader usage OF
musical sound and form.
Two men whose works were more
startling than the others, Anton Won
Webern and Andre Caplet, were not
present, as was not Walter Piston or
Enesco But the force Of their per-
sonalities was felt in their music, which
aroused. perhaps, more discussion than
that which bordered more closely to
the system Of harmonization with
which the general music public is more
familiar.
TN LISTENING to these attempts to
turn the musical form into a new
channel, it is not dit1icult to detect
the presence Of real genius, and Of an
originality welcome at all times in mu-
Sical composition. For the depth and
breadth of his work, as we'll AS its in
trinsic value, Ernest Toch' ranks first.
Personally, he is man OF pronounced
distinction, OF medium height and dark
complexion with serious, brOoding eyes.
Bowed little as If from much con-
temptation, and modest in his estimate
Of himself, he seems busy with an inner
study that gives way to kindly fash
OF pleasure in any appreciation Of
his work. In his Quintet, op "a" he
assisted the Roth Quartet at the piano,
giving a performance which might go
on record as the only instance where
this instrument blended with the ut
most unobtrusiveness with the strings.
The Quintet, which was given It's
premier in California, where the COM
poser now lives, is a work in which the
substance transcends every other point
in a way to grip the listener. Admit
tedly a believer in form first and fore
most, Mr.. Toch has encompassed his
wealth OF ideas in perfectly nodded
and eminently satisfying frame. His
only comment on his composition was
appreciation of the splendid perform
ance Of the Roth Quartet and regret
that they had to put up with such a
poor" pianist.
Mr.. Toch was first introduced to
American audiences when he played
his concerto for piano and orchestra
with the Boston Symphony under
Koussevitzky in 1882.
FROM the standpoint OF new treat
ment Of dramatic and lyric writing
the works OF Gutenberg and jacob
held the attention. Gutenberg. the
composer Of the famous opera, EN-
peror Jones'" is tall, distinguished
looking man with iron-gray hair and
a nobly formed head. His Quartet
No. 2, Op. 40" composed last year
was almost violent in its drama. the
exposition Of which was achieved by
a richly interlaced writing for the
four instruments, fulsome and power
full
After the performance Of his work
by the Kolisch String Quartet and in
the evening when a reception was
given to those attending the festival,
Mr.. Gutenberg received cordial praise
for his composition and was the CEN
ter OF much discussion as to his bril-
liant talent for both ideas and strik-
ing technique.
If it is possible to draw a musical
portrait. Mr.. jacob has done so in
the three movements of his "Hagio-
grapha; Three Biblical Narratives" :"
which are dedicated to Job. Ruth and
Joshua Of Old Testament fame. The
stories OF which these three characters
were the focal point are known the
world over, yet in all the attempts at
vitalizing them none has been so sue
cessful as what Mr.. jacob has ac-
compllShed in this work for string
quartet and piano. While not dis