Evening star., 1938-08-15
Water Gate
Concert
Hailed
Program Enjoyed by
Audience-LuOma
Is a Success.
By ALICE EyERSMAN.

4 program Of unusual attractive
ness was chosen by William van
Hoogstraten for last evenings con-
cert by the National Symphony
Orchestra at the Water Gate. the
second in which he has led the
orchestra as guest conductor. II not
Ct great profundity OF content, the
selections were delightfully."- suited for
q sultry evenings entertainment and
when played as Mr.. van Hoogstraten
directs them, they were amply salts
flying from a musical standpoint and
what IS, perhaps, more to the point.
the audience enjoyed every one Of
them. The young Finnish-American
pianist, Reino Luoma, heard last win
ter at the Roosevelt Hotel, made his
f1rst major appearance here as soloist
with the orchestra in the Nszt Con
certo in F Fiat Major
Berlioz's overture to "Benvenuto
Cellini" was the first number. Com
posed with the enthusiasm which the
composer 50 often felt for some sub
)ect which took his fancy. as intro
duction to an opera on the life of
the famous Italian, it was the only
bit which was received with real ac-
claim at its premiere. For many
years, whenever 1t was produced, the
opera itself was regularly hissed and
the overture applauded. Going over
the score some years later, Berlioz
wrote of 1t in his memoirs: Il cannot
heip thinking it shows an originality,
raciness and brilliancy which I
snail. probably, never have again and
which deserve a better fate"
Luoma . Success.
The peak of the orchestral part OF
the program was reached, however,
a1ter the mtermission, when Mr.. van
Hoosstraten presented the suite from
Gretry's "Cephale ct Procris" and
Twelve Waltzes' by Brahms. arranged
Tor orchestra by DR.. Felix Gunther
Both numbers were played with great
persuaslveness and the conductor had
at hand an infinite variety of effects
which only lively musical imaeina
ton could command. Mr.. van Hoog-
straten's conceptions are always full
OF color and the charming suite and
the beautiful waltzes so different and
so richly ingenious in invention wer.
directed with mastery skill and
sympathy.
Reino Luoma won a decided s,,cces,
with his playing of the Liszt concerto
ana demonstrated a pianistic gift tha,
should open the way for him to tbs
ranks OF the elite. His tone is excen.
tionally fluid and transparent and hi,
technique brilliant and sure. This i,
his fine and solid equipment at pres.
ent ana 1t showed to good advansag,
IN musical reading OF the concerto
The breadth and fire which coulr
make this concerto dazzling to hea,
was lacking, however, as Mr.. Ia,oms
mas not yet the ability to give himsel
10 the impulse of the music and b.
urged on by it. This is the next ster
Tor him to take toward fashionjnp 3
career for which his mechanical train.
Ing has already fitted him. The youns
artist was recalled several times anc
nnaily gave an encore which evoked
further applause.
Last Concert Wednesday.
Before the soloist's appearance Mr.
Van Hoogstraten played Debussy'.
prelude to The Afternoon of a Faun'
with atmospheric coloring and con.
cluded the program with Delius' "Or
Hearing the First Cuckoo in Spring
and the furiant and polka from Vein.
oerger's "Schwanda" The orchestrs
gave one of its best performances last
evening, with fine feeling for dy.
namics and sorority of tone.
The Sunset Symphonies" will con.
clude on Wednesday evening, when
the orchestra will be directed by DR.
Kinder, with Garcia Goya, Spanish
dancer. as Soloist. Either the Schu.
bert Unfinished Symphony" or the
Cesar Franck symphony will be played
Mr.. Cappel, manager of the orchestra
announced last evening, the choic.
being left to the audiences both pres.
ent and listening to the broadcast
which were asked to mail in their Sc.
lections at once.