Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-11-26
kirkpatrick
Is Heard in
Concert
Harpsichordist
Speeds Tempo of
Candlelight Series
BY ELENA De SAYN.


Ralph Kirkpatrick harpsic.,ordist
Of Colonial Williamsburg fame, made
his appearance at the Phillips Me-
mortal Gallery yesterday afternoon
under the auspices of the WASH
ington Chamber Music Society. This
welcome departure from the regular
routine of series which heretofore
promoted almost exclusively the mu-
sicians of the National Symphony
lent irideScence to the gentle flicker
Of the candlelight concerts.
A young dynamo, Mr.. Kirkpatrick
fairly charged at top speed through
Mozart's Variations. Bach's "Ital-
ian Concerto" Rameau's "Rigau-
don," 'Musette" and "Tambourin"
and the two Scarlatti sonatas.
Technical difficulties do not exist
for him. With no weights to check
his buoyancy, his fingers ran an
amazing race with accuracy and
precision. His first number, Orlando
Gibbons The Lord of Salisbury
His PAWN" was the only one which
suggested any degree of repose.
Comparing Mr.. Kirkpatrick's play
ing to other opponents of the harpsi-
chord, one may not find the fea-
lures which made his predecessors
famous, such as greater stress
placed upon as sustained tone, as
possible to extract. minute range
Of dynamics or differentiation be-
tween the styles of Mozart, Bach,
Rameau, Scarlatti and others. Such
Difference to old masters as Mr..
Kirkpatrick may possess was eclipsed
by his facile technique and a per-
Torrance, the hurried nature Of
which made one almost look for
outside reasons.
Nevertheless, Mr.. Kirkpatrick S
very vitality seemed to revolutionize
the pace of the candlelight concerts
and to set everything into motion.
Responding to the insistent demand
for an encore, the artist played and
was gone and out of sight before
one could collect ones impressions
or recollect the details of his art.
Agriculture Orchestra in Concert.
Last evenings performance by
the Department of Agriculture
Orchestra, led by DR.. Walter Bauer.
featured an unknown composer and
a composition for an ensemble of
three solo celli. The popular con-
ductor, in a speech which prefaced
the performance at the Department
of Agriculture Auditorium, dis
closed that the responsibility for
the, presentation of Rust's Dream
land Suite" rested with his group
entirely and not with him. He
called upon the audience after the
performance to signify its approval
by the raising of hands, which the
majority did spontaneously. 1t was
not difficult to like the number be-
cause never was the Department
of Agriculture Orchestra heard to
a better advantage. There was
quality in tone, ensemble and pitch
If not original, the composition is
melodious and moves along the ira
ditions we may not always admire
but respect, nevertheless. Favored
by the influence Of Tschaikowsky,
Granger and other lighter roman
ticists, the suite offers an oppor-
tunity to each group or a solo in
strument to be heard above the
others and does not tax either the
players or the listener by unsur-
mountable technical pitfalls or diff
cult passage work To sum up, 1t
lies well within the ability of the
musiciank
Another pleasing number on yes
terday's program was Peppers
Requiem for Three Solo Cell and
Orchestra" played by Louis A,
Potter, jr.; Benjamin Levenson and
Herbert Cook. 1t is not often that
one can hear a concerted perform
ance by celli and appreciate its
sonorities. Two or three violins in
ensemble are usually favored while
the bass fiddles never come to light.
Composed by a master of the in
strument, the piece reveals many
possibilities of such an ensemble.
The three executants played with a
fine tone and balance, while the
orchestra supplied sensitive &C
compartment.
The remainder of the program
included Richard Strauss "Valse
Movement" from the opera "Rosen-
kavalier" and Svendsen's Sym
phony in D Major" This perform
ance by the Department Of Agri-
culture Orchestra will be repeated
tomorrow night at $3.50 O'Clock.