The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-11-27

The Fine Arts Series of con- certs sponsored by the Mattatuck Musical Art Society had an extra concert on the list which featured last night at the Waterbury Wo- mems Club Georgia Graves, con- tralto, and Joseph Battista, pian- ist. Both were heard in groups ot compositions of artistic choice. Miss Graves was ably assisted by Max wal as accompanits. Miss Graves is an American soprano who sings with care and musicianship, her voice is full and deep and well controlled. MT. Battista is also an American artist and brought to the listeners last night realization of a skillful technician. Both artists gave an agreeable and finished per- formance and Identified themselves as serious musicians.
 Miss Graves chose songs that flat tered the rich tones of her lower register. She handled her voice with particular care and gave a special meaning to her Swedish, German, Danish and Finnish selec- tions, the themes and sombre melo- dies of which suited her type ot voice. After her first song, which was the old Italian, "E Dove T'Ag- girl Ql Pome d'oro) by Cesti, she gave an old English air, Tt Was Lover and His Lass," then Beetho- ven's "Wonne de WehInut", and lastly in that group Schuberts "Rastlose Liebe," all these happily placed within the range of Miss Graves voice.
 Scandinavian Group
 Later she persented a Scandi- navian group, one in Danish, on in Swedish, and two by Finnish composers, the one sung in German, the other in English. Here Miss Graves showed degree of light and shade and gave these songs an intel ligent interpretation. She prefaced each with an explanation of the text. These particular songs showed careful work. Her last group of songs were of lighter nature and less sonbre in tone. Dvorak's Songs My Mother Taught Me" was first sung, then the quick moving 70 dear! What can the matter be-, by Bax, followed by Four Ducks on Pond" by Needham, and lastly Bridges Love Went Riding" Miss Graves sang very beautifully Annie Laurie" a san encore.
 Joseph Battista proved himself a most skillful young artist in pro- gram of contrasting pieces and ones which brought to the fore his ability as an interpreter and technician. He provided a wide variety which gave something of an idea of his possi" bilities. Extremely young in man. ner MT. Battista'S playing was tn- ished and mellowed. He went from Chopin to the ultra-modern non. sense of Shostakovich in a way that marked him as a musician of dis tinction. Chopin was his choice for his first selections. He gave four pieces that included Berceuse", the Etude, Opus 10, No. 8, which was apt for his dexterity, the Nocturne in F sharp major, which he played in a restrained manner and lastly the Scherzo in c sharp Minor which again described the pianist's extra ordinary skill at the keyboard.
 Distinctive Group
 Again on the program MT. Battista played a distinctive group that pleased the appreciative audience, first Debussy's description through the medium of piano. of fireworks. This is a clearcut and neat work that gives the artist quite a bit of difficult reading and in presenting a display of pyrotechnics via the keyboard. The number was Feux d'Artfica". He played the harmonic