Evening star., 1941-08-31
Popular Music
By J. ". Sfebb.

WllH uluSlC llldI ID lldlN W ACo4oI'
seems that every time he picks up
the baton and swishes 1t above the
heads of his 45-piece virtuoso or
chestra, music altogether fasclnat-
ing and gratifying emanates. Some
there are who prefer to snort in
dignantly at the very mention OF
his name These persons charge
that the maestro's arrangements
bear close resemblance to a stew
crammed with too many vegetables
and not enough meat. They argue
that his woodwinds have ludicrous
tendency to become acrobatic, that
his strings are endowed with an
excess of saccharine-all to the
detriment of the melody itself
Kostelanetz, to our way of thinking,
is the best glorifier of the simple
tune in existence today. Occasion
ally, of course. derogation may be
in order, but for the greater part
Mr.. ks orchestrative genius stands
miles apart from outright exhibit
tionism. With Kostelanetz, the task
is simply TO give melody, always
the focal point. tonal force that
will underline the latent color and
expression in that melody. The pre-
requisites toward this end-imagina-
ton and a sense of balance-he
possesses in abundance. The man
and his music deserve more respon-
sive listening for full appreciation.
Eloquent conveyance of the point
attempted above is an album of
Stephen C. Foster melodies. Kosty S
(the familiar) latest output on the
Columbia green label. This worthy
successor TO such earlier perform
ances as the Show Tune set, the
"Porgy and Bess" disc and his sew
eral others is a well-chosen selec-
tion-an apparent concession which
Kostelanetz has obtained from the
Bridgeport folk. The tunes: "Beau-
tiful Dreamer" Il Dream of Jeanie,''
"Old Black joe" "Oh, Susanna" I"
"Old Kentucky Home" "Old Folks
at Home" Come Where My Love
Lies Dreaming" "Massa's S in de Cold,
Cold, Ground" "Camptown Races. ="
Decca. too, succumbs to the lyrical
mood with an album of Inter
mezzos" The Decca Salon Orches-
ira plays the selections in a limpid
fashion quite suitable for accom-
panying that after-dinner cup of
cafe noir. The numbers range from
Provost's formerly obscure but now
all too evident Souvenir de Vienne'
to Massenet's Twilight Czibulka' S
Love Dream After the Ball"
Denza's Isl Vous TAviez Compris, T"
Heurberger's Midnight Bells" and
so on. John Tasker Howard has a
few enlightening words to say about
the intermezzo form in the accom-
panying pamphlet.
Folk-Man Ives.
For about year now Burl Ives
has been appearing regularly over
the radio networks. His speciality
is American folk-songs and he has
done admirable work combing Amer
ica's own music from the backwoods
and prairies and tidying it up for
general circulation. Lest the pros
pective listener be frightened away
by the mere mention of "folk-song''
we hasten to say his recent album
of Okeh records is vocal entertain
ment at its most charming. To
at least one cosmopolitan in
haler of gasoline fumes Burl Ives
songs come as a fresh and invig-
Grating treat. They are simple,
yet in their simplicity are anything
but dull. They tell little stories or
traditions and boast an easy humor
that can't be duplicated. Needless
to say, Mr.. Ives has just the pleas
ant, easy-going manner and voice
with which to deliver them. Choice:
"Wee Cooper o. Fife" Leather
Winged Bat" Tam Pierce" Sweet
.Betsey From Pike"
OF the single discs, we would sug-
gest trying Glenn Miller's Sirup-
smooth "You and l." another we'll
variegated Jimmy Dorsey score for
Time Was" Jack Teagarden's mel
low theme Il Gotta Right to Sing
the Blues" (on Columbia). Johnny
Messner's rhythmic Daddy" with
lush vocal by Jeanne Darcy.