Evening star., 1941-01-18
.Duo>Pianists
Dynamicin
Recital
New Concert
Unit Presents
Fray, Braggiotti
By ALICE EVERSMAN.

Dy NLnSNlAANs
The Washington Concert Associa-
ton, q new organization which will
sponsor a short series of concerts
here this winter, presented Jacques
Fray and Mario Braggiotti, duo
pianistS, in recital last evening at
Wardman Park Theater. The as
sociation is membership affair and
judging from the size Of the audience
at the initial concert the remainder
of the events will be well patronized.
There was an air of enthusiasm
throughout the evening and the re-
ception given the artists was cordial
in the extreme
The two young men are dynamic
players and the musical culture Of
their background is apparent in ell
that they perform. A more SPAR
king technique belongs to Mr.. Fray
and perhaps for this reason he bea.S
the burden of the first piano almoss
entirely. When Mr.. Braggiotti i
heard, his touch is more suave AMI
expressive, complementing his fel-
low artist admirably.
4llC P1OS1 dlll "lllCll lilCN pldNC GU
consisted of their own transcriptions
and covered a good deal Of ground
by their variety. The first part list
ed Bach's organ Fantasy and Fugun
in G Minor the "Liebestod" from
Wagner's Tristan and Isolde" tt"
coronation scene from Moussorgsky
Boris Godounof" and Lecuona's
"Malaguena. Most of these num-
bers were designed to emphasize
breadth of form and volume and g
the artists performed them they were
impressive Yet, with the best in
tentions, the two opera excerpts Go
not lend themselves we'll to two
piano arrangements nor in this guise
do they approximate the fullness Of
sound or the smoothness of progrec-
sion that belongs to their original
medium-the orchestra.
Both artists have gone on record
as disclaining any attempt to make
two pianos sound as one. Their OBJ
jective may have an original aim
yet, unless one piano is definitely
the accompaniment of the other, the
effect is disturbing unless the syn
chronization is perfect and the ma
terial we'll portioned out between the
two. One felt the lack Of sufficient
blending and merging last evening
in spite of the sincerity of purDc-e
and mechanical polish of the players.
There was a definite domination tv
the first piano both in matter ard
material and manner of perform
ance.
The second group featured the
works of Debussy and Pavel and
here the two pianists did their best
work, particularly in Ravel's "Pavane
pour une Infante defunct.' II
Debussy's la Cathedral Engloutie'
was not as full of a mystical. rehg-
ious quality as sometimes portrayed.
his "LIsle joyeuse" came forth with
greater abandon in the duo-piaro
version. Ravel's "Bolero," which
rounded out the group, suffered plso
from the limitations of the piano
tone. yet it received the customary
salvos of applause. and the artists
responded with an enccre, play
ing their arrangement Of Rach-
maniroff's famous prelude"
Both the quolity of tone and the
style of Mr.. Fray's and Mr.. Brao-
giotti's playing could be appreci-
ated more thoroughly in the fnol
numbers. the waltz-medley wien,
Wien" by Slezynski and Live.
Laugh and Love" by Heyman. Gersh-
wins Rhapsody in Blue" and Mr..
Braggiotti's Five Caricatures on the
theme of Yankee Doodle" which was
| played in the styles of Bach, Bee
thoven, Chopin. Debussy and Gersh-
win. The lilt of this music and its
detachment with the exception Of
Gershwin's Rhapsody from the
memory of individual artists per-
formance gave freedom to the lis
tener to enjoy it and to the per
formers in their presentation. This
portion Of the program was the most
| brilliant and the most entertaining
as the audience demonstrated in tl7t
enthusiasm of its applause.