Evening star., 1941-07-15

1ClSIhWlll, pIOuuCI VI tlle GlII1eS
present era, was honored last ever
major composition. 1t has grown to-
be trite phrase to speak of every
seat being taken at the Water Gate
concerts but it has to be used again
to give a slight idea of that vast
audience, in the space reserved for
patrons and the others content to
crowd the stairways, the pavement
and the railings of the bridges. This
multitude came to hear the music
that was theirs, that spoke their
language and represented their
mode of life.
The program was under the di-
rection of Alexander Smallens as
guest conductor and soloists of the
evening were Evelyn Swarthout,
pianist; Agnes Davis, soprano, and
Arthur Kent, baritone.
GershwinS music is familiar to
every one in some of its forms. The
same pattern runs through it, en-
bellished by the imaginative faculty
of its gifted creator. But apart from
its merits of originality, cleverness
and constructive soundnesS is its
genial character, a most important
asset for an American composer. 1t
is spirited, gay, vital and melodic
and it is good to hear it in such
quantities just at this time when
much of that spirit has waned in
our daily life.
Miss SwarthOut PIeases.
While other composers were
laboriously fashioning themselves
after the European model, Gersh-
win took what was native to this
country and lifted it out of its
primitive form to an artistic level.
Retaining its character, he was able
to show its merits, judged by more
severe standard, and has left it for
others to improve upon and direct
toward a new expression in music.
That its influence has been wide
spread can be traced in works by
other composers with more formal
titles than Strike Up the Band"
AN American in Paris Rhapsody
IN Blue" and Cuban Overture" pro-
grammed yesterday.
Among the orchestral numbers
was also Three Preludes," which
contain in condensed form the ex-
tent of GershWin's talent. The
rhythmic facility, the melodic in
ventiveneSS, the eXuberance of feel
Ing and a sort of WistfulnesS Gin the
second prelude) are GershWin at his
best. While Cuban Overture" and
IAN American in Paris" express in
larger style his distinctive charac-
teristics, the short and charming set
Of preludes reveal him as fully.
Miss Swarthout set herself a task
OF no mean dimensions when she
played the Concerto in F Major"
and the Rhapsody in Blue" She
has crisp, sparkling facility in her
fingers and a sure rhythmic sense
that accented the salient features
of these two works. Her perform
ance was a brilliant one and full of
vitality, and the young artist, re-
membered from former appear
ance with the National Symphony,
increased the impression she made
then with her musically detailed
f1iiR A4oEA4 GU HACoSlll1lAOlI 1dSL eve
ming.
Kent Repeats Solo.
In his operate venture, "Porgy
and BeSS," GershWin has contributed
magnificent work to native lit
erature of this kind. Last evening
Agnes Davis sang as solo the eX-
cerpt Summertime. and was heard
in the Love Duet" with Arthur
Kent. Mr.. Kent had to repeat his
solo number, Il Got Plenty O.
Nuttin,' singing it with even greater
fervor the second time. The beau
tlful voice of Miss Davis came over
pure and sweet, although her diction
was not clear enough to make the
words understandable. Mr.. Kent
knows how to put song over, and
his powerful, rich tones aroused
great enthusiasm.
Mr.. Smallens' reading of the
overture with its idiom, and the
symphonic poem, depicting the re-
action OF an American to life in
Paris, was excellent, as were also
his accompaniment for the con-
eerto and the rhapsody. In Strike