Evening star., 1941-07-26
PerOleUnit
Excells in
Concert
Quartet Brings
Variety and Art
To Meridian Hill
By ALICE EVERSMAN.

hltCiEot VI VIC Oval llsht SldulUCi
Music Concerts at Meridian Hill
Park are the ensembles presented
in the series and the variety they
bring to their programs. Last eve
ming the Perole String Quartet made
their second appearance and, as the
most important number of the pro-
gram, played the Schubert "Quin-
tet for two violins, viola and two
cellos, Op. 163' in which they had
the assistance of Jascha Bernstein,
celliSt. The Perole foursome has a
distinct individuality as a contribu-
ton to the art of chamber music
Interpretation and the selections
chosen yesterday were adapted par
ticularly to emphasize it.
A change was made in the printed
order of the program, the two short
numbers by Glazounow, Inter
ludium in Modo Antico" and "Orien-
tale" being played first and fol-
lowed by the Schubert. Debussy's
only string quartet, listed as open
ing number, was played last.
The Perole group excells in all
works or portions of such that re-
quire delicate touch and sensitive
reading. The feeling in this re-
gard is unanimous among the mem
bers and their mechanical address
as we'll as their emotions are obe-
dent to the slightest nuances that
could beautify what they set out
n N r.
the charm is shattered by a certain
roughness in the tone not suspected
from the exquisite softness and uni
formity that ordinarily dominates
their playing.
Fortunately there We're only rare
occasions when the least desirable
form of their presentatio was evi-
dent last evening. When it ap-
peared, it was Immediately out-bal-
anced by poetic conception so fine
and so affecting in its loveliness as
to make it easily forgotten. This
was the spirit in which the Schu-
bert was played and, for the lis
teners, an experience to be cher
ished. To lesser degree, because
the opportunities were not present
in the composition itself. was the
performance of the DebuSsy quartet.
There is hardly a work of any
composer that reveals so clearly the
innermost nature of the man as does
the Schubert quartet. In the light
of what is known of his character
and the fact that only a few months
of life remained to him when the
quartet was written, one could as
sign. with no one knows how much
of truth, vision of world unseen
by ordinary eyes. In the unsur-
passed spiritual beauty that flows
unhampered through it. in those
passages of unearthly harmony and
the churchly stateliness, at times,
the Imagination could picture the
composers great amen" to life. The
trustfulnesS. serenity and radiance
of this work is a synthesis of his
character
The Perole players sensed this
and bent their finest efforts towards
its expression. Not in memory has
there been so ethereal and breath
takingly lovely a performance as
theirs of the Adagio. 1t seemed not
produced from instruments of wood
but born in the air from an invis-
ible source. In contrast, the Scherzo
was airy and gay, again illustrating
the speciality that characterizes
their style. If in the final move
ment, a harsher element crept in. it
was purely mechanical for the same
symphony of thought united the
players.
Although lacking the spirituality
of the Schubert Debussy's quartet
has the evanescent quality that
stamps all of his compositions and
which also accords with the Perole
individuality. Here, once more, the
second movement gave the artists
their best opportunity. In the
classic setting of the park, with the
slumbering verdure and the quiet
ness of the night, it assumed a new
and appropriate meaning.
The two numbers from Glazou-
now's pen also showed the technical
proficiency and knowledge of style
of this gifted group of artists. The
brilliant "Orientale," taken at a
rapid speed, brought burst of de-
lighted appreciation from the
audience.