Evening star., 1942-02-17
TWOCOnCertS
At Phillips
Pro.Musica and
Coffee Series
Artists Heard
BY ELENA DE SAYN.

Dy ILLANh SHA
1t was the good fortune Of Will
liam Masselos, pianist, and of Lois
Wann, oboist, who appeared at the
Phillips Memorial Gallery yesterday
morning that it fell to them to
present Bach's and Handel's music
at the third concert Of the Coffee
series.
1t is always a privilege and dis
tinction to play great music, as it is
a grateful task for those who are
proficient. Both of these young
artists, being gifted as they are.
proved that what might have been
an ordeal for them and for the
listener under different circum-
stances, resolved itself into a very
pleasurable hour.
Mr.. Masselos, endowed with an
abundant pianistic talent, fearlessly
attacked and carried through such
taxing numbers as Bach's "Chro-
matte Fantasy and Fugue," three
preludes and fugues: &c Minor No.
2" &c Major No. Is" and &c Minor
No. 16," "Toccata and Fugue in D
Major" and "Passacaglia in c Mi
nor revised by d'Albert. He has q
natural feel for Bach's style and
sentiment. He never seemed to lose
sense of proportion or freedom of
delivery and his playing OF the
fugues was a clear and sonorous
Interpretation of leading voices
with minimum of the mechanical
element. His playing of the "Chro-
matte Fantasy" was especially inter-
esting and commendable.
Miss Wann, slip of a girl in
her teens. is already an accom-
! plished mistress of the oboe. She
scored a point for it as a solo
instrument for concert use. Her
long phrasing emphasized the relia-
bility of her breath control and
the manner with which she per-
formed Handel's "Oboe Sonata in G
Minor" spoke well of her as sensi-
tive, well-schooled musician and
artist. She extracts lovely, velvety
tone, free from that piercing quality
which Is so often distracting in
orchestras, and the beauty of the
two "adagios' and of the first cal
legro" movement gave her ample
opportunity to show her musical
appreciation of the sonata as we'll
as her clean-cut technique. The
audience was small but generous in
its appreciation.
NuSsoo
Yesterday afternoon the Phillips
Gallery was host to another group
OF players, the Pro-Musica String
Quartet, which performed under the
auspices of the Washington Cham
Der Society, assisted by Sylvia Meyer,
harpist, and Kenton Terry, flutist.
OF the varied program selected for
their last concert of the season,
Beethoven's Quartet in E Minor
No. q was undoubtedly the piece de
resistance in terms of accomplish
ment. The group never played
better as to quality of tone, balance
and nobility of line. In the course
of years the organization has under
gone many changes. AS the per-
| SoiAiiSl oOniit4o ilOW-oWCIl LuSdh anu
Jeno Sevely, violins; Theodor Pod
nos, viola, and William Brennand,
cello-the combination seems to be
at its best. Mr.. Lusak has keen
ear and fine perception for musical
values as to tone, expression and
shading and these assets were espe-
cially to the fore in Beethoven.
Goossens' Suite for Flute, Violin
and Harp, Op. g." was not devoid of
charm and piquancy, many lovely
passages gliding languidly from Mr..
Terrys flute or being precipitated
from Miss Meyers and Mr.. Sevely's
nimble fingers. DIndy'S Quintet
for Flute, Violin, Viola, Violoncello
and Harp, Op 91," from the point of
delivery, seemed somewhat heavy
and stiff with the style, presenting
more problems than that of Bee
thoven or Goossens. The artists had
a responsive audience which, in
spite of inclement weather, filled the
hall.