Evening star., 1943-10-20
BY ALICE 'EVERSMAN.

BY its performance Of the inter-
esting and varied program given
last night at Constitution Hall, the
Philadelphia Orchestra started the
musical season of in brilliant
fashion. 1t would seem that with
all its splendid record. well known
through It's yearly visits, this su-
perlative organization has not ex-
hausted its artistic possibilities nor
Eugene Ormandy. its conductor, his
artistic vision. The concert by the
visiting group was given before an
audience that exceeded the capacity
Of the hall for, after every available
chair was requisitioned to I'LL any
vacant corner, many were still
turned away. And the program,
that held no continuity, was re-
ceived with the greatest apprecia-
ton.
Mr.. Ormandy chose his selections
without any regard for leading his
listeners in complacent manner from
one period or style to another by an
appropriate link in between. He
simply transported them through
works Of sharp contrasts and enor-
nous differences Of character and
the effect was truly stimulating. OIL
course, the result might have been
less pleasing If there we're gradations
in spirit or polish but nothing was
wanting in fire, poetry and enthusi-
asm whatever the demands Of the
composition.
More dissimilar works could not
be gathered together than Respighi's
bringing up to date of four "Old
Dances and Airs" the exquisitely
aloof Swan of Tuonela" by Sibelius
the blatant. vigorous suite of Cop
lands, Billy the Kid" and finally,
the magnificent Symphony No. /"
by Brahms Here was something
for every taste but also test of the
artistic latitude of both orchestra
and conductor which was fully met
with exuberance OF spirit. In fact,
the spirit Of the entire concert was
superb, its purely musical excellence
illumined by rare emotional ap-
proach.
First interest centered on the
Respighi arrangement of the 18th
century airs and dances. the first,
"Balletto detto II Conte Orlando"
by Simone Molinaro of Genoa; the
second, "Gagliarda," by the Flo
rentine, Vincenzo Galilei, son of the
famous astronomer; the third,
"Villanella," and the last, "Passa-
mezzo Mascherada," by unknown
composers of Italian origin. In
themselves, they are beautiful ex-
amples of the refined and smooth
writing of long, long ago. but Re-
|spighi's transformation of them to
the use of modern orchestra leaves
one in two minds. His skillful treat
ment is unquestionable, but in the
first two numbers in particular, the
weight of the orchestral tone COM
pletely demolishes their natural
character. This was retained more
fully in the "Villanella" with re-
markably telling effect in the gentle
duet between clarinet and harp.
The last of the group also was bet
ter balanced in its orchestral dress.
The real novelty of the program.
however. was Coplands Billy the
Kid" The original ballet version
with Loring's choreography was
given here last year by the Ballet
Theater in conjunction with the Ma
tional Symphony Orchestra and
those who witnessed the ballet per-
formance doubtless followed the or
chestral form with a picture in
mind. The music attains a de-
scriptiveness of great clarity not only
Of places but of characters and
temperaments. Copland's hard, un-
adorned statements are strongly
drawn by means Of dissonance and
jazz rhythm yet, at the same time.
with extraordinary pliability. The
period and the episodes are set of
by framework imbedded with mel
odies of the time and with an ebb
and flow of drama developed with
deep understanding of the demands
OF the story. The fluencye of the