Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1944-11-25
Symphony
Has Variety
Nv CHARLES GENTRY

THE DETROIT SYMPHONY
celebrated Thanksgiving last night
i'm Masonic Auditorium by pre-
SennnC a musical menu which
was certainly made up Of varied
courses.
SololStS were the distinguished
Swedish contralto kerStin Thor
borg and HardeSiy Johnson,
American tenor who divided the
solo spots of the evening 5 pro
gram.
Karl Kruger led of with a
glowing and eloquent perform
ance Of the ''Lohengrin Prelude
In which the string sections sang
like some celestial choir. so
beautifully was il done.
Then. in literally sharp" con-
traA we heard the Arnol 4
Schoenberg Theme and Narla-
tIons played in honor Of the
composer 10th birthday. II Is a
highly involved series Of varis
tions which suffer from the barren
quality of the original theme.
UNUSUAL COMBINATIONS
As is Schoenberg's wont, he
achieves startling effects by Un-
usual combinations of instruments
and frenetic handling OF the Der
cussion section. We didn't partr'
ularly care for any of these Narla-
tions except the fourth and MIN.
Nine ThorhorC appeared AS the
first soloiSt. to sing the Beethoven
Die Ehre Gottes aus der Natur,
which Traubel sang here Just
recently. two Hugo Wolf songs
and a Swedish song
Mime. Thorborg has a gorgeous
voice. an instrument OF great
mower end dramatic scope. We've
ALWAYS considered her a truly
intelligent singer, but II seems
that her voice is much warmef
and richer than il used TO be.
Certainly there was fire and emo
ton 10 the way she delivered the
two Wolf songs. The first en-
pIoys the same text. in German
that Thomas uses, IN french, IN
his opera "Mignon." The Wolf
"Mienon" is perhaps less nostalgia
hut is tremendously moving ana
the "Weyla's Song" sung only
with harp and woodwlnds. was
indeed haunting.
SWEDISH ENCORE
The Swedish song, a romantic
ballad. was an ideal encore.
The first half of the program
closed with fine reading OF tn
Branans Variations on the Haydn
st Anthony Chorale" theme and
KRUGER and the orchestra gave
them such color and beauty that
they made the Schoenberg work,
in contrast. appear rather poverty
stricken.
Following the intermissien they
played the Serenade for Tenor.
Horn and String Orchestra by the
Young English composer. Benla-
min Britten, with HardeStY john
son in the solo vocal role.
Mr.. johnson is not much help
10 the current tenor shortage anol
he was unfortunately not equal
TO the difficult assignment OF the
evening.
His hoarseness, whether due 70
nervousness or not. so won the
sympathy of the audience thai
every one began clearing his
throat, achieving rather unusual
effect not in the. score.
The work itself presents an
interesting problem. for Britten
rules the strings with heavy
hand and has in this case assem-
bled a group of English poems.
ranging from fifteenth century
dirge 10 a poem by Tennyson,
and set them 10 music.
Rather. he has reduced them
10 a common musical denomination
for obviously you can't use the
same style or method for poem
by Charles Blake that you would
use for lusty defamation by
Ben Johnson.
The concert came 10 vigorous
close with forceful interpreted
tion by the orchestra Of the
Beethoven 'Lenore" Overture,
No. 3.