Evening star., 1946-03-18
By Alice Eversmon

/ Yesterdays concerts provided the
opportunity to hear music presented
In an entirely fresh and illuminate
ing way. In Constitution Hall In
the Afternoon the shouted Braves
OF the audience echoed after the
superb violin playing Of Elmo Fran
lcescatti, and In the National Gallery
Iof Art last night John Kirkpatrick
gave program unsurpassed for
pianistic beauty and artistic vision.
These two artists created q red let
ter day In the musical annals Of the
season.
For his first recital appearance in
Constitution Hall Mr.. Francescatti
chose familiar numbers from the
violin literature with the exception
lof Milhaud's Suite" which was
played with the Philadelphia Or
lchestra in its local premiere. But 1t
was not what he played but how he
played it that mattered. To these
works, heard time and again by
other violinists, he brought q revivi-
Tying concept and the full power Of
his individual artistry in readings
remarkable for their expressive
beauty.
He penetrated deeper into the rare
loveliness Of the Brahms Sonata
in D minor" than any other artist
and his performance Of it was a
masterpiece. It glowed with q divine
fire and the pulsation Of the COM
poser's inspiration was held as q
bright thread running through it.
1t was this same warm, alive feeling
that the violinist infused into the
Tartini Concerto In D minor" the
Saint -Saens' Introduction and
Rondo Capriciosso'' and Sarasates
Gypsy Airs" He used no short
group to conclude his program.
Milhaud's Suite" gained with the
piano accompaniment so superbly
played by Artur Balsam, for the
grateful writing for the instrument
can be better appreciated without
the fuller orchestral background. It
is a brilliant work, each of its move
ments, "Gigues," Sailor Song" and
"Hornpipes", calling on the virtuos-
ity of the player to the fullest.
Mr.. Francescatti has the full COM
plement Of virtuoso elements. But
his rich, eloquent tone and super
lative technique, unshakably secure
in intonation and in clarity, are
only part of q musical endowment
that combines intellectual insight
and deep, human feeling. The lat
ter is expressed in the ardor and
Joy he brings to his playing and the
former in the sculptored phrase, the
handling of color and command of
style. Mr.. Balsam was most SEN
sitive partner for the artist.
Music Festival Program.
Playing the third program of the
American Music Festival at the Ma
tional Gallery of Art, Mr.. Kirk
patrick presented two numbers for
the first time in this city: Ross Lee
Finney'S Sonata No. 3 in E" and
Charles Ives Sonata No. g." knownl
as Concord, Mass, 1840-1860." The
latter is divided into sections at
tempting to present impressions of
the spirit Of transcendentalism" as
expressed by Emerson, Hawthorne,
the Alcotts and Thoreau.
Ives work is music that must have
a kindred spirit as interpreter and
this Mr.. Kirkpatrick was. His an
alysis of 1t resulted in a complete
ABSORPTION Of the picture and idea,
as well as the individual musical
means the composer has used. These
are by no means easy for an ordi-
nary player for they are complex
and, in a way, fantastic. In "Haw-
thorne," he uses a strip Of board
about a foot long to press down the
black keys, the first time, perhaps,
that the tone cluster" effect Henry
Cowell used was heard in this city. |
There are varying rhythms, dis
sonance, melody and churchly
themes mixed together, yet the re-
suit is of absorbing interest.
Mr.. Kirkpatrick is an individualist
with magnificent pianistic equip
ment ready for every demand. He
views music as language and his
manner OF playing is compactly de-
signed to that end. The range of
dynamics he employs is wide, from
feathery lightneSS to resounding
power and the f1eetness and strength
of his playing is touched of with a
whimsical quality.
He is the first artist to find the
emotional content Of modern music
and to so grasp its form as to make
1t comprehensive to the listener.
Both the Finney and the Ives work
were remarkable presentations
through his transcendent artistry of
mind and fingers. MacDowells 8
woodland Sketches" and Gott-