Evening star., 1947-03-31
By Alice Eyersmon

| ~SoSs~Se~
Chorus made its annual appearance
yesterday in Constitution Hall CIV
ing program which, with the ex-
ception of the opening religious
numbers, was of entertainment cali
Der. There was dancing mixed with
the singing, G. Soloduhin presenting
his popular "Lezginka" with ex-
traordinary grace and throwing his
daggers accurately into the floor,
and members of the chorus doing
various difficult steps of the "Kozat-
chok." The latter formed gay
climax to the final group Of songs
which was the best of the program.
Nicholas Kostrukoff, director of
the chorus, gains many fine effects
from his singers but the perform
ance on the whole was not up to
par. There was a notable tendency
to shift from the pitch and the diff
ferent character of some of the
voices operated against smooth
blending of tone. This was detri-
mental to the best delivery of the
songs from the church liturgy al
though striking devotional feel
ing was achieved in the pronounced
dynamics used in each number.
The magnificent volume of the
group was heard to best advantage
in the powerful crescendo which
opens the folk songs "Sieny." Not
pushed to an extreme, as hap
pened in other numbers, it disclosed
the rich, deep quality of the singers
in unison. The solo portion was
taken by F. Stanislavsky, tenor, who
put over the amusing meaning of
the song so cleverly that it had to
be repeated.
Several other noteworthy solo
voices were heard such as the fine
bass baritone of G.. Dubrevsky who
sang Tschesnokoff's "Save Thy Peo-
pie, O God" and "Galitzky's Aria"
from Borodin's prince Igor" against
the chorus background. Some excel
lent singing was done also by ".
Mamonoff in Donizetti's "Ave Ma
ria" where his tenor blended well
with the baritone Of j. Sherokoff in
duet, and in Sakovich's 1.-THE Sea-
one of the loveliest numbers on the
program.
A work new to the repertoire was
Schumsky's arrangement of "Sleep,
My Girlie" in which M. Dedovitch
used his tenor voice with skill in the
falsetto that formed an obilgato to
the group singing. But it was the
military songs that pleased most and
which the Cossacks sang best. The
"Platof Song" had to be repeated
and the stirring Russian Soldiers
Song" and the Calvary song, Mead
owland," could have been given an
encore.
The Cossacks changed from their
regular uniform to red satin shirts
and white caps in the second section
of the program and to white satin
shirts for the last numbers. Variety
was added by the colorful look of
the group, but until the singers
warmed up toward the end there
was not much spirit or finish In the
performance.
Sinfonietta at National Gallery.
The Festival of American Music
that has been featured each Sunday
night in March in the National Gal
lely of Art closed last night with
a program by the National GAL
lery Sinfonietta. It's conductor, Rich
ard Bales, is also a composer of in
dividual style and two of his works
were played. He has contributed
notably to the symphonic literature
by searching out the gems from
early American music and putting
them together in orchestral form.
An arrangement of Billings "David's
Lament" the folk song, "Poor Way
faring Stranger" and Laws Bunker
HILL" played as opening number, is
one of his best with his sympathetic
choice of instrumental voicing for
these choice tunes.
A first performance was given to
his "Primavera," work of highly
poetic character based on his
Poem" for violin written in 1887.
1t is tone painting in verdant
colors and the ebullient blossoming
Of Spring is depicted with eloquent
and discreet use of the brass. The
pattern moves with a continual
freshness of spirit to conclude in
an especially lovely denouement of
tender poesy. The composer con-
ductor received an ovation at it's
conclusion.
The program brought another
concerto from the pen of Walter
Spencer Huffman jr., whose first
work for piano in this form was
played by the soloist of last night,
Shura Dvorine, a year ago. His
second Concerto" is both more con-
else and more polished writing with
definite ideas expressed in its three
movements. The piano is mingled
with the orchestra in the first move
ment, the more forid music being
given to the ensemble instruments.
The most original portion is to be
found in the Andante where dia-
logue between piano and woodwinds,
with the brass added later, Is re-
markably expressive The animated
rhythm and the brilliant passages
assigned the solo instrument in the
final Allegro form a fine contrast
and stirring climax.
Mr.. Huffman was present in the
audience to hear the first perform
ance of his work as was Dai-keong
Lee for that of his Festival Ode"
also written for this occasion. Mr.
Lee, whose orchestral palette con-
tains strong, Viril colors, has added
another noteworthy composition to
his output in the broadly planned
and richly stated "Ode."
Two composers were introduced
locally through the performance Of