Evening star., 1947-03-24

Yesterday afternoons concert by
the National Symphony turned
out to be a tribute to its conductor
and founder, DR.. Hans Kinder, and
his .untiring efforts to perfect the
organization. III and required to
give up his work for the remainder
Of the season, he did not conduct.
Into the limelight came two Of the
orchestra's first chair men-How-
ard Mitchell, first cellist and re-
Gently appointed associate conduc-
tor, who directed, and the concert
master, Jan Tomasow, soloist OF
the program. But the mettle Of
the entire body OF men was proven
In the excellence Of the perform
ance they gave.
Mr.. Mitchell has had several op-
portunitieS to conduct recently.
Yesterday, he showed that in a
short time he has progressed amaz-
ingly in the quality and authority
Of his directing and that he can
arouse q fire and spirit In the Or
chestra men that brought him and
them q splendid ovation after the
playing Of Tschaikowskys Sym
phony No. T." The young men and
young women of the orchestra
poured out their musicianship in
cooperation with their youthful
leader in an inspiring reading. It
had tremendous vitality, an aura of
romance and a high sense of drama
It ran the gamut Of musical effects
in the right measure and each Sec
ton Of the group gloried in what
ever opportunity was given 1t. The
orchestra is carrying on in man
ner Of which its patrons, supporters
and permanent conductor can be
proud. The work and the sacri-
fees of 16 long years have not been
in vain.
The orchestra is fortunate also
in having an artist such as Toma-
SOW connected with it. He is a
violinist OF the first rank, excel
lently schooled, possessing a tone
Of great beauty, and style elegant
and sensitive at the same time.
The Tchaikowsky violin concerto,
which he chose for his solo num-
Der, draws more fully than others on
these qualities and he played 1t
with consumate artistry. His tech
nique, brilliantly developed, has a
conciseness about 1t that was heard
with great clarity in the cadenza
and in the bravura demands Of the
third movement. In the canzonetta
his tone sang with lovely effect.
Mr.. Mitchell and the orchestra gave
him fine support, keying their ac-
compartment to the soloist's inter-
pretive ideas. He, too, received an
ovation which he induced the reluc-
tant conductor to share with him.
The all-Tschaikowsky program was
begun with the "Polonaise" from
the opera Eugene Onegin."
Sinfonietta Plays at Natl. Gallery.
Continuing the American Music
Festival in the National Gallery OF
Art, Richard Bales conducted q
program last night by the National
Gallery Sinfonietta that featured
several new works. Composed es-
pecially for this concert was "Festi-
val Piece for String Orchestra" by
Jack F. Fitzpatrick, an American
Indian who by right of ancestry be-
longed especially to this program
Heard Tor the first time here were
Wayne Barlow's Lyrical Piece for
Clarinet and Strings" with Rex
Hinshaw, clarinetist, as soloist; Bur-
rill Phillips Concert Piece for Bas-
soon and Strings" in which the
gifted bassoonist Of the National
Symphony, Dorothy Erler, took the
solo part, and "Adagio for Strings
by the Negro composer, George
Walker.
Mr.. Kilpatrick's FESTIVAL Piece
has something OF the quality Of q
tribal chant in its calm, dignified
measures. An undercurrent OF exal-
tation Is felt which the composer
sktllfully keeps within a stately con-
tour with his choice use Of the in