Evening star., 1947-09-29
By EIeno de Soyn

| Resuming its activities for the sea-
son, the National Gallery Sinfoni-
eta, directed by Richard Bales, gave
program of Bach and Mozart in
the National Gallery of Art last
night. The crowning point of the
evening was the delivery of Mozart's
Symphony No. 80 in E Flat Major,
K. 543,"" one of the three greatest
from the masters pen.
Almost like a piece of chamber
music in its transparency. the SYM
phony places high demands on
execution. Individual groups of in
struments are given much prom
inence in the general harmonic
pattern, violins especially, aad the
excellence of each player in the
ensemble last night could be thor
oughly appreciated. But it was
the zest with which Mr.. Bales in
fused the work that made it sparkle.
Striking festive note in the be-
ginning he led his musicians to the
exuberant finale without deviating
an iota from the clearly defined
course. The lines in the tender
dialogue. between violins and flute,
in the "Andante" and the decisive
"Minuet," strongly marked by
Haydn's influence on the younger
Mozart, were among the highlights
of the evening.
The performances of Bachs
familiar Suite No. 3 in D Major"
which contains the famous Air"
and Of the "Brandenburg Concerto
No. 2 in F. Major" did not give the
impression Of being as carefully
thought through. While the first
number had spirit there was not
much variety in tempt or style; the
concerted parts of the Brandenburg
concerto lacked smoothness and
often perfection of pitch. This work
has been always. considered some
thing of problem to conductors
chiefly because the solo trumpet part
Is an octave higher in range than
that of the usual instrument of to-
day. The score calls for a trumpet,
flute, oboe, violin and two harp
sichords, accompanied by a string
orchestra. The unplayable parts for
the trumpet are usually assigned
to the clarinet or some other instru-
ment. Those participating in the
ensemble were Jan Tomasow, violin;
James Arcaro, flute: Leonard Shifrin,
oboe; Lloyd Geisler, trumpet, and
Emerson Meyers, piano.
The soloist of last nights concert,
heard in Mozart's Concerto No. 23
in A Major, K. 488," was Joan Lloyd,
the young and attractive English
pianist in her debut here. Refine
ment characterized Miss Lloyd's
sensitive touch and the fluency of
her passage work. Yet its musical
quality did not make up for the lack
Of force which Handicapped her pro-
jecting herself above the orchestra.
On the whole her work did not speak
of authority which comes with ex-
perience.
Margo Sederholm at Phillips.
Margo Sederholm treated her
audience to a song recital yesterday
afternoon in the Phillips Gallery,
which opened the doors of It's audi
torium for the 1947-48 series. This
gifted soprano from Finland Is en-
dowed with q voice which Is a
national heritage of those in the
profession who come from the
northern part of Europe. 1t is
rich, high and beautiful. Further
more she feels what she sings and
lends meaning to the text. OF the
IS songs on her program two were
composed by herself. They were a
credit to her musicianship. Theo-
dore Schaeffer collaborated with his
usual artistry at the piano.
Singing Gluck's "Divinities Du
Styx" and Gretschaninoff's lie
Steppe" in French, Handel's "Af-
fani Del Pensier" in Italian. Ar
natt's Dedication" Critics Sym
phony in Yellow" Maud G. Sewalls
The Nightingale" and Church's II
Heard Lady Sigh" in English, Mrs.
Sederholm devoted part of her pro-
gram to songs by her countrymen.
The late orchestra conductor at
Uleaborg, Toivo Kuula, was rep
resented by ''Paimenet," "Yrjo Kill