Evening star., 1947-06-23
Ritter Discloses
Poise of Master
In Violin Recital
By EIeno de Soyn

Marvin Ritter, an ex-service man
and splendid young violinist. made
his first appearance in the National
Gallery of Art last night. playing
with the poise of master. A re-
cipient of honors in this country
and recently from an extensive tour
overseas, Mr.. Ritter impressed by
his technical equipment and by his,
glowing tone, animated by sim
cerity and musical feeling. He uses
his technique as means to express
ideas. They flow in perfect cadences
from under his bow, the powerful
strength of which can be sensed In
the lightest passages.
His program, listing some such
familiar numbers as Vitali's CHA
come" Strauss Sonata In E. Flat,
Op. 49," and Paganini's Moses
Fantasy" gained in interest by his
inclusion of Bruch's less known
Concerto No. in D Minor" Sha-
piro's "Etude- Caprice" and Kroll's
Banjo and Fiddle" The artist
fully confirmed in the concerto the
promise made by his excellent ex-
ecution of the "Chaconne," present.
ed in Leopold Auer's edition. He
played 1t with an ingratiating tone,
an impeccable control of double
stops and of rapid passages.
The somber quality of the con-
certo, appealing to the imagination
for the macabre element in the sec
and and last movements, calls for
orchestral color in the accompani-
ment. 1t is well-nigh impossible to
give it the desired effect in the piano
reduction, yet, in spite of that, Mar
garet Denison showed herself a
competent partner. She used her
opportunity to prove that she Is a
pianist of considerable attainment
in the Strauss sonata which allowed
her full display of her velocity and
musicianShip. United in their OBJ
jective and unconstrained, the art
lists played the work with an aban-I
don which only comes from a per-!
feet security of ensemble. This
forerunner of don JUAN" with
something OF It'll Eulenspiegel's"
prankishness in the final allegro"
is appealing for the exquisite I'm
provisation," an interlude Of rare
beauty and freshness, one Of the
high lights OF the evening.
Shapiro's number, in its first per-
formance, disclosed talent, ingenuity
and good workmanship With har-
monies something a la Stravinsky,
the study is practical, effective and
lies well on the violin. A fellow serv-
iceman and fellow violinist, Jack
Shapiro is graduate of the Oberlin
Conservatory of Music. This and
Kroll's brilliant selection rounded
out Mr.. Ritter's demonstration of
his virtuosity, which was enthusiast
tically applauded. Paganini'e anti
quated fantasy seemed an anti
climax to an otherwise perfect re-
cital. -
The program by HARLAN Meyer,
given in the Phillips Gallery earlier,
was something of q farewell to
Washington, since this gifted young
pianist is soon to change her resi-
dence.
New surroundings and impressions
await her in the School of Sacred
Music of Union Theological Sem
mary in New York, where she will
undoubtedly avail herself of that
field for further developing her
talent. Already technically mature,
Miss Meyer can do justice to what
ever she chooses to play. 1t is her
nature to seek beauty and to give 1t
forth as he finds it. Yet, her
palette contains for the present only
the delicate hues of youth and mex
perience.
But before disagreeing with Miss
Meyer for making the rugged, red
blooded Brahms as one sees him In
his Sonata in r Minor, Op. g."
gaunt and ascetic, one should ask
Richard Burmeister, whose version
of the sonata Miss Meyer chose to
perform, on what grounds he took
liberties with the original text.
Selections, varied in styles, such as
Scriabins "Pieme, F Sharp Major,
Op. 81, No. l." Prelude, D Flat
Major, Op. No. 15," 'Mazurka in F
Sharp Major, Op. IS, No. g." Chopin's
"Grande Polonaise Brilliante, Op
o." Bax's Mediterranean" and
"Burlesque" and Chopin's ''Taran-
telle," substituted for Gebhard's
Surf Riders" clean-cut technically,
were too uniform to be distinctive
lnterpretatively, as presented by Miss
Never,