Evening star., 1948-06-07
Gunnar Knudsen Plays Violin
In Recital at Phillips Gallery
By Alice EveFsmon

By Alice Eversmon |
Gunnar Knudsen, Norwegian vio-
linist, was introduced here yester-
day afternoon In recital IN the
Phillips Gallery. 1t proved to be a
most pleasing recital In the sense
that lovely tone was always present
and a fine feeling for the emotional
content of the music programmed.
The artist, whose public career was
interrupted by the years spent In a
German concentration camp, was
ably accompanied by Donald Pip
pin at the piano.
The violinist's tone Is small but
remarkably sweet and even. AL
though Mr.. Knudsen has plenty Of
temperament, it could not gain the
complete effects 1t should because
of the natural lyric quality he
draws from his instrument. He was
careful not to attempt more in this
direction than his gift allowed and
at no time forced his tone beyond
its limitations. A technique ade-
quate to the expression Of the
bravura passages in his selections
showed security If not great bril-
lance.
Mr.. Knudsen has the pecuharity
of concerning himself so deeply
with the exact reproduction Of every
phrase that the idea Of the entire
work suffers. He knows how to
x,,oLa hi~ ;,cfr,,y,,apt eior orI IL,
such measures, creates lovely ef-
fects. But there is a detachment
from the pattern of the whole in
these individual moments that robs
his Interpretation of continuity OF
idea. In Grieg's Sonata in A
Minor, Op. IS, No g." which other
wise received a warmly tinted pre-
sentation, this obstructed the
development of climaxes or the
formulation of an entire picture. Yet
he brought to it depth of feeling and
a proper vigor which were COM
municative.
Corelli's LA Folia" was played
In measured fashion so that the ex-
citement inherent in this Spanish
theme and the variations were tenn
pered with restraint. Mr.. Knudsen
has a sympathy for the classic
style and demonstrated it in
Mozart's "Rondo" which, with the
exception of some rhythmic un-
evenness, was delightfully."- played.
His is not the style, however, for
the Paganini Concerto" with which
his program closed. Here defects in
technique showed up and prevented
the dazzling qualities of this work
from being realized He has neither
the verve or the crispness for such
purely pyrotechnical display. Mr..
Knudsen is an interesting violinist,
striking In appearance with his
abundant blond hair, and he gave
his large audience real pleasure in
the sounds he produced and his
poetic sense The program began
with Handels "Larghetto" and the
Vitali- -Charlier "Chaconne."
Presbyterian Choir Performs.
The New York Avenue Presby-
terian Choir and Chorus under the
direction of Charles Dana Beasch-
Ter completed its series featuring
the great music of the church with
a performance last night of
Dvorak's "Stabat Mater" The $50
voices of this organization were ac-
companied by a 30-piece orchestra
and the organ, played by William
Watkins.
This work, which was written
the year the composer lost son
and a daughter within a month OF
each other, is truly one of the great
compositions of the church. 1t is
deeply reverent yet it blazes with
color and grandeur. Within the two
extremes offered by the tragic de-
parture of Mary at the foot Of the
Cross and the magnificent ITO Thy
Glorious Paradise" and great con-
trapuntal Amen" he has embodied
a wealth of devotional sentiment for
the expression of which he drew on
his inexhaustible melodic and rhy-
thmic gift and his feeling for dra-
matte effect.
The composition was shortened
somewhat for last nights perform
ance but the delivery throughout
was inspired. The solo sections
were taken by Cathreen Carrico,
soprano; Audry Prindle, contralto;
Marion Whitten, tenor. and Earl
Thompson, baritone. Dvorak achieves
many dramatic contrasts in his
treatment OF the voices as in the
first soprano solo, "Oh, How Sad"
with its echo by the chorus or IN
the Tears Of Pity" where the con-
tralto is first Joined by the tenor
and successfully by the other solo
voices. At other times the individual
voice soaring above the chorus Gre
ates a particular atmosphere. His
predominant use of woodwinds in
the accompaniment is also most
telling.
Although given in the church, the