Evening star., 1948-02-04
Winter Concert Given
Bv Civic Orchestra
By Alice Eversmon

fNhSS L
The Washington Civic Orchestra
gave its winter concert last night
in the Roosevelt Auditorium and
added interest to its program by
having Jesse Tryon, violinist of the
Navy Band, as soloist. This group
which is fathered by the D. c. Rec
reation Department, City-Wide Di-
vision, and conducted by Hendrix
Essers, fills definite need in the
community. 1t draws from youth
and middle age those sufficiently
qualified who seek to know more OF
music by learning and performing |
1t under a serious musician, such as
Is Mr. Essers.
1t is possible that the groups
ambitions are greater than its pow
ers of delivery Schumann's SYM
phony No. T. was the major offering
and excellent training in tempt and
shadings was to be discovered
throughout. It was commendable
performance, unified and correct in
it's details. To capture the spirit
of a work such as this, which the
composer definitely described as
Spring" is another question that
has to do with advancement IN
security and freedom. 1t might be
more feasible to lead UP to the de-
mands of the more exacting SYM
phonic literature by an easier route
where the fundamentals of orches-
trail playing could be firmly set.
This would assure more sonorols
tone in the strings and greater ac1
curacy in pitch, although in the
Schumann work the lapses IN the
latter were negligible.
The faultiness in this matter was
most evident in Margrave's Can
table" the arrangement OF the slow
movement of his String Quartet"
for string orchestra. This was the
first local performance of the Wash
irgton composers work. 1t is
lovely, atmospheric interlude that
shows good construction. Its slow
tempo disclosed the weakness OF
the strings, which were played con
sordino, in richness of tone and
legato. The local premiere was IN
keeping with the policy OF the
orchestra to make known the works
of local composers
The more outspoken demands OF
the ePachelbel-DeLamarter "Fugue"
were better met-in what was also
a first local hearing. Here, When
released from the needs OF great
finesse. the orchestra gained as
surance and re-established its tonal
quality of the Schumann Sym
phony," Beethoven's "Prometheus
Overture" and the first suite from
Bizet's Carmen" opened and closed
the program. Mr.. Essers is to be
praised for the splendid work he
has done, for the group was in a
bad way until he infused 1t with
new life. His sound musicianship,
his authority and his knowledge
are all reflected in the ways OF mu-
sical performance he has led his
members, most OF whom make no
pretense to be other than amateurs.
Although supported accurately II
not sufficiently in the accompanl-
ment, Mr.. Tryon distinguished him.
self in the presentation Of Mozart's s
Concerto No. in A major" He
has a tone Of fine quality and Vi
brancy and q clean, fluent tech
nioue. His performance had spirit,
and in the second movement, a
real poetic outlook, while the suave'
rounded turn of the Mozart phrase
was well delivered. He has forged
steadily forward in his career.
which has been filled with special
recognition in the form OF awards
This fall he was winner over the
contestants of Maryland and the
District in the Associated Concert
Bureau contest and will leave next
month to represent this section IN
the national contest to be held in
Carnegie Hall, New York. His sue
cess was fattering last highland
Justly so.