Evening star., 1948-10-25
By Alice Eversmon

It is not often that Constitution
Hall resounds to an ovation OF the
magnitude given Helen Traubel yes
terday afternoon after her singing
of the "Liebestod" from Wagner's
Tristan and Isolde Time and
again, the gifted singer was re-
called by the undiminished applause
always with the hope that perhaps
a rehearing Of the great aria might
be had. This performance, together
with DIR. Hans Kindler's reading of
the "vorspiel" and of the Overture
to Wagner's "Tannhauser," marked
the climax Of the program that be-
gan the National Symphony's Sun.
day afternoon series.
Both Miss Traubel and DR.. Kind.
Ter are artists whose understanding
of Wagner's music Is profound. The
American Wagnerian singer Of the
Metropolitan Opera. who can claim
priority over q former American
Wagnerian interpreter. Lillian Nor
dica, in that she had all her train
ing in her native country. has an
individual approach to it. She can
sing it with the proper kind Of pia-
nissimo, enlarging the volume Of
her voice so skillfully as to make its
growing puissance OF thrilling i'm.
port until the ringing high tones
reach the acme Of expressiveness.
The two remarkable things about
Miss Traubel's voice apart from its
beautiful quality are its evenness
and easy production throughout its
entire range. Yesterday it showed
q gain In velvetiness not always,
however, carried over into the top
most register but wonderfully rich
and pregnant with emotion in its
middle section. It might be putting
Miss Traubels art too much under
microscope to wish that the high
notes could be given a rounder con-
tour for this Is a small matter COM
pared to the breadth. depth and
richness Of her singing.
The same luscious tone went into
her singing Of "Divinites du Styx"
from Gluck's "Alceste" in which she
made her first appearance. There
was furthermore in Miss Traubel's
delivery of the two great works a
definition Of their drama of quite
telling power. The sombre breadth
Of the Gluck aria was Of one kind
while the ecstatic triumph Of the
"Liebestod," mounting from its an
guished beginning, was the con-
sumation Of Interpretation in the
increased operate dimensions Wag-
ner created. One encore was given.
After the Gluck aria and responding
to the audiences insistance, Miss
Traubel sang Beethoven's die
Trommel geruehret."
DR.. Kindler's preparation for the
'Liebestod" in his reading Of the
"Vorspiel" was of like dramatic in
sight. The Wagner speciality Of
great gathering and receding waves
Of sound, Of clashing strength and
melting beauty, Of the gradual un-
folding Of overwhelming emotional
power, are elements for which the
conductor knows the just measure
and the correct timing Of. effect. To
hear the quality of tone of the Ma
tional Symphony in this work and
in the 'Tannhauser" Overture, its
accuracy and pliancy. makes 1t dim
cult to realize that this Is q young
orchestra as orchestras 60.
Frescobaldi's "Toccata" Is anoth-
er number in which the conductor
and orchestra excel. Mozart's
"Haffner" Symphony should have
been also for 1t Is q work that has
had several superb performances by
the National Symphony. Starting
OF little shakely, the innate spirit
was not fully forthcoming until the
final movements. The Finale"
especially was . fine example Of
lovely Mozart playing. clean-cut,
airy, and well defined in phrasing.
Before beginning the first per-
formance of David Diamonds
Rounds" DR.. Kinder gave an
explanation Of the work, prefacing
it by telling of the number Of let
tiers he received either asking why
ne 0oeS not play more music OF
contemporary composers or COM
planning that he plays too much.
But there was much less need of
explaining Diamonds Rounds"
than Of other works in modern
idiom. 1t speaks for itself.
There is present that quality of
genuineneSs rare to find, an extraor-
dinary mellowness in dissonance
however incongruous this may
seem, and q brilliant scheme of
writing. Composed for strings alone,
the Intervening of the tonal
gamut is most expert while the
definiteness and surety Of his
style is Vividly present throughout.
To Judge from a single hearing,
MIR. Diamonds talent is of greater
proportions than many of his con-
temporaries and of sounder and