Evening star., 1948-03-29
By Alice Eversmon

Howard Mitchell, associate con-
ductor of the National Symphony,
not only gave demonstration of
his expert leadership at yesterdays
concert in Constitution Hall but
showed also a progressive spirit in
He paid tribute
to the significance of the day by be-
ginning with Bach's chora, prelude,
"a Mighty Fortress Is Our God"
gave another hearing to Cigars
Enigma" Variations and first per-
Torrance of the orchestral version
of Copland's Appalachian Spring"
The concerts soloist was Paul Ma
kovsky who won an ovation for his
beautiful playing of the Beethoven
violin concerto.
His appealing tone is remarkable
among violinists for its purity and
it's powers of expression. The noble
qualities that the composer has
woven into the fabric of his only
concerto for the instrument were
reproduced with particular sweet
ness SO that their elevated concept
gained in his sympathetic treatment.
For the Larghetto, Mr.. Makovsky's
timbre and style are superb, realiz-
ing the haunting beauty of the
movement to the fullest. With a
secure technical facility, developed
we'll beyond the ordinary, and a
deeply perceptive musicianship as
guide, the artists interpretive ap-
proach is distinctive.
If he did not have complete
feeling for the virile elements in the
first movement, he played it with
eloquence. 1t is possible, however,
to stress the variance of the three
sections little more pointedly than
Mr.. Makovsky did, for the sensitiv-
ity so appropriate for the cantilena
passages, and which he possesses to
such a high degree, needs to be
offset by more pronounced vigor. He
took the Rondo at a moderate pace
which emphasized its charm but
did not quite reach the lightheart-
edness and spirit of this section
These are points that showed up
against an orchestral background
although it general plan, Mr.. Ma
kovsky's ideas were finely worked
out and as finely presented. The
audience liked him immensely and
the applause called him back several
times.
1t was difficult, yesterday, in lis
tening to Copland's appalachian
Spring." to disabuse the mind of
the picture left in it by Martha
Graham's dance interpretation
Composed for her, and given by her
group in the Library of Congress
some four years ago, her strongly
individual presentation cannot lighly
be put aside. Yet in the orchestral
arrangement, the rare quality of
freshness that the composed has in
corporated in this music, remains
its surprising element. The definite
program emerges in softer hues
through the orchestra and its
moments of quaintness have def
mite charm.
The work abounds in color and
the writing is most skillful in its
powers of delineation. The episodes
are not long and their variety gives
an undulating sequence that cuImi-
mates ina clever recapitulation be-
fore the splendid climax. In spite
of it's contrasts, this is some Of The
smoothest writing COPELAND has done.
The orchestra gave it an outstand-
ing performance and the audience
took it to it's heart at once, which
Is quite victory for a first hear
ing.
The different characters of FL
gar's Variations" now so we'll
known as to disqualify the title
Enigma" were clearly portrayed in
Mr. Mitchell's reading. Their sa-
lient features were underscored and
both the poetic and the ebullient
found proper representation as the
orchestra played. The associate
conductor has insight for details as
we'll as for sweep and its employ
ment in the three orchestral offer
ings resulted in effective change
of nuance and, especially, in the
Bach choral prelude, a majestic line
and opulent sound. He is not afraid
to call forth the full volume of the
orchestra and several times it gave
the thrilling apex to a phrase or tt
the finale. In his conducting an.