Evening star., 1948-11-22
By EIena de Soyn

BY giving the Washington pre-
mire to Berlioz's Harold in ITALY,"
the National Symphny added a new
work to its repertoire yesterday aft
ernoon in Constitution Hall. Nor
man Lamb, the orchestra's first vio-
list, was the soloist IN the prominent
part assigned to his chosen instru-
ment by the composer. DR.. Hans
Kinder conducted. 1t was Theo-
dore Thomas who first introduced
this work in this country during
the Civil War at concert in New
York City. Koussevitzky gave it a
hearing four years ago in o COM
memoration Of the Tooth anniver-
sary of this symphony's premiere in
Paris.
Beauty of tone, sorority and nu-
ance, for which soloist, orchestra
and conductor were responsible,
concealed structural shortcomings
of the composition. DR.. Kinder
knitted and wrought the work into
a compact whole preserving its con-
tinuity in. spite OF interruptions in
the form of enthusiastic applause
after every movement. The applause
was called forth by Mr.. Lambs
superb playing. His cantilena was
luscious and poetic. He succeeded
in making even such monotonous
and useless passages as the arpeggio
accompaniment in the Pilgrims
March," and other haphasard parts,
eloquent and pleasing. Although
small, the audience was appreciative
and recalled the artist several times.
The selection was prefaced by
Bach's familiar "Chorale Prelude
'Wachet Auf'" and followed by
Khachaturian's gay Suite Masque-
rade." The music fitted the subject
which dates back to the 1830s. The
suites Waltz" a mixture of Johann
Strauss and Tschaikowsky, the
"Nocturne, "Mazurka" and "Ro-
nance" written in the vein Of Rus
sia's popular tunes In the gay 90s,
and the a la Shostakovich "Gallop-
Polka" abound in good spirits and
are entertaining.
Theremin Played at Gallery.
The unusual feature of last nights
concert in the National Gallery of
Art was the reintroduction Of the
musical instrument, known as tile
theremin. played by Lucie Blgelow
Rosen. The thereminist was soloist
with the National Gallery Orchestra,
directed by Richard Bales. She
was assisted by Leonard Shifrin,
oboist; Emerson Meyers. pianist, and
Sylvia Meyer, harpist, in a program
sponsored by the local branch OF
the American Federation of Musi-
clans from its Recording and Tran
scription Royalty Fund.
The first artistic exponent Of the
theremin 20 years ago was Zenaide
Hahnenfeld. a talented teen-ager,
who was taught by the inventor,
Leon Theremin. She was heard in
a successful recital here in Conti-
mental Hall before an audience
which included ofhcial Washington
and practically the entire oiplo-
matte corps. Exploiting all the pos
sibilities of the instrument as to
volume and color, her playing was
notable for exquisite effects and
beauty of tone.
The novelty attracted a large au-
dience last night which stood sew
eral rows deep and numbered in its
midst at least one other thereminist,
resident of this city, Mrs. Charles
w. Stark. The electronic instru-
ment, in which ether waves elec-
trically controlled and converted
into tones, was the object Of curios-
ity. It was inspected by many dur.
ing the intermission. Built of ma
hogany wood and resembling lee
tern or a readers stand, upon which
music to be played can rest, this
perfected model has a five-octave
range. A short, perpendicular steel
rod at the right forms a part of
magnetic field. Motions toward 1t
by the hand and fingers produce q
sound which can be divided into
whole and half steps; twisted fig-
ure eight of steel extending from
the box at the left represents a SEN
sitive feeler for the exploitation of
tone color and control Of synamics.
This reviewer had the good for
tune of meeting the inventor when
he came to washington on his first
prolonged visit to the United States