Evening star., 1949-10-27
By Alice Eversmon

The National Symphony Or
chestra opened its season last
night with concert in Constltu-
tion Hall of gala character in
every respect. There was a ca
pacity audience more than 200
people were turned away. superb
playing by the orchestra and tri-
umph for the soloist, the re-
nowned violinist, Yehudi Menu
hin. Most of all, it was triumph
for the young conductor, Howard
Mitchell. Greeted by tumultuous
applause that gave every indica-
ton of continuing indefinitely,
had he not turned to his music,
Mr.. Mitchell could have no doubt
of the warmth of his reception
or the good will of his listeners.
He repaid them in full. Already
the orchestra bears the imprint
of his musicianship in the clarity
of it's performance and especially
In the pure. vibrant tone of both
violin sections and the crispness
of their playing. But the man
who founded the orchestra and
conducted it for many years, was
not forgotten. After the inter-
mission, Mr.. Mitchell laid his ba-
ton on the empty music stand
and, with his cello, took his for
mer first-chair place among the
cellists. Then, to a hushed audi
torium, the leaderless orchestra
played Bach's "Komm. suesser
Tod" in memory of Hans Kinder
The vacant podium and the quiet
baton spoke mutely.
1t is five years since Mr.. Menu
hin was soloist with the symphony
and a month after that appear
ance, Albert Spalding played the
Elgar Concerto in B Minor" in
the local premiere. Last night,
Mr.. Menuhin played it for the
second time. He brings to his
performance special understand
ing, for he had the close associa-
tion of the composer in prepa-
ration for a London concert some
years ago with Elgar conducting.
The eloquence of his tone. and
his scintillating account Of the
bravura passages, makes him an
ideal interpreter. The Concerto"
is . long work with q great deal
Of redundancy providing stretches
that say little and 60 nowhere.
But it has atmosphere Of lumin-
GUS kind, exquisite melodies and
occasional bursts of drama. The
violin is busy nearly every minute,
sometimes in etude-like passages,
as in the beginning Of the last
movement. or in soaring songs as
found in the "Andante. 1t opens
with a fiery introduction by the
orchestra that proclaims more
than is carried out in the first
movement. For the composer
picks up echoes from various 9TH
er composers and the thread is
broken while he pays homage to
them.
Yet its poetry and glowing vi
tality are constantly present.
Quite the most remarkable por-
ton of the Concerto" is the Ca
denza which comes near the close
of the third movement and is
played with orchestra accompani-
ment, for the most part. Cigars
skill in orchestration. notable
throughout, devises a telling ef-
feet when moving cantabile
themes are played by the soloist
to chords "drummed" on the
strings by the violin choir. The
Cadenza and the Andante. with
its beautiful song and graceful
arabesques interrupted by pas
sionate outburst. are by far the
finest moments in the work. Mr..
Menuhin's performance was SOUL
full in feeling. exquisite in tonal
expressiveness and impeccable in
the many brilliant passages. He
was recalled by the audiences en-
thusiasm several times.
The Symptoms major Offering.
after an exciting performance of
William Schuman's lusty, exhila-
rating american Festival Over
ture," was the Beethoven Sym
phony No. T." It was memorable
In the many polished effects Mr..
Mitchell achieved. The undula-
ton of nuances captured every in
flection and the character of each
movement was outlined with ex-
ceptional clearness. 1t was as