Evening star., 1950-12-14
News of Music
Erica Morini Gives Fine Rendition
OF Bruch's Violin Concerto

Keller, whose works have been
lnfrequently performed here.
The approach of most violinists
TO the beloved Bruch Concerto"
is that the music will play itself.
Given an expressive tone and
musical feeling, no artist can go
tar wrong by simply performing
the work with due regard to in
|terpretive directions in the score.
Miss Morini is not content with
giving a fine performance, but
goes much further. She has pol
1shed every phrase and put on it
the strong imprint of her per-
sonality. Her tender regard for
modulations of color and meaning
resulted in an exceptionally beau
t1tul and reWarding reading.
1t might be defined as feminine
i'll comparison to the more robust
performances of other artists and
because OF the flnenesS of her feel
ing. Her tone is warm and elo-
quent, yet it is not overly large.
It glows. however. with luminos-
ity that reflects all the romantic
sweep OF this particular work,
whether in the songful Adagio or
the virile Finale. She has a bril-
liant technique and the kind of
temperament that can catch fire
without sacrificing the dictates of
good taste.
More admirable still were the
many instances of her musician
ship and the intelligent direction
she gives it. There were times
when a few notes in a measure
were so nodded as to attain a quite
different distinction, and others
where the elan of.a phrase was
embellished. but not held back.
by special touch of artistry, AL
though the music was still the in
splred creation of Bruch, and
familiar through many hearings.
the Interpretation of it was thor
oughly Miss Morini's own. She
was accorded an ovation at the
end, being called out to bow many
times to the audiences applause.
Keller's well-knit Symphony
NO. q shows maturity of STYLE
and a definite grasp of pattern in
the setting forth of ideas. That
the ideas themselves are not of
exceptional value in no way de-
tracts from their skillful develop
ment. While distinctly of the
modern school, the composer
avoids too much revelling in dis
scnance and has his own style of
melodic themes interspersed at the
right moment. The second move
ment and the final Allegro are
more distinctive than the opening
section and in these several nota-
BILE contrasts in orchestral color
focus the attention. In many re-
Spects, the Symphony" although
his second. presages what he may
accomplish rather than identifying
him as a composer already fixed
N particular style of his own.
1t is hardly fair to program a
work by a still growing composer
with Sibelius' Symphony No. q"
The wide horizons of this music.
its exultation and it's mystery
eclipse lesser lights. There are few
today who can make the pulse
leap and the shackles Of civiliza-
ton fall from the present-day lis
tener as has Sibelius-with this
symphony. It is titanic, almost
brutal occasionally, and always
breath taking in its glory of sound
and its primitiveness. Not all of
this was realized in the orchestras
reading, for sometimes the for
ward movement was halted by the
conductors striving for a particu-
lar effect. Tempt could also, now
and then. be debatable, but on the
whole the massive musical canvas.
with its splashing colors, stood
forth as the great work it is, the
composers later symphonies not
withstanding. The program opened
with Milhaud's beautiful arrange
ment of the Overture to Couperins S
La Sultane."