Evening star., 1950-10-30
News Of Music |
Coolidge Festival Quortets Pit Old Masters
Against Modern Composers in Recital

onposers in Recital
or Brahms. Certainly it was not
the intention of either Robert
Palmer or Aaron COPELAND to pit
their latest output against such
masters. But in this atmosphere,
they placed a challenge before the
public in their right as sincere
American composers to be judged
accordingly. They fulfilled also
the Coolidge Foundation objec-
tive which, for Is years, has en-
|couraged new effort in the cham
ber music field.
The Juilliard String Quartet
with the assistance Of Erich Itor
Kahn, pianist, gave the first hear
ing to Palmer's Piano Quintet
in the afternoon. This heavily
structured work shows a writing
facility Of impressive proportions
and an imagination. not SO much
|of the fantasy kind, but one that
seeks new. solid harmonic changes
to express a definite aim. Time
and again, the composer halts the
listener with the brilliance o. an
idea and manner Of handling it.
The substance of the "Quintet" is
meaty. Its vigor electrifying and
it's dissonances hard hitting but
intriguing.
What it needs is relief-in 9TH
er words, variety. The opening
theme, given each of the instru-
ments in turn, grows into a COM
plex enlargement in which the
idea is clearly stated. The thread
of its progress is lost, however, in
the following movements where,
in spite of being titled Scherzo,
Aria and Lento Maestoso. there is
not much change in plan or tenn
20. The thickness Of the writing
for all the instruments. and the
rhythmic drive, allows few places
of clarity. and only occasionally
for the use Of the melodic in
ventiveness which the composer
can command.
More experienced in musical
architecture and thoroughly orig
lnal, was Copland's Piano Quar-
tet." played by the New York
Quartet, the members Of which
are Alexander Schneider. violin:
Milton Katims. viola: Hermann
Busch, cello. Substituting for
Frank Miller) and Mieczyslaw
Horszowski, piano. The tempta-
ton. at a first hearing. is to say
that COPELAND has written a carna-
val quartet. But there is more to
Its oddities than that. If one were
to consider nothing else than the
crashing chords in the piano that
resembles changing deep toned
bells. It could be considered a pic
turization of the world Of today.
He, also, distributes his first theme
between the instruments, bring
ing them together in beautiful
harmony.
From then on, flashing kaleido-
scopic sound. much of 1t so new
in texture as to seem eerie. forms
a sharp repartee between the
strings and piano. Mr.. COPELAND
makes sport Of the instruments.
asking of them almost the i'm
possible. Yet the feeling persists
that there is no experimentation
here, that the composer knows
where he is going. Clashes OF mel
ody in the strings are set against
a hard. insistent piano tone. What
this all adds up to, was not clear.
The audience found the quaint
ending of the Allegro delightful.
That the Quartet" will remain a
controversial work is assured.
The New York ensemble was
convincing in its performance OF
this taxing music but still more
so in the Mozart Quartet in E
fiat major, K. 493" and Brahms
Quartet in G Minor, op. 25." pro-
grammed instead Of the listed
Quartet in c Minor. op. co." Mr..
Horszowski proved to be an ex-
ceptional pianist. possessing a
beautiful tone and a rare gift Tor
ensemble playing.
The afternoon program opened
with Mozart's Quartet in D Ma
jor, K. 285" for flute, violin. viola
and cello. julius Baker, f1utist. Il
a superior artist whose finely
fashioned phrases and smooth
tone were outstanding in a de-
lightfully played work. The JUL
lizard String Quartet, Robert Mann
and Robert Kopf. violins; Ra'
phael Hitler, viola, and Arthur
Winograd, cello. continue to dis
tract from their really fine per.
formance by undue violence Of
movement. They were Joined by
Mr.. Katims and Mr.. Busch in the
Brahms String Sextet in B flat
major, op. 49," where again. then
too energetic approach brought
roughness into the delivery.
There was a great deal OF en-.
thusiasm from the audience at
both concerts. Mr.. Palmer ano
Mr.. COPELAND, who were present
had to acknowledge the prolonged