The Daily Alaska empire. [volume] (Juneau, Alaska) 1926-1964, 1950-10-20
EPOCH MAKING
CONCERT GIVEN BY
SILVA, 5CHApIR0
Fine Music Opens Season
Community Now Owns
Grand Piano


master compositions, superbly per
formed, marked the event las
night in the goth Century Theatre
The program by two famed solo
ists-Luigi Silva, cellist, with Max
i'm Schapiro, concert pianist, ac
companying-Was an suspicious op
ching of the 1950-51 series for til,
new Juneau-Douglas Concert AS
ISOLATION.
Preseason subscriptions had as.
sured the success of the entire sea.
son.
Moreover. they had made possible
the final payment on note signed
by several civic-spirited citizens
Now the big Baldwin concert granc
piano really belongs to Juneau.
IN little ceremony before the
program, Mrs. John Mccormick
Association membership chairman
asked Schapiro to destroy the note
in front of a near capacity audi
ence Many, in fact, most OF the
witnesses" had contributed al
least a key or a pedal, in the i'm
aginative encore auction" by which
some $500 was raised for the pi-
ano october %, 1949.
Appropriately, it was Mr.. Schap-
iro who tore the note to bits, for
he and his music had given impet-
us to the community piano project,
and his benefit concert provided
the largest single contribution to
the fund.
Besides, it is not every day that
three United States Senators, a
three-star general and Gov
ernor turn piano-movers.
To dispose of that matter: After
the concert a call was made for
several men to help move the Bald
win from the temporary platform
to the permanent stage. The first
volunteers were those mentioned
Senators Lester Hunt, Wayne Morse
and Leverett Saltonstall; 1t. Gen
William E. Kepner and Gov. Ern-
est Gruening. Oh, to have had a
camera!
Luigi Silva, Italian-born cell,st
proved himself a major artist. The
verities of Papa Haydn stood uE
with the dissonances of the age
of the alphabet bomb; classics fol
the violoncello tradition with ex
periments of the moderns.
The broad sweep and mathemat.
icalstilsc I've OF the classics were If
the program-openers, Silva-ar.
ranged "Chaconne" by Vital, ant
the Haydn "Adagio and Minuetto'
with four variations.
A sonata for cello and piano
is seldom heard here. The choice
of the Grieg Opus SO was hap
py one and characteristic in lyric
short-range themes, falling melocit
patterns and contrasting rhythms
Among outstanding numbers were
Blochs profound and haunting
Meditation Hebraique," with more
than a hint of lei Eli" and the
Schubert-Silva ,waltzes. One OF these
largely on harmonics, was like the
froth crowning a crystal stein; an
other called up picture OF whirl-
ing flounced-skirt dancers.
Peppers Spinning Song" shoult
have been repeated, and doubles
would have been demanded agaii
had there not been such full pro-
gram. This light bit was sheer en-
chantment-surely the happy spin
ming of goSsamer.
The muted "Habanera" of Rave
was followed by several contrast
ing Roumanian dances by Bell
Bartok. One, entirely in overtones
was SO high and thinly plaintiv,
of line that the audience seemed
to hold its breath for a message
from another world.
The genius of three Italian mu.
sicians combined for the impressive
closing fantasy on a theme from
Moses "-Rossini, who composed
the opera; Paganini and Silva
who arranged and played it. Thi
composition, entirely on the A.
string, was as though played by {
choir of instruments.
The only encore was the mysti,
Music for a Dying Fountain" b,
Lorenzo Rosellini.
Bud Schultz, popular teen-age pi
anist, had the exacting but excit
ing chore of turning the page
for the pianist. The high basket o
autumn flowers was by courtesy O
the Juneau Florists.
On behalf of the Concert Asso
citation, both musicians were givei
Alaska ivory souvenirs. Schapiro
whom Mayor Waino Hendricksol
previously had made an honorar.
citizen of Juneau, received a desl
pen set, and Silva a delicately cary.
ed good-luck billiken and key chain
Hostesses in the foyer and a
the later reception for the artists
in the BaranOf Lobby were the WO.