Evening star., 1950-03-02
By Alice Eversmon

BY Alice tversmon
Claudio Arrau, piano soloist, ane
the National Symphony Orchestra
as directed by Howard Mitchell
collaborated in an EXCEPTIONAL!
fine program last night in Con.
stitution Hall. The exuberan
spirit of the performance wa!
tempered with the highest artistr!
on the part Of both soloist anc
conductor. Mr.. Arrau made deel
impression with his playing O.
the Brahms Concerto No. 2 in T
fat Major - IN Vaughan Will
liams' Fantasia on a Theme b,
Thomas Tails" and Beethoven!
symphony No. s." the orchestra
musicians and their leader scored
their own success.
1t is seldom that the difficult
Brahms Concerto has been pre-.
sented with such thorough feeling
for it's various demands. Mr.
Arrau is an artist who adds to {
superlative mechanical ease ar
imagination that can explore tht
romantic and the dramatic witt
equal conviction. With all thu
brilliancy and power at his dis.
posal, he never employs them ex.
cept for a specific artistic end
That this is distinctive of his play.
ing was more definitely to be re-
cognized last night than ever be.
fore.
The gruelling requirements 0.
the first movement, and the be.
ginning of the Allegro Appassion'
alta, found an executant of tht
first water. While the blending o.
the solo instrument with the or.
chestra was discreetly maintained
Mr.. Arrau sought every opportu.
nifty to bring it to the foreground
with an emphasis, a fortissimo o,
a dynamically colored phrase
Here his virtuosity shone no
by its virtue alone but directed b,
his musical sensitiveness.
His ability at eloquent discours,
gave a special kind Of tender. ro'
mantle beauty to the Andante
He was joined in the exposition o.
the songful content of the move
ment by John Martin in the in.
portant sections for solo cello. Tht
final Allegretto was utterly charm
ing. The artists rhythmic sens'
is keen and the light, velvet!
touch he used for its dainty theme
completed the range of Brahms
scheme in this taxing but richly
rewarding work. Mr.. Arrau wa
recalled many times at the enc
by the unabating applause.
The orchestra's two number
were in marked contrast. Tht
Fantasia" written for doubl,
string orchestra, was played fol
the first time by the Nationa
Symphony. Its noble, ecclesiastical
tone was reflected in the purity
and sweetness Of the combined
instruments and in the breadth
of Mr.. Mitchell's directing.
quartet of the first chair players
formed an important portion, in
troduced first by the viola, taker
up by the violin and joined b!
the second violin land the cello
The smaller second orchestra. Sc
apart from the leading body, hat
its contrapuntal functions in !,
work that required expert balance
Of the voices.
The program finished with th
Beethoven Symphony, whose mar
tial opening notes stirred tn
blood in war time. It was goo,
to hear it again and in the fin
analysis Mr.. Mitchell gave it. HI
seized every occasion to stress it
meaning through an elastic rang
Of color and the interplay of tn
orchestral tone. The first tw
movements were played with fir
and elan. The program was heart
and acclaimed by a large audi
ence.
Good Performance Marks
Iolanthe' Opening Night
By Elena de Soyn
Gilbert and Sullivan's "Iolanthe
was given the first of it's fou
consecutive performances in tn
Lisner Auditorium last night.
was presented by the Air Fore,
Band and the Singing Sergeant
under the direction of Warran
Officer Robert L. Landers in Co
operation with the George Wash.
ington University Women's Gle,
Club. The production is spon.
sored by the Student Council O.
the university, with the proceed
to go toward the Air Force Aie
Society and the George Wash.
ington University Hospital Fund
1t was a good performance
we'll studied and rehearsed, ac
curate as to ensemble but with
the attention centered on tn,