Evening star., 1951-03-01
By Alice Eversmon


Leopold Stokowski brought his
conducting magic to bear on the
National Symphony Orchestra
last night in a performance that
held the Constitution Hall audi
ence enthralled. In his first APP
pearance as guest leader Of the
symphony, he demonstrated the
particular evocative character OF
his artistry and his genius at Or
chestral expression. Seldom has
a program been infused from be-
ginning to end with such intensity.
It was music of breadth and
sweeping vigor. transcending its
mechanical boundaries to reacn
the vision of its proper sound
as the conductor conceived 1t.
Technically, the orchestra has
never played more accurately or
with better quality and intonation.
The cellos were moved back TO
their old place on the coaduc-
tors right and the violins massed
together as formerly. This seat
ing arrangement was not alone
responsible for the character OF
the performance for it has been
Howard Mitchell's policy to per-
NIT each of his guest conductors
to seat the men as they are &C
customed to having them. 1t was
Stokowski's blending of the. or
chestral colors and his use of
them to the highest descriptive
ends that created a wealth of
beautiful sound Of which the Ma
tional Symphony patrons and
we'll wishers can be proud.
The program featured what ap-.
pears to be the first local per-
formance Of Vaughan Williams
Symphony No. 6 In E Minor"
This is remarkable work that
needs, however, repeated hearings.
ard another type of presentation
than was given it last night.
While played with great clarity
and with observance of dynamic
indications, the soul of the music
was not so convincingly set forth.
For 1t is, in truth. music of the
soul and requires a reconstruction
in feeling of every shadow that
passes over it. It's four movements
are played without break. But
they contain fierceness and storm
as we'll as a eliminating serenity.
These emotions are expressed
with the utmost sincerity and with
& sureness of writing of a master
craftsman. It is gripping and
poignant. reaching a throat con-
stricting loveliness in the final Sec
ton where. with muted tone, the
orchestra falls into complete peace
and at last, silence.
All of this was visible in the
performance, yet the emotion lay
on the surface. Again, the final
touching of the depths. as also the
tremendous surge of sentiment.
was not caught in Tschakowsky's
Romeo and Juliet" in spite of the
tonal beauty of the performance
and the many powerfully de-
lineated episodes. In some ways,
it was too cautious and through
that, the thread less well held to-
gether. None of this, however,
marred De Falla's Gel Amor
Brujo," which was given glowing
and passionate presentation.
To what extent Stokowski Wis
ualizes music in terms of tha
modern orchestra was illustrated
in his arrangements of excerpts
from Purcell's writings and of
Debussy's LA Cathedrale engl-
Quite .. The Trumpet, Tune"
from Purcell's incidental music for
THE Cebell." Echo - "Hornpipe"
and Largo and Allegro" from
"Faery Queen" and when I am
Laid in Earth" from his opera
dido ct Aeneas," formed an ex-
quisite suite in which the delicate
character of the music was mirror
ed with beautiful effect in the
orchestra tone. LA Cathedrale
engloutie" was more massive in
this version and gave occasion for
Stokowski to draw an organ-like
grandeur of sound from the en-
semble.
The concert was, in every respect,
memorable. 1t was brilliant, rich
ly colored and full of tension. The
orchestra played exceptionally
from both the technical and in
terpretive angle, fully responsive
to the conductors requests. But