Evening star., 1951-11-12
Music
By Alice Eversmon

Violin playing Of exquisite de-
sign was presented by Jascha
Heifetz yesterday afternoon in
his annual recital in Constitution
Hall. The unvarying perfection
of his performance, the melting
beauty of his tone and the amaz-
ing fuidity OF his technique,
might be classed as one OF the
phenomena Of the present musical
era. For Heifetz maintains al
consistently high level in all
facets of his art that few artists
can equal. Each season he brings
a well-thought-out program. pol
ished to the Nth degree.
Usually there is some novelty
included in the list, but for yes
terday's appearance he confined
himself to giving one OF the in
frequent performances of Richard
Strauss Sonata" and to closing
the program with an especially
interesting set Of shorter pieces.
In between came the Bruch Con-
certo in G Minor" and Schubert's
"Sonatine No. g." both heard
gratefully dis Heifetz presented
them. His partner at the piano
was Emmanuel Bay whose under
standing Of the power Of fine
ensemble does not allow Of his
classification simply as an ac-
companist. His attitude, as well
as his playing, was in complete
accord with the violinist.
Mastery Delivery of Sonata.
Together these musicians gave
q mastery delivery to the Strauss
sonata. It reflects within the
compass of the chief instrument
the full character of the COM
poser's style. Heroic effects are
offset by such soulful moments
as the improvisation" provides,
much as is found in his tone
poems. There is also the Strauss
vitality sweeping through the
first moment and rising to tri-
umph in the last. 1t is sympa-
thetically written for the violin,
bringing into play all its resources
and providing the piano with
sonorous effects. Mr.. Heifetz
FURNISHED his part with the type
of shadings that arrest the at
tention and with rare tonal
beauty.
The plan of the final group on
the program was intriguing. 1t
offered three contrasting nocturnes
by such diverse composers as
Sibelius, Lii Boulanger and Szy-
manowski. The strange Nordic
romanticism, so prominent in all
Sibelius' music, was used with re-
markable descriptiveness in the
simplied musical form. Its soft
ness and nostalgia has a certain
bleak beauty quite foreign to the
charming feminism Of Boulanger's
"Nocturne." The muted strings in
the opening measures Of Szyma-
nowski's "Noturno" gave rather q
sinister introduction to q roman
tic theme.
Arouses Storm Of Applause.
Separating the nocturnes was
Heifetz' arrangement Of the sixth
and seventh of Ravel's "Valses
mobiles ct sentimentales." Castel-
ovo-Tedesco's dashing "Alt
Wien," and Wieniawski's "Polo-
naise brilliante." the latter espe-
cially arousing a storm Of ap.
plause and bringing forth encores
In the Bruch concerto. the Heifeti
tone and technique was at it
finest, although a personal pref
erence leans toward a deeper tona
quality for this particular worl
than Heifetz possesses. The pyro
technics of the Finale were daz
zling in the artists swift, brillian
delivery. The least interesting wa
Schubert's "Sonatina." in com
parison with the weightier work
surrounding it.
The concert, presented by Pat
rick Hayes, was co-sponsored b
the Friday Morning Music Clu
Foundation, which will receiv
some of the proceeds for its schol
arship fund.
Program Of Speciolties
Executed by Copeland
By Elena de Soyn
The appearance In recital {