Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1952-12-19
News Of Music
By Alice Eversmon

The Robert Shaw Chorale, in
Constitution Hall last night, sang
a program fully in keeping with
the approaching Christmas feast
The concert, which the American
University Concerts was able to
arrange as substitute for that of
Patrice Munsel, originally an
nounced for this date. was the last
opportunity the public will have
for some time to hear the famous
group under the leadership of
Robert Shaw. He plans next sea-
son to direct the San Diego Or
chestra.
The individuality Of his ap-
proach to choral conducting has
taken this kind Of singing out of
the sphere Of church and oratorio
and made of it a concert feature.
Whether another conductor could
maintain the same style and
standard remains to be seen. 1t is
q small group Of picked singers,
well trained vocally, and splendid
musicians as well.
Mr.. Shaw has not attempted to
make all the voices sound alike or
to destroy the personal character
isticS of the individual. But since
they are singers of talent. expert
ence and sound training, they
blend their vocal timbre naturally
while preserving their personality.
The result is highly artistic and
distinctly original. An extended
test Of this was found in the
Schubert Mass in G Minor" and
Bloch's Sacred Service" The
most impressive effects were at
tanned in the latter, partly be-
cause the music of this magnifi-
cent work is thrilling in its fervor,
and because Of the splendid sing
ing of Benjamin DeLoache, the
baritone soloist. Three excerpts
OF the Sacred Service" were
selected, the "Glorification. >"
"Sanctif1cation." and the "Torah
Service"
The performance OF the Schu-
bert Mass" had a more worldly
character but no one could COM
plain Of the musicianship dis
played. Every interpretive means
was brought into play for a most
beautiful definition of the music,
the credo in particular being
exquisitely done. The soloists-
Yvonne Ciannella. soprano; Walter
Carringer. tenor, and Raymond
keast, baSs-illustrated by their
fine singing the vocal caliber of
the members of the chorale.
Bloch'S great religious work. in
spite of its profundity and its re-
lection, in modern guise of an
age-old faith, lent itself better to
Mr.. Shaw's art of Interpretation
and to the style Of his ensemble
The simplicity of Schubert's
Mass" can be served as well by
a more straightforward delivery
in which the vocal quality itself
could predominant. The two
NUMBERS, COgeCner With MOtetS,
by Heinrich Schultz, formed meaty
fare for over an hour before the
intermiSsion. A string ensemble
provided a good instrumental
background.
Three delightful Spanish carols
lightened the program following.
Sung to guitar accompaniment,
the Spanish rhythms added a
poignant touch to the naive text
which Mr.. Shaw translated. The
singing Of Florence Kopleff, con-
tralto, and Thomas Pyle, BARI
tone, in these numbers was de-
lightful. Brahms Der Abend,"
'NachtenS" and "Zum Schluss"
were sung by the chorus with rich
fullness of tone not shown in
preceding numbers. John Wust-
mans piano accompaniment was
Of the finest. Debussy's "Trois
Chansons" and the dances from
Strauss die Fledermaus" ended
the program on a gay note.