Evening star., 1952-06-01
News of Music:
News OF Music:
Ten Years Of Concertizino
Noted at National Gallery
BoIes, in Charge Since l94c, Sees
Remarkable Growth in Appreciation
By Alice Eversmon

Tonight the National Gallery
OF Art will celebrate the 10th
anniversary Of the founding of
its Sunday concert series. Few
places in the country are so beau
tifully designed to foster the
combination Of the arts as is the
gallery. To an atmosphere of
serenity and Of lasting art values
has been added that Of music.
On the way to the West Garden
Court, where tonight's concert
will be held, the audience will
pass rooms where famous old
paintings hang. In the court,
amid Towering plants of the
season. tall trees and low shrubs,
people will sit, as others have
done for q decade, around the
fountain. on the steps, or filing
the few chairs available. The
informality of the setting, to-
gether with its beauty, provides
one of the most attractive environ
mentS in which to contemplate
the work Of genius.
The record of the past 10 years
has been one Of remarkable
growth. Recitals by out-of- town
or local artists and programs by
different types Of ensembles have
alternated with symphonic music
by the small but select group
forming the National Gallery Or
chestra. Under the musical direc-
tion OF Richard Bales, who was
put in charge nine years ago. not
only Washington has been en-
riched culturally. but the Nation
as well. The institution OF an
American Music Festival for al
month each year, for instance,
inspired the Toledo Museum of
Art to do likewise. Since first
hearings Of many compositions
have taken place at the gallery
the advice of Mr.. Bales on COM
miSsioning composers is frequently
asked by other cities.
Best Music Series on N
Two recordings made by the
National Gallery Orchestra, under
Mr.. Bales direction. were on the
Records Of the Year" list of the
New York Times and the San
Francisco Chronicle. The orches-
ira has made first recordings of
Ives Symphony No. g." Handels|
The Water Musick" in its COM
plete 20 movements, HandelsI
"Dettingen TIE Deum," and seven
early overtures by Mozart. These
have sold throughout the country
and outside the United States.
Best Music Series on TV.
The National Gallery Orchestra
played what Is believed to be the
f1rst regular symphonic series on|
television. The program was called
Heritage" and carried from the
gallery by NBC. During inter-
mission, a member Of the cura-
torial staff Of the gallery dis
cusSed a particular school of
painting. The musical program
was built accordingly of works
from the country whose art was
the subject Of the talk. A work by
an American composer was always
included. The composer was in
V1ted to be present and to be In
terviewed by Rose d'Amore, music
annotator Of the series. The six
weekly Heritage" programs were
selected by the New York Times
as the best serious music events
OF the year on TV.
Two Of Mr.. Bales obiectives
have been to give hearings To
contemporary music, particularly
american. and, in playing the
classics. to present some of the
lesser known works. The statistics
are interesting. World premieres
were given to SO compositions and
154 were played for the first time
IN Washington. not counting repe-
tltlons. Over 80 per cent of both
categorieS were works by American
composers. All told, SO composers
were introduced to local audiences
1T these concerts.
Many works are composed espe-
cially for the National Gallery
Orchestra. Mr.. Bales looks these
over carefully. trying to advise
along lines of the orchestra itself.
the rehearsal limitations, and the
acoustical problems of the gall
1ery. Those accepted are per-
formed on some Of the programs
OF the American Music Festival
held each spring for the last nine
years. But what pleases him most
is the apparent revival Of the 18th
century professional" attitude of
writing for a special performance
or certain number of instru-
ments. His own compositions and
transcriptions of early American
music are popular and are now
being published.
Young Artists Get a Stort
Young and gifted artists still
struggling for recognition through
out the country were given op-
portunities to be heard on the
gallery programs. Among the
153 presented, many have gone
on to win national fame. Leonard
Shure. for example. was first
heard in q piano recital there.
Joseph Batista later appeared as
piano soloist with the Boston.
Philadelphia and other orchestras.
William Masselos, pianist, recently
played with the New York Phil
harmonic. as has Jean Casadesus.
son Of famous pianist parents.
Madeline Foley. cellist, was a
member, last summer. Of Pablo
Casals' orchestra in Perpignan.
France. Urico RoSsi is now
leader Of the Berkshire String
Quartet and Robert Hufstader.
pianist. has been appointed as
siStant director Of Juilliard School
Of Music. Gail Kubik won this