Evening star., 1954-04-18

concert will be conducted by
Guillermo Espinosa, chief Of
the music section Of the Pan
American Union. Senor Espi-
nosa, one Of the most active
impresarios In town, comes
from Colombia, where he was
conductor of the National
Symphony Orchestra Of Bo-
gaia.
Beethoven the Topper
If you are looking for a good
concert Tuesday, that of the
Pro MuSica Chamber Ensem-
BILE may turn out to be it. The
Ensemble is an almost un-
known group which plays in a
hall not widely associated with
music, the Jewish Community
Center. Its last concert was
very poorly attended, but the
Star reviewer thought it was
chamber music of the very
best quality. On the program
is the last Beethoven violin
sonata, Opus 96. I am re-
minded of an incident which
indicates that editors and
proofreaders are startled by no
inanity as long as it is asso-
ciated with classical music.
r. H. Schauff1er, in his popu-
lar Beethoven biography which
appeared in 1927 or 1928,
heard or thought he heard,
the Growing of a cock in the
violin phrase that opens the
sonata. He therefore not un-
reasonably named the work
the "Cockcrow" Sonata. A ty-
biographical error, however,
caused Mr.. Schauff1er to speak
of the "Corkscrew" Sonata.
Since that time I have come
across no less than three ref
erences in critical works and
dictionaries to Sonata in G
Major, Opus 96 cCorkscrewD :.
Heifetz, CeIIist
Benar Heifetz comes to town
this week to visit the Budapest
Quartet. A cellist and a string
quartet always mean the Schu-
bert quintet. This time they
mean one by Boccherini, also.
An unusual concerto will
be heard in the Arlington
Civic Symphony concert this
ACCOMPLISHMENTS con-
certo for four horns. Schu-
mann also wrote a stunning
set of variations for two pi-
amos and two horns, ad lib.
1t used to be played frequently,
but seems to have dropped
out of sight. I haven't heard
1t for years. The Rubin
stein D minor concerto heard
at American University Friday
is like the Hummel E fiat con-
certo, in that both are more
or less famous. but both al
most entirely unknown.
Silent SibeIius
The seventh symphony of
Sibelius played last week by
the National Symphony, has
been his last" symphony for
over 80 years. It appeared
within a year or two of The
Tempest and Tapiola in 1924.
and no music Of any conse-
quence-in fact no music at
all-has come from the hand
of the Finnish composer since,
so far as any one knows. From
time to time one hears that
Sibelius has written an eighth
symphony with voices, and
even a ninth, but I believe that
the existence of these works
has never been substantiated.
Unless he stopped composing
in middle age, as RoSsini did,
it seems that Sibelius Is de-
termined to make his next
premiere in the concert hall
a posthumous one. When I
met the composer in 1887, I
asked him If he was working
on the eighth symphony. "Ich
sage ME" Il never say) was
his reply.
Italian Opera
Alfredo Salmaggi was in
town recently preparing for
his summer season of grand
opera at the Watergate. Spe-
cifically, on opening night.
June II. Artistic Director Sal
maggi will present "Bizet's
celebrated opera Carmen in
a spectacular wealth of stage
detail, including singers of
eminence, a large chorus,
symphony orchestra, and a
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. investi-
ture of mise-en-scene." Now
we prefer celebrated operas
and singers of eminence to all
others, and we were delighted
to have the genial impressario,
who looks for all the world
like a genial impressario in
a well-caSt movie, with flow
ing white hair, broad mouth,
laughing eyes, and a heavy but
jaunty cane, tell us that "Tra-
viata," Aida" Carmen"
Pagliacci," "Madama Butter
fly" and others truly celebrat-
L.