Evening star., 1955-01-16
Dean Lawson to Direct
Orff's 'Cormino Burono'

novel and id1omatlc orcheS-
trail music.
The "Elegie" OF Clarence
White, a Negro composer who
got his training in Oberlin
College, is less famous than
the contest in which 1t won
first place two years ago. A
prize of several thousand
dollars was offered by a music
lover of New Orleans who had
a decided dislike of rousing,
energetic or otherwise dis
turbing music, for the best
piece of tranquil" music sub
mitted. The piece was to be
for orchestra; otherwise the
adjective was the only stipula-
ton.
The contest and its purpose
resulted in considerable pub
licity at the time, but the win
ming composition, written 10
years earlier. seems to have
left little mark. Dean Lawson
says that as far as he knows
it has not been played since
1t won the prize, although it
is in his opinion a piece of
great beauty.
If the two novelties on the
program are comparable in
quality to the Verdi "Te
Deum," this weeks symphony
concert will be one of the best
of the year. The "Te Deum"
will never be as popular as
the Verdi Requiem, not pri-
marily because it is a shorter
and slighter work, but for the
same reason that the Italian
masters "Otello" will never
have the following of his
Aida" The "Te Deum" is
a less spectacular piece, but
1t shows all the advanced
skill in orcheStration and the
seldom surpassed lyric genius
of Verdi in the last years Of
his life. 1t has never before
been played by the National
Symphony.
X n II
Grove "
The fifth edition of Groves
Dictionary of Music and
Musicians" has just appeared.
In nine volumes and eight
million words, it is much too
long and important a work to
describe in detail after only
two weeks browsing. On the
other hand, for the benefit of
those who are considering buy
ing what is undoubtedly the
standard general reference
work on music in English,
some present notice is not out
of place.
Grove "" as it is called by
its editors, is not a completely
new work. Much material is
carried over from earlier edi-
tions. and many articles ap-
pear only slightly revamped to
bring them up to date. On the
other hand, a great deal is
entirely new - about half, I
say at a guess. Much of
the charm and Individuality
OF the writing Of the early edi-
tions has been sacrificed for a
more scholarly approach, al
though the new work retains
much of its delight for the
casual reader.
1t is still a popular work,
one which will unquestionably
have a profound influence on
all music lovers of this genera
ton, as earlier editions have
had on the entire English
speaking world. AS an ex-
haustive and erudite work,
Grove V" is probably out
classed by the German ency-
clopedia now appearing serial
ly-"Die Musk in Geschichte
und Gegenwart." This work,
unfortunately. is not being
translated into English.
Fights Americonisms
Eric Blom, editor Of "Grove
"" is an English scholar, one
of whose betes noires is Amer
IcanismS. He feels it the duty
Of Grove v" to keep the pure
stream of the English language
When he Is forced
to quote an American source
using the word tone" he adds
4 footnote "in English, note"
He is particularly bitter
about voice leading" for part
saying that America
IS responsible for this horror
only because we have here so
many German refugee musi-
,ologistS who are not at home
n the English language.
Voice leading" does not
seem that dreadful to me, al
though / was born in Kansas.
Voice leading" has some feel.
ng of movement, while part
is static and more
)ver slightly ambiguous.
Mr.. Blom. by the way. is not
offended by the criticisms
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