Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-05-20
NEWS OF MUSIC
BY IRVING LowENs

Richard Bales goes into high
gear this evening. this seems
like a good time to take a
glance at past years to see
just what has been accom-
plished in this yearly series.
First, a few statistics. In
Guiding this years concerts a
total Of 81 will have been
offered. No less than SO COM
positions have been given a
first hearing anywhere; 104
have received first local per-
formanceS. Excluding small
piano pieces, songs and brief
choral works. 152 compositions
more or less solidly in the
repertory have also been heard
during the festivals.
The numbers alone are i'm
pressive. but much more so is
the quality Of the actual music
performed. Mr.. Bales first
world premieres were pre-
sented on Sunday, April 2.
1914. in a concert of music
composed by soldiers since
they entered the service. The
names include Homer Keller,
Richard w. Bowles. Ellis KohS
and Gail Kubik and it is in
teresting to note that, except
for Mr.. Bowles, who has fallen
into obscurity, the others are
all we'll known in the world
Of American music today.
Impressive With "Firsts."
Since that excellent begin
ming, the roster of American
composers receiving first per-
formances at the gallery has
grown long and impressive.
Here are a few highlights of
the long series:
Jacob Avshalomov. who won
the New York Music Critics
Award for the outstanding new
work of 1858. was presented
here in 1916. when he was
virtually unknown. with a
reading Of his "Sinfonietta."
The year 1947 saw first per-
formances of works by Nor
mand Lockwood, John Verrall
and Burrell Phillips (among
others. Ned Rorem's violin
sonata was one of the high
spots of 1850. Ulysses Kay's
string quartet and Ben Weber's
"Aubade" were memorable in
1858. In 1855. George Fred
erick McKay's string suite and
Walter Hartley's string trio
seemed to have the best chance
of achieving some degree Of
permanency.
Curiously enough. the smash
hit of the entire series proved
to be Mr.. Bales own The
Confederacy," a cantata based
on music of the South during
the Civil War years. No one
has to be told that the record
ing of this piece got on the
best-seller lists for months and
reused a wave of sectional pa
triotism which has still not
subsidized. We are probably in
debted to Mr.. Bales for the
astounding popularity of 1.-The
Yellow Rose of Texas" a fine
old tune. which made its first
modern appearance in The
Confederacy."
1.-The Confederacy", got into
circulation in 1858. Later. Mr..
Bales tried his hand with
work similar in structure based
on The Revolution" which
failed to achieve any spectac-
ular success.
Next Work 1.-THE Union"
This year, in the last con-
cert of the series he will offer
1.-THE Union" in which he will
attempt to do for the North
what he did for the South
with 1.-THE Confederacy."
The festivals have reflected,
to a considerable extent. Mr..
Bales keen interest in Ameri-
can music of the 18th and
early 18th centuries and his
willingness to dig into dusty
old scores for stuff worth
bringing to light. This was
evident even in the first festi-
val. when his arrangement for
string orchestra of number
of tunes from the Revolution
airy War period opened the
second concert.
With the exception OF the
years 1852 and 1855, the Gal
lerys marble halls have re-
sounded with music of earlier
days as we'll as music of our
own century. Such names as
Francis Hopkinson. Louis Mo-
reau Gottschalk, Stephen Fos-
ter, Benjamin Carr, Raynor
Taylor, Alexander Reinagle,
James Hewitt, John Frederick
Peter, and many others. little
known to the average concert
goer but important in Ameri-
cas- music history. are no
strangers on Mr.. Bales pro-
grams.
Many IntrOductiOns
Looking down the list of
music Mr.. Bales introduced to
Washington. one finds some
of the biggest names in con-
temporary music. Charles Ives,
now the center of a hot con-
troversy, seems to be a gall
lery staple, with four of his
most important works tthe
Concord sonata. the first