Evening star., 1960-03-13
NEWS OF MUSIC
Structure Of Program
Is Ruled by FormuIoe

WIFI dIl ONcTGuI6, COIlGlIluS
with a symphony or tone
poem. and after the inter-
mission expire with a number
of operate excerpts, marches
and other short and light
pieces.
Soloist A Necessity Now
The virtuoso soloist was
also a visitor to the symphony
orchestra, but it is only with
in my own memory that he
has become a necessary fea-
ture of every symphony con-
cert. Management realized
that a personality as a center
Of attention was much more
successful than a melody,
however beautiful or how
ever familiar.
Today, the concerto soloist,
usually a pianist, now and
then a violinist, almost never
a cellist, has taken the place
of the symphony, which in
turn, it is thankfully to be
observed, has taken the place
Of the potpouri.
Once in a while the elderly
II not superannuated guest
conductor substitutes for
soloist. for if it can be re-
membered that grandpa
spoke favorably of him he be-
comes a good draw. Also,
his age precludes him from
becoming a serious competi-
tor to the resident conductor.
Contemporary works may
be played on symphony pro-
grams, provided they are well
subsidized by foundations;
when present they are sand
wiched between Tchaikovsky
and Brahms.
Song Recital Discipline
The programs Of song re-
citals are subject to a diff
ferent discipline. They are de-
signed to open with an aria
by Handel or an early italian
composer, continue with a
group Of lieder by Wolf or
Brahms, reach a climax in a
big operate scena with piano
accompaniment, and, after
a song written by the piano.
player, wind up with a num-
Der Of folk song arrangements
and other trifles. I suppose
the reason that there are so
few intelligently planned
vocal recitals is that a singers
repertoire grows by slow ac-
cretion. She has learned the
Handel for her conservatory
graduation exercise, the
Brahms and Wolf are from
her worn volume of so famous
songs for high voice, the ac-
companist's song Is prede-
termined, and that leaves
only the novelty numbers to
be learned and studied.
Piano recitalS are pro-
grained by groups. What are
you planning for your first
group?" Suburban Artists
Management may inquire Of
one Of its artists. Moments
Musicals? Too long and OBJ
scure. Make it the Busoni ar
rangement of the Bach D
minor fugue. Then, of course,
the Chopin Funeral March
sonata. What about your last
group? We don't really care
what you do. just so nothing
is more than two minutes
long"
There are several other dis
tinctiye program categorieS
those of organists. string
quartets (by far the least
stereotyped), woodwind en-
sembles, and choral societies.
AS one listens to contemp-
orary programing week after
week, the impression is that
those with most at stake
the big artists managements,
the symphonies, the operas,
and the dozen artists whose
names are household words"
are the most timid and con-
servative. You can hardly
blame them. Imagination and
originality are to be found,
when at all, among the
young artists and those who
make music primarily for the
love Of it. You can well be
grateful to them.
y
The News OF Music" article
which appeared in The Star
on February 81 should have
identified the opera Susan
nah," by Carlisle Floyd, as
the copyright property of the
firm Of Boosey & Hawkes., Inc.