Page:The New Yorker 0003, 1925-03-07.pdf/22

JAZZ has become respectable and we might as well was performed "a musical interpretation by Louis begin looking ahout for a new form of musical Gruenberg of Vachel Lindsay's poem, "The Daniel Dushkin ended his violin recital with this group: euphemistically as a chamber music orchestra was di-

LA FONTAINE D'ARETHUSE Szymanowski rected by the industrious Howard Barlow, and Colin FANTASQUE ET LECER. Debussy O'More intoned the text. The result, however, SHORT STORY sounded greatly like another one of those compositions MELODY AND SCHERZO George Gershwin performed by the Leagues, Guilds, Societies, Friends (from "Rhapsody in Blue"} and other Tonvereins dedicated to the esoteric. Gershwin, greeted less than a year ago as a not un- Lindsay's verses are a set-up for any composer, but welcome intruder from the precincts known to cog- Mr. Gruenberg failed to push over this set-up. The noscenti as Tin Pan Alley, has settled easily into the only audible jazz was the jazz in the lines and in the background of Szymanowski and Debussy. He is ac- brilliant presentation of them by Mr. O'More. The cepted, His newer works are discussed as gravely as rest, unfortunately, was not silence. the lucubrations, let us say, of Schönberg. At the age of twenty-seven, George Gershwin, the genial George of the mobile cigar, is already a classic. Last year he On the same program with the Daniel Jazz there was ragtime's Stravinsky. This year he is the Broad- was the first production of a single act opera called blithely "Gagliarda of a Merry Plague,” by Lazare The fight, started almost a decade ago by Hiram K. Saminsky, conducted with vehemence hy the composer, Moderwell in "Seven Arts," and carried on by Gilbert sung with undeniable enthusiasm by Richard Hale, Seldes, Deems Taylor, Samuel Chotzinoff, and their an interesting debutante named Patricia O'Connell colleagues, is won. Ragtime entered the concert hall and a small chorus, and danced in good high school in the Gallic motley of Milhaud and Stravinsky, but festival fashion by Paul Oscaid and several assistants. finally we have it without French dressing. These The simple libretto, constructed by Mr. Saminsky, is are the salad days of jazz! a serviceable affair, dealing with the entrance of The Gershwin pieces, performed delightfully by Death, disguised as a Jester, into the feast of a prince, the gifted Dushkin and his extraordinary accompanist, his beloved and his courtiers. Gregory Ashman, not only won repetition, but ob- The setting had less utility, for its strange intervals scured the well advertised bench made Rhapsody on made vicious demands on the solo artists. Conse- Ancient Hebrew Themes by Blair Fairchild. "Short quently, Mr. Saminsky's offering was not even a howl- Story” is the public appearance ing success, for Mr. Hale and of a theme which Gershwin has Miss O'Connell demonstrated played in his inimitable manner commendable restraint in nego- for his friends a score of times. tiating its outlandish top notes. It is short, plaintive and unfor- What this opera needs most is to gettable. The familiar "Rhap- be set to music. sody in Blue" made a fascinating torso of a violin concerto, and the suggestion of a muted trum- The ever ready Mr. Münz pet and a squealing clarinet was has done it again. When Mme. a little bit of genius. Dushkin Leginska vanished, Mr. Münz deserves a few bays not only for regaled her audience with an ex- his playing of the music but for cellent recital. When an in- his skillful collaboration in jury to Mr. Pochon's hand com- adapting it to the violin. pelled the Flonzaley Quartet to cancel its engagement with the State Symphony Orchestra, Mr. A few hours after jazz had Münz again favored the audi- received its certificate of good The spectacular nature breeding in Aeolian Hall, an- of Mr. Münz's appearances in other tribute was paid the New York may savor of the fan- ble art in the Times Square tastic, but the young Polish pian- Theatre by the League of Com- ist is a good artist and an able posers. Before the audience that pinch hitter usually becomes a gathers only at the soirées of this major league regular. And Mr. assembly and of the Interna- Münz is too good to decorate a tonal Composers' Guild there Italo Montemezzi dugout.-Con Brio ence, COVARRUBIAS