Maria Luigi Carlo Zenobio Salva-tore Cherubini opened the concert at the Lyceum on Sunday with his overture to the opera-ballet "Anacreon" ("LAmour Fugitif"), No special mention need be made of the competent playing of this scholarly and serious music.
The "Fire Bird" ballet undoubtedly made Stravinsky's name, and is to many, his best work. It was commissioned by Diaghilev and thereupon an unprecedented union was formed between the arts of music and the ballet. The early offspring sold like hot cakes even though certain Rimskian spices went into the recipes. Stravinsky produces tunes wita difficulty and then when he does, they often turn out not to be by him at all. The first recognizable tune in the Khorovode, for instance, is a Russian folk song. For all that, though, the "Fire Bird" is a masterly essay in the creating, by orchestral means, of the exotic atmosphere required to hatch out a fable of this sort.
The archest seemed ill-at-ease throughout a good deal of the Suite, and its playing was patchy. Something strange and undermined seemed to happen in the beginning of the first movement. (Was the first flute's face red). The Khorovode was played well although the tempo was much under that known to have been favoured by the composer in his occasional conducting. The Infernal Dance (which is really an infernal thing to play), however,; was ills) formed in its presentation and thus the task of hanging on to the themes as texture became thicker and pace dizzier had to be given up. The trumpet muffed one or two of his rapid "flutter-tongue" phrases, and something really ought to be done about the drummer's blood pressure. Section D—Berceuse and Finale were brilliantly played; the whole suite was hugely appreciated by the audience.
If the music of Stravinsky had engendered any dangerous thoughts they were suitably sifted out in the limitless expanses of J.S.B's contrapuntal and polyphonic meshes. Bach's "Brandenburger" concerto (as the programme had it) is not the meaty piece of work its name implies. The clavicembalo—(anglice harpsichord) turned out to be Old Faithful (nee Sternway). The soloists, Prof. Foa violin, and the two flutes, Messrs. Girardello and Pecheniuk gave a tolerable performance.
The last minute change of programme after the interval was due to the sudden illness of Mme Lerman-Vitenson. Maestro Paci is to be sympathized with in the awkward situation which was thus created, but by very good luck, Mr. Leo Itkis was able to step into the breach. It seemed, though, that the choice of the repetition of the Casella "Scarlattina" suite was rather a pity. Whilst this is undoubtedly a musi-clanly work, its beauty is rather specialized. Surely a happier choice would have been the Strauss "Bur-Jeske" (which Mr. Itkis also has played recently) both as regards a nearer replacement to the Liszt Con-cerro and a deviation from the rather ponderous classical fare which had preceded.
In view of the flutterings which this Casella suite recently caused in the musical dove-cotes. there is nothing much that need be said. The soloist and orchestra played better, if anything, than at the first performance which is particularly commendable in view of the absence of practice. Those to whom arrangements of any sort are disallowed would say "music by Scarlatti; dissonance by Casella," but that would be unfair and exaggerated. Ears which have assimilated and appreciated musical idiom up to and beyond the turn of the century will admit that Casella has improved upon Scarlatti.
Tur 17th regular meeting of the shareholders of the China and South Seas Bank was held in the head office of the bank in Hankow Road March 27. says a report to the in Wan Pao" At the meeting, says the message, Messrs. Wang Yichu and Tao Hsi-chuan were re-elected Chairmen of the Boards of Directors and of Supervisors of the bank, respectively.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.