Page Two
THE MICHIGAN DAILY
Tuesday, January 13, 1970
Page Two THE MICHIGAN DAILY Tuesday, January 13, 1970
music
The Pro Musica: Sine qua non
theatre
Phoenix rises with
two productions
By JIM PETERS
The last time the New York
Pro Musica were in Ann Arbor,
they brought a whole troupe of
players with them, set-up an
austere stage in the sacristy of
the church on State and Huron,
and marveled the audience in
the stiff pews with The Play of
Daniel. Last night at Rackham,
they accomplished the same
with far less paraphernalia.
There were fears two years
ago that this ensemble, collect-
ed in the 50's around such peo-
ple as Russel Oberlin, would
languish after the death of its
founder Noah Greenberg. But
the new musical director, John
Reeves White, seems to have
kept things going quite well.
The group can be compared to
very few; there are not many
others of its size and resources
in the world today. Certainly
the Studio for Early Music from
Munich deserves mention, but
they have always been known
for more academic pursuits in
the area ,of Renaissance and
Medieval musicology. The Pro
Musica concentrates on per-
formance and interpretation;
and from last night's concert,
one could see how devoted its
members are.
The program divided into six
large sections, each designed to
display variations in style and
instrumentation. The reproduc-
tions of early instruments which
they used provide a rather thin
patina of sound, with fretted
fingerboards and small sound-
ing boards on the da gamba
strings and small bore wind in-
struments, so ensemble strength
and unity are practically sine
qua non.
The musicians are young, and
as they began Verdelot's brief
"Itala Mia" they seemed to
forget their roles as concert art-
ists and became friends in a col
salon enjoying themselves. W
The five singers continued de
mi
alternating with. the six instru- m
*mentalists in music composed m
for a Medici wedding in 1589. m
Bass Arthur Burrows gave in
weight to the four treble voic-
es of Elizabeth Humes, soprano; mE
Joan Fuerstman, mezzo; Ray co
DeVoll, tenor; and Daniel Col- in
lins, countertenor. Luca Mar- th
enzio's "Belle ne fe natura" or
featured some rough staccato, ke
but the singers felt each nuance er
in the nine madrigals by ha
Giaches de Wert. ba
Collins' solo with lute ac- wi
m
Beethoven in
ea
sit
concerts E
C
ellist Jerome Jelinek, a profes- ~.
TV RENTALS
$10 per month
FREE Service and Delivery
--NO DEPOSIT REQUIRED---
CALL-
INejacrTV Ileuntals
662-5671
SERVING BIG 10 SCHOOLS SINGE 1961
The fruitful alliance of the
two theatrical repertory com-
panies, the APA and Phoenix,
dissolved but both are alive and
well and continuing to play in
Ann Arbor. The APA performed
three works for audiences here
last fall and the newly reacti-
vated Phoenix company is head-
ing to Ann Arbor this month
with two new productions.
The Professional Theatre Pro-
gram, which hosts visiting
companies here, is sponsoring
the Phoenix's production of The
Criminals and revival of the
comedy Harvey.
Harvey will star Helen Hayes
and James Stewart and will
play here from Feb. 1-14 before
going on to New York for a run
at the ANTA Theatre. Stephan
Porter, who has directed notable
APA productions including The
Show Off and Private. Lives,
will stage Harvey.
The Criminals will also play
in New York after its run in
Ann Arbor from Jan. 26-31. The
drama, by Cuban playwright-
Jose Triana, deals with youth
rebellion and the generation gap
in terms resembling Genet's.
According to Robert C. Schnit-
zer, executive director of the
Professional Theatre Program,
the Phoenix Company is discus-
sing plans for annual engage-
ments at Michigan under pro-
gram sponsorship.
Subscriptions for Harvey and
The Criminals at discounts may
be obtained at the Professional
Theatre Program ticket office in
Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre.
For information, call (313)
764-0450.
Rent your
Roommate with
a Classified Ad
-
Since its separation from
APIA, the company has been
reactivated by producer T. Ed-
ward Hambleton and director
John Houseman, both of whom
were involved in the alliance.
"Phoenix has been a leading
organization on the New York
scene for many years and pro-
duced scores of notable works
with prominent directors and
stars in past seasons," says
Schnitzer. "Ann Arbor will be
given the privilege of an intro-
duction to the Phoenix this
month and we hope it will prove
a mutually happy new, affilia-
tion."
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A
THE MICHIGAN DAILY
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/
RADICAL FILM SERIES
presents
SALT OF THE EARTH
Directed by: HERBERT BIBERMAN
Starring: ROSAURA REVUELTAS, JUAN CHACON
The Radical Film Series screened SALT OF THE EARTH on October 15th .. Moratorium Day.
Due to all the events of that day, only a few people saw it. Since we consider it one of the
most significant radical films ever made in America, "perhaps the first American peoples'
film" (Leviathan) we've decided to show it again.
SALT OF THE EARTH portrays the bitter struggle of New Mexican zinc miners and their
families for decent working and living conditions. What begins as a walkout over safety
conditions, ends in an understanding of the total dimensions of control that the mining com-
pony holds over their lives. The miner's wives gain insight into their own source of oppression
as they help to win at least a temporary victory in the labor struggle and begin to change their
family and community roles.
"Salt of the Earth is an American movie about workers, which fact alone makes it unusual.
The idea that workers are people, and have conflicts and problems worthy of attention, has
never impressed the American film industry.
-Canadian Broadcasting Company
Salt of the Earth was made in the midst of the McCarthy repression by Herbert Biberman, one
of "the Hollywood unfriendly ten"-,who served a jail term for refusing to testify before
HUAC in 1947. The film industry and the Federal Government did everything in their power
to halt production of the film. Their comments are perhaps its best recommendation:
"One of the most anti-American films ever attempted . . . no motion picture made by
Communists can be good for America . .. Hollywood has gotten rid of these people."
C s b -Roy M. Brewer-Hollywood American Federation of Labor Film Council
filmed under Communist auspices.. . a new weapoinfor Russia .".I would do every-
thing in my power to prevent this film from being shown in public theaters."
-Donald L. Jackson-Rep. Col.-member of HUAC
WEDNESDAY, JAN. 14th
7, 9, I 1 P.M. Admission $1 .00
CANTERBURY HOUSE
330 MAYNARD
- -Y
-'Daily-Sara Krulwich
The artists relax with the audience after the concert
rmpaniment by Christopher
illiams in "Qualmusico gentil"
monstrated his superb dyna-
ic control in a range f r o m
iddle tenor to mezzo; but I
issed the excitement or rubato
his performance.
Part four was purely instru-
ental, but perhaps the least
mpetently performed. It was
the four Italian dances that
eir ensemble loosened, a n d.
ly the percussion's accents
pt the group together. Fred-
izk Renz's performance of a
arpsichord partita by Fresco-
aldi- was expertly ornamented
ith rolled chords, trills and
ordents; but he was too im-
ersed in his technique, and
he piece, especially in t h e
arly movements, lacked expres-
on.
The tiny "Canzon a otto,
cho per Sonar" by Bastian
,hilese set krummhorn against
sopranino recorder which pick-
ed up the cadences of each pre-
csding line. Here the instru-
mentalists were in tight ensem-
ble, and their timing perfect-
ly accurate as the echo event-
ually joined the unison group.
I feel the program should
have perhaps ended at this
point, for the Monteverdi mad-
rigais which concluded were of
little historical interest. For it
is, I think, the role of a "Pro
Musica Antiqua" to devote itself
to music and texts before the
stylized times of the Late Re-
naissance.
At this point only competent
and dedicated singers are neces-
sary for a fine interpretation.
But the work of interpreting and
-ealizing bare scores can only
be done by musicians educated
in the stylistics and intricacies
of early music.
Monteverdi's lines were too
much of a harness for these per-,
formers. Already the bold in-
tensity of de Wert's "Forsennata
gridava" has been tempered to
the sober melancholy of "0 viva
fiamma." Their singing here was
tight and fluent, with outstand-
ing work by DeVoll and Collins
in "Zefiro torna"; but I feel that
there are more interesting and
challenging things to be done.
The task of unearthing pre-
Baroque music is immense; and,
fortunately today, things are
moving faster than during the
hundred years it took to redis-
cover Bach. Musicologists and
craftsman have provided the
instruments, and groups such
as the New York Pro Musica
arc 'ising them. The squeaks
and grunts of rauschpfeifes and
krummhorns are becoming more
and more familiar, as Purcell's
line about "all the instruments
of joy" slowly becomes real.
We'll pay -youSO0
to try our pizza
during Little Caesars
sor in the music school, and Rhea
Kish, well-known Ann Arbor
pianist, will commemorate the
200th anniversary of Beethoven's
birth by presenting two programs
of his complete repertoire for cello
and piano.
The second concert is to be given
tonight at 8 p.m. in Rackham Lec-
ture Hall. Admission is free.
Jelinek and Mrs. Kish have been
performing together for more than
X10 years, touring extensively
throughout the United States and
Europe. Their most recent Euro-
pean tour last May included two
performances in London and
guest broadcasts opm the French
National Radio and Belgian Na-
tional Radio and Television Net-
work.
. r
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SPECIA L
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fit
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off
A..w,.l A n11_DV YOU,
CINEMA GUILD
American Studies
Program
Jan. 13, 14-Jues.- Wed.
BIRTH OF A NATION
Dir. D. W. Griffith, 1915
I
II
Griffith built a
ment to the noble
monu-
South.
Arch.
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17&
662-8871.
75c.
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Cou nexires January. 30, 19703
CoUacsa
I I,
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