Page Two

THE MICHIGAN DAILY

Wednesday, February 24, 1971

___ ToTH IHGA AL


Stern:
© Copyright 1971
By JOHN HARVITH
Striding across the stage, he
tunes his fiddle, tosses about his
silver mane with a willful fling
of the head, then stares defiantly
at late-corners. He impatiently
swings his fiddle bow back and
forth, waiting for the audience to
quiet down, to concentrate, and
to devote themselves as selflessly
to the music as he does. This is
Isaac Stern, world-renowned mas-
ter of the violin, as he revealed
himself to the University Musi-
cal Society's concert audience
last Sunday afternoon at Hill
Auditorium.
Backstage, however, the re-
lentless frown of concentrated,
musical dedication gives way to
the rare wit, candor and warmth
of an eloquent, urbane conversa-
tionalist. Stern thus met each
A rt:RO
By JIM THOMPSON
The Toledo Museum of Art cur-
rently is showing an exhibition
'Painting in Italy in the Eigh-
teenth Century: Rococo to Ro-
nanticsm." A joint effort of the
Art Institute of Chicago, the
Minneapolis Institute of Arts,
and the Toledo Museum of Art,
the exhibition is the first compre-
hensive attempt to present paint-
ing in Italy in the 18th Century.
This exhibition, which will run
until March 21, is a major step
in bringing attention to an era
which has almost been forgotten.
The 18th century in Italian.
painting has never been given
the close scrutiny it deserves. In
some extreme views it has been
seen as the dying embers of great
Italian art. By presenting so
many works of high quality, the
directors of the three museums
hope to induce positive discus-
sions of this period. As Ellis
Waterhouse n o t e s throughout
his introduction to the exhibition
catalogue, research in this field
has made some progress, but
Ouch more remains. The cata-
.ogue for this exhibition may in
fact be one of the most compre-
hensive texts on the period. It-
'contains a small essay on each
artist and the paintings with sev-
eral technical discussions at the
end. One problem however, is
created by the book: Water-
house's essay is oriented to the
types of paintings done during
the period while the show itself
I: set up according to the Italian
regonal schools.
However, the paintings them-
selves are the show, riot the cata-
logue. The period was one of
mn"y regional schools, many
types of paintings and many de-
grees of skill and ability. The
schools are made apparent by the
set-up of the exhibition. The
various types of paintings, re-
ligious, genre, landscape, his-
torical, and portraiture, can be
seen; but not easily compared
due to .the arrangement.
Religious painting may suffer
somewhat in this exhibition. The
major works are still in the
tchurches they were designed for
and could not be moved. Also,
their size prohibits transporta-
tion to the States. A number of
srlaler paintings are displayed
,including several by Giovanni
Tiepolo one of the truly great ar-
titsts of this period. Among sub-
jects from the Old Testament is
Judith and Holofernes. The exhi-
bition is particulary ri h in ver-
sions of this story so that the

viewer may follow the tale from
Judith's introduction to Holo-
fernes, through the actual be-
heading (via stop-action), to the
display of the head to the crowd.
Although not popular today, the
story of Judith beheading Holo-
fernes fascinated the 17th and
18th centuries.
WOMEN Q0
againstI mperialismY
Plans to be made for talking
with women in community about
war and women's needs.
Strauss Lounge
E. Quad
Wed., Feb. 24, 7:38 p.m.
Tues., Wed.-Feb. 23, 24
AMERICAN FILM STUDIES
CAMILLE

Silver mane,

candor and

question of this pesty intermis-
sion interviewer with furrowed
brow, followed by streams of
cogent commentary on urgent
musical-socio-political issues of
our time. A joyous re-affirmation
of the artist as individual emerg-
ed.
Commenting on Harold Schon-
berg's indictment of music
schools for producing interpre-
tively sterile breed of graduate
instrumentalists, Stern dramatic-,
ally brushes the air with one arm.
"Talent is not manufactured or
drowned by conservatories. It is
always there." Only nostalgia
and inaccuracy dictate otherwise,
he continues. True soloists have
power, personality and talent."
"My teacher (Naoum Blinder)
taught the student to teach him-
self. The majority of his sutdents
played their own way.'

According to Stern, Blinder's
main function as teacher was to
keep a student from developing
bad habits, and to let him devel-
op his own talent as intelligence
permitted. Therefore Stern sees
music as a constant search fo,
better things. There is no one
way to interpret a work.
Turning to the problem of un-
inspired concert conditions, so
prevalent today in the U..., Stern
points the accusing finger at
orchestras. "It is the orchestra
around which all is built-opera,
concerts. Soloists there will "l-
ways be. But the complete mu-
sical life depends on the talents
of conductors and the degree to
which they can engage the mu-
sicians' enthusiasm."
In the past, Stern feels, it was
a fight for the average musician

to keep his position in an orches-
tra, since he lived under the per-
petual fear of being fired at a
conductbr's whim. Today, orches-
tral musicianship has changed
from its former status of an art
to a mere job, with the unionized
instrumentalist as jobber. "The
average orchestral member wor-
ries more about dental care for
his grandson than about a phrase
from Mozart."
Stern commented on the cur-
rently precarious state of the
Soviet - American cultural ex-
change program. While disclaim-
ing any intent to be a party to
this controversy, Stern neverthe-
less offers some views.
"Unfortunately, the Soviets
have treated cultural exchange
far more politically than we have
because there the State is the

concert - making ager
artists are considered r
tatives of the governmi
U.S. artists are seen as
emissaries, even though1
not. Yet the Soviets ca
ceive of this." Given thi
premise, Stern goes on,
vious that political actio
U.S. can be offensive in1
the public attention it d
"There is anti-Semitisn
sia, all to the contrary o
denials and outright fa
but it's nothing new. I c2
done radical political ac
though I've always supp
tions of a dignified cha
Leafletting and peacefu
ing are fine, Stern feels.
a democracy one must
the freedom of those wit
you disagree."
"This is a free soci
we're all willing to leti

warmth
ncy. All tion be known. But when demon-
epresen- strations are brought into the
ent, and concert hall, they destroy artis-
official tic performance. It is unconscioi-
they arc able and cowardly to attack a de-
n't ccn- fenseless visiting artist." Sucn
s Soviet demonstrations, Stern fears, may
it is ob- bring retribution not only to fel-
n on the low artists, but to co-religionists
terms of in Russia as well. "It is one thing
raws. to fight fire with fire, but don't
n in Rus- also get down in the gutter, be-
f official cause then you end up there,
lsehood, equally dirty."
an't can- " They (the protesters) have
tion, a- -made their mark and have cre-
oed ac- ated a visible light on a problem
)ract ac in front of everyone's eyes, but
l picket- which people previously didn't
Being in open their eyes enough to see.
fight for It is a major problem despite our
h whom own problems here at home. This
shouldn't make us close our eyes
ety, and to different problems at other
informa- ports of the world."

AlIRPORT
LIMOUSINES
for information call
971-3700
Tickets are available
at Travel Bureaus or
the Michigan Union
32 Trips Day
A RAY STARK"HERBERT ROSS P .c-. .
Barbra Streisand
Geofe iSegal
TheOiwt
and the Pussct
TONIGHT'S SHOWS
at 7 & 9

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HOLDING OVER.. .
Two of your
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1214 S. UNIVERSITY


4

I

AND

4

coco to Romanticism

Among the most interesting
works in the show are those by
the veduta or view painters.
Most of these artists were from
Venice, but also include Panin
of Rome. These artists illustrat-
ed . the major monuments and
vistas of their city, both the an-
cient and the more contempor-
ary. Many of these paintings
were purchased by young Lng-
lishmen on the Grand Tour.yield-
ing a profound effect on English
painting. Two of the best are
Canaletto's View of ,he Piazza
San Marco from the Cleveland
Museum of Art and Francesco
Guardi's The Grand Canl Venice
from the Art Institute of Chicago.
Canaletto's painting illustrates
his interest in long, dynamic
vistas defined by almost monoto-
nously repetitive arcades. In
contrast to Canaletto's light, airy
piazza, Guardi presents a dark-
er, more ominous scene. Also

Guardi's brushwork is looser,
more n e a r ly impressionistic,
while Canaletto works in a tight-
er, more controlled manner.
One aspect of the 18th century
was the shift in patronage away
from Italy to England and Ger-
many. As mentioned many of
the veduta paintings were pur-
chased by young Englishmen,
and English artists were sent to
Italy in large numbers to be
trained. A number of Italian ar-
titsts including Canaletto went
to England at this time. Unfor-
tunately, none of his London
views are exhibited. One other
aspect of the intercnange be-
tween England and Italy is the
project picture, including two
done by Creti and Pittoni for
monuments to the Duke of Marl-
borough and the Earl of Stan-
hope. These monuments are an
accumulation of motifs from
Antiquity, Renaissance eques-

Swinging to the beat

trian monuments and Renais-
sance and Baroque architecture
and decorative works. These am-
ply demonstrate the growing
eclecticism in Rococo art.
New tendencies in Italian art
of this time are demonstrated
in the numerous genre and por-
trait paintings. -Single portraits .
include all social strata from stu-
dents (Fra Galgario) to artists
(Longhi) to -popes and cardinals
(Batoni). The portrait painters
viewed their subjects with equal-
ly diverse attitudes including ob-
jective realism, subjective em-
pathy, and caricature. Portrai-
ture blends into genre with the
several scenes of artists aththeir
easels and group portrait pre-
sented as the arts.
The paintings range from the
highest level as suggested by the
Canaletto and the Guardi to the
interesting including a Judith
clutching Holofernes' severed
head and looking a bit unsure cf
what to do with it. The exhibition
reflects the variety of ideas and
personalities in a very diversive
period. At the least the exhibition
can counter the extreme views
of the 18th century as merely a
transition from the Baroque to
the Neo-Classical.
Miii $1 50~

Tomorrow Night at the Coop
IS THE LAST NIGHT TO SEE
Costa Gavra's
S uspense Thriller
IN AUD. A AT MIDNIGHT
(Also at 7 & 9:30)
FOR JUST 75c
TRYOUTS for Jerry Biliks
original musical comedy
"The Brass and Grass Forever"

1


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603 E. Liberty St.

"One of the
Year's Ten Best!"

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DOORS OPEN 12:45
Shows at
1, 3, 5, 7, 9 p.m.

I

New York Daily News
PARAMOUNT PICTURES PRESENTS
Ali Mac~raw " Ryan O'Neal"

4

will be held at Civic Theatre
Building-201 Mulholland Dr.
7:30-10:30 P.M. Thurs., Feb. 25
1-5P.M. Sunday, Feb. 28
In Michigan League Studio Room
7:30-10:3 P.M. Fri., Feb. 26

A ThAY LE d
4', Best Sona r
A HOWARD G. MINSKY-ARTHUJR HIRLER Production


NOTE: Glenda Jackson
won the N.Y. Film Critics'
award as "Best Actress"
for her work in "Women
in Love"

By J.P. MILLER
Monday night, the University
Chamber Choir proved that per-
fection in the modern world has
not vanished. From Bach to
Gershwin, they swing to t h e
beat, and proclaim the mood.
To the joy of Womans' Lib,
females can' sound like monks,
and the soronous polyphone of
Bach's Sixth Motet came
straight from the Chapel. The
often sought tension and pulling
which emphasize t h e melding
dischordant melodies of such a
work, combined h e r e with a
tremulous sotto voce; a fervent
essay of prayer.
Past some additional Motets
by Thomas Tallis, they settled
on Tros Chansons de Maurice
Ravel. Full of charm, the group
used t h e emphatic surges of
rhythm - forty voices trans-
fused the gulf to a sound. of a
few country singers.
A word to the tone of the
group.; it has a magical ingre-
dient. Though Robert Shaw
probably couldn't describe t h e
proper make-up, the effect arit-
es out of cheerful yet concerned
singers - a great lilt is pres-
ent, the strongest basses adding
fullness, the group retaining an
all-enthralling levity.
Moving from Chamber to Full
Choir sound, a small orchestra
joined them for Vesperae Sole-.
mnes de Confessore by Mozart.
The choir sounded a hundred
strong, but the orchestra ruin-
ed it all. With a sixth grade col-

lection of violinists, the f o u r
players produced that many dif-
ferent pitches for every written
note. Not that dischord can't be
pleasant, but with Mozart? In
the proclamatory Dixit, the
Choir thankfully drowned them
out, but the inspiring music of
Laudate Dominum was sad be-
yond the mood.
An unusually romantic a n d
mystical Schoenberg followed,
with Friede auf Erden. Though
a capella work, the accompan-
iment ivas slight, and the sound
observable. Intentionally light,
the focus proved a little breathy
for my taste, the wispiness
evading purposeful content.
The finale, and certainly the
climax of the concert was se-
lections from Porgy and Bess by
Gershwin. Proud the opera com-
pany who would have this
group. Capturing the unique
beat, with the precision of the
earliest Baroque, t h e group
soared. Roberta Alexander, sing-
ing of "mah man" led the group.
Truly professional material, the
Met's best would be hard put
to duplicate her lighthearted
mature tone, immense strength,
and soulful feeling. Typical of
the group, yet thoroughly out-
standing in her own right, one
can look forward to seeing ber
as a great. The orchestra, with
the addition of some new music-
ians, mercifully consented to
play the music, and added to
the excellent singers presenting
the parts of the opera as they
were meant to be performed.

Singing and dancing roles for both men and women,
as well as good character parts. Performances May
5-8 and May 12-15 (8 performances, all together).
At Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre.

Jahn Marley & Ray Milland ERICH SEGAL ARTHUR HLLER
ProucedI by xtn o a u sic Jby mCOLOR
HOWARD6. MINSKY DAVID GOLDEN FRANCIS[Al APM TCTURE "
SOUND TRACK ALBUM AVAILABLE ON PARAMOUNT RECORDS *
FREE LIST SUSPENDED DURING "LOVE STORY"

4

Electra

I

Rec. Artist

Jean



i


Redpalh

E.M.U. PLAYERS SERIES
EMU'S QUIRK AUDITORIUM 2
WED.-SUN., FEB. 24-28
Reservations: 487-1221 (weekdays 12:45-4:30

$2.04

from
Scotland

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... serene &
soothing, gutteral
& lusty."
Boston Globe
.. . head &
shoulders above
most folk singers
to be heard
today."

vo

7 7E


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New York Times

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I

h8:0 mI

U ~ A L m NI'--' k