r Tuesday, November 21, 1972
THE MICHIGAN DAILY
Page Three
Tuesday, November 21, 1972 THE MICHiGAN DAILY Page Three
rGTIFF M,,R
DIAL
665-6290
"Breathtakingly Beautiful"
MUSIC-University Musical Society presents Itzhat Perlman,
a leader among the world's young violinists tonight at
8:30 in Hill Aud. as part of the Choral Series.
SCHOOL OF MUSIC-opera Sister Angelica by Puccini and
Ibert's Angelique tonight at 8, Mendelssohn; flute stu-
dent recital at SM Recital Hall this afternoon at 4:30.
ART-Dept. of Art presents a Bachelor of Fine Arts Show
today 2-5 at Union Gallery. These works are by Decem-
ber graduates of the art school, undergrad.; The works
of Otmar Alt are featured today at Lantern Gallery.
POETRY-University Extension Service and English Dept.
sponsor a poetry reading today at 4:10 in the UGLI
Multi-purpose room by Diane Wakoski, author of "The
Motorcycle Betrayed Poems."
FILM-The Marx Brothers' The Cocoanuts will be shown at
7, 8:45 tonight in Aud. A presented by AA Film Coop.
About this film, Daily reviewer Larry Lemperat says:
Will you buy a used a beachfront lot from this funny
little man with the shifty eyebrows and the big cigar?
Neither will any of Groucho's resort hotel guests, until
some stolen jewels enter the picture. In the Marx Broth-
ers' first talkie, unless the Coop has laid its hands on
an unusually good copy, the soundtrack is regrettably
fuzzy. But the visual antics should compensate for any
lost quickie quips as, with their usual flair for fun, the
quartet sweeps into the hotel business.
Cinema Guild presents Bergman's Through a Glass
Darkly at Arch. Aud. tonight at 7; 9:05. About this film,
Daily reviewer David Gruber says:
In this film Bergman concentrates on a small family
whose members are separated from each other by emo-
tional coldness or inadequacy. The daughter gradually
goes insane, but in her insanity attains a clear, desperate
vision of the life around her. As the others wait for a
voice, human or perhaps divine, God appears to her as
a spider.
High School is featured by the Woman's Studies Film
Series tonight at 7 in the UGLI Multi-purpose Rm.
By DONALD SOSIN
Paniagua Quartet; European
Music of the Middle Ages; Sat.
Nov. 18, 8:30 p.m. Rackham Aud-
itorium; Chamber Arts Series of
the University Musical Society.
Music in the Medieval period
must have been exciting. There
was no common practice as far
as instrumentation goes; rhythm,
and tempo were not notated until
the beginning of the Renaissance,
so in a number of ways, there
was a great deal of flexibility in
performance which, with t h e
Renaissance, began to die out.
During the Baroque p e r i o d
there was still some leeway, as
keyboard players were accustom-
ed to improvise on a given bass
line - improvisation has always
been a part of Western music,
with cadenzas and romantic in-
dividuality interpretations still al-
lowing for personal points of view
up until this century. More re-
cently, performers have made
a fetish of playing only exactly
what is, written down, taking
few, if any, liberties with tempo,
and never attempting to meddle
with notes as they were set, down.
This is a rather myopic way
of looking at music, for it results
in large numbers of musicians
who sound basically the same.
which becomes awfully boring.
The great thing about music is
that one can and should be able
to put one's self into it as much
as possible. Contemporary com-
posers are giving performers
more freedom of choice in many
pieces: improvisation is possible,
sometimes notes can be played
in any order or rhythm, and
avant-garde graphic notation
merely suggests the general
shape of an idea and it is up to
the performer to fill in the de-
tails.
Thus now there is a somewhat
Paniagua recital:
Medieval whirlwind
SAT. & SUN, "MAGIC XMAS TREE"
MATINEES
Only
at 1 & 3
self-conscious attitude about what
was, in Medieval times, simply
a matter of course.
It is no wonder, then, t h a t
Medieval music sounds so much
fresher and joyous than a lot of
contemporary music. All it takes
is artists who have some imag-
ination, and can apply it to the
jumbles of dots on old manu-
scripts, creating their own ver-
sion of a tune played 700 years
ago.
Four such artists are the mem-
bers of the Paniagua Quartet.
Three brothers of that name,
(the youngest of whom is 16),
and a fourth, Pablo Cano, make
up this ensemble, which is part
of a larger Madrid group called
Atrium Musicae.
What makes the quartet unique
is that, not only do the players
investigate manuscripts to find
material, they also make most
of their own instruments, based
on drawings and what few Medie-
val instruments have survived.
With over 30 different instru-
ments onstage, there was a pos-
sibility for great variety in sound
and tone color, which was fully
exploited during the hour-and-a-
half concert.
One typical grouping was re-
bab (a type of fiddle), recorder,
and two sets of small bells, for
the opening trio of tunes in the
thirteenth-century song forms
virelai and rondeau. Other com-
binations were made by switch-
ing among viols, drums, crumm-
horns (a nasal reed instrument),
a virginal (precursor of the harp-
sichord), and organ.
There were no works of great
length; many were simple ditties
that were repeated three or four
times with changing instrumenta-
tion. Others were actual compos-
ed pieces by Dufay Machaut, de
La Halle and other recognized
masters of the pre-Renaissance
period.
It was fascinating to hear in
one Spanish piece how much en-
ergy and life could spring from
a single line, played by a trans-
verse flute and the organ, and
accompanied by two sets of tiny
drums, no more than five inches
in diameter, played with the fing-
ers.' The effect was stupendous,
as the drummers played li t t I e
variations around a constant rhy-
thmic pattern (speed up the
-basic tango rhythm about four
times and you'll have it) with
the tempo increasing to a rous-
ing finish.
But if it was simplisitic, it was
not simple-minded. Someone once
made a careful distinction to me
between being childlike and child-
ish. This was the former - in-
nocent and pure. And a' lot of
the charm lay in that most of
the music was extremely soft.
and delicate, adding further in-
timacy to always cozy Rackham
hall.
'Norway' reaches
heights of inanitty
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41 i rliatu 1 ti1J
Great Paper!
Enjoy It!
Y JAMES 1
C HAN EY '
and the
ALL STARS'
217SASH 2vM-2AM
For a subscription
call 764-0558
_____ ___F
TUESDAY, Nov. 21st, 7 & 8:45 p.m.
THE MARX BROTHERS' FIRST SOUND FILM
THE
COCOAN UTS
MONDAY, Nov. 27th, 7 & 9:30 p.im.
ADDED TO OUR SCHEDULE:
Paniagua Quartet
THE
KING
OF
HEARTS
d), 7 & 9:30 p.m.
TUESDAY, Nov. 28th (NOT the 22n'
Let your mind scan
Alt's fanciful prints
. as siaiss~sN
Truff ut's THE WILD CHILD
(Correction from date given on our printed schedule
ALL SHOWINGS IN AUDITORIUM "A," ANGELL HALL-$1
Tickets for all of each evening's shows a n sale outside the auditorium at 6 p.m.
STARTS WEDNESDAY
"'LADY SIN"GS "'THE~ BLUES'
A RED HOT S MASHI"
-Gene Shalit, NBC-TV
By VERONICA GERAN
"What influences my work? I
have to start in a good mood.
When people view my work, they
come in and they feel better,"
explains Otmar Alt, a German
artist whose work is currently
on display at the Lantern Gal-
lery,
Born in Berlin in 1940, Alt be-
gan his work as an artist ap-
proximately twelve years ago.
Studying in Berlin, with Herman
Beckman, he received his "pur-
ple star," (a European equiva-
lent to our masters degree). He
was awarded the Franz-Roh
Prize "Collage 67" in Munich in
1967.
It was but six years ago that
he had his first gallery opening
in Berlin. A series of 24 one-
man shows in various European
and American galleries then fol-
lowed.
When asked why he wished to
travel to so many places he re-
plied that he is compiling a
"world flight souvenir."
The showing at the Lantern
Gallery displays his recent silk
screens, one of which is printed
and sold as wallpaper. His last
and very recent showing was in
New York where he displayed
his paintings. A variety of his
Daily Photo by KAR4N KASMAUSKI
- ----
work will also be shown soon
in London.
Alts' work borders between the
whimsical, and the surrealistic.
He uses bright colors, (hinting of
Karl Appel), and he juxtaposes
them amidst contrasting textur-
es in collage-like forms. His work
takes on a fanciful organic qual-
ity that is very pleasing to t h e
eye.
I sense an instant delight, and
a return to thosetchildhood fables
expressed here in an adult man-
ner. There is a sense of Alts'
poetry. As he says, "My art style
is a language with which I can
speak to my viewers," thus
breaking all language barriers.
Alts' subject matter is inter-
esting and unusual. Depicting ani-
mals that range from "Hippo",
to his "Cows with Utters," he
illustrates these creatures in a
fanciful way. In his "Night
Dogs," he uses gradations in ton-
al values, in an eye-appealing
manner.
His shapes hold an imaginative
quality that is easy to relate to.
It brings thoughts of fairy tales,
fables, and dreams, so richly
filled with captivating mystery.
The playful energy of Alt
speaks strongly, and somehow I
left his show with a happier feel-
ing.
I would encourage people to see
this exhibit, and for at least an
hour let their minds scan t h e
forms, textures, and colors of
these prints.
The Lantern Galley, located
on 301 North Main St., will fea-
ture Alt's works through Novem-
ber 30th.
By BRUCE SHLAIN
The ABC Corporation, with the
aid of color by Deluxe and Super-
panavision (little else in the way
of artistic impulse is discernible),
has endeavored to foist upon the
public a lusciously extravagant
extravaganza called Song of Nor-
way. While supposedly modeled
after panoramic musicals a la
The Sound of Music, Norway
reaches lofty heights of inanity
the likes of which Busby Berk-
ley never could have dreamed.
Then again, Busby. had never
seen Florence Henderson; he sim-
ply did not know what was pos-
sible.
It would be unfair to heap all
of the criticism for this putrid
movie on Florence's ultra-dull
study of vacuity (which consists
primarily of smiling and occas-
sionally even being wistful). Un-
fair because so many members of
the cast deserve similar mock-
ing. Suffice it to say that on
most weekdays Marilyn Turner
packs more emotion into the
nightly weather reports. Although
it is difficult to decide, Taurav
Maurstad, in the role of compos-
er Edvard Grieg, is probably as
repulsive as Henderson.
It is indeed unfortunate t h a t
Grieg did not have relatives sur-
viving him who could have stop-
ped this ridiculous parody of his
life, reducing what must have
been a sensitive and fertile mind
to a portrait of imbecilic exhuber-
ance.
The film is billed as "a song
for the heart to sing . . . for
the world to love." Granted, di-
rector Andrew Stone was not at-
tempting to rival the New Wave
in depicting the seamy side of
life. His ambitions, actually, -are
probably closer to those my fath-
er had when filming the family
trip to Miami Beach. Indeed,
Norway would be easier to watch
if I was able to pick out my rela-
tives now and then. But they are
actors, and they do it for a liv-
ing, which makes it harder to
excuse them for looking so fool-
ish.
With a gargantuan effort, I
might be able to push my cynic-
ism to the side for a moment.
But then one has to know: If
such films as Song of Norway are
to be our last bastions of ro-
manticism, must they be so re-
moved from reality that the view-
er is forced to contemplate the
happiness running rampant on
the screen as strictly make-be-
lieve? Allow me to offer an ex-
ample. When forced to endure a
musical number in which, be-
lieve it or not, the choregraphy
consists of an outdoor choir
jumping up and down in t h e
snow like cherubic, smiling pis-
tons, all that struck me was a
horrible sense of the absurdity
of human joyfulness, if this is
what it is.,
Quite frankly, any movie that
can inspire one to regard human
happiness as absurd seems to be
based on an unhealthy premise.
It strikes me as more than just
a bit ironic that the very forces
behind the making of a monstro-
sity like Song of Norway regard
it as filling that large need that
everyone assumes the Midwest
has for clean movies. Andrew
Stone, who produced as well as
directed it, would probably get
along well with Larry Carino,
the general manager of WJBK
who is preventing the showing
of In Cold Blood on Detroit tele-
vision.
Both probably feel that child-
ren, especially, would garner a
greater moral sensibility by not
being subjected to the blood,
mud, and beer of "art" movies.
But what are they being sub-
jected to in Norway? Well, in
one instance, Grieg is shown try-
ing to get the attention of an in-
fluential composer, while both
are riding carriages at breakneck
speeds. Grieg eventually does get
his attention by riding him off
a bridge and into a river. The
man could have been killed, yet
everyone gets up laughing. Very
funny.
I would not want to give the
impression that Song of Norway
is a monotonous infusion of sug-
ary, syrupy, mindless pap, but
I would suggest that anyone who
is in the least diabetic s h au I d
stay away from the Michigan.
A
R
T
S
i j
a
0
"'LADY SINGS THE BLUES' IS A
MOVIE-MOVIE THAT IS A JOY TO WALLOW
IN WITH LUMP IN THROAT AND A SONG
IN YOUR HEART! DIANA ROSS MAKES HER
SCREEN DEBUT AS BILLIE HOLIDAY-AND A
LOVELY ONE IT IS!"
-Judith Crist, New York Magazine
"DIANA ROSS DELIVERS THE KIND OF
PERFORMANCE THAT WINS OSCARS!
SHE IS UNCANNILY EFFECTIVE IN CONVEYING
THE ESSENCE OF BILLIE HOLIDAY'S
SINGING STYLE. IT'S A FITTING AND LASTING
TRIBUTE TO BOTH THEIR TALENTS!"
-Peter Travers, Reader's Digest (EDU)
"ONE OF THE BIGGEST AND BRIGHTEST
SURPRISES OF THE MOVIE YEAR
IS DIANA ROSS!"
-Bruce Williamson, Playboy
"A FILM THAT BOTH MOVES AND
ENTERTAINS! DIANA ROSS HAS SO IMMERSED'
HERSELF IN THE BILLIE HOLIDAY CHARACTER
THAT HER TOTAL CONVICTION SUFFUSES THE
ENTIRE PICTURE. HER RENDITION OF
'GOOD MORNING, HEARTACHE' IS ABOUT AS
HAUNTING AND HEARTBREAKING AS
BILLIE HOLIDAY'S, WHICH IS
NO MEAN TRIBUTE!"
-Arthur Knight, Saturday Review
UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT
WED.: MAX TRUCK
9:30-2:00
FRI. & SAT.: MARCUS
9:30-2:00
O4 208 W. Huron
LUNCHES DAILY
tonight
6:00 2 4 7 News
9 Eddie's Father
50 Flintstones
56 How Do Your Children Grow?
6:30 2 4 7 News
9 Jeannie
50 Gilligan's Island
56 Your Right To Say It
7:00 Truth or Consequences
4 News
7 To Tell the Truth
9 Beverly Hillbillies
50 I Love Lucy
56 French Chef
7:30 What's My Line
4 You Asked For It
7 Parent Game
9 Protectors
50 Hogan's Heroes
56 Who Is?
8:00 2 Maude
4 Movie.
"West Side story.'
7 Temperatures Rising
9 Bobby Sherman Show
56 Family Game
50 Dragnet
See LISTINGS, Page 8
3020 Washtenaw Dial 434-1782
NIGHTLY AT 7:30
Ynnewscreensplenior...
Vhemostmagnificent
pictureever!
"DIANA ROSS IS NOTHING SHOW
OF DAZZLING ... PLAYING WITI
ALTERNATING MOODS THAT AR
SENSITIVE, CHILDLIKE, VULNERABL
SASSY AND PITIFUL. IT'S QUI
A SHOWCASE FOR A MOVIE DEBU
AND SHE MEETS TH
CHALLENGE ADMIRABLY!
-Rex Reed, N.Y. Daily New
H N
RE 0$
E, B
TE F
JT C
HE -
ws DY
SINGS
-THE
BLUES
'YOU CAN ADD DIANA ROSS'
lAME TO OUR LIST OF DEFINITE
DSCAR CONTENDERS FOR'72!
ILLY DEE WILLIAMS IS A SURE SHOT
OR A BEST SUPPORTING
DSCAR NOMINATION!"
-Rona Barrett, Syndicated Columnist
DIAL
662-6264
TONIGHT!
ITZHAK PERLMAN, Violinist
IN RECITAL
HILL AUDITORIUM
"ICKETS AVAILABLE AT:
UNIVERSITY
illMM
DIAL 668-6416
~QIW bO'N
sefl*
1w
PARAMOUNT PICTUES COPOPAT1ON and BEPW GODY xesent DIA ROSS IN "LADY SINGS THE BLUES'
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