THE MICHIGAN DAILY
Arts & Entertainm ent Wednesday, October 6, 1 976
Page Five
WELL I DECLARE
________Ken Parsigian
"YOU KNOW," my friend Phil said to me the other day, "I am
generally considered the worst player in the club, while
you are thought to be one of the best. Yet," he continued, "in the
long run I win more money than you do. Do you know why that
is?" he asked.
"It is just one of the many great injustices of life," I answer-
ed. "My mother always told me that this was a cruel world, and
she was right!"
"No, no, no," said Phil shaking his head patronizingly.
"That's not the case at all. It's just that too many people play
too well these days. If everyone plays well, theneveryone else
knows what's going on. For every brilliant stroke there is a bril-
liant counter stroke.
"BUT LOOK at me. I have never claimed to be a master of
technique, only a master of confusion. I believe that it is best to
keep one's opponents off guard, and I always do. How can they
possibly know what I'm up to when I rarely know myself? Since
no one is sure of what is going on, luck becomes an all important
factor. And even you must admit that I am very lucky. So you
see, it is actually easier for a poor player to win than for an
expert one."
Now, this was a difficult argument to refute, and while I was
desperately trying to think of a retort, Margie, who had been
sitting at the table next to us, joined the discussion.
"He is right, you know," she said. "Why just let me tell you
about a hand he played against me the other day."j
So, grabbing a bit of paper, and borrowing my pencil, she
wrote::
North
V Q 10 x
43
* A K Q J 10 9 xx
x x
A2 Symphony:
.ln rtiftr. in ' 1
FLUNKS ON MOZART:
U' S-Ymphony
shows promise
NE- / I f,
By KAREN PAUL
TN POWER CENTER on Sun-
day, the Ann Arbor Sympho-
ny's lack of professionalism was
obvious even before the con-
cert began - a musician walk-
ed onto the stage munching an
apple.
The musicians themselves
were not totally at fault. No
one could be expected to fol-
low the meaningless arm wav-
ing of the conductor, Dr. Ed-
ward Szabo. The string players'
tried hard. They managed to
stick together most of the time,
were usually in tune, and play-
ed with a sensitivity which must
have come from themselves
since Szabo's direction lacked
musicality.
The program began with the
"Suite" from Water Music of
Handel (arranged by Hamilton
Harty). The niece was original-!
ly written for a festival in!
which the nsicians played
while floating down the Thames.
The nine horns of the Ann Ar-
bor Symphony would certainly'
have sunk the barge with their;
stuffy, heavy sound and miss-
ed notes.
THIS BAROQUE music should
be played with a clear, light
horn tone. However, in the fast
movements, Szabo failed to keep'
a steady tempo; the strings
struggled to stay together, but
the bassoon and flute were ac-
curate and musical.
THE EIGHTH SYMPHONY of
Beethoven proved to be too
much for the Ann Arbor mu-
sicians. The performance was
belabored with ragged phrases.
Szabo's conducting style re-
mained the same whether the
character of the themes was
playful, dancelike or somber.
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By KAREN PAUL
frHE UNIVERSITY Sympho-
ny Orchestra showed pro-'
Though I was relieved to see mise under their new conduct-
only four horns on stage, the or, Gustav Meier, in a diver-
section tried to play too loud sified program last Friday at
without supporting their thin Hill Auditorium.
tones in the first and third The orchestra displayed com-
movements, resulting in a slur- petence with the works of Hay-
red blast - the individual notes dn, Berlioz, Mozart and Ives, al-
lost. The strings and woodwinds though its performance was
held the symphony together. somewhat unpolished. Some
After a welcome intermission, credit is due Meier and the
Szabo proved to be a little more orchestra for attempting the
deft in conducting Samuel Bar- complex Ives Symphony No. 4
ber's Adagio for Strings. The sc their first concert of the
piece was pretty with nice, bigs year.
crescendos. The good balance Under Meier's baton, the
and rich tone of the Ann Arbor Haydn Symphony No. 100 took
strings enriched Barber's har- on a likeable personality. The
monies, but releases of chords musicians created delicate
not lwas toethr. passages, fine dynamic contras-
were not always together. Ia a danceable minuet, and
A SATISFYING performance fitting, though exaggerated,
of the Brahms Double Concerto character changes.
for Violin, Cello and Orchestra THE VIOLINISTS ere obid ally,
in A Minor, performed by Gor- but each seemed to be trying
don Staples and Italo Babini, to play a solo rather than listen-
followed. Staples and Babini, ing to each other and playing
concertmaster and principal cel- as a unit. This was especially
list, respectively, of the Detroit apparent in the last movement,
Symphony Orchestra, played where the resto temo made
beautifully in spite of the slop- the pe orsem-othe
py acompnimnt o th or-theproblem worse --- the vio-
py accompaniment of the or- lins kept running away from
chetra(musin honhav eaael) each other and the rest of the
clear, singing tones and played orchestra.
eve th mot echica pas- Throughout the symphony,
ae the msttechnical ps probablybecause of the large
ages wvith ease. size of the string sections (in
In an encore, the Handel-Hal- Haydn's time, this would not
vorsen Passacaglia for Violin have been the case) the winds
and Cello, Staples and Babini were hidden by the dominating
displayed flashy technique. strings. In woodwind interludes
Playing amazingly fast, yet with though, those instruments, es-
clarity, the duo deserved the pecially oboes and flutes, held
standing ovation of the nearly their own with a delightful
full house. sound. The horns played well
on the few occasions when they
The Ann Arbor Symphony could be heard, but the trum-
concerts are free and many pets generally missed notes and
of the musicians are not paid. the cymbals were often too blat-
Thus, perhaps, truly profession- ant.
al playing cannot be expected, The opening of the Berlioz
. Overture to Benvenuto Cellini"
although professional manner is was all but ruined by the glar-
important in any public perform- ing, band-like blast of the trum-
ance. pets (where is that Bud Her-
seth sound?) Cello, trombonet
and tuba highlighted this per-
formance of Berlioz' relativelyt
uneventful overture.t
IVES finished his Fourth1
Symphony in 1916, but thez
mighty work was not premier-t
ed until 1965. The symphony is3
scored for a huge orchestra,I
chorus, "distant choir" of!
strings and harps and a special1
"battery unit" of percussion.i
Four conductors assisted Meier1
for this concert.-
Ives, who once said, "My{
God, what has sound got to do1
with music?" composed a finet
combination of nostalgic, comic
and intense sounds in this sym-t
phony. He loved the spontaneityI
of live performance, even the
mistakes, and therefore would
have approved of the University
Symphony's performance. Be-
cause of the difficulty in per-
forming (interpretation and
technique) and the nature of
the work, the Symphony's mis-
takes are forgivable; their per-
formance did justice to it.
The symphony opens in a
mood of inquiry with the chorus
singing, "Watchman tell us of
the night' What the signs of
promise are." The University
Chamber Choir under Thomas
Hilbish captured the searching
spirit of this prelude, but the'
strings and harps couldn't be
heard.
THE SECOND movement is
intended to make the audience
laugh -- its nostalgic songs are
interrupted by marches, rags'
and even "Columbia, Gem of
the Ocean." These melodies
were not always brought out
enough by the orchestra; be-
cause they are often played si-
multaneously, it is difficult to
make the layers distinguish-
able. But the audience was
laughing or at least smiling, so
Meier's interpretation success-
fully rendered Ives' intent.
The third movement is a
peaceful, majestic moving
fugue. The cellos began the
movement with a warm, sonor-
ous tone, but the violins played
rather unemotionally. Had the
tempo been slower and the vio-
lins emoted more, the move-
ment could have been divinely
tranquil.
Ives called the fourth move-
ment "an apothesis of the pre-
ceding content, in terms that
have something to do with the
reality of existence and its re-
ligious experience." The move-
ment begins with quiet percus-
sion and evolves into a com-
plexity of layers in the orches-
tra and wordless voices of the
choir. With a transcendental
quality, it grows, subsides and
finally fades the way it began.;
The orchestra had some diffi-
culty in synchronizing the di-
verse sections, but the overall
effect was satisfying.
UNFORTUNATE-
LY, the orchestra began the
Mozart "Overture to the Mar-
riage of Figaro" as soon as the
last note of the Ives was sound-
ed. I couldn't help feeling rob-
bed of the tranquility instilled
by the Ives, although some
seemed pleased by the imme-
diate lightness of the overture-
perhaps for them Ives was too
heavy to go home with.
However, it is doubtful many
really listened to the overture;
the orchestra played it quickly
with little care.
A
JOIN OUR
HAPPY HOUR!!
Sunday thru
Thursday
10 p.m. to 1 a.m.
Cottage
INN
663-3379
12 EAST WILLIAMS
r
0
West
J x x
A J 10 x
x
Q 10 9 x x
4
East
K x x x
42
xx
v
V
South
A x x
K Q x x x x
4 A K J x
"I WAS sitting East, and Bruce was my partner," Margie
continued. "Phil sat South, and his partner was Kevin (but we
all call him Ricco) who plays bridge with the same irrational
flair as Phil. The bidding was absurd and totally unpustifiable.
Phil and Rico finally called it quits when the auction had reached
7 no trumps, which Bruce promptly doubled. With nowhere else
to go, everyone passed, and Phil became declarer at 7 no trumps,
while Bruce pondered his opening lead. It was a more difficult
problem than you'd expect.There was, of course,tnodoubt that
the contract was going down. It was s -oly a matter of how
much, and Bruce was determined to sc'e e this hand for every-
thing it was worth. A diamond would be too passive, and a heart
was impossible since that would help set up Phil's long suit. (Phil
had bid hearts 3 times during the auction). So he was left with
a choice, between clubs and spades. I had doubled 6 spades
during the bidding so Bruce decided on a small spade. Phil, who
always plays quickly because given a chance to think about the
hand he invariably makes the wrong play, put in dummy's 10,
which I covered with my king.
"Phil won the Ace, and counted his tricks. He counted 11, so
things would not be as bad as they had first appeared. The hand
would cost at most 500. Crossing to dummy with a spade, Bruce
carefully throwing his Jack, to deceive, Phil started to run the
diamonds. On the first five, Phil threw little hearts while Bruce
pitched the Jack then the 9 of hearts, giving me a count, followed
by the 3 and the 10 of clubs. Well I figured that if he was going
to go out of his way to give me a count on the hand, I ought
to do the same for him, so I threw my 4 of hearts, as the begin-
ning of an echo, on the next to last diamond. On the lasttdiamond,
I completed the signal by discarding the heart 2, while Phil
pitched his next to last spade. But what was Bruce to do? He
was down to the spade 9, the heart Ace, and Q x x of clubs. If
he threw the spade, Phil's 8 would be good, and if he threwthe
heart Ace, dummy's 3 would be good, thanks to my discard of
the 4. Clubs were no better; for then his Queen would fall under
the Ace and King, setting up Phil's last two clubs.
"FINALLY, Bruce decided on the heart Ace, feeling confi-
dent that Phil would not remember that the 3 was now good.
Well, Phil didn't remember, but an idea, a brilliant idea sudden-
See A, Page 8
TONIGHT! THE ANN ARBOR PREMIERE
OF A ROMAN POLANSKI FILM.
Soon to be re-released with a new title,
we are showing the original.
7 only 1974
WHAT?
It's hard to tell which is weirder, this film's plot or its
history. Immediately rated "X" and condemned by the
Catholic Church, WHAT?opened in New York to love/hate
reviews, then seemingly vanished off the face of the earth,
a rare fate for a film by a director as popular and as im-
portant as Polanski iCHINATOWN, REPULSION and ROSE-
MARY'S BABY). A Surrealist's dream. John; Simon hated it,
Polanski loves it. "Sadly underrated film . . . in his FEAR-
LESS VAMPIRE KILLERS mood with a modern Alice trying
to retain her modesty (if not her virtue) in a wonderland of
crazy perverts, it also juggles a graceful series of paradoxes
about the sad perception that art and life so seldom coincide."
--Sight &Sound. Sydne Rome, Marcello Mastroianni and Ro-
man Polanski.
JAMES BOND'S BEST 9 only
DR. NO
TERRENCE YOUNG 1962
The very first of the James Bond adventures, DR. NO marked
a new advance in sex and violence and started an internaa
tional 007 craze. Never intended as the start of a series, this
film was so successful that one Bond led to another, making
Sean Connery a superstar. Even more fun today than it was
back then! With Ursula Andress.
$1.25, Double Feature $2.00
AUD. A ANGELL HALL
Organ concert proves charismatic
By SCOTT EYERLY
STRAVINSKY rarely used it,
explaining, "the monster:
never breathes." But Mozart
crowned it "the King of instru-
ments."
Both musicians were speak-
ing of the organ; an instru-
ment so venerable, so rich, yet
so rarely heard in concert.
It was this rarity that made
Ann Arbor appreciate last Sun-
day night's organ recital by
Marilyn Mason - her first of
the school year. Mason, who
played the new Schantz pipe
organ at the First Church of
ChristyScientist, carries a per-
sonality as impressive as her
credentials. Chairwoman of the
University's Organ Department,
a student of Nadia Boulanger
and the first woman to playmin
Westminster Abbey, this smil-
ing organ impresario prov'ed
charismatic even when con-
cealed in the loft. Not long af-
ter one piece had ended, for'
example, and the audience was
slow to applaud, a distant. im-
patient throat - clearing stirred
from the organist's invisible;
perch. Laughter and applause
were immediate.
THE PROGRAM was divided
into European and American
sections, beginning with Buxte-
hude's Toccata in D minor.
This masterwork was conceiv-
ed in the vast stone space of a
German cathedral, and thus lost
a certain command when
played in the small space avail-
able for Sunday's program.
Still, the 1,234 pipes. projected4
Buxtehude's immense energy,
which a young J. S. Bach once
walked 200 miles to hear.
Bach himself was only brief-
ly represented in an obscure
work. More interesting were
the Five Pieces for a Musical
Clock by C. P. E. Bach, each a
tiny charm which Mason color-
ed with light, plunky registra-
tions.
One problematic piece was
Martini's Sonata sui Flauti,
where hesitant trills impaired
the delicate flow. Andrew Rai-
son's Kyrie, involving a chant-
ing male sextet between organ
passages, suffered as well,
mostly from the singers' lack of
experience. "Variations on
Adeste Fidelis, by early Amer-
ican Ravnor Taylor, brought
giggles for chirpy grace
but lacked distinction
wise.
notes
other-
AS EXPECTED, it was with
the grandiose that this organist
fared best. Mason was truly{
superb in David Johnson's
Fugue a la Gigue (1966), a cli-'
mactic test of skill propelled by
strong reedy bass.
To conclude, Prof. Mason
chose Paine's showy Concert
Variations upon Old Hundred,
which sparked a great ovation
before the piece had even fin-
ished.
24. vryENDS TOMORROW
TODAY at 1:30-3:45-
6:00-8:45 Open 1:15
All Seats $1.25 till 5:00
THE
Stanley Kubrick *
INGMAR BERGMAN'S 1959
WI L D TRAWE RIE
A compelling dream begins an aged professor's
(played by silent movie director, Victor Sea-
strom) day. He eventually confronts his past
as he wanders through his memories on the way
to pick up an academic award. One critic called
this film "as close to paradise as anything Berg- a
man has created." With Bibi Anderson.
THURS: WAR OF THE WORLDS
CINEMA GUILD TONIGHT:AT OLD ARC H.$A
7:0&905 Amsio 12
Will S11 1081n -
UAC'S CHILDREN'S THEATRE presents:
THE DISAPPEARING GOOBIES
Bring your children for a
Halloween Treat, ..
Film Festival
r ''
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TODAY at 1 -3-5-7-9
OPEN 12:45
All Seats $1.25 till 5:00
Oct. 29
Oct. 30
Oct. 31
. 4:30 and 7:30
1 :00/2:00 7:30
1 :00/2:00/7:30
homecoming '76
Maior Events
and UAC are
proud to present
0
IUCJ'V, coll*ms
$1.00 Children Residential Coll Theatre
$1.50 Adults East Quad
Tickets on sale now at Michigan Union Ticket Desk
11:00-5:30
FOR MORE INFO-763-1107
GROUP RATES AVAILABLE
- AO
SHOOTERH
"Is Gangster Rock"
-PLUS-
Student Night
Can r
LAST
TWO
DAYS
Paramount Pctures Presents
STARTS FRIDAY- _ _ _ _
"FANTASIA" .c
NOW SHOWING
COMPLETE SHOWINGS
TODAY at 1:00-3:00-
5:30-7:30 Open 12:45
All Seats $1.25 till 5:00
Jo S,
Produced by SAM SHAW
W','len and Directed by JOHN CASSAVETES
"BEST ACTRESS
OF THE YEAR"
Hollywood Foreign Press
Golden Globe
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