Arts & Erntertainment THE MICHIGAN DAILY
Ar s & Et r a netWednesday, October 13, 1976 Page Five

WELL I DECLARE
_______Ken Parsigian
WAS HAVING dinner with my friend Bruce the other day and
the discussion turned, of course, to the interesting hands we
had played lately. I had just finished telling him how I'd bid
hearts three times with a singleton, and conned my opponents
out of a cold slam, when he started a story about the nationally
known expert that he had played against a few weeks before.
"I was so scared when i sat down to play against him,
Bruce said, "I didn't know what to do. All I knew was that some-
how we were headed for two zeros at this table.
"The first hand was rather uneventful," he continued, "but
then along came this beauty:
North
Axx
V K x x
f A x x x "
4 K x x
West East
4J xx xx x
V.x x V J. x x x x
f*Jxxxx fxxx
4x,xx .4 Cxxx
South
A A K J 10 x x
V A Q x
4Kx
4t A K Q
THE CONTRACT was 7 spades by South, and the opening
lead. was a small club.
"I was sitting East, and I followed to Margie's (West) small
with a low club, which the expert, South, won with the Ace. He
th'ought for a second, then slammed down the Ace of spades fol-
lowed quickly by a black suit King. Margie, assuming he was
drawing trump, followed with a small spade. But the expert
'hadn't led the King of spades, he had led the King -of clubs!
"Uh, excuse me," said the expert, "but I led a club. Now
that small spade is a penalty card to be played at the first
opportunity."
"MARGIE played a club, and left the misplayed spade face
up on the table as a penalty card. After gathering in the club
trick,, Bruce continued, "The expert led a small diamond to
dummy's Ace, and returned a low spade. I followed, and he
finessed the 10."
"You will now please play your penalty card," the, expert
said to Margie.
"With her eyes transfixed on the Queen of spades, Margie
grudgingly played the small spade. Declarer then drew the
last trump, Margie's spade Queen falling under his King, and,
claimed.
"I'M GOING to remember that play," said Bruce. "Someday
I'll get a chance to use it."1
I was still laughing when we finished our repast and headed
to the club for an rvening of bridge.
The chances of getting the same bridge hand that we had
just talked about are less than one in 6 billion, so you can
imagine Bruce's surprise when on the first hand of the evening
he held the exact same hand!
WELL, I braked hard all the way (not knowing that this was
the same hand) but there was not stopping Bruce, who pushed
on to the grand slam.
I could see him licking his chops across the table from me,
and I wondered how he could be so sure of himself. But West
led a small club and I stopped worrying about partner and con-
centrated on the hand.
Things went as planned with the first trick. Bruce, playing
his role perfectly, now paused to thing (or to appear to be
thinking) and then led the Ace of spades and in rapid fire
followed with the King of clubs. West played low to the spade
lead, then played a small spade on the club King.
"AHA!" cried Bruce, "I led a club and you played a spade.
That's a pen-"
"Excuse me," interrupted West, "but I am void in clubs so
I trumped."
"V-v-void?" asked Bruce sheepishly, simultaneously turning
eight different shades of red.
"SORRY PARTNER," he mumbled. "But I couldn't have
made it anyway since the finsse was off."
"On the contrary," said East smugly. "I hold the spade
Queen. So you could have made it on a simple finesse."
"Oh," I moaned to Bruce, "if only would not strive always
to be so clever, you would not so often come away looking so
foolish."

But my words'fell on deaf ears, as Bruce had already moved
to the next table.

TOLEDO SYMPHONY CONCERT
Gutierrez lacks verve

LIVE
ROCK
JETT BLACK and W CA
Comng:SET BLCK ndWITCHCRAFT

(IUESTION: What ensemble
combines - students from
the University of Michigan and
Oberlin with local professionals
and attracts soloists like Itzhak
Perlman, Van Cliburn, and
Horacio Guiterrez? Answer:
The Toledo Symphony, whose
season opened last Friday eve-
ning with a concert of music by .
Dvorak, Prokofiev, and Tchai-
kovsky.
Music Director Serge Four-;
nier conducted. He is a fine
musician with great sensitivity
to orchestral timbre and bal-
ance. (Thus, to bring out the
sound of the inner voices, he*
has the violas seated on the
outside of stage left.) However,
his baton technique often leaves
a good bit to be desired, and
his programs and interpreta-
tions are uneven in quality.
Last week's concert began
with a perfect curtain raiser -
Dvorak's Carnival Overture, op.
92. A brilliant sound issued
from the orchestra, accented by
colorful percussion parts.
IN SPITE of this, the per-
formance was unsatisfying. TheI
thematic material was stated

haltingly and in an off-hand
manner by the strings. This
lack, of true feeling then per-
meated the orchestra. The end
product was cold, and almost
lifeless.
The soloist for the concert
was pianist Horacio Gutierrez,;
who last season electrified the
Toledo audience with a stun-,
ning performance of Rachman-
inoff's 3rd Concerto. This year
he selected Prokofiev's neglect-
ed Concerto No. 2 in G minor,
op. 16.
That is not to say that Rach-
maninoff was totally forgotten,
as Gutierrez did not hesitate to
romanticize this percussive and
complex score. Unquestionably,
Gutierrez' playing was superb.
His fingers produced a lush but
clean and clearly articulated
sound. When great, forceful at-
tacks were called for, he
reached high into the air with
his hands, striking the keys
with enormous velocity. At
times his playing reached white
hot intensity, reminding us that
the Prokofiev concerto had its
premier less than six months
after Stravinsky's Rite.

UNFORTUNATELY,
this intensity was lacking in the
middle movements, where it is
needed most. The expansive
melodies in the outer move-
ments respond most favorably
to a romantic treatment, but
the percussive Scherzo and the'
barbaric Intermezzo need fire
and brimstone. Gutierrez' slow
tempos had neither. Most suc-:
cessful was the Finale, where
the pianist's spirit blended per-
fectly with the composer's in-
tention.
Concluding the evening was
the ever popular Symphony no.
4 in F minor, op. 36 by Tchai-
kovsky. This music is heard so
often that it may seem that it
would be easy to perform. Noth-
ing could be further from the
truth. Rapid virtuoso runs, fin-
ger twisting pizzicati, and love-
ly, long, legato melodies con-
front and confound string play-
ers, while the winds are faced
with enough solos for a con-'
certo. Any weakness in the or-
chestra is thus immediately no-
ticable.
For example, in the opening
bars, the horns sounded rough,'

almost hoarse, and the strings
produced a weak sound. To
make matters worse, Four-!
nier's interpretation lacked any
depth of feeling. It was not un-
til the fiery development sec-
tion that the conductor impos-
ed his personality.
THE SECOND move-
ment was much more carefully
crafted. The tempo was slower
than normal, yet the result was
delicate and haunting.' Again, a
slow tempo was chosen for the
Scherzo - perhaps because the
strings simply could not have
handled a more appropriate
tempo. Only in the finale did'
the orchestra play up to its
potential, combining spirit and
verve.
There is little question that
both Fournier and the Orches-
tra have improved over last
season. But a good performance
must be more than mere note
spinning, the performers must
involve themselves more deeply
in the music, and become a
part of it. For without this,
even the most technically ac-
comnlished performer is bound
to fail.

/


NIGHT CLUB

327 E. MICNiGAN

YPSILANTI

4s2 7130

327 E. MICHIGAN YPSILANTI 482-7130 I

homecoming '76

Major Events
and UAC are
proud to present

Judy Collins

Woody Guthrie haunts Ark

By SUSAN VINTILLA
BOB WHITE'S guitar and
Peter (Madcat Ruth's)
wailing harmonica summoned
the ghost of Woody Guthrie to
the Ark last weekend.
Apparently White has become
a "Woody freak", and makes a
hobby of digging up information
about the classic American
folksong writer and performer-
so he rgave his audience a se-
lection of some of Woody's
"greatest hits" plus some other
well-worn folk favoriates.
The opening selection was a,
surprise, an earnest gospel-like
tune "Sow it on the mountain."
White proceeded with Guthrie's
"Dustbowl Refugee", "Vigilan-!
te Man", and "Talking Dust-
bowl Blues'', to name a few.
"Talking Fishing Blues", an-

other of his selections, was a lament. White's voice swooped
collection of outrageous fishing and rolled like that of a true
tales (Guthrie even says he balladeer.
went fishing in a whiskey However, the real spice of the
stream). evening was provided by Mad-
White also chose a 'Cisco cat and his virtuoso harmonica
Houston song "Slow up Little playing. (This writer first heard'
Doggies", some anonymous folk Madcat at Mr. Flood's, and he
classics, and "Tribute to has apparently heen touring


enjoyable - the mock train
horn rendition was, playful in
style and intense rhythmically.
Supposedly the two artists
had practiced together only 20
minutes before showtime, but
this was not apparent in their
performance. (White joked that
he only had a 20 minutes re-
pertoire anyway.)
It was a well balanced show,
however- Madcat's flair com-
plemented White's simplicity,
and White's simplicity comple-
mented Woody Guthrie's hart-
felt lyrich.

Woody" from Bob Dylan's first
album.
ALTHOUGH Bob White is a
basic no-frills guitarist and
singer, his charm lies in his
clean direct delivery and gentle
humor..His rich, deep voice is
classically suited to folk ma-
terial ,especially the rambling
style of talking blues. Notable
also was his a capella rendi-
tion of "Pretty Little Trim-rig-
ged Doxie", an English sailors'

with Dave Brubeck lately). His!
colorful blue style and techni-
cal abilities are impressive.1
Thus Madcat's accompaniment
occasionally stole the show. His'
background for the "Freight
Train Blues" was especially'

friday, october 29
hill auditorium, 8 pm
reserved seats $6, $5, $4
tickets on sale wednesday, october 6
michigan union box office 11 :30-5:30 (763-2071)
no personal checks
smoking and beverages strictly prohibited


Pop' goes Benson

By JIM SHAHIN

FORGE BENSON used to
play jazz. He also used to!
be poor.
Today he plays pop and is
rich. Benson shares the same
relationship to jaz?,that Roy
Clark has to country ('n west-f
ern, remember?): peripheral.
Which isn't meant at all de-
rogatorily. Just a point of ref-
erence (a critic's crutch).
ON "BREEZIN,' " his latest
album, George Benson demon-
strates just how amiable a jazz'
guitarist can be. There is noth-
ing exceptional about the album,
except perhaps its pleasantness.
It wouldn't interrupt a yawn
or a kiss.
Meaning that is exudes a lithe,
sinewy charm. Nothing complex
or challenging, just some catchy
ideas played well. Like frozen'
music concentrate - you could
almost sort of pretend it's real.
"This Masquerade" is the

platter's most appealing cut,
with Benson 'scat singing' with
his guitar (singing the same
notes he plays). It's an inter-
esting, tightly constructed tune
emphasizing Benson's versatili-
ty within restrictive confines.
THE TITLE CUT, " Peezin',"
moves effortlessly enough. Sim-
ple and relatively undecorated,
it allows Benson at least some
space to improvise.
Benson is quoted by Gary Gid-
dins in the Village Voice as say-
ing "Give me a million dollars
and I'll make the greatest jazz
record you ever heard, 'cause
that's what I'd lose by play-
ing it." Well, judging by Breez-
in', so far no goods.
But, for the bucks, it's still
a top of the league offering -
even if the league is different.
Benson will play tonight at
Hill Auditorium. Some tickets
are still available in the Michi-
gan Union lobby for $4.50, $5.50,
and $6.50.

i

LAST TWO DAYS
TODAY AT 2-5-8
ALL SEATS $1.25 TILL 5:00
PG

Alicia de Larrocha

Dciv our

THE STANLEY
KUBRICK FILM
FESTIVAL

tof .m., 1y ),.m.

our o -

231 south -stateNOW SHOWING
SHOWS TODAY AT
a 1:00-3:05-5:10-7:15-9:20
OPEN 12:45
ALL SEATS $1.25 TILL 5:00

" I

Cottage
INN

$/2 //ns

p -~.~~~--*'- -
FR 1.-SAT.

FRI.-SAT.,
Folkways Records
ELOISE

$2.50 4
s s

MAGNIFICENT PIANIST from SPAIN
Monday, Oct. 18 at 8:30, Hill Auditorium
An extraordinary musical experience awaits concertgoers when Mme. de
Larrocha returns to the Hill Auditorium stage for her fourth Ann Arbor
appearance. Born in Barcelona; this diminutive virtuosa has become one
of the century's titans of the keyboard, hailed world-wide for her inter-
pretations of the classics and unsurpassable in the music of Spanish
composers.
HER PROGRAM NEXT MONDAY:
Mozart: Rondo in D major, K. 485
Mozart: Fantasy in C minor, K. 475
Mozart: Sonata in D major, K. 311
Rachmaninof f: Four Preludes (Op. 32, Nos. 12,
2, 5; Op. 23, No. 5)
Turina: Sanlucar de Barrameda
Tickets available from $3.50 to $8.50
NOTE: RUSH TICKETS, 2 each, available Monday afternoon from 4:00-4:30 at
Hill Aud. box office; no choice of seat location, limit, 2 per person.

and %
TRACY SCHWARTZ
of the New Lost City Ramblers

6. 4

Rereleased by BUENA VISTA DISTRIBUTION C BINC. 0 Wt 05i0 Pr 'Etw
PLUS: Mickey Mouse in "TWO GUN MICKEY"
" a bry-ENDS TOMORROW
COMPLETE SHOWS
TODAY AT 1:00-3:00-
5:30-7:30 OPEN 12:45
ALL SEATS $1.25 TILL 5:00
TWO AWARD WINNING PERFORMANCES
ELLEN BURSTYN
. -. ..Vm.=fl PIq

fiddle, guitar, banjo and,
cajun accordion.
s tradiitonal American folk,

I