Saturday, October 4, 1975 THE MICHIGAN DAILY Pager Five Sauray Otoer4 175TH MCHGN AIY ag Fv Tolec Program Brahms.. Tragic Overture, Op. 81 Beethoven Symphony no 5, Op. 67 Walton .........Beishazzar's Feast By TOM GODELL The Toledo Symphony is with- out question the finest orchestra in this area, and Thursday night's opener did nothing to alter their reputation. The ensemble, consisting of professional musicians augment- ed by the best performers from our own music school, was un- der the direction of its music director Serge Fornier. The concert began with an ar- 'U' PHILHARMO lo symphony is area's best Clrw'c/t e'ie resting performance of Brahms' The opening allegro was not mendous crescendo that For- Tragic Overture. Immediately very promising. The perform- nier handled masterfully. By noticeable was the orchestra's ance seemed to lack drama and use of fast tempos and extreme marvelous string tone, but un- flow, a result of staccato play- contrasts, the work was brought like many conductors Maestro ing, choppy phrasing and cli- to a thrilling conclusion. Fornier never let the strings maxes which lacked real con- The final work on the pro- overbalance the winds. Nor was trast.-j gram, Belshazzar's Feast of the sense of tragedy which per- this carried over into the sec- William Walton, was presented,' vades this music ever forgot- ond movement which simply after a brief intermission. This' ten, even in the nostalgic mid- failed to sing. But with the gigantic work for mixed choir, section and stirring final chords. scherzo, Fornier became much baritone solo, and orchestra - Next came the fifth symphony more sympathetic to the music. portrays the biblical tale of the of Beethoven - a real test of Here Beethoven's marvelous fall of Babylon. any conductor. Only a true mas- sense of humor was not ne- This is an early work (1931) er can take this old war horse glected, by Walton, but if there are Ttraces of experimentation and and breathe fresh life into it. The finale began with a tre- lack of dramatic force in the+ first section, the final sections NIA: make up for it with their bril- liance and excitement.+ Standbys dusted off in well-balanced program By JEFFREY SELBST I was playing bridge Wednesday night, and had been dealt one of those awful hands - twos, threes, fours and the like. I was sitting South. "One spade," said East, who dealt. I passed with a sardonic laugh. "Two clubs," said West. He looked straight at me. "What was the name of that little dance band you're going to see tomorrow?" This was directed at me. "The University Philharmonia Orchestra," I said icily. "Two diamonds," said North. West broke nto hysterical giggles. "Not really," he said. "Oh, that's awfully cute." "Three clubs," said East. "Pass!' I said. I looked West straight in the eye. "Why is that so cute?" "The Philharmonia," said West, "is a noth- ing group. They are a training orchestra. And that program they're playing!" he snorted. "Beethoven's Eighth, Handel's Water Music, and Respighi's Pines of Rome. Everyone plays that." He glanced furtively at East. "Four clubs." "Oh, that's nonsense," I said. "What kind of attitude is that? So youre in the University Symphony. So what!" "Pass," groaned North. "I hope you enjoy yourself," smirked eWst. "I'd rather play bridge." "Four no trump,' said East. "You haven't dissuaded me," I informed him loftily. "I like the Pines of Rome." So off I went to Hill Auditorium on Thursday, half expecting a sort of amateurish group which would be lucky to have all its violins playing the same notes together. I was stunned. With a few exceptions, nit- picking for the most part, the concert was a fine example of symphonic clarity and unity. They played a well-balanced program, though had it not included a last-minute addition, the Barber Essay No. 1 for Orchestra, it would not have been. Handel's Water Music is a lovely suite of pieces, and was given its due by most of the members of the orchestra. The violins and violas deserve a special notice for the precision of their work, as do the rich and technically perfect French horns. Would that the same were true of the trum- pets, however. Their every entrance caused me to cringe. Imprecise and grating, I could almost overok the sour notes they played, as I was offended more by the general sloppiness of their tone. Given a choice of words to describe them, I would opt for 'blaring', although 'raw' and the more general 'irritating" run close seconds. Make no mistake, as a whole the Water Music was successful. ("Five hearts!" shouted West gleefully.) I've often wondered why so many conductors cannot forgive themselves a concert that lacks a Beethoven symphony. Yes, this concert had one. (I'm the same fellow who said I wouldn't like to see King Lear for another 50 years, re- member?) But if there had to be a Beethoven symphony, the best choice was the Eighth. Not so often played as the others, it still has1 a remarkable freshness. The violins did a mag- nificent job, as did the principal flautist in those passages in which she was highlighted. The symphony maintains a constant contrast! between sections of great power and energy,. and graceful dancelike figures. The trick is to define these and make the contrast effective. Uri Myer, the conductor of Thursday's concert, did a craftsmanlike job. A word about Uri Mayer. It has always been my (oh, go on, say it - uneducated) opinion that if Beethoven is played, too quickly, it sounds like a horse race. Begin- nng the first movement with a very stately tempo, Mayer gradually }increased them until the fourth movement sounded like an orches- tral rendition of the Preakness. However, the man is free of the audience- posturing that mars the style of so many of the greats. He has a sense of the music, and a deli- cate style and finesse. (That was a pun. Laugh, already.) Barber's Essay No. 1 for Orchestra is one of1 those pieces you can love or hate, being a kind of tonal, atonal, romahtic modernism. But the performance was thoughtful and well-executed. The double basses performed well, and the trumpets (yes, that's right) were truly marvel- ous. The Essay No. 1 reminds me of Barber's Adagio for Strings, the kind of music that Bar- ber wrote when he wasn't busily trying to of- fend everyone in sight. He always seems to try to leave the audience hanging, and as the final notes died away, the Philharmonia had achieved the proper effect. The performance was super-, He presented the three sections UNIVERSITY CHURCH OF I FIRST CHURCH OF CHRIST, lative. The orchestra displayed of the piece without pause, THE NAZARENE SCIENTIST tremendous virtuosity, and the which proved to be extremely M. Robert Fraser, Pastor 1833 Washtenaw Symphony Chorale proved itself effecive, and aided in mainain- 409 N. Division Sunday Service and Sunday capable of singing with both ing dramatic flow. Church School-9:45 a.m. School-10:30 a.m. rhythmic drive and lyric beauty Fornier also succeeded in Morning Worship-11:00 a.m. Wednesday Testimony Meet- in the many and difficult poly- bringing out beautiful melodies Evening Worship-7:00 p.m. ing--8:00 p.m. tonal passages.g* * Child Care-Sunday, under 2 Further, each word was clear- and balancing - something that FIRST UNITED METHODIST years; Wednesday, through 6 ly enunciated, always a mark of other conductors seem to ne- CHURCH Midweek Informal Worship. a fine choir. The baritone solo- glect when performing this State at Huron and Washngton years. ist, unfortunately, did not live music. - Worship Services: Reading Room - 306 E. lib- up to these high standards. . 8:30 a.m. - Communion Serv- erty, 10-9 Mon., 10-5 Tues.-Sat. When singing over the orches- This concert will be repeated ice-Chapel. tra he seemed strained, and in Sun day, Oct. 5th at 3 p.m., at 9:3 Oa.m.-Worship Service - ST. ANDREW'S EPSICOPAL th eiaie efie obigthe Toledo Museum of Art. The.-WrhpSvie-t the recitatives he failed to bri next concert of the Toledo Sym- Sanctuary. CHURCH, 306 N. Division out their lyric elements. 11:00 a.m. - Worship Service 8:00 a.m.-Holy Eucharist. Finally, Maestro Fornier dem- phony features contralto Maur- Sanctuary. 10:00 a.m.-Holy Commuoion onstrated that he was capable een Forrester singing Mahler WORLD-WIDE COMMUNION and Sermon. of handling the massed forces. and Berlioz, Oct. 24-25. SUNDAY S e r m o n: "Communion of BETHLEHEM UNITED Saints" by Rev. Fred B. Morris. CHURCH OF CHRIST Worship services are broad- 423 S. Fourth Ave. Ph. 665-6149 cast over WNRS-AM (1290) each Minister: Orval L. E. Willimann Sunday from 11:00 to 12:00 noon. 9:00 a.m.-Chapel Service. WESLEY FOUNDATION NEWS1 10:00 a.m.-Worship Service. Sunday, Oct. 5: 10:00 a.m.-Church School 5:30 p.m.-Celebration, Wes- Child care at 10:00 a.m. serv- ley Lounge. ice. 6:00 p.m.-Supper, Pine Room. Service broadcast on WNRS 7:00 p.m.-Program, Wesley (1290 AM). Lounge: The Rev. Fred Morris * * * speaking on his experiences in UNIVERSITY LUTHERAN Brazil. Open to all. CHAPEL (LCMS) Wednesday, Oct. 8: 1511 Washtenaw Ave. 663-5560 12:00 Noon-Luncheon Discus- Alfred T. Scheips, Pastor sion (25c), Pine Room. Basic Sunday Morning Worship at Christian Concepts with Bart. 9:15 and 10:30 a.m. 7:30 p.m.-An Experience in Sunday Morning 'Bible Study Faith with Bart in Wesley at 9:15 a.m. Lounge. Open to all. Midweek Worship Wednesday ,t:i Thursday, Oct. 9: at 10:00 p.m. 7:30 a.m.-Breakfast Club at * * * Linda Throne's UNIVERSITY CIHURCIH 6:30 pm. s Grads & Single OF CHRIST Young Adults d i n n e r, Pine Presently Meeting at Room.YM-YWCA, S30 S. Fifth 7:30 p.m. - Grads & Single David Graf, Minister rrI x Yoting Adults program, Lounge. Students Welcome. 18:00 p.m.-Divorced and Sepa- For information or transpor- rated Group, Green Room. tation: 663-3233 or 662-2494. Friday, Oct. 10: n d 10:00a.m. - Sunday Worship 6'00 n.m. - Young MarriedsService. Potluck, Pine Room. 7:00 p.m. - Young Marrieds LORD OF LIGHT LUTHERAN Program: Children: To Have or CHURCH (ALC-LCA) Not to Have, Lounge, with Ms. (Formerly Lutheran Student Laura Jonas from the Huron Chanel) Va 1ev Child Glidance Center. 801 S. Forest Ave. at Hill St. * * * CAMPUS CHAPEL 1236 Washtenaw Ct. Pastor: Don Postema Christian Reformed Sunday Worship-10 6 p.m. * * * Doily Photo by KEN FINK )ennis James (i Ihe organ Organ society revives art in Michigan Theatre show Worship., a.m. and Gordon Ward, Pastor Sunday Service at 10:30 e.m. CANTERBURY HOUSE EPISCOPAL 218 N. Division-665-0606 Sundays at noon-Holy Eucha- rist with a meal following. 1 i ANN ARBOR CHURCH OF CHRIST 530 W. Stadium Blvd. (one block west of U of M Stadium) Bible Study - Sunday, 9:30 a.m.-Wednesday, _7:30 p.m. Worship-Sunday, 10:30 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. Crush all smokes dead out. By CATHI SUYAK Organ music has always had: All right, I suppose I really shouldn't review a bad reputation with the the Pines of Rome. It almost seems sacrilegious, masses. Many people hear or 1 gan music only in church, and This is one of the near-perfect orchestral works ; they think it should stay there. that has everyone in love with it. It's unfortunate that these the likes of The Exorcist. The Michigan Theatre's huge pipe organ makes a wild assort- ment of sounds. The novelty' noises include a boat whistle,: siren, and an auto horn. Every, gimmick was used Wednesday n ig t. folks didn't hear Dennis and, If it wasn't appopriate for the The only complaint I had about the perform- Heide James atrtheeMichigan movie, it was played in the ance was that Mayer, again, played it so quick- Theatre Wednesday night. The' opening round of light-hearted ly as to ruin some of the mysterious aura sur- Monster, a 1925 silent film, was songs that opened the evening's rounding the second movement, The harpist, highlighted by organ accompan- program. isment composed by Heide and The sournote of the concert too, might be advised to remove the band-aids played by Dennis. It was a was the first number, which was from her thumbs before she attempts to play scream to watch. greeted by appropriate boos and the instrument again. The percussion was won- Take one typical early horror hisses. Dennis had opened withI film - trite, corny, over-acted. "Beautiful Ohio," since the derful. Add the appropriate thunder, James work out of the Ohio The man in the seat next to me summed the screams, and ominous chords ' Theatre in Columbus. of doom. The result is a remark- Dennis quickly redeemed his concert up beautifully in the intermission, when ably effective fright - even to "shameful" background with a, he said to his wife, who'd been complaining a sophisticated audience used to I rousing Scott Joplin rag. Heide (his wife) accompanied on piano as they hammered out the live- ly dance, complete with horns and bird whistles. The remaining songs were '20s and '30s hits that forced visions of roller rinks and Tom Sawyer misadventures. There was even a brief sing-along to keep the barrel rolling. The duo also played Gersh- win's Rhapsody In Blue as an impressive reminder of the or- gan's serious side. Thanks to the Motor City Theatre Organ Society, the Michigan Theatre's 48-year-old instrument is being kept in prime condition. Hopefully, we'll have more rowdy programs like Wednesday's so that the organ will leave church for awhile. P"*. i E i If .. l E f I Need Transportation? C a 11, 662-9928. UNIVERSITY REFORMED CHURCH, 1001 E. Huron Calvin Malefyt, Alan Rice, Ministers 9:30 a.m.-Church School. 5:30 p.m.-Student Supper. 10:30 a.m.-Morning Worship. S* * i l '. I 1 { IE' ST. MARY STUDENT CHAPEL (Catholic) 331 Thompson-663-0557 Weekend Masses: Saturday-5 p.m. Sunday -- 7:45 a.m., 9 a.m., 10:30 a.m., noon, and 5 p.m.j (plus 9:30 a.m. North Campus). Pl- * f Please: help prevent forest fres. about the lack of originality in the program, I'd rather hear Beethoven played well than Debussy badly." Hear, hear. East and West bid seven clubs, made the contract, and won the rubber.. "Let me see," said West, counting on all his fingers and toes, "that means we beat you by a score of four thousand to fifty. I trust you re- view music better than you play bridge. I sneered. "Well," said the obnoxious young man, gath- ering up his cards and preparing to go, "I hope you enjoy your concert." What can I say- I did. i I j i j j$ i 1 FALL FILM FESTIVAL Today-"Zardoz" Shows at 1,3, 5, 7, 9 NOW SHOWING SHOWS AT 1, 3. 5,7,.9 OPEN AT 12:45 SEAN CONNERY CHARLO11E RAMPLING Sun.-"MarigoIds" Mon.-"Rabbi Jacob" Tues.-"I IHarrowhouse" BUTTONS AND BADGES BIRMINGHAM, England (P)- England's Birmingham Mint has supplied coins, and the metals for them, to 119 different na- tions, states and territories in its nearly 200-year history. Many are now rare and valu- able collectors' items. Crafts- men at the mint are also the source for collectors' editions of medals, buttons and badges and fine commemorative plates in precious metals like gold and Dr. Paul C. 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