Music and Life

All-American, all contemporary, like a newspaper published for today in any big city of these United States, was the program played by the Philharmonic Orchestra directed by Dr. Arthur Rodzinski as a tribute to his newly adopted country and sponsored by Pro-Musica at the Philharmonic Auditorium last night.

Like a phrenetic, forceful, energetic, jazzy, sentimental, occasionally erudite and rarely emotional or reverent daily paper, this program of Powell, Piston, Shepherd, Harris, and Bennett told the American story of today for all who cared to exert themselves to hear. Unfortunately, not all who came listened. It was easier to sit back after the brave Star Spangled Banner and John Powell's Negro melodies from Dixie and wear a slightly supercilious smile. It is the approved attitude and thought to be eminently safe.

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Preconceptions were jogged out of routine thinking last night. The audience was nervous and tense, the perfect approach for hearing something real. Mr. Walter Piston of the Music Department of dear old Harvard was the first to disturb the equilibrium. Some of his music in the suite for orchestra, written in the heyday of 1929, was slightly rough. His jazz was positively brutal, but there wasn't enough of it to drug his listeners into any sort of acquiescent mood. He is young and has ideas. I wonder if he is quite good for Harvard boys. He might teach them that music belong to life. At least his music does. Los Angeles Times.