The Music Box

The Glee Club is blossoming forth early in the season this year by participating in the Symphony concerts of this Friday and Saturday. The work in which they are to sing is Liszt's Faust Symphony, which employs a chorus in its third and last movement. Written during the years 1854-57, the symphony is really neither fish nor fowl; for while composed in the form of a three movement symphony, it violates the classic symphonic principles by its attempt at character delineation and its utilization of representative themes, much as in Wagnerian opera. The characters whom Liszt describes musically are Faust himself, Gretchen, and finally Mephistopheles. It is interesting to note that the combination of the divine side of Faust's nature and the nobility of womanhood as expressed in Gretchen are sufficiently strong to vanquish Mephistopheles and to give a triumphant ending to the work. Wagner's Faust Overture is also on the program. This was originally intended to be the first movement of another Faust symphony, based on Goethe's drama; but was finally arranged as an overture.

Roland Hayes to Give Recital

The distinguished negro tenor, Roland Hayes, is to give a recital in Symphony Hall on Sunday afternoon. His program is interesting and contains excerpts from "Die Meistersinger," including the Prize Song.

That evening in Jordan Hall, the Russian Symphonic Choir is to present a program composed entirely of Russian music. On Thursday evening in Sanders Theatre, the WPA group is to repeat Cesar Franck's choral work, 'The Beatitudes, which they gave last week.