JAVS Fall 1993

50

There is no clearinghouse for chamber music programming in Southern California, so occasionally we are treated to repeat performances of the same music. The Chamber Music/ L. A. Festival managed to program the KegelstattTrio just eighteen days after Neubauer and friends played it. This second performance featured Marcus Thompson, viola. The program began with yet another performance of Dvorak's two viola Quintet, Ope 97, performed this time by Marcus Thompson and Milton Thomas. Both the Trio and the Quintet are in E-flat; could this have anything to do with planetary convergence or maybe simple number mysticism? On August 12, Esa-Pekka Salonen, the music director of the L.A. Philharmonic led the orchestra and its principal violist, Evan Wilson, in a reading of Berlioz' Harold in Italy at the Hollywood Bowl. The Bowl was nearly full, which means the audience

numbered over 10,000. Other than the fact that the amplification made the viola sound quite like a saxophone, the performance was a thorough pleasure. There were some nice touches: the solo trio in the last movement was placed far to stage right, and in the last movement the soloist used a stool from which he struck heroic poses during the long orchestral sections. The harp was placed far to the front, close to the first violins. The "March of the Pilgrims" (second movement) was perhaps too fast, giving the impression that the pilgrims were being chased ... running. But there were only two serious distractions: at one point an airplane flew overhead and, at another, a bottle rolled down the concrete stairs. Nevertheless, the sight of that huge audience--out of doors, yet completely quiet-was extraordinary. Caught up in the dramatic musical depic tion, all payed rapt attention to the viola soloist.

Four \'iola men jailed in string of burglaries ALEDO - Four people re Inained i.n custody Saturday at the Mercer County Jail for their alleged invo)venlent in a string of burglaries that have taken place over the last 10 months here. sheriff's police said. Bob E. Matz. 24. and Jalm v./. Bohlander. 18. buth of Viola renlain in custody on $25,000 bond. . Cory J. Engels, 22, of Viola is being held on $50,000 bond and Jolm W. Palmer. 20, of Aledo is being held on $100.000 bond for two previous criIninal charges, according to State's Attorney Michael Herr. Pollee said three area busi nesses - Green Township Shed, the Crop Productions plant and Jack Masters Garage - had been burglary targets. Police are still conducting an investigation as to the value of tlle merchandise recovered and the amoWlt that remains -at large. Police also said more ar rests are pending. Police said they recovered st.olen property from at least fiYC burglaJies in ViolH when the~' Executed a search warrant at the hon1e of Bob Motz and Robin Russell on Jan. 20. Assisting Mercer COW1ty sheriffs deputies in the arrests ",J(;\dnesdBY ","ere the Viola and Aledo police departnlents.

-Thomas G. Hall

Chapman University

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