The Akron Beacon Journal from Akron, Ohio • Page 86

18 Akrqij Beacon Journal Sunday, Imby 28, 1965 it 'Rabbi Was Sleeper rabbi changed through the years? PUBLISHERS TOLD Kemelman that his novel was interesting but all that unleavened sociology and theology was, to put it kindly, "too low key." So Kemelman went back to the typewriter and keyed up his story with a murder. The rewrite job was such a success that next Spring Crown Publishers will bring out "Saturday the Rabbi Went Hungry," in which Rabbi Small solves another crime and imparts more Jewish thought. However, the author doesn't plan a long series of Rabbi Small books. "I'll write as long as I have something to say and something I want to say and then I'll stop." GENERALLY, Kemelman doesn't like mysteries as novels but prefers them as short stories. In Kemelman's mystery, young, scholarly Rabbi Small learns who the murderer is, using The Talmud the body of Hebrew thought and principles of Talmudic logic as 4 i Sequel Planned To First Novel success of such books as "The Spy Who Came in From the Cold," the spy thriller is in vogue.

However, Kemelmarr says, it is comparatively easy for a detective novel not in current fashion to find lots of readers. Kemelman does hope his book will help spark a trend in which the mystery novel is a "true novel," with more to the plot than a puzzle. SO FAR AS Kemelman knows, his is the first rabbi-detective. However, he didn't read Father Brown, then sit down to create a Jewish counterpart. His original idea was to write a novel not a mystery about subjects which interested him a 57-year-old, thoughtful, Jewish professor of English, who in 1950 moved his family north from Boston to Little Marblehead.

He wrote about: What happens to Jews, after having clumped together in cities, when, after World War II, they move to suburbs and start mixing with crabgrass, neighbors who aren't Jewish and small town government in which everybody participates? Are there real differences between Jewish and Christian ways of thinking? And how has the function of the By MARY CAMPBELL MARBLEHEAD, Mass. UP) Like most things in real life, the fashion in fictional detectives is constantly changing. Not long ago the standard was the aristocratic and eccentric Englishman who solved murders as an avocation. Then came the tough guy "sha-mus" of Dashiell Hammett, Raymond Chandler and Mickey Spil-lane. And then James Bond.

Now there is a rabbi-detective to take his place alongside G. K. Chesterton's crime-solving Catholic priest Father Brown. Both also do much talking about religion. HARRY KEMELMAN, who year created Rabbi David Small in "Friday the Rabbi Slept Late," enjoys comparisons between his rabbi and Chesterton's priest.

"I got more insight into Catholicism from reading Father Brown than I had done in quite a bit of reading in comparative religions," he says. He hopes Rabbi Small does the same for Judaism. KEMELMAN BOOK has received much praise, including the Mystery Writers of America Edgar Award, as best first mystery novel of the year. But Kemelman doubts whether his rabbi will start a trend in detective-clerics, or bring back high-minded sleuthing. Right now, he says, following the AUTHOR HARRY KEMELMAN like mysteries the basis for his detecting.

During the investigation, which is entirely armchair on the rabbi's part, he answers questions about REAPING Judaism put to him by the town's Catholic chief of police. The rabbi also is at the center of a second story line, equally as strong as the mystery, in which his congregation is trying to decide whether to renew his contract or hire a gregarious rabbi who will do a better job of "representing the Jewish community." 'Messiah' lira' Spfl-D5gjlhlh THE CURTIS CAPER, by Joseph Goulden A well-done story of how a magazine empire Evening Post," "Ladies' Home came apart at the seams. A look with almost loving care at a corporate can of worms. OXFORD, by James Mooris A look at Oxford, the university and the British city, by a graduate of Oxford's Christ Church and a resident of the area. THE WATERS UNDER THE EARTH, by John Moore A family chronicle set in England of the changes in Doddington Manor over the years.

A well-done low-key novel. tor Shaw's absence and also will participate in the preparation of parts and scores for chorus performance. mm mmm present a faculty recital by Burt Kageff, tenor, in Knight Auditorium. The recital is free and open to the public. Kageff will sing French and German art songs and an Italian operatic aria.

FOR THE FIRST time the Cleveland Orchestra will have the services of a Kulas Fellow in choral conducting as a counterpart to the fellowships which have been granted in the orchestral field. The recipient of the grant is William Appling. He will assist in conducting the Cleveland Orchestra Chorus. He will assume rehearsal conducting responsibilities in Conduc By OSCAR SMITH Baacoa Joaraal Maile Critic Handel's oratorio, 4 'The Messiah," continues to be the most popular of all subjects for holiday season concerts. On Dec.

12, the Medina. Messiah 300- voice I chorus and orchestra will present "The Messiah" in Akron's First Congregational Church. This will mark the 30th consecutive year the group has presented Handel's work during the holidays. SOLOISTS will be Mrs. Frances Crawford, contralto; Mrs.

Betty Got-, shall Dornan, soprano, and Edward Rennells, tenor, all of First Church. Mrs. Dornan is also a soloist at Temple Israel. Assisting will be the First Church Choir, di-: rected by Dr. Richard Warner.

r' Also featured will be harpischord music by Ruth Nurmi, who will play with the orchestra. Vf. IN CLEVELAND, three performances of "The Messiah" are schcd- uled and already only standing room tickets are available. Robert Shaw will conduct the Cleveland Orchestra and Cleveland Orchestra Chamber Chorus in the Handel work Thursday and Saturday nights this week at 8:30 and next Sunday afternoon at 3:30 in Severance Hall. Soloists will include sopranos Janice Harsan-yi and Lorna Haywood, contralto Florence Kop-leff, tenor Seth McCoy and bass-baritone Thomas Paul.

SHAW will present the oratorio in its original uncut form. The chorus will consist of 40 singers from the 250-voice Cleveland Orchestra Chorus picked by special audition. Standing room tickets will be sold at the door beginning one hour before each of the performances. NEXT SUNDAY at 8 p. m.

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