Independent Star-News from Pasadena, California • Page 56

-2 MUSIC MATTERS Arturo Basils to Conduct L.A. Philharmonic Here What's New in Hi-Fi RTURO BASILE, who Is well known us an operatic conductor, will be on the podium for a concert by the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra Wednesday evening in the Pasadena Civic Auditorium. Basile, a reformed olxe player, has programmed Handel's "Water Music," "Concerto lor Two Horns, Strings, and Cembalo" by Vivaldi-Malipiero; and "La Ginria," a ballet suite by Casella, with John Guam- ieri as tenor soloist. Philippe Entremont, the celebrated young French pianist, will perfoiTn Mozart's "Piano Concerto No. 22." THE QUARTETTO Italiano will perform in the last of the season's presentations by professional artists by the Coleman Chamber Music Association at 3:30 today in the Pasadena Playhouse.

They will play quartets by Mozart, Bartok, and Verdi. The Colcman season will end with a concert in which audition winners will perform on April 9. GIULIA DF, CURTIS, Jean By Roy Coppcrtid PHILIPPE ENTREMONT Deis, and Ned Romero will sing the leading roles in Puccini's "Manon Lescaut," the third offering in the current season by the Los Angeles Opera Company, next Saturday evening in the Wilshire- Ebell Theater. Anton Guadagno will be the conductor. The season will close with a performance of Mozart's "Cos! Fan Tuttc" on March 25.

JOHN BROWNING. the American pianist, will be presented April in the Pasadena Civic Auditorium in place of Dame Myra Hess, who has had to cancel her engagements because of illness. Browning will appear on the Wilson- Higbee series. JOSEPH SHUSTER, the Internationally known cellist, will be guest soloist with the Pasadena Symphony March 22 in the Pasadena Civic Auditorium. He will play Haydn's "Cclla Concerto No.

1" with orchestral accompaniment Richard Lert will conduct the orchestra in Bartok's "Second Suite for Orchestra" and Nicolai's overture, "Merry Wives of Windsor." LEONARD A TO, pianist, will be presented In a recital by the San Gabriel Valley Philharmonic Artiste Association at 8:30 this evening in the Mission Playhouse, San Gabriel. CONCERTO NO. 1, Chopta and A I I BKIL- I.ANT, Mendelssohn. Gary Graffnmn, pianist, Charles Munech and Boston Symphony Orchestra. RCA Victor.

The master of piano music, Frederic Chopin, composed his first concerto when he was only 20 but there is a maturity to the composition that presages the mastery he was later to achieve over his favorite, instrument. A master of the piano, Gary Graffman, records this popular composition. There is little in the concerto to challenge the orchestra but Charles Mucnch leads the Boston Symphony Orchestra in the and correct accompaniment" required. The final quarter of the record is devoted to an early work of Mendelssohn which Graffman plays with brilliance and charm. --Peggy Powell.

DEBUSSY: LaJTer; RICHARD STRAUSS, Won Juan. Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Fritz lleiner conducting. KCA Victor. The mystery, the drama, the power of the sea are easily visualized in this work by Debussy. It's all there--whlsps of fog, patches of sunlight over the water, gray waves turning green as the light changes.

In Strauss' a "Don Juan," the listener can Imagine any number of noble characters striding through the music, from the exploits of a famous and virile lover, about whom Strauss was writing, to a bold hunter coming home from the kill. In these two compositions, in fact, the impressionist (Debussy) Is more realistic than the realist (Strauss). Both are ably performed and conducted. --Harry El wood. PROKOFIEV, refer and and (lie Wolf; TCHAIKOVSKY, Nutcracker i New York Philharmonic, Leonard Bernstein conducting.

Columbia. Leonard -Bernstein, who seldom misses a good thing, narrates and conducts this famous children's composition, Peter and the Wolf, in the rather breathless style which has become Intimately known on television. It's a delightful piece that is enjoyed by adults and children alike. Tchaikovsky's equally famous Nutcracker Suite Is performed with the vibrance and vigor which reflect Bernstein's personality. Both recordings arc excellent.

--Harry Elwood JAZZ, AND ALL THAT Eligibles Seek Understanding By Bill Yaryan DB ZWIRN, Ron Hicklin, Slan Farber and Ron Rolla were once eligible bachelors a formed a vocal quartet called The Smooth Shavers. Today, they shave, all but Ttolla are married, a they call themselves The Eligibles. "Are the Four Freshmen, freshmen?" asks Hicklin. A new album, "Love is a Gamble," for Capitol, and work planned in the tilm version of "The Music Man," illustrate that the decade-old group has jumped a few rungs on the ladder of success since they won $10 in a Kiwanis-sponsored a show in their home town of Renlon, Wash. A good percentage of the radio-listening audience in this area has no doubt heard the phrase, "Here are the Eligi- bles," prefaced before a variety of commercial messages.

VOCAL GROUPS a a tough time of it in today's musical market. The path has been laid down by "do-do-wah" rock 'n' rollers and the more musically proficient vocal gymnastics of Hi-Lo-typc groups. "We haven't got the voices for rock and roll," Farber said. "We've tried it and disc jockeys told us to put more pain in our songs." The Eligibles'sound is a mellow one, lacking the tenor wail ol the Hi-Los and progressive harmony of the Four Freshmen, the two groups they resemble most. "We're primarily a jazz group," Hicklin a i "jazz that people can understand." That wasn't always an easy statement for the singers to make.

They were kicked off Junction Jamboree, a western music TV show in Washington, for experimenting, with such "dude" songs as "Poinciana." Undaunted, they a their way through the University of Washington and jumped on a bus for the gold-plated gates of Hollywood. After a series ol depression experiences which would take the rose out of any colored glasses, they sang for Gene Byram, coach for Judy Garland, Guy Mitchell, the Hi-Los, who gambled on their talent to give them lessons. They sang on Country America and the Johnny Otis TV show, did the choral backing for a number of record labels and then snagged a contract with Capitol. Las'; year, they rated third on Billboard's poll ol new groups. ALMOST 10 YEARS of unified singing have produced a well-rounded repertoire.

"It's easy to be versatile," Farbcr said, "With four guys you're bound to have four separate tastes." Their act, currently at Pasadena's Ice House, demonstrates this maxim. It wavers from the folksy "Maria" and "She Did Everyone of Them In" to "Coney Island a and "Mississippi Mud," a la barber- shop with a beat. Zwlm, the arranger and guitar accompanist for the group, wrote "Rollin' Dust," a reflection of their "drugstore cowbboy" days. To display their unique style to the audience. The Eligibles sang a wild physical version of Mother Goose rhymes.

Musically, they spanned the gap from "September Song" to "Noah Built I he Ark." The Eligibles may not be eligible for a i but they're certainly ripe for fame. The non-eligible (I to R) Stan Farfaer, Ron Hicklin, Bob Zwirn and bachelor Ron RoUa..