Louisville Orchestra Closes Season In Impressive Fashion.

By Henry C. Mayer

The present Louisville Orchestra season has been a remarkable one, in part because of the last two concerts. Each in its own way was a triumph.

The first one brought the 28-year-old pianist Max Levinson to Louisville for the first time. His interpretation of Beethoven's "Emperor Concerto" was the highlight of an all-Beethoven program. The orchestra did well in performing both the third "Lenore Overture #3" and the least-frequently performed "Fourth Symphony." However, the young pianist stole the show with a dazzling and highly enjoyable presentation of what many consider the composer's greatest concerto. Its heroic theme is one which has a haunting and singular beauty.

The season finale introduced Texas-born Helen Donath. Though perhaps better known for her operatic talents in such diverse roles as the two feminine leads in "The Marriage Of Figaro" and Sophie in "Der Rosenkavalier," she has achieved comparable recognition for her concert and recital work. Ms. Donath has chosen an early work and what was Richard Strauss' last opus in the repertoire for what might well be an unforgettable evening. She will also present the vocal sections of Mahler's "Fourth Symphony." The Louisville Orchestra will present the work in its entirety. It should be an interesting program, for though Strauss and Mahler were contemporaries, they were composers who heard different drums.