  The properties of 1^-_1 two-phonon states and the characteristics of E1
transition probabilities between low-lying collective states in spherical
nuclei are analysed within the Q-phonon approach to the description of
collective states. Several relations between observables are obtained.
Microscopic calculations of the E1 0^+_1 -> 1^-_1 transition matrix elements
are performed on the basis of the RPA. A satisfactory description of the
experimental data is obtained.
