PAGE TWO TiltMTCHAN DATIX SUNDAY, APRIL 26, 1934 Festival History Since 1888 Is Long, Colorful Huge Undertaking Grew Out of Modest Beginning 43 Years Ago (Continued from Page x) works for choral performance, includ- ing many operas adapted to concert presentation, have been given by the Choral Tnion. In numerous cases, American and world premieres have taken place. During the same period practically all of the world's import- ant soloists, instrumental and vocal, have been heard, including luminaries from the Metropolitan Opera Associa- tion and other American Opera Com- panies, as well as the great opera houses of Europe. The Festival of 1936 will witness the appearance of another orchestra. Leopold Stokowski and the Phila- delphia Orchestra will be injected in- to the Festival program. Their trans- continental deluxe tour has attracted wide attention. Through a fortunate combination of circumstances, it was made possible to induce them to route their tour in such a way as to make possible four days in Ann Arbor. Dr. Stokowski will conduct two programs. Notes On May Festival Personalities The boast that tiny, brunette Lily Pons has a soprano voice that is flaw- less in its beauty is not an idle one. Her range is two and one-half oc- taves, and in "Lucia di Lammermoor,' the opera in which she made her Metropolitan debut, the much dis- cussed high note of the Mad Scene as Miss Pons sings it, is F, a whole+ tone higher than it is usually sung. Incidentally it was through acci- dent that Miss Pons took up voice,1 for she had originally set out to became a pianist. During the war it1 was her custom to play for the wound-1 ed in the hospitals of Paris. One; day, by chance, she included a song in her program. After that the men' would listen patiently to her rendi- tions of Bach and Debussy, and then would say, "Now sing us something." Gradually the idea of a piano career suffered eclipse, and little Miss Pons decided to be a singer. * * The widely-heralded cross-conti-, nental tour of the Philadelphia Sym- phony orchestra, is rapidly becoming an event which Barnum could claim 1 as his idea. A special, ten-car, air-1 conditioned train has been arranged: for the tour and will transport the orchestra from city to city in trulyl elegant style. It takes five cars to' house the musicians, and Dr. Sto-1 kowski, his associate conductors, and three women of the orchestra will oc- began to think seriously of cultivat cupy the car of honor. The precious ing his voice, instruments worth aquarter of a mil- lion dollars, will be carefully cradled in two other cars, and will rest in! specially constructed and padded trunks. Still another car will be equipped with shower baths. A large circulating library of fiction and biog- raphy, special closets for full-dress suits and gymnastic apparatus, will be among the miscellaneous conven- iences of the train, which will com- bine the comforts of home with the best features of a luxury-liner and a general store. Charles O'Connell, brilliant young Irish associate conductor of the or- chestra, has the distinction of being the first certist to make a successful electrical recording of the organ. t * * ' There's a wide gulf between engi- neering and music, but Julius Huehn, prominent baritone who will appear in Elgar's "Caractacus," can tell you that it is not insurmountable. As a boy he spent his summers working C in his father's steel plate mill, and intent upon his chosen profession, he entered the Carnegie Institute of Technology. It was only when he began to play the saxophone in a small school dance orchestra that he* Besides being a brilliant baritone, Keith Falkner has received recog- nition in an entirely different field in military service. During the war he joined the Royal Naval Air Serv- ice and became a pilot of seaplanes in the summer of 1918. It was just at this time that the German sub- marine attack was most intense, and Falkner was awarded the Royal Hu- mane Society's bronze medal by the British government for life saving at sea. Though he came through the war unscathed, he did have a danger- out experience that, strangely enough, almost cost him his life at the hands of England's ally, France. He was, flying over France and had to make a forced landing behind the French lines. However, he was without iden- tification papers, and was mistaken for a German because he was wearing a dark blue uniform. Finally a friend- ly-looking French girl who spoke English intervened and made the necessary explanations to the excited French soldiers. Saul Caston, associate conductor of the Philadelphia Symphony, comes from a long line of musicians. To a1 great-great-grandfather is attributedj the invention of the xylophone, a fact which the present generation of Cas- tons are apt to gloss over hastily. In 1896 Russian opera-goers were astounded to see a nine-year-old boy valiantly and success fully wielding a bow as first violinist in a grand opera orchestra. The boy was none other than Efrem Zimbalist, who will bring his violin to the Ann Arbor May Festival for the pleasure of Ann Ar- bor concert-goers. The orchestra was his father's, but it was not paternal favoritism that was responsible for the boy's appearance. His father was very unwilling to give him the op- portunity to play, but the other mu- sicians were so insistent that he fi- nally gave in. Both Mavs ro SIokowski and As-r sociate Conductor Charles O'Connell firmly adhere to the theory that a Famous Choral Works Offered lIn Past Years Several World, Ainerican Premn icres Featured In Previouis Festivals The list of choral works which have been performed by May Festivals of former years has reached imposing proportions, and it includes not only world-famous works whose fame has been permanently established, but premieres of new works by distin- guishedcomposers. The "Manzoni Requiem" by Verdi has proven to be one of the most popular chorals works to be given during the 43 years of the May Festi- val's existence, and as a proof of its popularity, it was selected for the sixth time to be presented at this year's Festival. It was presented at the first annual May Festival which was given in 1894, again in 1897, in. 1913, 1921, and 1930. Elgar's "Caractacus," the other choarl work which will be heard at this year's Festival, has also been heard several times in previous Festi- 1vals. Last year's Festival presented world premieres of two important choral works, Lear's "Jumblies," a children's cantata, and Hanson's "Drum Taps." In former years May Festival concert- goers have heard world premieres of Hanson's opera "Merry Mount," and his "Heroic Elegy," and Moore's "Voy- age of Arion." baton should never be used in con- ducting an orchestra. "The baton is superfluous in conducting," says Mr. O'Connell, "The hands and arms are much more eloquent and expressive without the artificial extension, of stick. Originally the baton was used to beat time; but now beating time is the least important concern of theI conductor. The communication of certain ideas and emotions to his men is his ma jor duty. His is chiefly. a job of interpretation and integra- tion." To Sing Ir;'Requiem, KEITH FALKNER Two Directors Will Be Heard With Stokowski r Star Conductor To Lead First Concert; Cas ton, O'Connell OnFriday (Continued froiPage 1) The Fire Bird and Her Dance, Dance of the Princesses, Kastchei's Infer- nal Dance, terceuse, and Finale. Mr. Caston, who is also a dis- tinguished trumpeter, was engaged by Dr. Stokowski when he was only 16 years old as a second trumpeter with the Philadelphia Orchestra. Five years later he was promoted to first trumpeter. His first opportunity to conduct the orchestra came at a summer concert at Robin Hood hall in 1931 when the scheduled guest conductor, Albert Coates, became ill. On the spur of the moment, 'Mr. Cas- ton picked up the baton and conduct- ed the concert so successfully that he has acted as conductor in the summer concerts ever since. At the present he also directs a miniature symphony orchestra in his spare time, "The Philadelphia Orchestra En- semble." The other associate conductor of the Philadelphia orchestra, Mr. O'Connell is also an author of note, having written "The Victor Book of the Symphonies," a book which was selected by William Lyon Phelps as one of the best works of 1935. Born in New England, Mr. O'Connell had the good fortune to became a protege of the great pianist, Ossip Gabrilo- witsch,who sent him to New York to study under Frederic Mariner. For three years after he finished his studies, he acted as organist at his alma mater, Holy Cross College, and in 1928 went to Europe to study with the famous French organist, Charles Marie Wido. It was while he was in France that he was initiated into 'the business of being a conductor. An- other field in which Mr. O'Connell has been active is that of orchestra- tion. His arrangements of Bach, Purcell, Handel, Debussy, and Turina will be played by the Philadelphia orchestra on this tour. HA Schedule of Perormances.. I. WEDNESDAY EVENING, 8:30 THE PHILADELPHIA ORCHESTRA LEOPOLD STOKOWSKI, Conductor Toccata and Fugue in D minor ... . ..............Bach Aria ............................................ Bach Fugue in G minor ;e... . ... . . ........ ..............Bach Come, Sweet Death .............. .............. Bach Passacaglia...................................Bach Prelude to "The Mastersingers"................Wagner Prelude to "Lohengrin" ......................Wagner "Tristan und Isolda" Love Music .............. Wagner 1I. THURSDAY EVENING, 8:30, THE PHILADELPHIA ORCHESTRA THE UNIVERSITY CHORAL UNION CARACT ACUS, A Dramatic Cantata............. Elgar JEANNETTE VREELAND, Soprano............EIGEN PAUL ALTHOUSE, Tenor..................ORBIN KEITH FALKNER, Baritone ............CARACTACUS ARCH-DRUID JULIUS HUEHN, Bass................A BARD CLAUDIUS PALMER CHRISTIAN, Organist EARL V. MOORE, Conductor SYNOPSIS Scene 1. Eigen, Orbin, Caractacus, and Chorus Scene 2. Orbin, Arch-Druid, Caractacus, and Chorus Scene 3. Eigen, Orbin, and Chorus Scene 4. Eigen, Caractacus, and Chorus Scene 5. A Bard and Druid Maidens Scene 6. Eigen, Orbin, Caractacus, Claudius, and Chorus. III. FRIDAY AFTERNOON, 2:30 YOUNG PEOPLE'S FESTIVAL CHORUS ORCHESTRAL ACCOMPANIMENT HAROLD BAUER, Pianist SAUL CASTON and EARL V. MOORE, Conductors Overture to "Russlan and Ludmilla ............... Glinka The Children at Bethlehem ................:...Pierne A Mysterdy in Two Parts for Soli, Chorus of Children and Orchestra Concerto No. 5 in E flat for Piano and Orchestra... . . ........................................Beethoven HAROLD BAUER Mr. Bauer Uses the Baldwin Piano IV. FRIDAY EVENING, 8:30 THE PHILADELPHIA ORCHESTRA LILY PONS, Soprano CHARLES O'CONNELL and SAUL CASTON, Conductors Overture to "Marriage of Figaro".. .............Mozart Arias, from "Magic Flute"..................... Mozart Pamina's Air Queen of the Night LILY PONS Symnphony No. 1 in C major Op. 21...... . :.. Beethoven Adagio molto - Allegro con brio Andante cantabale con moto Menuetto: Allegro molto e vivace; Trio Finale: Adagio-Allegro molto c vivace Canope .................................... Debussy Minstrels.............................Debussy Orchestrated by Charles O'Connell Aria, "Bell Song" from "Lakme"..............Delibes LILY PONS Choral and Fugue .................. Zemachsen V. SATURDAY AFTERNOON, 2:30 THE PHILADELPHIA ORCHESTRA EFREM ZIMBALIST, Violinist LEOPOLD STOKOWSKI, Conductor Symphony No. 1 in C minor..................lrihms Un poco sostenuto - Allegro Andante sostenuto An poco allegretto e grazioso Adagio, piu andante - Allegro non troppo, ma con brio Concerto in D minor for Violin and Orchestra , . . Sibelius Allegro moderato Adagio di molto Allegro ma non tanto EFREM ZIMBALIST GI(OVANNI MARTINELLI CONCERT HOURS ANNOUNCED Concerts will begin on Eastern St a(ar l d Hime, which is one hour faster than Ann Arbor railroad time. Evening concerts at 8:30 p.m. and afternoon concerts at 2:30 p.m. 4 w J - i CS J7 J ..... - --- --- NOTICE THE PRiCES OF SEASON TICKETS (Six Con- certs) are $6.00, $7.00, and $8.00, and if "Festival (oupoii" is returned, the prices are reduced to $.00, $4.00, aid $5.00, respectively. Orders filed andtiilled i sequence. li I -ARTISTS GROUPS Liy PONS............. Metropolitan Opera JEAXNNETTE VREELAND American Oratorio Artist ROSE I3AMP'TONV...,... Metropolitan Opera GIOVANNI MARTINELLI Metropolitan Opera Sol) ao sopraiio Ten-or I-ir. B3arionie pAUL AuTouSE Metropolitan Opera KEiuiitH -FALKNER Metropolitan Opera JULIUS HUEHN British Oratorio Artist EIFREM ZIMIBALIST Prince of Violilists H1A ROLI BAUvi.. M a~t cr Art; 5t; '1 'i U N IV S IT-Y CHORAL UNION EARL V. MOORE, Conductor and CASTON & CHARLES O'CONNELL, 111 Ii- HiL ADELPH IA ORCHESTRA ' L EOciOaLc ST'OiOWSK, CondCor TI II You NG PEOPLE'S CTORUS 1UVA IIGIULE, Cwditc/or I ...... arione Violi/list i I Thre Bird of Fire......................i- iutroduction The Fire Bird and 11er Dance Dance of the Princesses Kastche's Inferial Dauce Berceuse Finale VI. SATURDAY EVENING, 8:30 THE PHILADELPHIA ORCHESTRA THE UNIVERSITY CHORAL UNION SOLOISTS JEANNETTE VREELAND, Soprano ROSE BAMPTON, Contralto GIOVANNI MARTINELLI, Tenor KEITH FALKNER, Bass PALMER CHRISTIAN, Organit P ARL V. MOORE, Conductor M'aht10n Requiem" .... .... .. .... For Soli, Chorus, Orchestra, and Organ 1, Requiem e Kyie 5. Agnus Di 2, Dies Irac 6. Lux Aeterna 3. Domine Jesu 7. Libera Me 4. Sanctus pALMER( CHRIST IAN University Organist Urganils _ __ _-- CHFORAL IW ORKS Verdi .' CAACl -' ~ >C1TS 4 a < s0 a a a s s u . 4 a + * ELGAR * OVERD ,_ _ _ _M 1ANZONI 4EQIJ I E Iee I I 1 1 5 " 0" a " 0" 0O O a b "0 e 0" 0 11