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March 12, 1939 - Image 12

Resource type:
Text
Publication:
The Michigan Daily, 1939-03-12

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THE MICHIGAN DAILY

hiladelphia

Orchestra, Founded

In

1900, Entering 40th

Season

C. _______________________________________

N

4 Conductors
Have Headed
Organization
The Philadelphia Orchestra this
year enters its 40th season as a mu-f
sical organization. Founded in 19001
"to encourage the performance of
first class orchestral music in the
city of Philadelphia," it has grown
from its original modest proportions
to a concert instrument of the first
rank, composed of 100 virtuoso mu-
sicians.
There have been four conductors of
the Philadelphia Orchestra. Fritz
Scheel, who began with the orchestra
in 1900, established during the seven
years of incumbency the firm foun-
dation and high standards since
maintained by the organization. Up-
on his death in March, 1907, a worthy
successor was selected in Carl Pohlig,
who left the position of First Court
Conductor at Stuttgart by permis-
sion of the King of Wurtemberg, to
accept the proffered post in America.
He was succeeded in 1912 by Leopold
Stokowski, who developed the orches-
tra to the post of high eminence,
which it occupies in the world of'
music today. Sharing the leadership;
with Mr. Stokowski is Eugene Or-
mandy, former conductor of thei
Minneapolis Symphony, whose bril-7
liant musicianship ',and virtuosity.
have been widely acclaimed.1
Virtually every artist of distinc-I

Ormandy Directs Concert Orchestra Of 100 Virtuosos

'Roxy' Paved Way For Ormandy's
Brilliant Career As A Conductor

Eugene Ormandy was born in Bud-
apest in November, 1899. His father
named him for Jeno Hubay, the
famous Hungarian violinist. Predes-
tined for music, at the age of two
he could identify the compositions,
after hearing the first measures.
Almost before he was able to stand
he was drawing recognizable tones
from a one-eighth size fiddle made
especially for -his use. He was five
when the Royal Academy of Music
accepted him as the youngest pupil
ever admitted to the famous school.
Ormandy's first public appearance
was at the age of seven. His master's
degree was awarded him when lie
was fourteen. Two years more brought
him an Artist's Diploma, and at seven-
teen he was made Professor of Music.
His first trip to America was made
at the age of twenty-one. The con-
cert tour of the United States went
glimmering. Penniless, with little
knowledge of the language, Ormandy
obtained a post as violinist in the
last chair of the string section at the
Capitol Theatre in New York and
five days later S. L. Rothafel (Roxy)
had made him concertmaster.

At a moment's notice, some time
later, he was called upon to substi-
tute for a sick conductor. His success
was such that he was made assistant
conductor. The next step was into the
field of major orchestras. Eugene
Ormandy's first opportunity was at
the Stadium Concerts, when he con-
ducted the New York Philharmonic-
Symphony Orchestra. So great was
his success that when Arturo Toscan-
mi fell ill and was unable to appear
as Guest Conductor with the Phila-
delphia Orchestra, Eugene Ormandy
was selected to replace him. The call
to Minneapolis followed the Phila-
delphia engagement- For four years
he was at the helm of the midwestern
orchestra. In the spring of 1936 Or-
mandy was engaged as co-conductor
with Stokowski for a three-year
period.

Swarthout Debut
NearlyRuined
But Courageous Effort
Drew Plaudits
(Continued from Page 4)
great warmth, richness and purity,"
the Baltimore Sun writes. "Lovely to
look at and heaven to hear" . . "a
voice as lovely as herself" has been
other tributes-
Miss Swarthout has gained addi-
tional fame in radio and motion pic-
tures. During the past four years she
has been starred in four sound films:
"Rose of the Rio Grande," "Give Us
This Night," ,"Champagne Waltz"
and "Romance in the Dark." She has
also appeared as guest artist on in-
numerable radio programs, but she
still claims the concert stage is her
"first love."

tion in the musical world has ap-
peared as soloist with he Philadel-
phia Orchestra, and the guest con-
ductors include such distinguished
musicians as Richard Strauss, Al-
fredo Casella, Georges Enesco, Igor
Strawinsky, Vincent d'Indy, Willem
Mengelb erg, Frederick Stock, Ossip
Gabrilowitsch, Ottorino Respighi, Ar-
turo Toscanini, Fritz Reiner, Sir
Thomas Beecham and others equally
renowned.
The orchestra's repertory covers

the widest range; it has been a tra- through the years of close unchang-
dition to present the works, not only ing association an orchestral "body
of contemporary European compos- capable of handling with utmost ef-
ers, but also those of American mu- fectiveness the great compositions of
sicians. There has been evolved all schools, from classic and romantic
sto the ultra modern.

I

It

JAN,

TH E 1939 MAY F EST IVAL

11

I

r,

PEERCE,

Presents

"I

GEORGES

MARIAN ANDERSON
"One of the greatest singers of our tie."-N. Y. Times

ENESCO

I

Composer

- Conductor

- Violinist

fl

at

J,

The May Festival

The internationally famous American contralto, Marian Anderson,
is now in this country on her fourth transcontinental tour. On Friday
night, in Hill Auditorium, she will present a program, singing with the
Men's Chorus of the Choral Union and the Philadelphia Orchestra.
In the past, Marian Anderson has been received with much enthusiasm
by Aun Arbor audiences and in response to many insistent demands she
returns to Ann Arbor for the 1939 May Festival.

.. a tenor of splendid vocal endowment.
There was no doubt of his success, the au-
dience clamoring for encores.
-Cleveland Press, March 3, 1937
"It seemed to me that I had never heard
Sigmund sung so beautifully, so easily and
so intelligently."
-Samuel Chotzinoff in New York Post
Peerce possesses a phenomenal voice. It
has top and low range in fullness and its
natural quality is of heroic timbre.
- Pittsburgh Sun-Telegraph,
March 8, 1937

I

ALL ENESCO PROGRAM

Saturday Afternoon - May 13
HILL AUDITORIUM

FOURTH MAY FESTIVAL CONCERT

MAV FESTIVAL

Friday Evening, May 12, 8:30

L

El

The 1939

. ..

The University of Michigan School of Music presents the forty-sixth annual May Festival,
to be held May 10-13. For almost five decades the May Festivals have presented the out-
standing Music Personalities, and this year have again attained the same high standards.

I

ORGANIZATIONS
THE PHILADELPHIA ORCHESTRA
Conducted by Eugene Ormandy
THE UNIVERSITY CHORAL UNION
Directed by Earl V. Moore.
THE YOUNG PEOPLE'S CHORUS
Juva Higbee, Conductor.

SOLOISTS
HELEN JEPSON .....Soprano
GLADYS SWARTHOUT . ...Soprano
SELMA 'AMANSKY .. . . . . Soprano
MARIAN ANDERSON..... ....Contralto
ELIZABETH WYSOR...........Contralto
GIOVANNI MARTINELLI..........Tenor
JAN PEERCE.....................Tenor
GIUSEPPE CAVADORE............Tenor
RICHARD BONELLI .............Baritone
NORMAN CORDON Baritone
EZIO PINZA ......... . . .... ... Bass
GEORGES ENESCO ,..........Violinist
RUDOLF SERKIN ....... ..Pianist

CHORAL WORKS

Otello

Verdi
Bralhms

Alto Rhapsody
Choral Symphony
Psalmus Hungaricus

McDonald

Kodaly

1I

PRICES:
SEASON TICKETS (Six Con MAY FESTIVAL COUPONS INDIVIDUAL C 0 N C E R T
Certs) may be ordered at the from Season Choral Union Tick= TICKETS will be taken from the
Main Office of the School of ets entitles original holders to unsold season tickets and will be

A '

I

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