TU E MICiHIiGAN DAXILY
achmaninoff ToAppear Here
In Performance Of Own Works,
Pianist To Play Own Composition
Choral Union Is Largest Activity
Sergei Rachmaninoff, who will play
in Hill Auditorium with the Phila-
delphia Orchestra during the 1942
May Festival, is one of the few great
composers that will also go down as
one of the greatest pianists of his
epoch.
Although other great composers
may never quite find someone who
knows how to interpret their music,
Rachmaninoff doesn't have to tworry.
One of the most successful concerts
he ever gave, was in New York two
years ago, when he played bth his
second and third piano concerto on
a single program-an almost supe-
human task.
And in spite of the fact that he is,
reasonably enough, considered the
Philadelphia
Orchestra Is
Outstanding
A series of summer concerts in a
park outside of Philadelphia were re-
: ponsible for the permanent estab-
lishment of the now famous Phila-
delphia orchestra.
A few musicians under the direc-
tion of Dr. Fritz Scheel were consti-
tted into a full-fledged symphony
(lhestra in 1900 when a public sub-
cription guaranteed the existence of
.he new orchestra.
Wheel remained conductor of the
M nmegathering orchestra until his
dath in 1907. He had establis1hed a
fe reeo of brilliant perform ahces.
Pohlig Conducted
Succeeding Scheel was Carl Poh-
court conductor at Stuttgart,
permany. Under his baton the Phila-
pax phia orchestra added more laurels
ts its aheady growing honors.
eoTpold Stokowski, one of the great
fi chestral interpreters of great music
i this country, succeeded Pohlig.
I was Stokowski who led the Phila-
elphia Orchestra to its present emi-
ent position in the music world.
Such impressive undertakings as
the American premiere of Mahler's
Iighth Symphony, a tremendous
work requiring more than L000 or-
chestral and choral participants,
were accomplished under the pol-
ished leadership of Stokowski.
This performance won world-wide
-rcognition for the yet young Phila-
eliphia Orchestra. From that time
the orchestra was recognized as one
of the most accomplished in the
world.
Music Institution
Now the Philadelphia , Orchestra
has become one of the music insti-
tutions of America. It has a wide rep-
ertory including compositions of all
schools. Its policy has been to present
many contemporary works from both
American and European composers.
Because of its leadership in pre-
senting contemporary works, the
Philadelphia orchestra has given
many notable "first American per-
formances."
Conducting the orchestra at the
present is Eugene Ormandy who suc-
ceeded Leopold Stokowski. He is car-
e ying on the great tradition of the
i orchestra's first three conductors in
a manner gaining much praise.
greatest interpreter of his own music,'
the great Russian master is not over-
particular about the way other pian-
ists play his compositions.
"I know just how I would play
them myself, but it is all one to me
how someone else chooses to inter-
pret them, he says, "for any really
fine pianist is justified in finding his
own interpretation and putting his
own personality into the rendering
of the music.
"Furthermore, it is most interest-
ing at times, to see how some other
pianist will give a piece you have
written yourself an entirely different
musical color, or present it from an
angle quite different from your own."
About his music, he is most modest.
When questioned as to which of his
works he considers the best, he would
not commit himself.
"A composer is never right in esti-
mating his works. I am reminded of
a night im Moscow when I sat in a
box with Tschaikowsky. One of his
operas was being performed. It was
the one I consider his best. Suddenly
in the middle of the second act,
Tschaikowsky pressed his hands to
his ears and rose to leave the box.
'I can't stand listening to this dread-
ful music any longer.' he said.
"Later I asked him which of his.
works he regarded as his best. The
one he mentioned was the one I
consider the least effective. So you
see," Ras-hmaninoff declared, "a!
composer is no judge of his own
wvorks. Only the public knoWs the
right answer."
The University Choral Union, one
of the largest anu oldest student mu-
sical groups in the country, is able to
boast the distinction of being the
largest musical activity on the Mich-
igan campus, if not the largest stu-
dent activity of any kind.
Founded in 1879, and composed of
only thirty or forty singers in the
beginning, the organization has
C grown in fame and stature until to-
day it boasts a membership of 350
and an "alumni" group of over ten
thousand.
The group was founded by Calvin
C. Cady, and at first confined its
activities to concerts in Ann Arbor
churches, but as it became more es-
tablished it added more pretentious
compositions to its repertoire, until
Choral Union concerts-in the Univer-
sity Hall auditorium became out-
standing campus events.
In the days of the University Hall
concerts the Union began the prac-
tice of sponsoring recitals by farmous
concert performers. This was an out-
growth of the previous use of guest
artists as soloists in the regularly
scheduled concerts.
- Under the leadership of Albert A.
Stanley, who succeeded Cady in 1888,
the Choral Union inaugurated the
May Festival in 1894, and since that
time the group has confined its ap-
pearances to participation in the May
Festival. ,
Stanley remained as conductor of
the Choral Union until 1921, when
he was succeeded by Earl V. Moore,
who was in turn relieved by Thor
Johnson in 1940.
Grade-Schoolers
Are Performers
in Youth Chorus,,
Again this year the Youth Chorus
of the Ann Arbor public school sys-
tem will appear under the direction
9f Juva Higbee at the May Festival.
Composed of children of the fifth
and sixth grades, the chorus is se-
lected from the very large number of
applicants after the children are test-
ed for voice and music sensitivity.
Miss Higbee has said that the chil-
dren pride themselves on being ac-
cepted for the Chorus, and many of
them point out that their mothers
and fathers before them were mem-
bers of the Youth Chorus. After se-
lection the children are trained b9
Miss Higbee and her assistants, and
finally the group is cut to the number
required for the concert.
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I
EnidSZNH
World-Famious Contralto
"One of the most glorious artists of
Sergei Rachmaninoff will be heard in Ann Arbor for the first
time with an orchestra. He will play Concerto for Piano No. 2, in C
minor, Op. 18, in the Saturday afternoon concert. A familiar figure
to local concert audiences, Rachmaninoff is acknowledged to be one
of the greatest musicians of the epoch. His genius has brought, him
fame as pianist, composer and conductor. The Russian artist is an exile
from his native country and has become a full-fledged American citizen.
our lime."
--EUGENE ORMANDY
r- -- __ -. i
t
MM. SZANTHO studied voice at the Royal
A cademy of Music and Dramatic Arts of Buda-
pest. After her first New York recital, the
New York Times states: "By the gorgeousness
of her voice and the perfection of her artistry
she scored a sensational success."
Thursday Evening, May 7th
Sattrday Evening, May 9th
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Mounting triumphs sweep from
Palm Beach to Walla Walla,
Quebec to Shawnee!
wh taon?
Ii
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Jan PEC
Tenor
"Without a doubt he is the best tenor
that has ippeared on the American opera
stage since the first arrival of Gigli. His
voice has every thrilling quality of
surety and splendor."
-San Francisco Examiner
"From the first aria the audience was
completely with him. Not only is Mr.
Peerce a hard worker and sincere musi-
cian; he also has a true, powerful and
appealing tenor."
-New York, P.M.
Saturday Evening, May 9th
i
A TONE OF GREAT VOLUME and full of the fire of youth, a charm-
ing stage presence and admirable poise . . . warmth and vitality
not to be taken for granted in this or any other gneration.
-PHILADELPHIA
Revealed unmistakable fire of genius. - -CHARLOTTE, N.C.
Third Concert, Friday Afternoon, May 8th
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ES
T7
UAL
THE UNIVERSITY
MUSICAL
SOCIETY
presents
the forty-ninth annual
May
Festival, to be held May 6-9.
For almost fifty years the May
Festivals have pre-
sented
the outstanding
Music
Personalities,
and this year have again
attained
the same high
IJELEN TRAUBEL ,
JUDITH HELLWIG
MARIAN ANDERSON
ENfD SZANTIO
JAN PEESRCE .
standards.
Soprano
FELIX KNIGHT .
. .e ." .M .Y
. .
T RGANIZATIONS
'THE PHILADELPHIA ORCHESTRA
. . . . . . Soprano
.. Contralto
. . Contralto
Tenor
BARNETT R. BRICKNER
MACK HARRELL
EMANUEL FEUERMANN
CARROLL GLENN .
. . . Tenor
. '. ..Narrator
S - .Baritone
Violoncellist
.. . . Violinist
CHORAL WORKS
"KING DAVID"-Henegger
"NINTH SYMPHONY," Beethoven
"THE WALRUS AND THE
CARPENTER," Fletcher
THE UNIVERSITY ClHORAL UNION
SERGEI RACHMANINOFF .
Panist
. . ."
fH I ESTIVA 1 YOUTH (A-IOR US'
_ ....__ .__ .... .._ __ .__. .. - I
PRICES
(tax included)
Seu.-son Tickets:
SIX CONCERTS
$8.89 $7.79
f1ay F Festival Coupons:
If Festival coupon from season Choral Union ticket is ex-
changed, dcduct $3.30 from price of season May Festival
tickets,
Individual Concert:
$2.75 - $2.20
$1.65 -$1.10
If "
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