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. ,1 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 I 9 Mounting triumphs sweep from Palm Beach to Walla Walla, Quebec to Shawnee! wh taon? Ii I IIII 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 I 4 Li 2 - i 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 " s 0 ~II I 1