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April 12, 1942 - Image 1

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Text
Publication:
The Michigan Daily, 1942-04-12

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MUSIC

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Bkr Ab

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SUPPLEMENT

SUPPLEMENT.

--" '
ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN, SUNDAY, APRIL 12, 1942

- -. _

Distinguished
Negro Singer
Will Open '42
Festival Here
Marian Anderson To Sing
In Her Fifth Concert;
Winner Of Bok Award
Is 'Cinderella Of Music'
Popular Contralto
Well Liked Locally
Marian Anderson, whose beautiful
contralto voice has won such enthus-
iastic and well deserved acclaim froin
her immense following throughout
the nation, returns again to Ann
Arbor to sing in her fifth May Festi-
val.
In a week filled with famous mu-
sical stars, none is more popular with
local music lovers than Miss Ander-
son. The best evidence of how the
great Negro contralto is regarded in
Ann Arbor is the simple fact that
she is returning once again to help
make the Festival a great success.
Marian Ande'son is unquestionably
the foremost American woman of her
race and her native city of Phila-
delphia is proud of its famous daugh-
ter. She is the last winner of the Bok
Award of $10,000 which goes to the
Philadelphian who has achieved the
most for that city, and the recipient
of an Honorary Doctorate of Music
from Temple University.
'Cinderella' of Music
Rightfully termed the 'Cinderella'
of music, Miss Anderson's rise to
fame has been ltle .short of phe-
nomenal. From a small child with
much talent singing in a neighbor-
hood church, she Ias risen to lead
the nation in song from the Lincoln
Memorial in Washington, D.C.
Unable to receive much financial
support from her family the great
singer's early musical training was
the result of the generosity of friends
who realized the talents of the small
girl. Singing in church concerts and
similar benefits supported by com-
munity .interest in the, young girl
helpol to pay2her expenses.
Miss Anderson studied abroad for
some time and was really recognized
as a great star while she was in Eur-
ope. Not until she had completed a
two-year European circuit did she re-
turn to her anxiously waiting public
in America.
Annually singing before more than
a quarter of a million people, the
world-famous contralto's winter con-
cert tours would make much hardier
campaigrrs quail. In 1938 Miss An-
derson broke all previous records by
giving 70 recitals in the United States
and since that time has broken her
own record. During this, her seventh
annual tour, Miss Anderson is sched-
uled to give 80 odd recitals in more
than 70 different cities.
Beauty And Feeling
"Her concerts have impressed peo-
ple by the beauty of her voice and by
her challenging personality; but the
quality of the music which she has
sung has been of the highest, and af-
ter her programs anything less fine
seems cheap indeed." Thus John Er-
skine, Liberty Magazine, succinctly
stated the qualities which make Miss!
Anderson a great singer.
Many famous contraltos have tak-
en their places in the history of mu-
sic but few if any have succeeded in
singing with such beauty and feeling
as does Marian Anderson. Famed for
her renditions of Schubert and Bee-
thoven, the world famous singer has

done much to keep the great musical
works popular with contemporary
audiences.
Miss Anderson returns to Ann Ar-
bor with many new songs for Festi-'
val audiences after spending last
summer resting her voice and replen-
ishing her repertory of songs. This
was the first in six summers that the
great contralto did not tour the
ebuntry giving concerts and recitals.1
Opening the 49th May Festival,
Miss Anderson will be the soloist un-
der Eugene Ormandy conducting the
Philadelphia Orchestra.1
Psalm 'King David'
Will Be Performed
With Judith Hellwig, Enid Szan-
tho and Felix~ Knight as soloists and
Rabbi Barnett R. Brickner as narra-
tor, the symphonic psalm, "King
David," by Honegger will be present-
ed at the 1942 May Festival in Hill
Auditorium.
"King David," written in 1921, was
taken from a drama by Rene M'ax.:

Scene Of May Festival joncerts

i'Message
This is the 49th Annual May
lFestival. The number is nearing
the half-century mark. Born dur-
ing the hard-times period in 1894,
the institution has weathered many
a gale. This has been due in large
measure to the loyalty and the sym-
pathetic cooperation of a culture.
minded public, which at all times
has supported the University Musi-
cal Society in its endeavors.
Mindful of all of this, and firm-
ly believing that good music is of
special importance and significance
during periods of national crises,
the Society this year has taken even
greater pains in building a series of
programs of outstanding merit, and
has chosen the most distinguished
performers. In so doing, the Soci-
ety believes that it is carrying out
the ideals of its founders, and the
desires of its patrons and well-wish-
ers. It has full confidence that
members and friends of the Uni.
versity, as well as the public in gen-
eral, will continue their gracious co-
operation, to the end that one and
all may acquire renewed courage
and fortitude in solving the na.
tional and personal problems with
which so many of us at the present
time are confronted.
The Musical Society thanks the
public for its long years of con-
structive support. -Charles A. Sink
Festival

!Famous Musical. Groups,
Eleven Artists To Present
49th Annual May 'Fesiai

Local Figures In Festival

JUVA HIGBEE

THOR JOHNSON

Program For' 1942 May

* * *
Ann Arbor's Johnson, Higbee
WillAppear In May Festival

WEDNESDAY EVENING, MAY 6
Soloist:
MARIAN ANDERSON, Contralto
TN F PHIlADELPHIA ORCHESTR A
EUGE:NE ORMANDY, Conductor
PROGRAM
Overture in D minor .. Handel-Ormandy
Lamento d'Arienne . .. . .onteerd
Aria, "Piangero mia sorte ria,"
from "Julius Caesar"................ Handel
Marian Anderson
"Classical" Symphony ........... Prok ofieff
"San Juan Capistrano" Nocturnes Harl McDonald
"Pleurez mcs yeux," from "Le Cid" . . ...Massewt
Miss A nderson
Orchestral Fragments from "Daphnis et Chloe,"
Second Suite........... .......... Rarel
Waltzes from "Der Rosenkavalier".......Strauss
THURSDAY EVENING, MAY 7
Soloists:
JUDITH HELLWIG, Soprano
ENID SZANTHO, Contralto
FELIX KNIGHT, Tenor
BARNETT R. BRICKNER, Narrator
EMANUEL FEUERMANN, Violoncellis/
UNIVERSITY CHORAL UNION
THE PHILADELPHIA ORCHESTRA
iHOR JOHNSON, Conductor
P'ROGRAMV
"King DaNid, a Symphonic Psalm in
Three Parts, A fter a Drama by
Kene Morax ...... ........ ..... Honegger
Soloists, Narrator, Chorus, and Orchestra
Concerto for Violoncello and
Orchestra, Op. 104.. .. ........ Dorak
Emanuel Feuermann
FRIDAY AFTERNOON, MAY 8'
Soloist:
CARROLL GLEN'N, Violinist
YOUTH FESTIVAL CHORUS
THE PHILADELPHIA ORCHESTRA
SAL vCAs TON aml JUVA I IJGIfEE, Condu/ors
PROGRAM.
Overture to "Russian and Ludmilla"..', .. Glinka
Cantata: "The Walrus and
the Carpenter"............. ... . Fletcher
Youth Festival Chorus
Overture, "Romeo and Juliet" ...... Tschaikowsky
Violin and Orchestra, Op. 35 .... Tschaikowsk y
Concerto in I) major for
Allegro moderato; Canzonetta;
Allegro vivacissimb
Carroll Glenn
Polovtsian Dances fronr "Prince Igor" ..Borodin

FRIDAY EVENING, MAY 8
Soloist:
HELEN TRAUBEL, Soprano
THE PHILADELPHIA ORCHESTRA
EUGENE ORMANDY, Conductor
PROGRAM
Overture to "Tannhauser" ........ . ......'Wagner
Schmerzen. .....................Wagner
Traumea................... ..Wagner
Elsa's Traume ...................... .Wagner
from "Lohengrin"
Helen Traubel
Prelude and Love Death from
"Tristan and Isolde" ................ Wagner
Excerpts from "Gotterdammerung" ...,...Wagner
Siegfried's Rhine Journey
Siegfried's Funeral March
Brunnhilde's Immolation and Closing Scene
' Miss Traubel
SATURDAY AFTERNOON, MAY 9
Soloist:
SERGEI RACHMANINOFF, Pianist
THE PHILADELPHIA ORCHESTRA
I UGENE ORMANDY, Conductor
PROGRAM
(All-Rachmaninoff)
"The Isle of the Dead,"
Symphonic Poem after Bocklin, Op. 29
Symphonic Dances, Op. 45
Non allegro; Andante con moto .
(Tempo di valse); Lento assai;
Allegro vivace
Concerto for Piano No. 2, in C minor, Op. 18
Moderato; Adagio sostenuto;
Allegro schcrzando
Serge -Rachm ninoff
SATURDAY EVENING, MAY 9
Soloists:
JUDITH HELLWIG, Soprano
ENID SZANTHO, Contralto
JAN PEERCE, Tenor
MACK HARRELL, Baritone
UNIVERSITY CHORAL UNION
THE PHILADELPHIA ORCHESTRA
EUGENE ORMANDY, Conductor
PROGRAM
Toccata, Intermezzo and Fugue
in C major .................. Bach-Ormandy
Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Op. 125 .. Beethoven
Allegro ma non troppo; un poco maestoso
Molto vivace; Presto
Adagio molto e cantabile;
Andante moderato
Allegro assai
Soloists, Choral Union, and Orchestra

Conductors Of University
Musical Society, Youth
Chorus Are Prominent
Among the repertory of great art-
ists who will be appearing in the May
Festival will be two local artists who
have attained distinction in the field
of conducting-Prof. Thor Johnson
and Juva Higbee.'
Professor Johnson, of the School of
Music and conductor of the Univer-
sity Musical'Society, has had a col-
orful career both here and abroad as
violinist, conductor and student. He
has conducted more than 300 per-
Cello Virtuoso-
Is Instructor,
Concert Artist
Bad Cellists Do Not Exist,
Feuermann Maintains;
Noted For Solo Work
There are no bad cellists according
to Emanuel Feuermann, noted vir-
tuoso on this instrument.
"One is either a good cellist or not
a cellist at all," he states. "It is
true that many ambitious young
pupils tackle this instrument, but its
problems and difficulties are so in-
tricate that only the most gifted
manage to overcome them. The oth-
ers become discouraged."
Emanuel Feuermann is one person
who started out on the cello at an
early age, and definitely overcame
the "problems and difficulties" of
the instrument. He was eleven years'
old when he gave his first concert,
at that time appearing with the
Vienna Symphony Orchestra under
Felix Weingartner.
So proficient did he become, that
at the age of 16 he was already a
professor at the Conservatory of
Music in Cologne, Germany. He re-
mained a teacher as well as a con-
cert artist until 1934, when political
conditions in Germany forced him
to go into exile. At the time of his
departure from Germany he was the
head of the cello department of the
famous Berlin Hochschule fur Musik.
Feuermann's American debut was
made with, the New York Philhar-
monic Symphony Orchestra under
Bruno Walter, another distinguished
exile. This first recital created a
tremendous stir, assuring him a firm
position in the music life of the
United States.
Since that time, he has traveled
back and forth across the United
States, giving concerts which have
caused critics to applaud him as "one
of the greatest of living virtuosos,"
and placing him on a par with the in-
imitable Casals..
Feuermann is a favorite solo
artist among leading conductors. Be-
sides Weingartner and Bruno Walter,
he has appeared under the baton of
Toscanini, Fritz Busch, and many
others.
Percival Price Will Play
iuanal C n.11am 0.... .*p

formances of the University Little
Symphony in 30 states. He has also
toured the South in Lamar String-
field's Instrumental Quintet and as
associate conductor of the North Car-
olina Symphony Orchestra.
The young conductor has traveled1
extensively in Europe, studying under1
eminent masters. For two summers
he was under the'tutelage of Serge
Koussevitzky, condutor of the Bos-
ton Symphony.
Professor Johnson is also conductor
of the University Symphony Orches-
tra and of the Grand Rapids Syn-
phony. He founded, and is director
of, the Asheville Mozart Festival, and
is founder of the Carolina Salon En-
semble. During the summer of 1940
he appeared as conductor of six of
the Berkshire Center concerts with;
the Institute Orchestra at Lennox,
Mass., a division of the Boston Sym-
phony Orchestra summer school.
In Ann Arbor he has also served
as choir director of the Congrega-
tional Church; and at Chapel Hill,1
North Carolina, in the same capacity
at the Methodist Church. In addi-
tion he is chairman of the Associated
American Orchestral Conductors.
Ann Arbor's other noted conduc-
tor, Juva Higbee, director of the
Youth Festival Chorus, has been ac-
tive in choral work since an early age.
Supervisor of music in the Ann Ar-
bor public schools for the past 15
years, Miss Higbee received her music
training at the American Conserva-
tory of Music in Chicago, Northwest-
ern University, Hillsdale College. and
Teachers College of Columbia Uni-
versity. She has also studied under'
numerous American choral conduc-
'tors.
'society Boasts;
A Continuous
Music Record
Since 1879 when it was organized
the University Musical Society, spon-
sor of the May Festival, has main-
tained a continuous existence plus
providing good music for the Uni-,
versity, the community and the coun-
try as a whole.
Incorporated in 1881 under the
laws of the State of Michigan as a
non-profit organization the Society
has since maintained its concert
activities only thrqugh the sale of
tickets.
In addition to the May Festival
concerts, the Society developed the
Choral Union Chorus and the Choral
Union Concert Series, thus providing
Ann Arbor with the best in both local
and world-famed musicians and musi-
cal organizations. The concert series
started modestlybut gradually ex-
panded to 10 annual performances
which were climaxed by the Festival.
Present officers of the organiza-
tion are Dr. Charles A. Sink, presi-
dent of the Society; /President Alex-
ander G. Ruthven, vice-president;
Oscar A. Eberbach, treasurer; Shirley
W. Smith, secretary-treasurer, and
Thor Johnson, conductor.
Direction for the Musical Society
is provided by a board composed of

Anderson; Rachmaninoff
Head Stars To Appear
In Auditorium May 6-9
Five New Figures
Will Make Debuts
Music lovers of this city and of the
entire state will have the opportunity
to forget their personal troubles and
the war and listen to the works of
the great masters as presented by 11
musical celebrities and three large
musical groups in the 49th annual
May Festival which will be given May
6, 7, 8, and 9 in Hill Auditorium.
Sponsored by the University Mu-
sical Society, the festival's six con-
certs in 'the four day period will pre-
sent several old favorites of Ann Ar-
bor concert audiences and will in-
troduce five new faces. Familiar to
every local concert-goer are such
artists as Marian Anderson, con-
tralto; Sergei Rachmaninoff, pianist;
Emanuel Feuermann, violoncellist;
Enid Szantho, contralto; Jan Peerce,
tenor, and Mack Harrell, baritone.
The new faces include Helen Traubel
soprano; Judith Hellwig, soprano;
Carroll Glenn, violinist; Felix Knight,
tenor, and Rabbi Barnett R. Brick-
ner, narrator.
Returning to Ann Arbor for his
sixth May Festival will be Eugene
Ormandy who will lead the Philadel-
phia Symphony Orchestra. He will
be assisted by his associate conduc-
tor, Saul Caston. The University
Choral Union under the direction of
Thor Johnson, conductor for the Uni-
versity Musical Society, and Juva
Higbee's Youth Festival Chorus will
also participate.
opening Series
Opening the concert series on Wed-
nesday will be Marian Anderson. Miss
Anderson's renditions will include
"Lamento dArienne" by Monteverdi
and an aria, "Piangero mia sorte ia,"
from "Julius Caesar,"by andel. She
will also sing "Pleurez mes yeux
from "Le Cid" by Massenet.
The Thursday night, Friday after-
noon and Saturday afternoon pro-
grams will present three instrumen-
talists. Emanuel Feuermann, violon-
cellist, will play the Concerto for
Violoncello and Orchestra, Op. 104,
by Dvorak as the second half of the
Thursday night program. Tschai-
kowsky's Concerto in D major for
Violin and Orchestra, Op. 35, will be.
offered by Miss, Glenn on Friday
afternoon.
Heard for the first time in Ann Ar-
bor with an orchestra will be Sergei
Rachmaninoff. The entire Saturday
afternoon program will be devoted to
the pianist's- own compositions. It
will begin with his work entitled "The
Isle of the Dead" followed by "Sym-
phonic Dances," Op. 45. The Russian
artist will play his Concerto for Piano
No 2, in C minor, Op. 18.
Scheduled For Thursday Night
Scheduled also for Thursday night.
will be Honegger's "King - David."
Three soloists, a narrator and the
Choral Union will join in the pro-
gram. King David will be portrayed
by Rabbi Brickner. Solo parts have
been allotted to Miss Hellwig, Miss
Szantho and Mr. Knight.
A May Festival tradition will be
continued again this year when Miss
Higbee conducts the Youth Festival
Chorus in Fletcher's "Walrus and the
Carpenter" on Friday afternoon. In
its final appearance, the Choral
Union will take part in the perfor-
mance of Beethoven's Ninth Sym-
phony in the last concert on Satur-
day night. Solo roles will be sung byr
Miss Hellwig, Miss Szantho, Mr.
Peerce and Mr. Harrefi.
Ticket orders for the May Festival
should be placed immediately at the
offices of the University Musical So-
ciety in the Burton Memorial Tower.
Orchestra, Choral
Union To Present

Beethoven's Ninth
Regarded as one of the greatest
symphonic works ever created the
ninth symphony in D minor, Op. 125
of. Ludwig van Beethoven, will be
performed by .the' Philadelphia Or-
chestra under Eugene Ormandy and
the Choral Union at the annual May
Festival.
Although this work is outstanding

Sergei .Rachmaninoff Is Renowned
Contemporary Composer-Pianist
' -4

Sergei Rachmaninoff, famous com-
poser-pianist, who will be heard dur-
ing the 1942 May Festival in Hill
Auditorium, is regarded as one of the
foremost living musicians.'
As a composer Rachmaninoff un-
questionablyranks among the out-
standing ones of the day. He has
written practically all forms of music:
operas, symphonies, piano composi-
tions and songs. It was while he
was living in Dresden in the early
1900's that Rachmaninoff did most
of his composing. This period gave
impetus to his list of works, which
includes three symphonies, the sym-
phonic poem, "The Island of the
Dead," four concertos for piano and
orchestra, "Rhapsody on a Theme
by Paganini" for piano and orches-

ductorship of the Boston Symphony
Orchestra, but he refused because he
preferred his career as a pianist.
In recent years. Rachmaninoff has
devoted himself largely to piano re-
citals and composing. He has toured
this country many tines and has al-
ways been enthusiastically acclaimed
arce Showed TlentEarly
Born in the province of Novgorod,
Russia in 1873, Rachmaninoff showed
talent at the age of four. He entered
the St. Petersburg Conservatory at
nine, and at twelve he transferred
to the Moscow Conservatory. His
teachers there included Sverev, a
friend of Tschaikovsky, Siloti, Tan-
eiev and Arensky. While an under-
graduate in Moscow, Rachmaninoff

of the country so that when the pian-
ist has to make a long jump between
cities, there will be no danger of his
being minus the right kind of a piano
when it is time for his recital to be-
gin. To keep these instruments in
perfect order, a piano tuner always
travels with him to give 'a final
check-up before every concert.
Rachmaninoff Seldom Laughs
After forty odd years or playing
the piano in public, Rachmaninoff
says the building of programs is the
most difficult of problems. He
spends a great deal of time and care
on every program he presents , in
public and practices about two hours
a day to keep up his renowned tech-
nique.
For years the legend has been cur-

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