ffc:ur, N t "'' I T H E MIC HIG A N D A ILY
'AG ' .C
John Brownlee
Will Appear
At May Festival
Leading Baritone Has
been Acclaimed One
Of World's Greatest
John Brownlee, leading baritone of
the Metropolitan, Chicago, and San
Fransisco Opera Companies, a noted
recitalist and concert singer, will ap-
pear May 7 at Hill Auditorium in the
annual May Festival.
First Appearence in Ann Arbor
This will be the baritone's first ap-
pearence before an Ann Arbor aud-
3ence but before this time he has
toured the world in concert tours in-
cluding such remote places as South
Africa and Java. He has sung with
opera companies in Brussels, An-
twerp, Monte Carlo, Barcelona, Bue-
nos Aires, Rio de Janeiro and Monte-
video. Critic's reviews from Brown-
lee's tours have heralded his tonal
powers supplemented by his discern-
ing sense of the stage and have
claimed him as one of the world's
greatest singers.
Brownlee was born in Australia
and it was not until he entered the
annual Ballarat Competition on a
dare that his remarkable talent was
recognized. He immediately spent the
thirty pounds prize on voice lessons.
his talent was acclaimed by Dame
Nellie Melba and backed with her
encouragement he sailed for Europe
where he studied for several years in
Paris under the famous Dinh Gilly
and also took a complete course in
acting at the Paris Academy. ,
Acclaimed in England
Less than three years later Brown-
lee's operatic debut in Paris at the
Trianon-Lyrique was received with
enthusiasm and in 1926 he inade his
first appearance at the Covent Gar-
den, noted English opera house, op-
posite Melba in her famous farewell
appearance.
Shortly after this he was asked to
be a member of the Paris Grand Op-
era where he received the distinction
of being the first Britisher to be at-
tached to the permanent roster. The
Glyndebourne Festival in England
brought Brownlee acclaim for his
notable interpretations of Mozart
and one of the large recording com-
pan i e s thought his performance
memorable enough to preserve on
wax.
A few seasons ago he made his de-
but in this country at the Metrppoli-
tan and since that date he has ap-
peared with the company each suc-
ceeding season. In an era of great
voices his warm baritone is consider-
ed ,one of the greatest and this is
proved by the fact that he sang more
roles last season than any other bari-
tone at the Metropolitan.
To Play in All Blrahms Program
Composition of CHORAL UNION:
'Mahler Will Van De
Be Presented When the UniversityCh
Sperforms it will be under t
ship of Hardin Van Deur
'Song of the Efarth' replacing Conductor Tho
Is Departure from dtiring his absence.
However, Mr. Van Deurse
Traditional Symphony ceedingly able choral con
"The Song of the Earth", which.
will be presented Friday, was written'
in 1908 at a significant stage of the
career of Gustav Mahler, an Austrian ,
composer.
Although it consists of six songs, '
"The Song of the Earth," is not a
song-cycle in the ordinary sense. The
composition was given a sub-title "A'
Symphony" by its author, yet few of
the traditional features of symphonic '"'
form will be found in it.
The expression "symphony" is ..
conceived here in a rather broad .
sense. The composer of a symphony .;*'
usually intends to express a complexE
idea by complex means. A variety of:
movement, which permits a develop-
ment of various moods, thus present-
ing different and contrasting aspects ,
of one idea, is employed.
Varied Aspects :4z
The basic idea is usually left to :the }
imagination of the listener to under-
stand the composers intentions. The IiARDIN VAN DE4JR
sub-title "A Symphony" implies that-
the contrasted sections of the com- well as a soloist and teach
positions are to be considered as a recognition. He has rece
unity. commendation for his con
Although the various movements to music as conductor of t
tell of sorrow and beauty, of autumn
and .youth, of wine and of parting,
they are only different aspects of
one idea which Mahler indicates in
the title of the work, "The Song of
Earth."
Born in Bohemia
The composer, Gustav Mahler, was
born in Kalischt, a small country
town of Bohemia (then a part of old
Austria) and died in Vienna in 1911.
He was one of the outstanding musi-
cians of his time.
In spring of 1918, having just
returned to Austria after having
spent several years as director of the
New York Philharmonic Orchestra
and Metropolitan Opera, Mahler
wrote and completed "The Song of *.
the Earth." He was then 48 years
old.
Mahler died three years later with-
out having had an opportunity of
hearing the work which by common
consent is considered to be his great- -
est.
Soprano To Be
rirsen Conducts Featured Soloist
oral Union
the leader-
sen who is
r" Johnson
en is an ex-
nductor as
sity Choir and as musical director of
the choir of the Methodist Church.
He is also assistant professor of voice
in the University.
While in the University of Wyom-
ing, Mr. Van Deursen gained recogni-
tion as music instructor and chorus
conductor. He has made concert
engagements throughout the Middle
West, including Albion College.
(Continued from Page 2)
other exhibitors such as Deems Tay-
lor. George Gershwin and Cougat.
Along with his current tour Mr.
Milstein is making frequent USO
Camp Show appearances, and is also
working with his fellow artists in I
the Treasury Department's War
Bond Drive shows.
Perhaps the Ann Arbor audience
could take a hint from a Mexican
audience which the violinist once
enjoyed playing for immensely. In
expressing ftheir appreciation Mexi-
can ladies threw baskets of flowers
after .the meji's ats. on the stage
after each number, while the rest of
the audience cheered lustily, beat
their feet and generally tried to
equal an orchestra made up of drums
and horns for pure volume of sound.
GREGOR PIATIGORSKY
WORLD'S GREATEST:;
ire gor Piatigorshy Is Again
Gregor Piatigorsky, whomSerge
GreorPitigrsywho Srg He will be playing to an audience
Koussevitsky calls "the greatest 'cell- ,H w e playinghto a adece
ist of our day," will again appear in that he has a;ttached a great deal
Ann Arbour iny,' thi yearay Fpesti of sentiment to, for it was here, in
Ann Arbor mn this year s May Festi- AnAbr hth are aqe-
val. Piatigorsky has always been Ann Arbor,that he married Jacquel-
a Festival favorite in past years. ,e de Rothchild, daughter of Baron
E__- --_douard de Rothchild formerly of
SEN
ter of wide
ived much
rntributions
he Univer-
.
The renowned 'cellist will play on
the Sunday afternoon concert, with
Nathan Milstein, Brahms' "Concerto
in A minor.".
Began in Russiat
Gregor Piatigorsky began his gen-
ius career 36 years ago at the age of
six in an obscure and unprounounce-
able Russian village. The village,
despite the war, has remained ob-
scure-but not so Piatigorsky. His
fame rose rapidly and dramatically.
Compelled by family financial dif-.
ficulties, Piatigorsky set out at 15 to
make his musical talents pay. The
results were beyond his wildest hopes
as he was chosen first violoncellist
of the Imperial Opera in Moscow.
Married Here,
After touring Europe with unprec-
edented success he came to America,
in 1929. Singe arriving he has play-
ed more concerts in the United States'
and Canada than any other 'cellist.7
When Piatigorsky plays here May
7, he will be more than playing to
just another of the 600 audiences to'
hear him since his American debut.'
France and now in this country.
Carries Four Bows
This eminent 'cellist travels about
the nation, when on concert tour,
carrying with him four famous bows,
one made by Francois Tourte, most
famous of bow-makers. Piatigorsky
considers the Tourte .bow invaluable
because ittoriginally belonged to the
great Italian 'cellist, Piatti. The in-
strument on which he plays is a
Montagnana and is convervatively
valued at $30,000.
This man, whose playing was des-
cribed by the magazine "Newsweek"
as "bringing about a 'cellist renais-
sance." has played under the batons
of Stokowski and Mengelberg of the
New York Philharmonic.
Piatigorsky heads the chamber
music department of the Berkshire
Music Centre. is a Trustee of the
Koussevitzky [usic Foundation, and
plays regularly as soloist under Kous-
s'vitzky. He also heads the 'cello
dopetment of the Curtis Institute of
Valuable Instrument
Thirty-five thousand dollars is the
price Alexander Hilsberg, concert
master of the Philadelphia Orches-
tra, puts on his Guarnerius violin.
The famous instrument is dated
1735, and is a production of Giuseppe
Guarnerius, usually known as Joseph
del Gesu, one of the greatest of a
celebrated family of eighteenth cen-
tury violin makers. Hilsberg acquired
it from Jan Kubelik.
MAY FESTIVAL -
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Saturday, May 6, 8:30
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Friday, May 5, 8:30
Salvatore acaloni, Bas
Thu rsday, May 4, 8 :30
mose Baiuipton, Soprano
Sunday, May 7, 8:30
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