music
Sir ujauCx
Dahlil
MUSIC
SU1PPLEMENTI'I
SUPPLEMENT
ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN, SUNDAY, APRIL 20, 1947
May
Festival
May Festival,
Recordings
To Be Heard,
May Festival Will C
With Wagner Progi
'Ring' Operas Excerpts To Be Perfo
By Helen Trau bel, Philadelphia Orc
League,
To Give
Rackham
Concerts
Musical preparation for the
May Festival will be offered stu-
dents through the recorded per-
farmances at the League and
Rackham Building of works to be
given during the Festival.
Although complete lists of num-
bers to be given during the record
concerts are not yet available, the
playing of eight major festival
works has been announced.
League Concerts
Symphony No. 4 in A major
(Italian) by Mendelssohn, Sym-
phony No. 2 in D major by
Brahms, Suite from "The Fire-
Bird" by Stravinsky and Water
Music by Handel will be played in
the League, according to Norma
Swinney, who is in charge of the
concerts.
rTow other works to be perform-
ed on record at the League are the
Concerto in D major for Violin
and Orchestra by Brahms and the
Concerto No. 5 in E-flat major
for Piano and Orchestra by Bee-
thoven.
Programs for the concerts with
time schedules of performances
will be posted on the second floor
of the League, according to Miss
Swinney.
Rackham Programs
Missa Solemnis in D by Beetho-
ven, which will be given at the
May Festival by the Choral Union
and four Metropolitan opera stars
under the direction of Thor
M Johnson, will be performed dur-
ing a record concert at Rackham
Building.
Symphony No. 2 in D major by
Brahms will also be offered at one
of the concerts. Scheduled time
for these programs in the Rack-
ham Building are from 7:45 to
9:30 p.m., Thursdays and at 12:15
p.m., Wednesdays.
Further works to be given dur-
ing the concerts will be announced
in the Daily Official Bulletin, ac-
cording to Kathlyn Engel, who
directs the Rackham Building
programs.
Concert Music
Recorded By
Festival Stars
Many of the works to be played
during May Festival have been
recorded, several by the same art-
ists who will perform here.
The Philadelphia Symphony Or-
chestra, which is playing for all
concerts has recorded an unusual
number of these works. Brahms'
Symphony No. 2 in D major has
been recorded by the orchestra
in its history under three different
conductors: John Barbirolli, Leo-
pold Stokowski and Eugene Or-
mandy.
Wagner Symphonic Recordings
Overture to "Die Meistersinger.",
Prelude and Liebestod from "Tris-
tan and Isolde" and Siegfried's
Rhine Journey and Death and Fu-
neral Music from "Gotterdamer-
ung," all by Wagner, have also
been recorded by the orchestra
under Leoplod Stokowski.
Helen Traubel, who will sing
Brunnhilde's I m m o1 a t io n and
Closing Scene from "Gotterdam-
erung," has recorded the work
with Artur Toscanini and the NBC
Orchestra.
"Water Music" by Handel, Pass-
acaglia and Fugue in C minor by
Bach, the "Firebird Suite" by
Stravinsky, and the "Rapsodie Es-
pagnole by Ravel have also been
recorded by the Philadelphia
Symphony under Stokowski.
Violin Concerto Recorded
Brahms' violin concerto to be
played by Isaac Stern during the
Festival, has been recorded by
three great artists: Fritz k~reisler,
Jascha Heifetz and Joseph Szigcti.
.The Creston Symphony No. 2
which has been performed only
twice, and the "Te Deum" by Ver-
di, which will be given its initial
Ann Arbor performance during
the Festival, have not yet been put
on records.
Arias by Great Tenors
Other works to be given during
the Festival which are available
Opening the May Festival withI
a one-composer program, Helen
Trraubel and the Philadelphia
Symphony Orchestra will present
Wagnerian music at 8:30 p.m.
Thursday, May 8.
The orchestra, conducted by
Eugene Ormandy, will present the
Overture to "Die Meistersinger",
the Prelude and Liebestod from
"Tristan and Isolde" and excerpts
from "Gotterdamerung."
American Born Star
Miss Traubel will sing the aria,
War es so schmahlich" from "Die
Walkure" and Brunnhilde's Im-
Sink Explains
TU' Musical
Society Aims
Expresses Hope l'r
Increased Facilities
Through the years, the Univer-
sity Musical Society has -main-
tained the highest standard of
molation and Closing
"Gotterdammerung."
One of the first p
prove that a fore
name and European
cation was not one
quisites for success a
politan Opera House
bel was born in St. L
received all her trai
country.
Miss Traubel ma
public appearance a
12, when she substit
mother one Sunday in
the local church. Sh
first serious music s
Louis under a local
for ten years was a m
choir of the Pilgri
tional Church.
Through her early
tivity in and aroun
MIs Traubel came t
tion of Rudolph Gan
ductor of the St. Lou
Orchestra. A six w
soloist with the Sy
the soprano's first i
sical engagement.
WAgnerian Specialty
In 1939, Miss Trau
debut at the Met
Sieglinde in "Die W
has since appeared
Wagnerian roles an
larly noted for her1
of Isolde in "Tristan
and Bruennhilde in1
the "Ring Cycle."
Among the honors
been received by Mi
the Nordica - Brooch
worn by the first gri
born soprano, Lillian
has been cited on t
as "the year's outsta
in music" and has
Citation of Merit of
Association for Amer
ers and Conductors.
Music H0
May Festival
Corpisersr
The General Libra
piled a list of books
music lovers interes
ground on the musi
be performed dur
Festival and their co
The following co
arranged alphabetica
to authors:
Armitage, Merle, ed
vinsky, edited by
tage: Articles and
New York, G. Sc
1936.
Dent, Edward Josepl
Scarlatti: His Life
London, Arnold, i
Downes, Olin-Sym
terpieces. New Yor
Co., 1939.
Einstein, Alfred-Mo
acter, his work. N
ford, 1945.
Ewen, David-Dictat'
ton. Chicago, Allia
poration, 1943.
Ewen, David-From.
vinsky; the history
its foremost critic,
Norton, 1933.
Ewen, David-Twen
Composers. New Y
19.42.
Finck, Henry Theoj
enet and his opera
John Lane, 1910.
Finletter, Gretchen
top of the stairs. B
tic Monthly press,
See BOOKS,l
Presents
)pen Pinza, Bass, -
ram Will Present
ruied Opera Arias
hIestra
;Scene from
Americans to
ign-sounding Hailed "the greatest singing act-
musical edu- or of his generation," Ezi 7nza',
of the re- bass, will appear in concert at 8:30
t the Metro p.m. Saturday May 10.
, Miss Trau- Pinza will sing "Qui sdegno non
,ouis and has s'accende" from Mozart's "The
ning in this Magic Fute," "Non plu andrai"
from "The Marriage of Figaro"
de her first and the monologue, farewell, and
t the age of death from "Boris Godounoff" by
uted for her Moussorgsky.
a the choir of "Last of Big Titans"
e began her Often described as the last of
tudies in St. the big titans, Pinza, an Italian
teacher and born artist, recently celebrated
ember of the his twentieth anniversary with the
n Congrega- Metropolitan Opera Company.
Praised equally for his histrionic
musical ac- abilities as well as his vocal ac-
musicaLuic complishments, Pinza divides his
do t.Lutsn-time between opera, the concert
izo thenattenplatform and radio.
z, then con- This is a long way from his
s typhny original choice of vocation--to be
mhony wasa bicycle racer. As he won few
npotanymu laurels in that vocation he decided
tportant mu- o forsake it and try his luck at
singing. To meet the expenses of
his lessons, he worked nights in
bel made her a carpenter's shop in Bologna. n
ropolitan as the fall of 1914, he made his debut
'alkure". She in the rolt of Orovesco in Bellini's
in numerous "Norma" in the small Opera House
d is particu- of Soncino near Milan. World
performances War I interrupted his career, and
and Isolde," he spent six years in the Artillery
the operas of Corps, mainly at the front where
he won the bronze cross for dis-
which have tinguished service.
ss Traubel is King Mark Role
, which was Although Pinza never sang di
eat American See PINZA, jnage 2
Nordia . She
.wc occasions
nding woman
received the *
the National o p e
ican Compos- -d
Third Conecr
A 26 year old violinist, Isaac
Stern, will appear for the first
time before an Ann Arbor audi-
ohs ence when he plays the Concerto
in D major by Brahms at 2:30
p.m. Saturday, May 10.
Works, Since his public debut at the
Treated age of 11, Stern played with most
of the major orchestras in the
ry has com- country and has conducted five
available to national tours, in addition to
ted in back- three separate U.S. tours during
cal works to the war.
fig the May Last year, Sitern performed
mposers ypractically a full concert progran
nplete list is for the sound track of the motion
_pe t _ a - - - .... -. - -
MAY FESTIVAL
MAY 3 9, 10, 11, 1947
The Philadelphi 0,'chestriaa All Concerts
Six - Concert
eries
"---I
HELEN TRAUBEL, Soprano
REGINA RESNIK, Soprano
ANNA KASKAS, Contralto
FERRUCCIO TAGLIAVINI, Tenor
FREDERICK JAGEL, Tenor
EZIO PINZA, Bass
JOHN GURNEY, Bass
ISAAC STEAN, Violinist
ROBERT CASADESUS, Pianist
EUGENE ORMANDY, Conductor
ALEXANDER HILSBERG, Conductor
THOR JOHNSON, Conductor
MARGUERITE HOOD, Conductor
PHILADELPHIA ORCHESTRA
UNIVERSITY CHORAL UNION
FESTIVAL YOUTH CHORUS
PROGRAMS
THURSDAY, MAY 8, 8:30
Eugene Ormandy, Conductor
Soloist: Helen Traubel, Soprano
All-Wagner Program
Overture to "Die Meistoisinger"
Aria, "War es so schmablich" from
"Die Walkure"
Helen Traubel
Prelude and Liebstod from
"Tristan and Isolde"
Excerpts from "Gotterdammerung"
Siegfried's Rhin Journey
Siegfried's Death and Funeral Music
Immolation and Closing Scene
Miss Traubel
FRIDAY, MAY 9, 8:30
Thor Johnson, Conductor
Soloists: Regina Resnik, Soprano
Anna K askas, Contralto
Frederick Jagel, Tenor
John Gurney, Bass
University Choral Union
Missa Solemnis in D, Op. 123 ... Beethoven
Quartet, Chorus, and Orchestra
SATURDAY, MAY 10, 2:30
Alexander Hilsberg and Marguerite Hood,
Conductors
Soloist: Isaac Stern, Violinist
Youth CHORUS
SATURDAY, MAY 10, 8:30
Eugene Ormandy, Conductor
Soloist: Ezio Pinza, Bass
Ballet Suite, "The Good-Humored
Ladies" ,........... Scarlatti-Tommasini
"Qui sdegno non s'accerie" from
"Magic Flute" . .... ... .Mozart
"Non piu andrai" from "Marriage of
Figaro" .. ........*...... Mozart
Ezio Pinza
Symphony No. 2 . . reston
Monologue, Farewell and Death, from
"Boris Godounoff" ...,.... Moussorgsky
Mr. Pinza
Suite from "The Fire-Bird" .,.. ... Stravinsky
SUNDAY, MAY 11, 2:30
Eugene Ormandy, Conductor.
Soloist: Robert Casadesus, Pianist
Passacaglia and Fugue in C
minor... , ..... .....Bach-Ormarndy
Concerto No. 5 in E-flat major
("Emperor") ....... . . . . ... . Beethoven
Rober, Casadesus
Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op 75 .- Brahms
SUNDAY, MAY 11, 8:30
Alexander Hilsberg and Thor Johnson
Conductors
Soloist: Ferruccio Tagliavini, Tenor
University Choral Union
Overture "Russian and Ludmilla" ...Glinka
"E luce'van le stelle ' from "Tosca" .. Puccini
"Le Reve" from "Manon" ........ Massenet
Ferruccio Tagliavini
Water Music ......... ... Handel-Ormandy
"Prendi l'anel ti dono" from
"Sonnambula" . . ...... . .....Donizetti
"0 Paradiso" from "L'Africana".,. Meyerbeer
Mr. Tagliavini
Rapsodie Espagnole . .H..,.... ..... Ravel
"Te Deum" ........ ... ....Verdi
University Choral Union
Nine Artists
Will Perform
In Four Days
( horti s, Choral
Union To Appear
Seven Metropolitan opera stars,
Isaac Stern, violinist. Robert Cas-
adaseus, pianist and the Philadel-
phia Symphony Orchestra will
participate in the Fifty-Fourth
Annual May Festival to take place
from May 8 to 11 in Hill Audi-
torium.
The six concert series will cli-
max a musical season during
which the University Musical So
ciety has provided Ann Arbor au-
diences with 10 regularly sched-
uled and several special concerts.
Philadelphia Orchestra
In its 12th May Festival ap.
pearance, the Philadelphia Or-
chestra, which is directed by Eu-
gene Ormandy, will appear in all
the concerts. Alexander isberg,
associate conductor of the or-
chestra, will make his second ap-
pearance in Ann Arbor, conduct-
ing the third and sixth concerts
of the series.
Following the practice of devot-
ing one program to a single com-
poser each year, an all-Wagner
program will be given for the first
concert at 8:30 p.m., Thursday,
May 8. Helen Traubel, who has
appeared here many times, riM
sing arias from "Die Walkure" and
"Gotterdammerung."
Choral Union to Apear
The University Choral Union
will participate in the festival
again this year with a perform-
ance of Beethoven's "Missa Sol-
emnis" for the second concert.
Metropolitan opera start Regina
make their Ann Arbor debuts, will
Resnik and Anna Kaskas, who will
be soloists in this work, as will
Frederick Jagel and John Gur-
ney,
Issac Stern, violinist, who I
also making his premierbewhere,
will join with the Youth Chorus,
directed by Marguerite Hood, In
presenting the third program of
the series. A special Song Cycle
from the Masters will be present-
ed by the Chorus.
Creston Symphony
Ezio Pinza, who appeared in last
year's May Festival, will present
excerpts from "Boris Godanoff"
among his numbes in the fourth
concert. The second symphony
by Creston will receive its third
American hearing when it is play-
ed by the Philadelphia Symphony
in the same program.
The Three "B's," Bach, Bee-
thoven and Brahms, will be per-
formed in the fifth concert. Rob-
ert Casadesus, appearing in Ann
Arbor for the second time, will
play Beethoven's "Emperor" con-
certo and the orchestra will pre-
sent a Bach fugue and Brahms'
second symphony.
In the final concert, another
opera star, Ferrpccio Tagliavini,
will give his initial Ann Arbor'
performance. Bringing the Festi-
val to a close will be a perform-
ance of Verdi's "Te Deum" by the
Choral Union and the orchestra.
SFestival HornI
By AccidentI
May Festival, traditional cli-
max of the Ann Arbor musical
season, originated accidently mn
1894 following an attempted econ-
omy move by the Board of Direc-
tors of the University Musical So-
ciety.
A series of concerts had been
presented annually by the Musical
_Society since 1877 and for fif-
teen years had been traditionally
closed in May by an appearance
of the Boston Symphony Orches-
tra.
Sudden Cancellation
However, in 1893, after the fin-
al concert had been announced,
t was leared that the Boston
tymphony woul1d notk be able to
apipear.
At this time Boston also had a
1special traveling orchestra which
was engaged to take the place of
DR. CHARLES. SINK
explains aims
performance. in all of its concert-
giving acitvities. The prograin
for the 1948 May Festival seem
to have met with particular en-
thusiasm.. A diversity of offer-
ings, choral, symphonic, and mis-
cellaneous, are planned: There in-
volve the services of noted con-
ductors and organizations, and
distinguished artists, both vocal
and instrumental. The individual
programs have been arranged as
units in themselves, but also have
been built to form a complete
whole.
The Board of Directors of the
University Musical Society trusts
that those in attendance will en-
joy the programs, and will derive
satisfaction and musical profit
from them. The enthusiastic sup-
port of audiences has served as
an important stimulating factor
for the officers of the Society in
ever carryingon, sometimes when
the going was hard.
At the moment the Society
deeply regrets htat limitation of
seating capacity precludes the at-
tendance of many who would like
to be present, both students and
music enthusiasts in general. It is
not too much to hope that eventu-
ally a "good saint" will arise to
remedy this situation. This would
be a boon to students and other
members of the University, as well
as to music-lovers far and wide,
who are desirous of returning to
the University for musical guid-
ance, inspiration, and entertain-
ment.
-CHARLES A. SINK, President
Symphony No. 4 in A major
Song Cycle from the Masters
Youth Chorus
Concerto No. 1 for Violin and
Orchestra ........,......
Isaac Stern
Mendelssohn
. . Brahms
estival Music
illy according
.--Igor Stra-
Merle Armi-
critiques ...
hirmer, Inc.,
l-Aessandro
and Works.
905.
phonic Mas-
k, Tudor Pub.
tart, his char-
ew York, Ox-
ors of the ba-
.nce book cor-
Bach to Stra-
of music by
s. New York,
tieth Century
fork, Crowell,
philus-Mass-
. New York,
- From the
3oston, Atlan-
1946.
Page 3
Course Uiven
Arts Classes Ollered
By Extension Service
A course in Music Appreciation,
devoted to the May Festival pro-
gram, has been given during the
Period before the Festival by Prof.
Glen D. MCGeoch of the music
school as part of the Extension
Service program in Ann Arbor.
Instructed in ten lectures, par-
ticipants in the course studied the
works and composers for the Fes-
tival. No previous knowledge of
music was required for the course.
Students, faculty members and
Ann Arbor residents attended the
series.
Other courses in music and mu-
sic literature, which include May
Festival music, have been offered
by the Extension Service in Flint
and other towns. ft
Extension Service also offers
courses in the Great Books and
Painting and Composition in Ann
Arbor, as well as instruction in
several languages, Home Planning
and Education.
JOhN SON TO CON IUJC:
Choral Union Will Perform
During May Festival Series
The University Musical Society
Choral Union will present Beetho-
ven's "Missa Solemnis" and Verdi's
"Te Deum" during the May Festi-
val under the direction of Thor
Johnson, conductor-elect of the
Cincinnati Symphony.
Choral Union has perfonned
annually since it was organized,
both in the Choral Union series of
concerts and in the May Festival.
Included in its repertoire are al-
most all the major oratorios and
operas adaptable to concert per-
formances.
Presents Messiah,
The "Messiah" is presented each
year during the Christmas season
by the chorus and several promi-
nent soloists. The Choral Union
has often presented American and
world premieres of works of sub-
stantial importance.
Thor Johnson, Conductor-elect
of the Cincinnati Symphony Or-
chestra, will conduct the Choral
Union with the Philadelphia Or-
ISAAC STERN
young violist
picture "11unmorescue," in which
the role of the young concert vio-
linist hero is phtyed Iby John Gar-
field,
Stern has also had the distinc-
tion of giving the world premiere
to Paul Hindemith's "Sonata-
1939" at the invitation of the com-
poser. He also introduced a rhap-
sody by Bela Bartok to New York
audiences last season.
THOR JOHNSON
directs Choral Union
WITH OMIANDY, HLSBERG:
Philadelphia Symphony
To Play at All Concerts
chestra in the two choral per-
formances.
Johnson served as conductor of
the University Musical Society
from 1939 to 1942, when he en-
tered military srvice. During the
war he was at the head of the
Army Orchestra at Fort Mn-
mouth, New Jersey, This organ-
zation became outstanding amid
during the several years he was in
charge, numerous distinguished
soloists such as Horowitz appeared
under his direction in Army con-
cents.
Conducts .Axrrmy Orchestras
At the close of the war, Johnson
t
In its 12th consecutive appear-
ance for the May Festival, the
Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra,
conducted by Eugene Oimandy,
will play for all concerts in the
series.
In addition to its concert series
in Philadelphia, the orchestra
plays more symphonic programs
on the road than any other musi-
cal organization. i also conducts
special Children's Concerts and
ies when a little over three years
old. He . concluded his studies
under the famous Hubay and
earned his professorship in music
at 17. He concluded several con-
cert tours before coming to the
chestra. Under his direction, the
orchestra will play Symphony No.
4 in A major by Mendelssohn,
"Water Music" by Handel and
"Rapsodie espagnole" by Ravel,
Following his araduation from
x
y
te S.ym }hony. Because hte con-
tract for this orchestra required
that the University Musical So-
ciety provide all travelling and
railroad costs, the Board of Di-
rectors decided to present three
Gt it erf seinrfn I f -psiednaim
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