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' i~ i 3APRtt~IL 20i, 194

THlE MCIA AL


Personalities
Vary Within
Music Group
Musician Owns Rare
Far Eastern Flute
Although the Philadelphia Sym-
phony Orchestra is considered as
a group, it is really the sum of the
personalities and abilities of the
individual members.
William Kincaid, first flautist
with the orchestra collects flutes,
both as a hobby and as an aid to
his profession. Most expensive is
the platinum flute which Kincaid
uses for concert work, and which
he maiatains produces the finest
tone and accuracy of pitch.
Flute Collection
Others in his collection include
an ivory-lacquered instrument
from the Far East, a Balinese
flute and a matchless French flute
from the atelier of Louis Lot in
Paris.
Samuel Mayes, first 'cellist and
soloist, started his career because
of the insistence of Will Rogers,
Mayes' second cousin. Mayes' par-
enits wanted their son to enter
medical school, but Rogers, after
hearing the boy play, advised a
musical career, and overcame the
parents' objections.
Versatile Musician
The solo violist with the or-
chestar, Samuel Lifschey, chose
music only after he had entered
three other professions. Although
he studied music from childhood,
Lifschey began work in his fath-
er's drugstore and became a duly
registered pharmacist.
He suddenly decided dentistry
was more to his liking and prac-
ticed prosthetic dentistry before
e entered dental college. Another
c ange of mind and Lifschey won
a competitive scholarship to Cor-
nell for the engineering course.
Finally, however, music won out
and Lifschey became solo violist
with the New York Symphony
under Walter Damrosch.
Contra-Bassist
Anton Torello, the first contra-
bassist, comes from a double-bass
playing family. Four succeeding
generations of the Torelio clan,
which comes from the Province
of Catalonia in Spain, have been
masters of the big viol.
A famous teacher, Torello has
been on the faculty of the Curtis
Institute of Music for the last 15
years. His collection of double-
basses takes up quite a bit of room,
for he owns nearly a score of
them, all coming from famous ate-
liers of Europe.
Source of Symphony
The source of Mendelssohn's
"Italian" Symphony was a tour of
Italy the German composed made
in 1831, part of a grand tour of
Europe which inspired many great
works.

Forei gn Study CHILDREN'S VOICES:
Prepared Met Margierite H
Star for Work Youth Choris

Lithuanian Officials
Aid Kaskas' Career

Once again ths Y the fifth I
and sixth grade children of Ann
Arbor's public schools will don
their best bib and tucker to sing

The story of Anna Kaskas, a in a May Festival conceit.
contralto from Connecticut, shows The children, directed by Mar-
that prayer, luck. constant study guerite Hood, will sing a song cy-
and fortitude combined with a ce from the masters at the 2:30
well developed talent may get a p.m. concert Saturday. May 10.
singer to the coveted stage of the1 More than 300 children compose
Metropolitan Opera House. this year's Youth Festival Chorus.
Miss Kaskas can hardly remem- The Chorus is chosen proportion-
ber the time that being an opera ally from each public school ac-
star was not her paramount ob- cording to its. enrollment. Tryout

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3

REGINA RESNIK, soprano, ANNA KASKAS, eontrialto, FREDERICK JAGEL, tenor, and JOfhN (NFN, bas. to sing
FIe DeuR.
FIVE-PA RT OR A TORlO:

solos of Verdi's

Met Stars Join Choral Union in 'MVissa Soflmnis'

Four Metropolitan Opera stars,
three of them new to Ann Arbor
audiences, will sing the solos of
"Missa Solemnis" by Beethoven,
to be presented at 8:30 p.m. Fri-
day.
Regina Resnik, soprano,
reached stardom through the Met
reached stardom through the
Metropolitan auditions of the air,
of which she was the sole woman
winner in 1944.
Plans Career
Born in New York City, Miss
Resnik pursued her musical stud-
ies there, planning her courses in
high 'school and at Hunter Col-
lege with an operatic career in
mind. Soloist with the Young
America Symphony Orchestra,
she won the Orchestra's prize "for
outstanding merit."
MJiss Resnik's first professional
achievement was an engagement
with the New Opera Company in
the role of Lady Mlacbeth in Ver-
di's opera, "Macbeth." She was
also engaged for several of the
opera performances at the New
York City Center.
In 1943, Miss Resnik made her
first visit to Mexico City to sing
a series of performances at the
Teatro Nacional. She made a re-
turn engagement there in 1944.
Her repertoire includes more than
12 opera roles.
Metropolitan Contralto
Anna Kaskas, contralto, was
born in Bridgeport, Conn., and
studied in Italy and Lithuania as
well as in the United States. At
13 a soloist in the choir of the
Church of the Holy Trinity, she
finally succeeded in obtaining two
scholarships at the Hartford Con-
servatory of Music where she
studied voice and piano.
Financed by a wealthy patron
dnd contributions of friends, Miss

Kaskas traveled to Lithuania to
study and made her debut there
at the age of 18. After studying
in Italy, she returned to the Unit-
ed States and in 1936 won the
right to sing in the Metropolitan.
Miss Kaskas sings more than 401
opera rules, as well as numerous
operetta numbers and parts in
such works as "Missa Solemnis."
American-Born Tenor
Frederick Jagel, tenor, who has
appeared in Ann Arbor before this
season, reached the Metropolitan
after years of study in this coun-
try and abroad. Born in Brook-
lyn, he sang first in church choirs.
After leaving school, Jagel re-
ceived help from friends and was
able to travel to Europe to con-
tinue his studies. He made his
debut there in "La Boheme." Ja-
gel then journeyed to Holland
where he sang the part of Rha-
dames in "Aida." As a result of
this success he was engaged by
the Metropolitan.
College Athlete
John Gurney, American bass-
baritone', was born in Jamestown,
N.Y. and attended Oberlin College
where he distinguished himself as
an athlete. Although a member of
the college glee club, he did riot
become seriously interested in mu-
sic until after he was graduated.
After entering the Harvard'
University Business School, Gur-
ney joined the Harvard Glee Club.
It was the director of this group
who persuaded him that he was
better fitted for opera than busi-
ness. His decision made, he went
to France to study under Jean
Mauran of the Paris Opera.
Varied Career
A year later he returned to New
York to join the American Opera
Company. That was the begin-

ning of a career that would be
hard to duplicate for variety. It
included several brief sorties into
vaudeville, a season in the Zieg-
field Follies, another as leading
baritone of the Roxy Theatre. In-
terspersed with these were more
serious engagements with the
Russian Opera Company, Cincin-
nati Zoo Opera, French-Italian
Opera Company and opera ap-
pearances at the Lewisohn Stadi-
um during the summer season.
His first contact with the Met-
ropolitan Opera came in the
spring of 1936 when he was in-
vited to participate in the sup-
plementary season. Following this,
he was put under contract. as a
regular member.

The four American-born Met-
I ropolitan Opera stars will be
I joined by the Choral Union, di-
rected by Thor Johnson, in pre-
sentin Missa Solemnis," The
Philadjelphia Symphony Orches-
tra will also be under the direction
of Mr. Johnson.
i .+
Zak in Is Artist
IOwn Rigvht

Give Concert
Of Three B3s
The three B's, which, have been I
transformed in popular parlance
into "Barrelhouse, Bookie Woogie
and the Blues," will be presentedj
in their original classical meaningI
in the fifth May Festival concert!
at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, when Bach, '
Beethoven and Brahms are pre-
sented by Robert Casadesus, pian-
ist, and the Philadelphia Sym-1
phony Orchestra under Eugene
Ormandy.
During the concert, the Passa-
caglia and Fugue in C minor by'
Bach, transcribed for orchestra
by Eugene Ormandy, and the
Symphony No. 2 in D major by
Brahms will be presented by the
orchestra. Robert Casadesus will
play Concerto No. 5 in E-flat
major, "Emporer," with the or-i
chestra.

Acco panist SerVes
Steen As Companion.
Accompanists usually receive
little recognition, but Alexander
Zakin, Isaac Stern's accompanist
had achieved fame in Europe
before he joined the violinist.
Born in Siberia and educated
in Russian conservatories and in
the famous Berlin Hochschule, a
pupil of Egon Petri, Zakin fled
Germany in 1933, after a promis-
ing career as concert pianist and
accompanist of leading solo artists
throughout Europe.
For the next seven years Zakin
served as staff pianist at Radio
Luxembourg, but in 1940, he fled
agaif, only a few days before the
Germans marched in. He then
joined Stern in America.
In addition to his regular duties
accompanying Stern, Zakin must
also serve as a companion and
often, as managerAP). Keeping
Irack of missing collar buttons,,
noting concert times, finding aI
page turner and finding directions#
all come under the province of
the accompanist.
With Stern for half a dozen sea-
sons, Zakin has become accus-
 tomed to his job as companion
both in music-and travel.

jective. She recalls herself at the
age of 14, kneeling before that al-
tar of her church in Hartford,
Conn., and praying: "Please, dear
Lord, let me go to Italy and study
for the opera. Let me become a
really great singer - like Rosa
Ponselle."
'Hartford Girl'
Miss Kaskas' parents were of
Lithuanian birth, but she herself
was born in Bridgeport, Cann., a
year before her parents moved to
Hartford. She considers herself a
"Hartford girl" where, as a child,
she led all the others in her school
in singing. When she was 13 years
of age, she was soloist in the choir
of the Church of the Holy Trinity.
She won two scholarships at the
Hartford Conservatory of Music,
where she studied voice and piano.
While still at the Hartford Con-
servatory, a wealthy music patron
in Hartford heard her sing. Im-
pressed by her unusual youthful
voice, he offered her a scholarshipa
for study abroad. The Holy Trin-;
ity Choir decided to supplement
the scholarship, and raised an ad-
ditional fund. Miss Kaskas found
herself in Kovno, Lithuania, soon
thereafter, when she was 17 years
old, learning the art of opera sing-
ing. At 18, she made her debut.
Government Helps
The Lithuanian government
recognized Miss Kaskas' ability,
and found that she had a singing
ability different from that found
in their native voices. The gov-
ernment provided her with an-'
other scholarship which fulfilled
her prayer-for study in Italy.
WhenMiss Kaskas returned to
America, the United States was
in the midst of the depression.
Hardly a time to attempt to get
into the Metropolitan, Miss Kas-
kas returned to Hartford where
she sang in churches and gave 20
singing lessons a week.
In 1936 she won the Metropoli-
tan Auditions of the Air, and sub-
sequently made her debut with the
Metropolitan in Verdi's "Rigolet-
to." She has been singing there,
ever since.
Miss Kaskas has appeared re-
peatedly with the major orchestra
of the country, including the New
York Philharmonic, the Boston
Symphony, the Philadelphia and
Cleveland Orchestras.

MARGEURITE HOOD
. . . to lead Youth Chorus
contests are held, and the child-
rfen are selected on the basis of
singing ability.
The children begin rehearsing
for their concert in March. They
rehearse first in their own schools
and later collectively.
The Youth Chorus has been a
regular feature of the May Festi-
val since 1913, when the first
Festival was held in Hill Audi-
torium. It has always drawn
much favorable comment.
In addition to vocal talent, the
Ymouth Chorus is noted for the'
discipline among the chldren. A
murmur of approval invariably
goes through the audience as the
children conduct themselves in a
perfectly orderly manner. Whis-

The Board of Directors of the
University Musical Society in-
cludes, Charles A. Sink, president,
Alexander G. Ruthven, vice-pres-
ident, Shirley W. Smith, secretary,
Oscar A. Eberbach, treasurer and
Roscoe 0. Bonisteel, assistant sec-
retary-treasurer.
Other members of the board are
Thor Johnson, James R. Breakey,
Jr., Harley A. Haynes, James In-
glis, E. Blythe Stason, Henry F.
Vaughan and Merlin Wiley.

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rIPTrQURTH

u- \

N i 'AY

HE PILADELPHruIA O1icIILsrtA 'wIu ~I'AJ UrICIPA'LTE IN ACL ~CONCFIE T

Thursday, May 8, 8:30
[UGc?.NE ORMANDY, Conductor
Soloist: HELEN TRAUBE ., Soprano
All-Wagner Program
Overture to "Die Meistersinger"
Aria, "War es so schmahlich" from
"Die Walkure"
IELEN fRAUBEL
Prelude and Liebestod from "Tristan
and Isolde"
Excerpts from "Gotterdanimerung":
Siegfried's Rhine Journey
Siegfried's Death and Funeral Music
Brunnhilde's Immolation and Clos-
ing Scene
Miss TRAUBET.

Friday, May 9, 8:30
THOR JOHNSON, Conductor
UNIVERSITY CHCORA, UNION
Soloists:
REGINA RESNIK, Soprano
ANNA KASKAS, Contralto
FREDERICK JAGEL, Tenor
OHIN GURNEY, Bass
Program
Missa Solemnis in D,
Op. 123 ............Beethoven
QUARTET, CHORUS and ORHCESTRA
I. KYRIE .I. GLORIA
Gratias Agimus
Qui Tollis
Quoniam
Intermission
ITT. CREDO IV. SANCTUS
Et Incarnatus Osanna
Crucifixus Benedictus
Et Resurrexit
V. AGNUS DEL
Dona Nobis

Saturday, May 10, 2:30
ALEXANDER ILSBIERf and
MARGUERITE Hoon, Conductors
FESTIVAL YOUTH CHoRUS
Soloist: ISAAC STERN, Violinist
Program
Symphony No. 4 in A major,
Op. 90 (Italian) . Mendelssohn
Allegro vivace
Andante con moto
Con moto moderato
Saltarello: Presto
Song Cycle from the Masters
FESTIVAL YoUTH CHoRUs
Concerto in D major, Op. 77, for
Violin and Orchesrta Brahms
Allegro non troppo
Adagio
Allegro giocoso, ma non troppo
vivac
ISAAC STERN

Saturday, May 10, 8:30
U GENE ORMANDY, Conductor
Soloist: EZio PINA, Bass
Program
Ballet Suite, "The Good-Humored
,,d.s" .... Scarlatti-Tommasin:
"Qui sdegno non s'accen'de" from
"The Miagic Flute" ..... Mozart
"Non piu andrai" from "Marriage
of ligaro" ... ... . . ......Mozart
Ezio PIN7A
Symph ony No. 2 ... .. . . . . . Creston
Monologue, Farewell, and Death, from
Boris Godounoff".. Moussorgsky
M . PINZ
Suit from ''The Fi re-Bird" Stravinsky

Sunday, May 11, 2:30

EUGENE ORMANDY, Conductor
Soloist: ROBERT CASADESUS, Pianist
Program
Passacaglia and Fugue in C
minor....................Bach
(Transcribed for Orchestra by
Eugene Ormandy)
Concerto No. 5 in E-flat major, Op.
73 for Piano and Orchestra
("Emperor") ...... .Beethoven
Allegro
Adagio un poco moto
Rondo: allegro
ROBERT CASADESUS
Symphony No. 2 in D major,
Op. 75 ............ . Brahms
Allegro non troppo
Adagio non troppo
Allegretto grazioso, quasi
andantino
Allegro con spirito

The Stein way is the official concert piano of the University

Musical Society and of the Philadelphia Orchestra

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