YI e MUSIC SUPPLEMENT Latest Deadline in the State i MUSIC SUPPLEMENT VOL. LXI ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN, TUESDAY, AUGUST 22, 1950 SUNDAY, OCTOBER 1, 1950 'U' Philharmonic To Perform Dec. 3 at Hill Beecham Heads Royal Symphony Ann Arbor concert-goers will be treated to an unprecedented ap- pearance ofnthe Royal Philhar- monic Orchestra of London, Eng- land Sunday, Dec. 3 when this eminent musical body is presented by the University Choral Union for the first time in Ann Arbor. Conducted under the baton of the unorthodox Sir T h o m a s Beecham, Bart., the Royal Phil- harmonic is making its first tour of North America this autumn, and is slated to play fifty concerts in the United States. * * * CONDUCTOR Beecham, who is recognized as one of the great fig- ures of the musical world, is noted for his fabulous personality as well as his masterful musicianship. He is reputed to have the ec- centricity of the English im. mortals and delights in living up to his own legend. His independent methods and speech have enabled him to ac- complish more for the musical life of his country than any other man of his time. A remarkable interpreter of many styles and schools, he has a special taste for such classic com- posers as Handel, Mozart, a n d Haydn, all of whom are represent- ed on his tour program. Although it has been said that the Royal Philharmonic orches- tra was founded by Beecham less than three years ago, in reality, with the exception of a ten year interval, there has been such an t organization for almost 120 years. The body now known as t h e Royal Philharmonic is largely composed of eminent musicians who played under Beecham's di- rection before the war. It is cur- rently recognized as the foremost orchestra of its kind in G r e a t Britain. Numbering 100 members, t h e Royal Philharmonic is engaged all year around, and is the only or- cbestra in England which can op- erate without government subsidy. Beecham's orchestra is the of- ficial instrument of the Royal Philharmonic Society. An organ- ization devoted to the encourage- ment of orchestral and instru- mental music, the Society has a constitution dating from 1811, and is the world's oldest group of its kind. Extra Concert Series Opens With Melchior Tenor Lauritz Melchoir, who holds the world's record in the number of performances of Wag- nerian operas, will open the Extra Concert Series program this fall on Oct. 10 in Hill Auditorium. Melchior does not confine his singing talents to the opera alone. He has appeared in motion pic- tures and has been heard over the Xr. Through these two medi- ums he believes that so-called classical music can be presented to the American public in small doses. * * * THE PUBLIC seems to agree as they flock to the musicals in which Melchior inserts a classicly musical blurb. Though some mov- ie-goers seem surprised when the kindly great-uncle of the beaute- ous heroine breaks into an aria from "Tristan and Isolde," -box- office returns have proved his movies a success. His interest in music is not confined to the technical side alone. Hie has recently advo- cated subsidized music and a secretary for arts and sciences as a new presidential cabinet position. "The United States has led the world in so many things that now I think it is time for it to concert Series ill Open STARTS SERIES:. Choral Union Christmas Concert Traubel Will Sig At First Concert "In Die Walkure I stand like a swooning cow for 30 seconds wait- ing to go into a clinch with Siegmund while he clomps across the stage." This is how Helen Traubel, considered by critics as one of the greatest Wagnarian soprano in the world today, describes her most famous role at the Metropolitan, that of Brunhilde. ACCORDING TO MISS TRAUBEL, whose concert Oct. 5 in Hill Auditorium will open the 72nd annual Choral Union series, a prime prerequisite for singing opera is a sense of humor. Almost as famous for her explosive laugh as for her singing powers,. Miss Traubel has broken up more than one radio show with roaring hysterics. Thursday English Artists HighlightSeason Solomon, Hess, London Philharmonic To Add British Touch to Concerts The University Concert Series will be sparked by three great Bri- I tish performers this year, when Solomon, the London Philharmonic and Myra Hess make their Ann Arbor appearances. The series will open with Helen, Traubel, Wagnerian soprano of the Metropolitan Opera Company, on Oct. 5, according to Charles A. Si '_t, University Musical Society President. The Boston Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Charles Munch will continue the series ~'Oct. 22. The Cleveland Orchestra, conducted by George Szell will be heard Nov. 5. The English pianist Solomon will make his Ann Arbor debut Nov. 20, after .nspiring critics CHARLES A. SINK * * * Sink Issues Yearly Note Following is the annual mes- sage from Charles A. Sink, presi- dent of the University Musical So- ciety: Greetings: The Board of Directors of the University Musical Society an- nounces 26 major programs, in the several concert series for the current season. In the 20 programs which will precede the May Festival, six or- chestra concerts will be heard; two renowned choral groups will appear; and seven recitals by world-famous singers, violinists, and pianists, are scheduled. In addition, two performances of Handel's monumental oratorio, "Messiah," will take place in De- cember-with the Choral Union of more than three hundred voices, orchestra, and distinguished so- loists. A Chamber Music Festival of three concerts in Rackham Au- ditorium in February will be in- cluded. The Fifty-eighth annual May Festival of six concerts will take place during four days in May, and will involve the artistic ser- vices of the Philadelphia Or chestra, the University Choral Union, under a galaxy of distin- guished conductors. Great art- ists, both vocal and instrumen- tal, will participate. The Board of Directors each year endeavors to bring to the University performers of estab- lished reputations and to provide programs of sound, cultural, and educational worth, rather than merely for amusement or enter- tainment. Every effort is made to space the programs as advant- ageously as possible, and to avoid See SINK, page 3 Miss Traubel's enthusiasm for a good time extends to an ardent in- terest in baseball. She is permitted to attend only two or three games a-season because she roots so hard she strains her priceless, but unin- sured voice. * * * Considered the Metropolitan Opera's chief meal ticket, Miss Traubel is one of the very few American-born, American-trained opera singers ever to achieve first rank. Even today she has not yet visited Europe. "This business of running off to Europe is nothing but down- right snobbery," she insists. "I don't want to sound like a flag waver, but it gets rn'a sore when people rap the appreciation of culture in America." Miss Traubel also scoffs at the theory that "an artist must 'sof- fer' in an attic to gain success." "I don't see how anybody can do good hard work worrying about the next meal." First invited to join the Metro- politan Opera Company in 1926, Miss Traubel turned down the bid because she felt she was not yet ready for it. To develop her tech- nique she spent 13 years singing in churches and synagogues and giving an occasional recital. In 1939 she finally accepted a contract with the Met and made her debut as Sieglinde in Die Walkure, supporting Kirsten Flagstad in the part of Brunn- hilde. It wasn't until the latter re- turned to Nazi-held Norway that Miss Traubel took over her roles and was recognized as reigning queen of the Met. Miss Traubel admits, however, she would rather do concert work than opera, for she likes to include in her repertoire French and Ital- ian arias, German lieders, spirit- uals, ballads, and contemporary American music. May Festival Tradition Will Be Continued The May Festival, one of the oldest and most-famed traditions of the University Musical Society, will be held May 3, 4, 5, and 6 next year.- As in past years, the Philadel- phia Orchestra conducted by Eu- gene Ormandy will be a mainstay of the Festival. The University Choral Union, Thor Johnson, guest conductor; and the Festival Youth Chorus, conducted by Mar- guerite Hood, will also participate. Soloists for this year's Festival have not yet been announced. Four evening concerts and two matinees will be presented as us- ual. Ticket orders with remit- tances will be accepted and filled in sequence beginning Dec. 1. --igman- iniganensian MESSIAH PRESENTATION--Pictured above is the 1949 annual Christmas season presentation of Handel's "Messiah," featuring the Musical Society Special Symphony and the University Choral Union. The Musical Society first sponsored the concert in 1879, when four Ann Arbor Church groups banded together to form the "Messiah" Club. * * * 4' 4 Combined Choirs 'Messiah' Club Expanded Into 'U'Musical Society From a meager beginning spon- soring the combined choruses of four church choirs in a then small college town of the 1870's, the University Musical Society has grown into the cultural giant that it is today. The society, which annually presents the Choral Union Series, the Messiah, the Chamber Music Festival and the May Festival got its start in 1879. AT THAT TIME the choruses of the local Congregational, Epis- copal, Methodist and Presbyterian churches banded together to form the "Messiah" club under the aus- pices of the "U" Musical Society. Their chief interest was to sing choruses from Handel's great ora- torio. Throughout that winter fre- quent meetings of the group were held which included social activities as well as rehearsals for the singers. By the end of the University's academic year 1879-1880, theor- ganization had given its first con- cert. This program, like the ones which immediately followed, was given for the benefit of the ladies' societies of the four churches. * * * WHEN THE singers got togeth- er again in the fall of 1880, they found that half of their member- ship had either graduated or mov- ed out of Ann Arbor. This apparently didn't phase the choristers. They changed their name to the Choral Union, threw open their ranks to all singers and started preparing their second concert. This second program was given in the early winter, and before the school year was out a third concert had been performed. IT WAS IN this year that the union chose its first conductor, Calvin Cady. For the next eight years under his direction the chorus became an artistic if not a financial success. In 1888, Cady was succeeded by Albert Stanley, who held the baton for the next 33 years, un- til 1921. Under him the chorus bloomed both artistically and financially. It was during this period that distinguished artists and great or- chestras were included on the con- cert series with the union. Also un- der the leadership of Stanley the union in 1913 moved its base of ac- tivities from University Hall to the newly completed Hill Auditorium, built specifically as a concert hall. * * * UNDER STANLEY, in 1894, the first May Festival, a series of three concerts, was presented with the help of the Boston Festival Or- chestra. This orchestra, the fore- runner of the Boston Symphony, appeared In May Festivals for 11 seasons. The Chicago Symphony filled the bill until 1935, when the Philadelphia Orchestra took ov- er. When Stanley left in 1921, Earl Moore took the helm of the Choral Union chorus. He was replaced by Thor Johnson in 1939 who in turn was succeeded by the present con- ductor, Prof. Lester McCoy of the music school. * *' * THROUGH THE years of its growth the University Musical So- ciety has been headed by four presidents. The present incumbent, Char- les A. Sink, has held his post since 1927. It is his responsibility together with the Board of Directors of the society to arrange for the guest artists, orchestras and choral groups that appear annually in the five concert series presented by the society in Ann Arbor. to rave reviews in New York and Boston. Bringing the high culture of Finland direct to the University, and coming just in time to wit- ness Thanksgiving, the Polytech- nic Chorus of Finland made up of 60 male voices will appear Nov. 28, conducted by Ossi Elokas. Another first Ann Arbor ap- pearance 'will be Sir Thomas Beecham and the Royal Phil harmonic Orchestra of London, on Dec. 3. The orchestra is making a lim- ited national tour, presenting con- certs in New York and a limited number of the principal music centers of the East and Middle West. THE SERIES will resume after the holidays with a full recital by Erica Morini, Jan. 11. Vladimir Horowitz, nimble keyboard artist, will be heard Jan. 19. The Chicago Symphony will introduce its new conductor, Ra- fael Kubelik, to Ann Arbor March 4. Kubelik is the son of the Czech violinist, Jan Kubelik. The Choral Union Series will close with a recital, by Jascha Heifitz, violinist-extraordinary, on March 14. * , * LAURITZ MELCHOIR will in- augurate the Extra Concert Series -half' the number at half the price'-in a program of operatic arias and songs Oct. 10. This con- cert will be followed by the Boston Symphony's second appearance on Oct. 25 in a program completely different than the Choral Union. Series. Myra Hess, well-known Bri- tish pianist who was prevented from fulfilling her engagement here last season by illness, will be heard on Nov. 14. The ever-popular Don Cossack Chorus with Serge Jaroff conduct- ing will perform Jan. 15 The chorus was organized from the Russian Imperial Army during the first World War. The series will close with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra's fourth consecutive performance conducted by Thor Johnson, Feb. 20. Series T o End With Heifetz Performance Jascha Heifetz, world renowned violinist, will give the'final con- cert of the Choral Union Series March 14, 1951. H e i f e t z' performance next March will mark his 10th appear- ance in Ann Arbor since his de- but here in 1917. * * * BORN IN Vilna Russia, Heifetz took his first lessons when ie was three. At the age of .even he made his Russian debut. After making several Europ- ean concert tours and studying under Leopold Auer at the Im- perial (Russian) Conservatory, Heifetz made his American de- but in a 1917 Carnegie Hall concert. Now in mid-career, the violin- ist estimates he has traveled al- mo the equivalent if seven trips to tie moon on his numerous con- cert tours. Johnson. Will Conduct Here' In February Campus Alumni To Appear Again ,When young, affable Thor Johnson brings his celebrated Cin- cinnati Symphony Orchestra to Hill Auditorium February 20, he will be working in familiar sur- roundings. It was just a little over fifteen years ago that Johnson, after re- ceiving his bachelor's degree at the University of North Carolina, came to Ann Arbor and completed his graduate work in the Univers- ity School of Music. While here, Johnson was award- ed a scholarship for study in Er- ope, enabling him to spend two years in Salzburg and Leipzig. When he returned to this country in 1938 he became as- sistant professor of music at the University and served as con- ductor of both the University Symphony and Little Symphony. In 1939, Johnson took over the reigns of the Grand Rapids Sym- phony. Shortly after he became musical director of the Ann Arbor May Festival and Choral Union. At the present time he serves on the University Musical Society Board of Directors. During the past decade Johnson has rapidly risen to national im- portance. In 1942 he enlisted in the Army and soon became a War- rant Bandmaster He founded the first soldier symphony orchestra which tour- ed the European theater until his discharge in 1946. In December of that year John- son came to Cincinnati as a guest conductor, relieveing Eugene Goos- sens, the regular conductor, who was ill. His appearance proved so successful that when Goossens an- nounced his resignation several weeks later, Johnson was unani- mously placed at the helm of the Cincinnati orchestra. Today Johnson is one of the few American-born and American- trained conductors in command of a major symphony orchestra. Now in his fourth season as both mu- sic director and conductor. Johnson is considered one of , the nation's leading conductors. His orchestra, the Cincinnatti, was organized in 1895 in response to demands from residents of the city for a permanent orchestra there. Frank van der Stucken was chosen as the first conductor. Since Johnson took over he has increased the popularity of the young people's concerts in his adopted city and has appeared in many out-of-town engagements. Single Tidkets On SaleNow Tickets for single programs in either the regular or extra con- cert series are now on sale at the FINEST IN FIDDLING: Budapest Quartet To Return For February Engagement Concert goers will be able to hear the renowned Budapest String Quartet when it returns here for the second consecutive year Feb. 16, 17 and 18 in Rack- ham auditorium. The Budapest quartet first made its American debut in 1930, after touring in Europe exten- sively during the 1920's. It scored an immediate success, and has be- come increasingly popular in suc- ceeding years. TODAY REPUTABLE critics generally consider the Budapes- ters to be the top-ranking string quartet in the world. This is an impressive tribute, for chamber music is often called the "high- est and purest" form of music. Its history dates from the 18th century when Hungary's Prince Esterhazy commissioned IFranz Joseph Haydn to write and play quartets for him. For many years it appealed only to those connoisseurs of music, who considered it as being a cut above opera and the sym- phony orchestra. Today, thanks to the work of such groups as the Budapesters, chamber music is much more popular. THE BUDAPEST Quartet has merged the talents of four great artists into an ensemble designed to meet the exacting demands of chamber music. First violin is in the ,capable hands of Joseph Roisman, while Jac Gorodetzky wields the bow for the second violin. Mis- cha Schneider, violoncello, and Boris Kroyt, viola, complete the group. MUNCH INTRODUCES NEW METHOD: Boston SymphonyWill Give Two Concerts From Boston, "the home of, the bean and the cod," the Boston Symphony will tour into Ann Arbor to give two concerts, the hearsing his men long hours so that they would produce his styli- zations 'no matter how exhausted the practice sessions have left their conductor, since interpre- In his childhood prayerbook tation depends on his momen- was the legend, "From our bones tary whim. one day an avenger will arise," Approving critics claim that and he considers his Alsatian Choral Union history trat a ma- jor orchestra was invited to per- form twice during the same sea- son.