MUSIC
SUPPLEMENT

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MUSIC

SUPPLEMENT

ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN, SUNDAY, MARCH 18, 1951

FOUR PAGES

4 '

May

Festival

To

Climax

Music

Season

Ormandy To Direct
'C'

7Ormand To Direct
At Three Concerts
A typical "rags-to-riches" story can be told about Eugene Or-
mandy, Conductor and Music Director of the Philadelphia Orchestra.
Ormandy, who will conduct three of this year's May Festival con-
certs, thought he was fulfilling his life's ambition when he was invited
to undertake a concert tour in the United States. Only after the Buda-
pest born musician arrived in New York did he discover that his
"manager" had never managed anyone before, and that the promised
engagements were illusory.
HUNGER BEING STRONGER than professional pride, the young
violinist took a job in the orchestra of the Capitol Theatre which, in
those pre-talkie days, was Manhattan's leading moving picture house,
and one that was also famous for its good music.
In the Capitol's small, hard-working orchestra, he progressed
rapidly from a back desk to the concertmaster's often being a
' soloist and sometimes even con-

Sink Sends
Festival
Salutations
Charles A. Sink, director of the
University Musical Society, sends
May Festival greetings with the
following message.
S* * *
"A SERIES OF FESTIVAL pro-
grams has been arranged, which
it is hoped will meet with the en-
thusiastic approval of music-lovers
and concert goers in general.
The May Festival comes as a
climax to a series of 26 major
concerts presented each year by
the University Musical Society.
The Festival programs may well
be considered, not only as entities
in themselves, but rather as parts
* * *

1-1

May Festival Programs

*May Festival
Originated
58Yearsgo
Found Success
From Beginning
The May Festival, an Ann Arbor
tradition of national fame for the
past 58 years, got off to a rousing
start *under the sponsorship of the
.University Musical Society in
1894.
The idea of closing the musical
season in "a blaze of glory" was
conceived by the late Prof. Albert
A. Stanley and his associates on
the Board of Directors of the Uni-
versity Musical Society.
* * *
AFTER STRENUOUS negotia-
tions they managed to persuade,
the Boston Festival Orchestra,
then under Emil Mollenhauer, to
come to Ann Arbor for a series of
three concerts.
At t time little in the way of
great music had been heard in
this part of the Middle West.
Music lovers consequently were
very enthusiastic.
Newspapers carried lengthy an-
nouncements and railroads ran
special trains. Concert-goers ar-
rived for the Festival from far and
wide but few took the precaution
of purchasing tickets in advance.
THE NIGHT OF the first con-
cert old University Hall, still
standing and capable of safely,
holding 2500 people, was jammed
long before the concert began.
Corridors and aisles were so filled
that it was almost impossible to
get in or out.
People staying over the week-
end in order to hear all of the
performances felt hunger pangs
as the grocery stocks of local
merchants dwindled and res-
taurants drastically limited the.
items on their menus.
A rainstorm hit Ann Arbor Sat-
urday night prior to the last con-
cert and when the concert ended
the 'tired and hungry visitors
trudged down to the railroad sta-
tion to catch the train home.
THE GREAT THRONG of eager
people waited impatiently to be
on their way. But the train did
not roll in on time and the crowd
> began to wonder if they would
have to spend another night in
the near foodless and shelterless
town.
Then the train came, slowly
chugging its way into Ann Arbor,
hours behind sehedule. Far from
happy the crowd climbed aboard.
Many Ann Arborites speculated
that it was too bad that the May
Festival would suffer such an
early death after so grand a begin-
ning. But the next year the num-
ber of concerts was increased to
four and people came back.
Since then the Festival has
known increasing national fame
with great artists and world fa-
mous orchestras combining their
achievements to bring to Ann Ar-
bor a Festival that has no equal
at any other university in the na-
tion.

ducting.
Soon he was given some con-
ducting assignments for the radic
and commercial programs which
included symphonic music. His
work was notable for finish, ac-
curacy and spirit.
IN THE NEXT YEAR, When its
regular conductor fell ill, Ormandy
was asked to complete a series of
concerts with, the Minneapolis
Symphony Orchestra.
In the five years he spent in
Minneapolis he built up the or-
chestra technically and won
new and enthusiastic audiences
throughout the Middle West.
A number of engagements as
guest conductor for the Phila-
delphia Orchestra brought him the
co-conductorship there in 1936 and
he's been there ever since.
Ormandy's ideas have been a
boon to the American music lover.
He has long believed that an or-
chestra must not confine its music
making to its own subscribers in
its own city and as a result the
Philadelphia Orchestra boasts a
prodigious record of tours.
TOURING, ACCORDING to Or-
mandy, helps to promote a wider
interest in music and the visit of
a large symphony orchestra to a
small city has often been the germ
from which a local orchestra has
grown.
As a pioneer In the recording
and broadcasting field, he looks
upon the mechanical reproduc-
tion of symphonic music neither
as some new gadget of temporary
interest nor as something that's
always been there, to be taken
for granted like a violin.
For 11 m it is one of the functions
of the orchestra and he is the de-
light of both radio and recording
engineers for his ability to accom-
modate himself to their conditions
and for his accurate sense of tim-
ing.
As for .programming, Ormandy
is faced with an unsolvable prob-
lem. No matter what he plays,
someone usually finds something
wrong with the conductor's selec-
tions.
"The answer to this," he once
said, "is a little tolerance. You do
not expect the shelves of a public
library to have only books wlich
you like and approve of."
Hood Will Lead
Colorado Seminar
Prof. Marguerite V. Hood who
will conduct the Festival Youth
Chorus at the-Saturday May Fes-
tival concert, will 'direct a five-
week seminar in problems of vocal
music education at the University
of Colorado summer session, it
was revealed yesterday.
The seminar will be designed to
cover problems on the elemen-
tary and high school levels.

May 3,4,
THURSDAY, MAY 3, 8:30
Artur Rubinstein, Pianist
Eugene Ormandy, Conductor
Toccata and Fugue in
D minor ................. Bach-Ormandy
Concerto No. 2.................... Chopin
Rubinstein
Symphonic Fantastique .............. Berlioz
* M , *
FRIDAY, MAY 4, 8:30
Thor Johnson, Conductor
University Choral Union
Eileen Farrell, Soprano
Blanche Thebom, Contralto
Coloman de Pataky, Tenor
Oscar Natzka, Bass
Requiem Mass........... ........ Verdi
Choral Union and Soloists
* * * *
SATURDAY, MAY 5, 2:30 }
Alexander Hilsberg, Conductor
Tossy Spivakovsky, Violinist
Festival Youth Chorus
Marguerite Hood, Conductor
Overture to "Manfred" .......... Schumann
American Folk Songs .... Orch. by D. James
Youth Chorus
Rapsodie Espagnole .................. Ravel
Concerto in D minor ..................Sibelius
Spivakovsky
S* * * *
SATURDAY, MAY 5, 8:30.
Eugene Ormandy, Conductor
Rise Stevens, Mezzo-Soprano
Suite for Strings, Op. 5 ............ Corelli
"Che faro senza Euridice" from
'Orpheo ed Euridice' .............. Ghuck
"Voi che sapete" from
'Marriage of Figaro' .........,.... Mozart
"Ill est doux" from 'Herodiade' ..,. Massenet
Miss Stevens

Symphony No. 1 ................. Shostakovich
Die 'Moldau .......................... Smetana
Air de Lia from 'L'Engant Prodigue' .. Debussy
Habanere from 'Carmen' .............. Bizet
Seguidilla from 'Carmen' ............ Bizet
Miss Stevens
Polka and Fugue from
'Schwanda' .................. Weinberger
SUNDAY, MAY 6, 2:30
Thor Johnson, Conductor
University Choral Union
William Kapell, Pianist {
Oscar Natzka, Bass
Overture, "Fingel's Cave" ...... Mendelssohn
"Summer's Last Will and
Testaent" .... ....... ...Lambert
Choral Union and Natzka
Concerto No. 3 .................. Prokofieff
Kapell
* *. * ,
SUNDAY, MAY 6, 8:30
Eugene Ormandy, Conductor
Patrice Munsel, Soprano
Overture, "Euryanthe" .............. Weber
"Chacun le salt" from
'Daughter of the Regiment' ...: Donizetti
"O mio babbino caro" from
'Gianni Schicci'................ Puccini
"Mia cheamana Mimi" from
'La Boheme'................... Puccini
Miss Munsel
Symphony No. 3 Creston
Lucy's arietta from 'The Telephone' Menotti
Willow Song ............... Coleridge-Taylor
Norwegian Echo Song .............. Thrane
Laughing Song from
'Die Fledermaus'................ Strauss
Miss Munsel
Suite from "Der Rosenkavalier" .... Strauss

.5,

6,1951

Famous Artists
To Participate
f6oth Familiar, New Faces To Make
Ann Arbor Concert Appearance
The Philadelphia Orchestra and a host of the finest performers
of the music world will culminate the Ann Arbor music season at the
May Festival to be presented under the auspices of the University
Musical Society May 3, 4, 5 and 6.
Nine soloists, four conductors and two choral groups, in addition to
the Philadelphia, will take part in the 58th series of May Festival
concerts.
* * * *
MANY OF THE ARTISTS such as Artur Rubinstein, William Ka-
pell and Eugene Ormandy are familiar to local concert-goers. Several
other performers will be appearing in May Festival concerts for the
first time.
Among these will be Coloman de Pataky, Patrice Munsel,
Eileen Farrell, Rise Stevens, Oscar Natzka and Tossy Spivakovsky.


CHARLES A. SINK
* * *
of the year's comprehensive series
as a whole. A careful perusal of
I the entire season's activities will
reveal a rather reasonable balance
of classic, romantic and contem-
porary music.
AN EARNEST ATTEMPT is
made to give consideration to the
desires of musicians; but likewise,
the average music-lover and con-
cert-goer who "just loves music"
is also kept in mind.
Based upon these and other
points of view, the Board of Di-
rectors of the Musical Society
hopes andtrusts that the pro-
grams as arranged, will afford
pleasure and satisfaction to all
who may be in attendance.
The Board of Directors expresses
deep appreciation to the members
of the University Choral Union
and to the preparatory orchestra,
as well as to the Philadelphia Or-
chestra and soloists.
PARTICULAR thanks are ex-
tended to those who come to lis-
ten. Both performers and audi-
ences are important, and neither
would be successful without the
other.
Appreciation is also expressed
to the students and other mem-
bers of the University, to the
press, and to the public in gener-
al, for their sympathetic under-
standing and support by their
attendance through the years.
This gracious co-operation is a
constant reminder and stimulant
to the Board of Directors to pro-
vide the best music available, per-
formed by the most distinguished
artists, as contemplated by the
founding fathers who adopted as
its legend: "Ars Longa Vita
Brevis."
--Charles A. Sink
President

Johnson To Conduct Again

Old Favorites
Will Conduct
HeeAgain
Four conductors who have con-
tributed to the success of past
May Festivals, Eugene Ormandy,
Alexander Hillsberg, Thor John-
son and Marguerite' Hood, will
conduct the spring concerts again
this year.
* * *
EUGENE ORMANDY
EUGENE ORMANDY is a native
of Budapest who began his musi-
cal career as a violinist in the
Royal Academy at the age of five.
Ormandy first appeared in
this country as a member of a
New York movie palace orches-
tra-a far cry from his success
as a performer in Europe where
he had played for Emperor
Franz Josef.
From 1931 to 1936 he conducted
the Minneapolis Orchestra, fre-
quently appearing as guest con-
ductor of the Philadelphia Or-
chestra at the same time,
ALEXANDER HILLSBERG
NOW SERVING the Philadel-
phia Orchestra as concertmaster
and assistant conductor, Alexan-
der Hillsberg spent many years in
the Orient before his arrival, in
the United States.
In 1917 Hillsberg went to Si-
beria to teach at Tomsk after
recei#ing his musical educa-
tion at the Imperial Conserva-
tory in St. Petersburg.
At the same time he formed a
string quartet which played for
both Oriental and European audi-
ences in China.
* * *
THOR JOHNSON
A UNIVERSITY ALUMNI,
Johnson will conduct the Choral
Union in their two performances
at the May Festival.
Now completing his third sea-
son with the Cincinnati Sym-
phony, Johnston returns each
year to direct the Choral Union
in May Festival.
* * *
MARGUERITE HOOD
CONDUCTOR of the Youth
Chorus in her capacity as Super-
visor of music in the Ann Arbor
schools, Marguerite Hood is now
preparing 400 youngsters for their
festival performance.

* * *

'4

Minus t h e Cincinnati Sym-
phony Orchestra, which he con-
ducts, Thor Johnson will make his
second appearance here this year
at the May Festival.-
Johnson leads a busy life, hav-
ing conducted more than 100 full
length concerts during the 1950-
51 season.
* * *
AS A MUSICIAN, the thirty-
eight-year-old conductor, has won
the admiration of the severest cri-
tics and last summer he was
awarded degrees from Beloit Uni-
versity at Beloit, Wis., his birth-
place, and Miami University in
Oxford, Ohio.
The University claims John-
son as both a student and an
instructor. He first came here
in 1934 to obtain a Master's de-
gree in music.
After spending a year as a fac-
ulty member, he accepted the
Beebe Foundation Fellowship and
studied in Europe for two years.
* * *
UPON HIS RETURN to the
University, he was made an as-
sistant professor of music and
conducted the University Sym-
phony and the Little Symphony.
In 1939 he was appointed musical

Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra
in December of 1946 when its reg-
ular conductor, Eugene Goossens,
became ill.
His appearance proved so suc-
cessful with critics and' audi-
ence alike, that he was unani-
mously appointed to succeed
Goossens as conductor a few
weeks later, when Goossens an-
nounced his resignation.'
In 1948 Johnson appeared with
great success as guest conductor
of the Faculty Symphony Orches-
tra at Transylvania Music Camp
in Brevard, N. C.
* * *
AS A PERSON and a citizen,
Johnson has won the hearts of
Cincinnatians. His date book
bulges with requests for speeches
and appearances at music con-
tests, civic gatherings and social
affairs.
Johnson's first appearance in
the May Festival this year will be
made Friday, May 4, when Verdi's
"Requiem Mass" will be presented.
He will also perform as guest
conductor for the Sunday after-
noon performance which will in-
clude Mendelssohn's Overture,
"Fingal's Cave," "Summer's Last
Will and Testament" by Lambert
and Prokofieff's "Concerto No. 3,"

De Pataky will be appearing in
Ann Arbor for the first time having
arrived in the United States only
a year ago. The Hungarian tenor,
has been widely acclaimed in Eur-
ope and in South America where *
he has performed in ten seasons of
opera at Buenos Aires. He will sing,
with other soloists and to the
accompaniment of the Choral Un-
ion, Verdi's "Requiem Mass."
4 P !
VERDI'S WORK, composed' in
memory of his friend, Alessandor
Man.a ni, is particularly appropr-
ate at this time because it com-
memorates the 50th anniversary
oft the compose's death.
"Requiem" was the first chor-
al work performed at the initial
May Festival in 1894.
Miss Munsel, another first per-
former at the Festival, will appear
as soloist at the .last concert on
Sunday singing arias from the
works of Donizetti and Puccini
and other noted composers.
The scintillating coloratura of
the Metropolitan Opera is "a young
women of phenomenal talents" ac-
cording to New York critic Virgil'
Thomson. In her role of Adlin,
several, recent performances of
"Die Fledermaus" under Ormandy
Miss Munsel has been widely ac-
claimed.
SOPRANO FARRELL who will
appear on the Friday concert pro-
gram has triumphed with the most
distinguished orchestras and in re-
cital, recordings and radio. She
will be featured as one of the solo-
ists in the presentation of "6Requ-
iem."
Miss Stevens, like Miss Farrell
has been heard in Ann Arbor be-
fore, but never in the May Festi-
va . This year, on the Saturday
evening program she will sing
selections from "Carmen," "Mar-
riage of Figaro," and other well-
known operas.
The popular British basso of
New Zealand, Oscar'Natzka will be
one of the other soloists in the
singing of the "Requiem Mass." He
will also sing "Summer's Last Will
and Testament" by the British
composer Lambert with the aid of
the Choral Union.
A masque in seven parts, with
words by Thomas Nashe, the work
will be enjoying its American pre-
mier at the Sunday afternoon con-
cert.
* *. *
ANOTHER distinguished artist
who will appear in the Festival for
the first time is Tossy Spivakovsky.
The violinist will play at the Sat-
urday afternoon concert with Al-
exander Hilsberg conducting the
Philadelphia. The work to be per-
formed will be Sibelius's "Concerto
in D minor."
Repeat performances will be
presented at the Festival by con-
tralto Thebom and pianists Ka-
pell and Rubinstein.
Miss Thebom, star of the Metro-
politan Opera Company, has firm-
ly established herself with Festival
audiences. She will lend her tal-
ent to the 'singing of "Requiem"
with Farrell, de Pataky, Natzka
and the Choral Union, Thor John-
son conducting.
KAPELL FIRST appeared in
Ann Arbor about eight years ago.
Since then he has always been wel-
comed back and warmly applaud-
ed. He will play Prokofieff's "Con-
certo No. 3" at the Sunday after-
noon concert.

THOR JOHNSON
* * *
director of the May Festival and
Choral Union.
Johnson began an Army car-
eer in 1942 and soon became
Warrant Bandmaster.
Following his discharge in 1946,
he accepted the post of conductor
of the Julliard School of Music
Orchestraj in New York City.
* * *
JOHNSON WAS asked to ap-
pear as guest conductor of the


and Prokofleffs "Concerto-N.3~"~festiva perormnce

Philadelphia Orchestra

To Play in All Concerts

<f,>

* *

4 +

* * *

One of the most celebrated or-
chestras in the world will occupy
the Hill Auditorium stage during
all six May Festival concerts again
this year.
T h e Philadelphia Orchestra,
conducted by Eugene Ormandy,
will be making its sixteenth con-
secutive appearance at the an-
niual Springtime event.
CALLED "the world's greatest
orchestra" by Sergei Rachman-
inoff, the group boasts a staff of
experts in almost every field of
the symphonic world.

flutist William Kincaid, first-
oboist Marcel Tabuteau, first-
violinist Samuel Lifsehey and
first-cellist Paul Olefsky.
Kincaid has soloed with num-
erous orchestras and plays a pla-
tinum flute with keys of silver.
* * *
TABUTEAU is not only a world-
reknowned oboist, but has taught
many of the oboists now playing
in our major symphonies.
Lifschey was at one time solo
violinist with the New York
Symphony under Walter Dam-
rosc~h and 1hasi prese~gnted Am.-

The ensemble has been a tra-
veling orchestra from its earli-
est days, when in 1900 it played
"in nearby towns." Now the re-
cord is more impressive. From
the 1938-39 'season through that
of 1948-49, the orchestra Jour-
neyed by rail 151,000 miles, and
approximately 6,000 by ship on
its trans-Atlantic crossing to
Britain. Onehundred and ten
cities have been visited since
1939.
During those tours, and at con-
certs at its home base in Phila-
rtitnhi.'c, hno .lnm., ,f ?.nviin. the

goodly number of firsts in the en-
tertainment field. It was the first
major orchestra to broadcast ov-
er a nation-wide hookup, it was
the first to broadcast for a com-
mercial sponsor, and by a scant
hour-and-a-half it was the first
major symphony orchestra in the
United States to be televised.
* * *
IT WAS ALSO the first, sym-
phony orchestra to record its per-
formance under its own name and
its own conductor. This event oc-

Notice
SEASON TICKETS for the
May Festival are still available

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