SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 1951
°THE IIZICH[IG.AI 1 I).AILY
PAGE TRR
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THE MICHIGAN DAILY
PAGE THREE
FAMILY AFFAIR:
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Busch, Serkin Duet To Close
Choral Union Concert Series1
* * *
* * *
A father and son-in-law sonata
recital duet will bring the Choral
Union Concert Series to an elo-
quent close March 31 at Hill Au-
ditorium.
Adolph Busch, violinist and com-
poser, and Rudolph Serkin, pian-
ist, will combine their well-known
talents in a concert which prom-
' ises to be one of the highlights in
this year's series.
The father-son duet will mark
their first appearance together in
Ann Arbor. Although Serkin has
appeared here several times in
piano recitals, Busch will be play-
ing for the first time at the Uni-
versity.
S* *
INTRODUCED to the United
States in 1931 by Arturo Toscanini,
Busch has since won acclaim in
ti this country from coast to coast.
He has since been praised as "Mr.
Toscanini's twin in musical men-
tality."
In 1936 Serkin also was intro-
duced to the American public
by Toscanini.
As a result of a chance meeting
in 1920 these two artists were
permanently linked together. At
this time the 17 year old Serkin
t met Busch's three year old daugh-
ter. This was the beginning of an
affection and admiration which
:was to culminate in marriage fif-
teen years later.
* * *
AT THE OUTBREAK of World
War II both Busch and Serkin
moved permanently to America.
Ex-GI Group
To Present
Hill Concert
The dePaur Infantry Chorus,
which will be here November 20
at Hill Auditorium in the Extra
Concert Series, began during the
last war with a few GI's under
Captain Leonard de Paur singing
in. close harmony while on the
march, in the barracks, or even in
the mess hall.
At this time it was only an after
hours activity, but soon it be-
came a full time job for these tal-
ented men.
ADOLF BUSCH
Busch lives in New York, surround-
ed by a great library of treasured
music manuscripts. Serkin, known
to his many friends as "Rudi," re-
sides in a country home in Guil-
ford, Vermont.
Both artists are very particu-
lar about their instruments.
Busch owns one of the finest
violins made by Stradivarius,
known as "Ex-Wiener."
Unlike most pianists, Serkin,. is
not content to take his instru-
ment as he finds it. He chooses
three Steinway pianos before every
tour and has them sent to strate.
gic points, so that they can be
forwarded to each concert loca-
tion.
RUDOLF SERKIN
In this way Serkin can sit down
before the keyboard and meet a
tried and true friend.
* * ,
ONE OF Burch's more phenom-
enal feats is his success as a com-
poser. He has more than 55 opuses
to his credit now. Gifted with an
unusual musical ear, Busch can
write a six-voiced fugue in his
head, and then put it down on
paper as fast as his pencil will
move.
Both Busch and Serkin started
their musical careers at an early
age. Busch was a child prodigy
who at three years old had per-
fect pitch, and at seven, had played
the Beriot Concerto in public.
Norwegian Choir To Give
First U.S. Concert Tour
MUSIC 'ASIDES':
Levant Adapts Concerts
To Suit Audience Mood
WHEN THE regiment was sent
to the Pacific the chorus went with
it and on arrival in Hawaii the
singers gave a performance for
the Pacific High Command. The
concert was a success and won
the attention of Captain Maurice
Evans, noted Shakespearean actor.
Evans persuaded the High
Command that the chorus would
be a big contribution to the mor-
ale of the armed forces, and
consequently it was made an in-
dependent unit under Captain
de Paur. For three years this
group gave more than 2000 con-
certs for the American armed
forces visiting every theatre of
the war.
After the war the men decided
to remain together as a single
unit and have since given success- '
ful concerts all over the country,
with 175 scheduled for this year.
Part of the repertoire to be heard'
here is made up of music of the
many lands the ex-soldiers visited.;
Ann Arbor concert goers will
have their first opportunity this
year to hear the Singing Boys of
Norway when the 62 voice choir
appears as part of the Choral
'Baccaloni, Met
Basso, To Sing
Here Nov. 29
The "greatest comic of the cen-
tury," Salvatore Baccaloni, world
renowned basso buffo of the Met-
ropolitan Opera Company, will
appear here at the Nov. 29 concert
of the Choral Union Series in Hill
Auditorium.
"Undeniably the greatest basso
of his time," Baccaloni has the
phenomenal range of two and a
half octaves and commands a re-
pertoire in five languages.
Born in Rome in 1900, Bacca-
loni began his musical training
when six years old as a boy so-
prano. Before being engaged by
the Metropolitan, Baccaloni ap-
peared in England, on the Con-
tinent, and in North and South
America.
He is best known for his por-
trayal of the lovesick, foolish old
bachelor "Don Pasquale," the crot-l
chety Bartolo of "The Barber of
Seville," the farcical Leporello in3
"Don Giovanni," the quack doctor
Dulcamara in "The Elixir of Love,"1
and Varlaam in "Boris Godunoff."]
Union Concert Series, February 20
in Hill Auditorium.
Coming to the United States for
the first time as part of their 25th
anniversary celebration as an or-
ganization, the group will visit 60
American cities during their ten
week stay here.
The male Norwegian group is
made up of 46 first and second so-
pranos and altos, and 16 first and
second tenors and basses.
The music of the Singing Boys
of Norway is unique. Many of
their songs are arranged in eight-
part harmony ranging in scale
from deep bass to the high colora-
tura of the boy sopranos. An un-
usual feature of their performance
is that the soprano soloists are
accompanied by a harp.
The most colorful portion of the
program is a group of Norwegian
folk songs for which they don
their native costumes.
Soprano star of the choir is the
extraordinary 13 year old boy,
Pelle, who can sing eight tones
above high C and is regarded as
having one of the most phenome-
nal coloratura voices now in ex-
istence. Wherever the Choir has
gone, he has created a sensation
with his singing of the cadenza of
Mozart's "Cradle Song" with harp
accompaniment.
Their repertory includes over
100 works, ranging from Bach and
Palestrina, through the romantic
composers to Grieg, contemporary
Norwegians, an English group, as
well as Negro spirituals, Neopoli-
tan Songs, and even music from
Broadway Musicals.1
SNotsince the time of Vladimir de
Pachman have many artists taken
such liberties with the formalities
of the concert hall as has Oscar
Levant.
Levant insists that when he ap-
pears here on January 18 in an
* * ,
One thing is certain; Gedsh-
win will be played, for Levant
was one of the composer's closest
friends and has become one of
his principal protagonists.
It is this role of Gershwin ex-
ponent and pianist raconteur that
Levant will assume in his annual
"vacation" from Hollywood ---his
first since his most recent screen
appearance in "An American in
Paris."
* * *
THE VERSATILE Levant is a.
man of many careers. His activi-
ties have established him in the
public mind as a musician, wit,
movie actor, radio performer,
author and composer of both seri-
ous and popular music.
According to Levant it is his
role as concert pianist that he
finds most enjoyable. He adds
that while the cameras of Holly-
wood terrify him and the micro-
phone has never ceased to be an
additional source of fright-be-
fore an audience he is completely
at ease.
He has appeared as guest soloist
with the New York Philharmonic,
the Philadelphia Orchestra, the
NBC Symphony and the orchestras
of San Francisco, Minneapolis,
Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Washing-
ton and Rochester.
Levant as a composer has tried
his hand at forms of music rang-
ing from popular songs--such as
"Lady Play Your Mandolin" which
won his first public recognition
-to the more classical "Overture
1912" and "Dirge" which were in-
troduced by the Boston Symphony.
OSCAR LEVANT
* * *
Extra Concert Series Concert, not
even he himself knows what he is
going to play. He lists his numbers
to suit the mood of the audience
and himself-with "asides" appro-
priate to the moment.
* * *
THE MUSIC may be anything
from Bach to Shostakovich, or
from Gershwin back to Beethoven.
Levant never releases his "piano
music with comments" program
beforehand.
beforehand.
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Five Concerts
GLADYS SWARTHOUT, Mezzo-soprano .
BOSTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA,
Tuesday,
October 9
. . . . . .
Charles Munch, Conductor
Monday, October 22
9'
. . . . . R . . . . .0
dePAUR'S INFANTRY CHORUS . .
OSCAR LEVANT, Pianist . . .
CHICAGO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA,
Rafael Kubelik, Conductor . .
. . Tuesday, November 20
. . . . Friday, January 18
f
. . .
. . . .9
. .. .Sunday,
March 9
RAFAEL KUBELIK
TICKETS - Both Season and Single
NOW ON SALE
Make a Tremendous Saving By Purchasing Season Tickets
CHARLES MUNCH
E.
SEASON TICKETS
SINGLE TICKETS
Block A-$8.40 Three Centra
1 Sections
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Main Floor and First Balcony
Block B-$7.20 Two Side Sections
Main Floor and First Balcony
and first 8 rows of Top Balcony
Block c-$6.00 Top Balcony, rear 13 rows
ALL CONCERTS BEGIN
at
8:30 P.M.
$3.00-Main Floor
$2.40-Entire First Balcony
First 8 rows of Top Balcony
$1.80-Top Balcony, rear
13 rows
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