SUNDAT, SEPTEMBER 2$, 1954
THE MTCTUGAN UATTV
SUNDY, EPTMBER26,195 ..aavaaall'th J> S11L.n.
PAGE THRIM
5
Stern To Use
Famed Violin
{ Isaac Stern, noted American
violinist, will appear in the fourth
concert of the Extra Concert ser-
ies on Feb. 10, In the course of his
13th annual coast-to-coast tour
of the United States and Canada.
His itinerary lists more than
125 concerts, during which he
plays on his priceless 250 year
old Guarnerius violin.
His Russian-born parents
brought him to San Francisco
when he was a year old. Stern
began playing the piano at six
years of age and was fascinated,
two years later, when he heard
the boy next door scraping on a
fiddle. He decided that he could
play better than his neighbor and
it wasn't too long before, he proved
it.
Monteux Comments
His neighbors, teachers and
friends agreed that something had
to be done about" his talent. They
interested a wealthy woman in
San Francisco to become his finan-
cial sponsor, and the young Stern
started attending the San Fran-
cisco Conservatory of Music.
Stern was all of 11 when he
made his debut with the San
Francisco Symphony Orchestra.
Its conductor, Pierre Monteux,
became enthusiastic. "I haven't
heard such playing since I lis-
tened to the young Kreisler,"
'r Monteux exclaimed.
After his appearance in San
Francisco, Stern travelled to other
r cities and appeared with the Los
Angeles, Baltimore, Portland, Se-
attle, Minneapolis and Chicago
orchestras.
Appears in New York
The violinist was launched on
the concert route after his New
York debut in 1937. With his Car-
negie Hall concert in Jan. 1943,
shortly before his 23rd birthday,
he garnered the label of "one of
the world's master fiddle players"
from a New York critic.
In 1947, he made a record-
breaking tour of Australia. The
following summer, after making
'his annual appearances at the
major American festivals, includ-
ing New York's Lewisohn Sta-
dium, Philadephia's Robin Hood
Dell, the Ravinia concerts and the
Berkshire Festival, he travelled
to Europe where he gave 40 con-
certs in nine countries.
Stern was one of the disting-
uished musicians chosen by Pablo
Casals to perform at the Casals
Festivals in Prades and Perpi-
gnan during the summers of 1950,
1951 and 1952. In the summer of
1953, he played four concerti with
four major orchestras at the Ed-
inburgh Festival.
Tonight We Sing
In the spring of 1952, Stern
went to Hollywood to play the role;
of Eugene Ysaye in "Tonight We
Sing," the biography of Stern's
manager, impresario Sol Hurok.
This was not the violinist's first!
movie experience, however; he is
known to movie-goers for his
"ghosting" on the musical sound-
track of "Humoresque."
Three seasons ago, he world-
premiered the Violin Concerto of
William Schuman with the Bos-
ton Symphony and is also re-
sponsible for the first perform-
ance of the Hindemith "Sonata-
1939."
VAN BAEINUM, KUBELIK TO CONDUCT:
Concertgebouw Orchestra Plans First American Tour
The Concertgebouw Orchestra of" :
Amsterdam, on its first American -
tour, will appear in the second con-
cert of the Extra Concert Series on
Oct. 27. . . ". h L..
For alm ost 70 years the Concert .. .;..... :.... }>, .::::; .":. .:;.. :::::.
its gb unusual Oceta name from whch:he:ervesaud::....:: 1
toimin which it plays, has been : ::": :::,>
the mecca for world famous con-" : ::
ductors, composers and soloists."
The long list begins with Edvard
Grieg, at whose request the or-
chestra made a tour of Norway.
When the Orchestra was only ten
years old Grieg axclaimed, "Never.
have I heard a better perform-
ance." Vincent D'Indy, Arthur Ni-
kisch and Richard Strauss, who de-
dicated his tone poem "Ein Hel-
denleben" to the orchestra in 1899,
have also appeared on its podium
at times.
Mahler Conducts
After the turn of the century,
Gustav Mahler personally conduct-
ed a large portion of his works, as
did Claude Debussy, Maurice Ra-
vel, Max Reger, Sir Edward Elgar,
Arnold Schoenberg and Paul Hinde- _
Michiganensian-Don Sigman
CHORUS AND ORCHESTRA PARTICIPATE IN RECITAL
AJNNUAL PROGRAM:
Four Soloists Scheduled
For Messiah Concerts
.aA-nold Schoen-5r"And Prnl lindpG
Trmith. Guest conductors at various ;
This season's performances of I
the "Messiah" will be given on Charles Curtis, who will sing the times have included Karl Muck,x
Dec. 4 and 5 in Hill Auditorium. tenor role, started his musical ca- Pierre Monteux, Bruno Walter, CONCERTGEBOUW ORCH
Participating in the concerts reer by playing the violin, viola Eugene Ormandy and Leopold
will be the University Musical So- and tympany while he was still Stokowski. World War. The 100-man symphony
ciety Choral Union, the Musical in college. At the same time, he Founded in 1888, the Concertge- is regularly conducted by Van Bei-
Society Orchestra and four noted became assistant conductor of the bouw Orchestra has had only three num and Rafael Kubelik who will
soloists. Lester McCoy will con- school orchestra, glee club, band major conductors: founder William alternate in appearing with the or-
solot. LeerrMcoy will and chorus. He has since appear- Kes who directed it for the first ganization in the United States.
duct both performances. ed in opera, oratorio and in both seven years of its existence, Wil- First U.S. Appearance
Lucine Amara of the Metropoli- the stage and motion picture ver- liam Mengelberg, who held the ba- Van Beinum came to America
tan O.era will sig the opansions of "This Is The Army." ton from 1895 to 1945 and Eduard for the first time in January of
role. Her career began after win- Van Beinum who has conducted this year, to appear as guest con-
ning the Atwater Kent Award in Gramm to Sing Bass the orchestra since the liberation ductor of the Philadelphia Orches-
1948. She made her concert debut Donald Gramm, appearing in of Europe at the end of the Second tra. At 26, he was engaged as di-
with the San Francisco Symphony the bass role, began his musical
Orchestra under Pierre Monteux, training at the age of eight inB
in 1949. The following year she Milwaukee. He later spent four FOUNDED BY CHURCH CHOIRS:
joined the roster of the Met, and years as a scholarship student at
of such operas as "Pagliacci" and has appeared with the Chicago Choral Un on A monO
"Carmen." Symphony, San Francisco andi
Chookasian and Curtis Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestras
Lillian Chookasian, singing the and at the Hollywood Bowl. He The University Choral Union is
contralto role, is no stranger to has been seen on TV operas and one of the largest and oldest per- cussing procedure, choral rehears-
the "Messiah." After receiving her is at present the leading bass- manent choral groups in the.a
musical training in Chicago, she baritone with the New York City country, having been founded in They finally pledged themselves
sang the "Messiah" in cities from Opera Company. 1879 under the guidance of the to give four concerts for the ben-
coast-to-coast, including Winston- Tickets for the "Messiah" con- University Musical Society, efit of the Ladies' Societies of the
Salem, Chicago, Milwaukee and certs, priced at 50 cents and 75 Episcopal, Presbyterian, Metho-
Salt Lake City. She has also made cents go on sale on Oct. 15 in the Singers from four local church dist and Congregational Churches.
an appearance with the Cincinnati offices of the University Musical choirs banded together for the First Conductor
Symphony Orchestra. 'Society in Burton Tower. primary purpose of singing chor- Calvin B. Cady, who had come
uses from Handel's "Messiah." Be- to Ann Arbor that year, was
fore the season had ended, the chosen conductor. He remained
So ei a CorelliH onors M artgroup admitted other competent until 1888, during which time the
singers, expanded its repertoire chorus participated in public con-
to include other choral works and certs, in some of which solo roles
Buried in rom an pantheon changedits name to the "Choral were taken by artists from Detroit,
Union of the University Musical Chicago and New York.
The Societa Corelli, the noted Society." Attendance was meagre and on
group of 14 string players from reviews comes from a critic on a Meetings were held at frequent most occasions income was not
Rome, Italy, will appear in the sec- Philadelphia newspaper: "They intervals and were spent in dis- able to meet expenses. Frequently,
ond Choral Union Series concert on play with marvelous precision,
Oct. 15. fine finish and a velvet tone. I II --- -_
ESTRA OF AMSTERDAM IN THEIR HOME RECITAL HALL
Furtwangler
To Conduct
Berlin Group
the famed Berlin Philharmon-
ic Orchestra, comprised of 106
musicians under the baton of
Wilhelm Furtwaengler will ap-
pear here on March 15, as part
of its first North American tour.
Since its inception in 1822, the
Orchestra has had only three con-
ductors. The Berlin Philharmonic
has performed under guest con-
ductorships of Brahmas Tchaikov-
sky, Grieg, Richard Strauss and
Gustav Mahler. Among the con-
temporaries, Bruno Walter, Er-
nest Ansermet andVictor de Sa-
bata have also appeared on its
podium.
Under Furtwaengler's guidance
for 30 years, the Orchestra has
been noted for its wide range of
orchestral achievements. He is the
son of Adolph Furtwaengler, the
renowned archaeologist, and his
accomplishments including writ-
ing and composing as well as con-
ducting.
Assumes Conductorship
Purtwaengler has been identi-
fied with European musical life
since he became the Berlin Phil-
harmonic's conductor at the age
of 36 in 1922, when Artur Nikisch
died. Upon Nikisch's death, Furt-
waengler also became conductor of
the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orches-
tra. Such famous musical organi-
zations as the Vienna Opera, La
Scala in Milan and the Salzburg
and Bayreuth Festivals are close-
ly associated with him.
He has helped gain public rec-
ognition for many important
works and he has been the recip-
ient of many awards, including the
Goethe Medal, L'Ordre du merits
social and the Cross of the French
Legion of Honor.
Last U.S. Appearance
His last appearance in the
United States was in 1927 when
he appeared with the New York
Philharmonic-Symphony Orches-
tra as guest conductor,
The Berlin Philharmonic Or-
chestra will tour the United
States' leading musical centers
for over a month before they re-
turn to Berlin. Their tour is spon-
sored by German Chancellor Ade-
nauer, under the patronage of the
German Ambassador, Heinz Krek-
eler.
ti
_
1
L
e
rector of the Haarlem Orchestra;
in 1931 he was called to Amster-
dam to assist Mengelberg, and af-
ter the latter's retirement after the
Second World War, Van Beinum
was appointed ptermanent musical
director of the Concertgebouw Or-
chestra.
Kubelik is no stranger to the
United States, having conducted
the Chicago Symphony Orchestra
ldest in U.S.
more people were in the chorus
than in the audience. In spite of
the lack of interest at times and
the lack of funds, definite pro-
gress was made. By 1888, the So-
ciety had earned a credible repu-
tation, the repertoire of its per-
formances was growing and its of-
ferings became more substantial.
Extensive Repertoire
During the nearly three quarters
of a century of its existence, the
University Choral Union has per-
formed in public practically all of
the great oratorios, many operas
which lend themselves to concert
performances and innumerable
smaller works.
for three seasons. Like Van Bel-
num, Kubelik's conductorial tal-
ents took shape at an early age.
When only 22 he was appointed
acting conductor of the Czech Phil-
harmonic, which post he filled un-
til 1948. Guest appearances follow-
ed until, in Jan. 1949, his appear-
ance with the Concertgebouw led
to his reengagement to conduct all
36 concerts of the second half of
the 1949-1950 season.
Tour of Gratitude
In 1946, Van Beinum and the Or-
chestra toured Sweden and Den-
mark to thank those countries for
their contributions to the Nether-
lands in the famine of the winter
of 1944-5. The then Princess Juli-
ana-now Queen of the Netherlands
-and Prince Bernhard accompa-
nied the ensemble on this tour.
The orchestra has appeared
twice at the Edinburgh Music Fes-
tivals, in 1949 and 1952, and in
1953 they toured Germany and
Switzerland. The tour to Switzer-
land was made as a token of grat-
itude for the aid of the Swiss peo-
ple during the North Sea floods
of 1953; proceeds of this tour went
to victims of the catastrophe.
This fall, the Orchestra embarks
on its first American tour, with a
strenuous schedule which calls for
43 appearances in less than two
months.
i
eler.
II
The group was formed to honor
the musical memory of Arcangelo
Corelli, a composer of the 18th
century, two of whose works are
part of the standard orchestral
literature: "La Folia" and the
"Christmas Concerto."
Comparatively young in years,
the players have achieved a wide
reputation for their concert per-
formances. Part of their success
lies in their extensive and varied
repertoire. In addition to Corelli's
12 Concerti Grossi, the Societa Cor-
elli also plays music by contem-
poraries of Corelli, such as Han-
del, Vivaldi, Scarlatti and Gemi-
niani. Their program is further
augmented by little known works
of later composers.
One of the numerous favorable
After his apprenticeship in mu-
sic, principally in Bologna, Corelli
spent his first professional years
at various German courts. Skilled
both as a violinist and as a com-
poser,he had attractedsufficient
attention by his 29th birthday, to
be invited to Rome by Cardinal Pi-
etro Ottoboni, who remained his
patron for many years.
It was in Rome that Corelli es-
tablished his international reputa-
tion. When he died on Jan. 8, 1713,
he was buried in the Pantheon.
So vital was Corelli's impact on
the music of the time, that one of
his colleagues describe' him as,
"The virtuoso of virtuosos on the
violin and the true Orpheus of our
times."
II
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C HAM1'BER MUSIC FESTIVAL
Three Concerts in Rackham Auditorium
Ft. al
BUDAPEST
STRING QUARTET
JOSEF ROISMAN, Violinist MISCHA SCHNEIDER,
IAr GRnDFT7v Cellist
J
Violinist
ROBERT COURTE,
Guest Violist
BORIS KROYT,
SEASON TICKETS
$3.50 - $2.50
SINGLE TICKETS
$1.75 - $1.25
On Sale Beginning October 15
Violist
ITIFIVIVn fUtIlD Ptil
IVQ
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