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 11 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 11 I 1111111 . ...... .... .