Evening star. [volume], February 29, 1936, Page B-4, Image 16

About Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972

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CITIZENS PLAN MEMORIAL TO FAMOUS ‘MARCH KING”
A__ - J>. - . ..— . i~. . . . .—
Capital’s Own Composer
Linked With Bridge Name
Marches of Sousa, Says Admirer, Should
Always Be a Part of Memorial at
Proposed New Span.
By Alice Eversman.
AT A recent meeting of the Southeast Washington Citizens' Association
it was suggested that the proposed new Pennsylvania Avenue Bridge
over the Anacostia River be named the "Sousa Bridge” and constitute
a memorial to John Philip Sousa, internationally famous as "The
March King,” and a Washingtonian by birth. Sousa first saw the light of
day in that section of the city, and his body lies in Congressional Cemetery.
near tne site ot tne new onage. ai-<j
though the famed leader was known
and loved throughout the world. It
has always been the particular pride
of Washington that so many of his
activities identified him with local life,
and the question of an appropriate
memorial to him has long been under
consideration.
Another famous American, Francis
Scott Key, has been honored in the
District by having a bridge named
for him, and this also approaches
close to the place where his home was
located. Francis Scott Key, who wrote i
•‘The Star Spangled Banner.” is known
the world over and revered in his own
country for giving to his compatriots
their national anthem, yet the man
who wrote the stirring march "The
Stars and Stripes Forever” has done
more to bring nations to b realization
of the ardor of American patriotism
than any other composer.
A further suggestion was made by
Jesse C. Suter. that arrangements be
Installed whereby electrical transcrip
tions of Sousa’s compositions could be
played at intervals throughout the
day, thereby immortalizing the mem
ory of Washington’s beloved musician
through the music that has quickened
the pulses of countless hearers and
which was his great legacy to his
country.
■ UV£i rvcjr, ouuoo woo 8‘COk H"w*wk
■*“' and a man of noble character.
While Key wrote the poem of “The
Star Spangled Banner” for his coun
trymen, it remained for Sousa to carry
It over the world, and to write both
the poem and words of another na
tional anthem which enshrined the
story of our flag in irresistible melody
and rhythm. Not only Americans, but
millions of people of other nations,
have marched to the thrilling strains
of “The Stars and Stripes Forever.”
Sousa himself, in one of his books,
tells the story of how his famous
march took form in his mind. While
he was in Naples, he was suddenly
called home by the death of his man
ager. He writes:
"Here came one of the most vivid
Incidents of my career. A' the vessel
steamed out of the harbor, I was
pacing the deck, absorbed in thoughts
of my manager’s death, and the many
duties and decisions which awaited
me in New York. Suddenly, I began
to sense the rhythmic beat of a band
playing within my brain It kept on
ceaselessly, playing, playing, playing
Throughout the whole tense voyage,
that imaginary band continued to un
fold the same themes, echoing and
re-echoing the most distinct melody.
I did not transfer a note of that music
to paper while I was on the steamer,
but when we reached shore I set down
the measures that my brain-band had
been playing for me, and not a note of
it has ever been changed. The com
position is known the world over as
•The Stars and Stripes Forever,’ and
Is probably my most popular march.”
TT WAS a British newspaper which
•*■ gave him the title of "The March
King” and a Berlin review agreed that
he had as much right to be called to
as Johann Strauss tr be known as
“The Waltz King.” A critic in Aus
tralia wrote: “If Sebastian Bach is
the musician’s musician and Carl
Czerny the student’s musician, em
phatically John Phillip Sousa is the
people's musician.”
An amusing story of his popularity
in Italy is told by Sousa himself.
While walking in the Piazza St. Marco
in Venice with Mrs. Sousa, be heard
the band playing his “Washington
Post” march. Stepping into a music
store close at hand, he asked for the
piece the band had just played and
was handed a copy bearing the name
"Giovanni Filipo Sousa.” He inquired
of the clerk who the composer was.
“Oh” came the answer, “he is one
of our most famous Italian com
posers.” “Is he as famous as Verdi?”
asked Sousa. “Well,” said the clerk,
“perhaps not quite as famous as
Verdi: he is young yet, you see.”
‘Have you ever seen him?” asked
Sousa. "I do not remember. Signor.”
answered the clerk. “Then, permit
me,” said Sousa, “let me introduce my
wife. This is Signora Sousa. “And
this,” said Mrs. Sousa "is my hus
band, Signor Giovanni Filipo Sousa.”
Cmica wrap nnA ♦ Via f aw Ulhft ho VP
served as a commissioned officer in
the three branches of military serv
ice, the Army, Navy and Marine
Corps. For 12 years he was the leader
of the Marine Band. His European
tours brought him the largest concert
audiences of any visiting group. He
was decorated by Edward VU of Eng
land, made a member of the French
Academy and also of the Belgium
Academy. He served in the World
War by organizing a music battalion,
which assisted in the Liberty bond
campaigns over the entire country.
Whenever his country needed him, he
came, and always with his music to
cheer and uplift the people he came
in contact with.
COUSA was a widely cultured man,
^ a writer and student, but it is as
a composer that he won an affec
tionate place in the esteem of his
compatriots. He wrote 12 operas. 100
marches and many swigs. He knew
the spirit of his country, its virility
and the speed of its life, and he
wrote for it in the manner that ap
pealed to it most. He died on March
6, 1932. and came to a final rest in
his own city.
What more fitting monument could
be raised to him than the bridge pro
posed, with his Immortal music con
stantly a part of the memorial. There
are other great composers in this
country and many more will come
forth undoubtedly, but none will take
the place of the man who could rouse
the enthusiasm of a multitude and
make it long for great deeds to do,
as John Philip Sousa was capable of
doing with his melody and rhythm.
I
In Local Music Circles
WILLIAM WEBSTER, vocal
teacher of New York and
Washington, will present,
among his other pupils, in
recital at the Washington Club. 1010
Seventeenth street northwest, Monday
at 8:15 pm.. Elizabeth Richmond
Graebner. sister of the American
poetess, Nellie Richmond Eberhart.
Mrs. Graebner will sing one of her
sister's songs, which was set to music
by Charles Wakefield Cadman, “Moon
Behind the Cottonwoods.”
Mary Cryder will present at the Arts
Club on Monday evening at 8:30 p.m.,
Georgia Hazelett, dramatic soprano,
on the first part of the program, in a
song recital. The second part will be
the card scene, Act 3, in costume,
from "Carmen,"—“Frasquita” will be
sung by Martha Adams, "Mercedes” by
Frances Jackson, and "Carmen,” by
Myra McCathran Myers. Dorothy
Paul will be at the piano.
The Rubensteln Club will hold a
joint rehearsal Tuesday evening at the
Willard Hotel, at 7:45. All members
are expected to be present. There will
■ not be a morning rehearsal,
i Auditions for active members wish
ing to join before the Spring concert
can be arranged with the chairman of
the Voice Committee. Edith White.
The club is under the direction of
Claude Robeson and Adele Robinson
Bush is the accompanist.
Epiphany Church Choir, under the
direction of Adolf Torovsky, will sing
the short cantata "Penitence, Pardon
and Peace," by J. H. Maunder, tomor
row evening, at 8 p.m. At 7:30 p.m..
Mr. Torovsky will give the first of a
series of six Lenten organ recitals. Mr.
Durkin, bass, will be the assisting
soloist
The choir of All Saints’ Episcopal
Church, Chevy Chase, Md.. will present
the cantata, "Penitence, Pardon and
Peace," by J. H. Maunder, tomorrow
at 8 p.m. Soloists: Mrs. Clarice K.
Griffith, soprano: Robert H. David
son, barytone. Organist and choir
director. William H. Taylor.
william H. Hayghe, tenor, will as
sist Lewis Atwater, organist, in a pro
gram of American music tomorrow
afternoon at 5 o’clock at All Souls’
Unitarian Church.
The Felicia Rybier Music Club will
hold its monthly musicals Wednesday
at 8:30 at the Studios, 3 Dupont cir
cle. It will present at this time Grace
Donahue, contralto, a pupil of
Gretchen Hood. Miss Donahue comes
from Boston and is one of the At
water Kent winners in 1930. She will
be accompanied by her teacher. Other
artists on the program will be Helen
Spasoff, pianist, and Betty Morris, vio
linist
On Monday a tea recital was given
by pupils of G. W. Crist, director of
the Conservatory Preparatory Depart
j
ment at the school. Those taking part
were: Barbara Frink, Byran Ogden,
Miriam Betlinger, Marcia Myer, Elea
nor and John Hill, Gloria Hysong,
Pattie Hockey, Kittle Claude, Frances
Chynoweth and Lilo Janssen.
Warren F. Johnson, organist, will
play “Hymn to the Sun" and “Will o’
the Wisp” from “Pieces de Fantaisie”
by Louis Vieme, before the evening
service at the Church of the Pilgrims
tomorrow.
Donald Thomas, Washington singer,
was the guest soloist at the Sunday
morning Bible breakfast a the Sloane
House Y. M. C. A. in New York last
Sunday. Mr. Thomas was accom
panied by Frank Egan of Detroit.
Mr. Potter Guest Artist. -
'T'HE guest artist at the Candlelight
concert by the Washington Cham
ber Music Society at Phillips Memo
rial Gallery Monday will be Harrison
Potter, pianist of New York. Mr. Pot
ter, a pupil of Felix Fox of Boston and
Isador Philipp of Paris, has given solo
recitals throughout the United States
as far West as Alaska He has also
appeared with several symphony or
chestras and chamber music organ
izations and has given lecture recitals
with Marion Bauer. Mr. Potter has
played previously in Washington at the
Arts Club and in private recitals. The
program Monday will include the
Haydn “Quartet in D" and the Franck
“Quintet in F.” The usual hour of 5
o’clock has been changed to 5:30 owing
to the children’s concert by the Na
tional Symphony Orchestra.
Guest Artist
HARRISON POTTER,
pianist, of New York, who will play
the Franck "Quintet in F” with the
Pro Musica Quartet at the candle*
light concert Monday at 5:30 pm.
at the Phillips Memorial Gallery.
b
Two Popular Artists to Appear Here Next Week
ROSE BAMPTON,
The popular contralto, appearing for the second time at Constitution Hall
on Tuesday evening as member of the Opera Quartet.
MARTA DE LA TORRE,
Appearing in recital with Jose Echaniz, Cuban, pianist, on Wednesday
evening at the Willard Hotel on the first concert under the sponsorship
of the new concert bureau, Beren-Brooks Artist*.
Miss Moore
In Recital to
Appear Here
Opera Singer Coming
for Constitution Hall
Engagement.
QRACE MOORE, glamorous soprano
star of the Metropolitan Opera,
the concert stage, radio and the
screen, will make one of her few
personal appearances in recital atj
Constitution Hall next Sunday after
noon, March 8, at 4 o’clock, under the
management of Dorothy Hodgkin Dor
sey.
A tentative program selected by
Miss Moore for her recital next Sun
day afternoon indicates that she will
include therein the "Depuis le jour"
aria from "Louise." the "Air de Lia”
f m Debussy’s “L'Enfant Prodigue,”
Bizet's “Ouvre ton coeur," the Arensky -
Koshetz “Valse," DeFall’s “Sequidilla,”
Nin’s “Pano murciano” and an Eng
lish group that includes “There’s Not
a Swain," by Purcell; Cyril Scott’s
“The Unforeseen," James H. Roger’s
“Wild Geese,” Edward German’s
“Who'll Buy My Lavender" and John
Alden Carpenter’s "Serenade.”
Miss Moore’s recital was originally
announced for Sunday afternoon,
March 29, but owing to certain
changes in the singer's plans for a
European concert tour, it became nec
essary to move the date of the at
traction up to March 8. Accordingly,
announcement is made by Mrs. Dor
sey that although all Grace Moore
tickets are marked “March 29.” they
will be honored at Constitution Hall
only on this afternoon.
Concert
Schedule
TOMORROW.
National Symphony Orchestra,
soloist. Sylvia Lent, violinist,
Constitution Hall, 4 p.m.
MONDAY.
Candlelight concert, Harrison
Potter, pianist, guest artist,
Phillips Memorial Gallery, 5:30
p.m.
Georgia Hazlett, Martha
Adams, Frances Jackson, Myra
McCathran Myers, in song re
cital at Arts Club, 8:30 p.m.
Lecture on "Modern Music," by
Robert Barrow, Washington Col
lege of Music, 8 pm.
Recital by pupils of William
Webster, Washington Club, 8:15
p.m.
Navy Band, "Hour of Mem
ories" program, 11 a.m.
Army Band, 6 p.m.
TUESDAY.
Lecture by Julia Schelling on
Wagner’s “Dusk of the Gods" and
"Bayreuth of Today," Washing
ton College of Music, 8:15 p.m.
Navy Band Symphony Or
chestra. 8 p.m.
Marine Band, "Shut-Ins Dream
Hour,” 11 a.m.
Soldiers’ Home Band Orches
fro £k*9fl n m
WEDNESDAY.
Jose Schaniz, pianist, and
Marta de la Torre, violinist, re
cital, Willard Hotel, 8:45 pm.
Adult Department Chorus of
Calvary Baptist Church, annual
concert. Woodward Hall, Eighth
and H streets northwest, 8:15 pm.
Navy Band Orchestra, Music
Appreciation Series, 4 pm.
Army Band, 11:30 am.
Marine Band Symphony Or
chestra, 8 pm.
THURSDAY.
National Symphony Orchestra,
soloist, Egon Petri, pianist, Con
stitution Hall, 4:45 pm.
Navy Band, Patriotic Half
Hour, 11:30 am.
Soldiers’ Home Band, 6:30 pm.
FRIDAY.
Alice Shlers, program of
harpsichord music. Library at
Congress, 4:45 pm.
Marine Band, ■ pm. |
Army Band, 4:15 pm.
SATURDAY.
Soldiers’ Home Band Orches
tra, 5:30 pm.
A
4
Member of Opera Quartet i
...mu.m.i.mmmmm... mmmrn -I
CHARLES HACKETT,
Tenor of the Metropolitan Opera, who will sing with the Metropolitan
Opera Quartet on Tuesday evening at Constitution Hall. Helen Jepson will
be the soprano and Richard Bonelll the baritone.
Metropolitan Quartet
To Sing Tuesday Evening
Operatic Solos, Duets, Trios and Quartets
to Be Heard at Constitution
Hall.
AMONG the outstanding music events of the week in Washington will
be the appearance at Constitution Hall on Tuesday evening at 8:30
o'clock of the Metropolitan Opera Quartet—Helen Jepaon, soprano;
Richard Bonelli, baritone; Charles Hackett, tenor, and Rose Bampton,
contralto—in a program of operatic solos, duets, trios and quartets from
the standard operatic music of the*
world.
The program follows:
Duet from Act I. “Berber of Seville."
Rossini
Messrs. Hackett and Bonelli.
“Pace. Pace. Mlo Dio ” from “La Foraa
del destino”_Verdi
flss Bampton.
Duet from "La Boheme'r (Finale. Act I.
Puccini
Miss Jepson and Mr. Hackett.
Toreador «ong from “Carmen"_Bizet
Mr. Bonelli.
Garden scene from Act II. “Faust”.Oounod
Miss Jepson. Miss Bampton. Mr.
Hackett and Mr. Bonelli.
Intermission.
Duet from Act I. "Lakme”_Delibes
Miss Jepson and Miss Bampton.
‘‘H Mlo Tesoro.” from “Don Giovanni."
Mozart
Mr. Hackett.
"Ah Fors e lul.” from "La Travlata’’_Verdl
Miss Jepson.
Duet from Act It “Barber of Seville."
Rossini
Miss Bampton and Mr. Bonelli.
Quartet from "Rlzoletto"___.Verdi
Miss Jepson. Miss Bampton, Mr.
Hackett and Mr. Bonelli.
Helen Jepeon, soprano of the Me
tropolitan Opera quartet, like the
three other members of that organiza
tion, is an American by birth—a
Pennsylvanian—who came to the Met
ropolitan Opera via the Curtis Insti
tute of Music and the Philadelphia
Grand Opera Co„ and who has added
fresh thousands to the circle of her
admirers with her coast-to-coast
broadcasts. Miss Jepson is expected
to make her debut as a star of the
screen within the next year.
Rose Bampton, the tall, stately con
tralto of this and last season's Metro
politan Quartet, is one of the youngest
stars in the American operatic firma
ment, having achieved her place at
the Metropolitan Opera House only
three years ago, following a brilliant
career as a protege of Leopold Sto
kowski, the distinguished conductor of
the Philidelphia Orchestra.
Charles Hackett, tenor of the cur
rent Metropolitan Opera Quartet,
achieved triumph at La Scale, in
Milan; at London's Coveni. Garden, at
. t>
the Grand Opera and Opera Comique.
Paris, as well as Buenos Aires’ Colon
before coming to the roster of the Met
ropolitan Opera Association. Mr.
Hackett is a native of Massachusetts
and acquired most of his training In
Italy.
Richard Bonelli, baritone of the cur
rent as well as last season’s Metro
politan Opera, is not only outstanding
in opera at the Metropolitan, but has
achieved signal success with the San
Francisco, Chicago and Detroit opera
companies. He has also been one of
the year’s outstanding stars of radio
and has appeared on the screen.
Seats are available a* Mrs. Dorsey’s
Concert Bureau, in Droop's, 1300 G
street northwest, and will be available
at the Constitution Hall box office
after 7 o'clock on Tuesday evening.
• I
To Talk on Modern Music
'pHB Washington College of Music
announces a series of four lectures ]
on "Modem Music” by Robert Barrow,
organist and choirmaster of Washing
ton Cathedral, beginning Monday at 8
p.m. The subject of the first lecture
will be “The Classic Approach to Mod
ern Music." The subsequent lectures
will be as follows: Monday, March 18,
"The Materials of Modem Music,”
Monday, March 30, “Early Modem
Composers,” and Tuesday, April 14,
"Advanced Modem Composers."
Mr. Barrow has recently returned
from a period of Intensive study 1
abroad with R. Vaughan Williams and
Arnold Bax. During this time he was
in touch with many new developments
in the field of modem music which i
will be discussed at these leotures.' i
J
Composers
At Concert
Tomorrow
Four Americans Are
on Program They
Will Attend.
|70UR contemporary American com
posers. all of them widely known,
:ontribute works to the concert which
the National Symphony Orchestra
plays at 4 o’clock tomorrow afternoon
in Constitution Hall. All of these
composers are expected to attend this
program in which their works will be
played in the National Capital for
the first time.
One of the writers, Edward Potter.
Is a Washington man. Another, John
Poweil of Richmond, Va„ has been
here on many occasions as a pianist,
as well as a composer, and is a pop
ular musical figure in the Capital.
Franz Bomschein of Baltimore, the
third composer. Is also widely known
in Washington. The fourth, Bernard
Wagenaar of New York, who has
made his name familiar wherever
contemporary music is discussed, will
have one of his compositions played
by the National Symphony for the
first time.
Hans Klndler, whose efforts in be
half of the American composer have
been steadfast since he became con
ductor of the National Symphony,
will devote the first half of the pro
gram to these American works.
The concert also presents Sylvia
Lent, noted woman violinist, who has
appeared so brilliantly with the or
chestra before. She will play one of
the most famous of Max Bruch's
compositions—the "G Minor Con
certo” for violin and orchestra Dr.
Kindler has also announced a Brahms
Hungarian dance, and waltzes by two
Johann Strausses.
The concert will be played as fol
lows:
Elegiac overture. ‘'Chatterton-'_Potter
‘Southern Nights”_Bomschein
“Green Willow." from “A Set of Three.”
row r, i
Divertimento’’ ..........._W»gen»»r
Cortege.
Pesney.
Pastorale.
Rondo.
"Concerto In O Minor for Orchestra and
Violin"__ Bruch
Sylvia Lent.
'Hungarian Dance No. 1”-Brahms
rwo polka-mazurkas. ,
Johann Strauss (father)
"In Praise of Women."
"A Woman's Heart.”
Waltz. "Voices of Spring.”
Johann Strauss (son)
Cuban Artists’ Program.
TWO outstanding artists who have
1 not before been presented here,
Jose Echaniz, pianist, and Marta de
la Torre, violinist, both of Cuba, will
x heard in concert Wednesday eve
ning at 8:45 o’clock at the Willard
Hotel. In offering the first of a series
)f concerts planned to foster Latin
American music and artists in this
:ountry, Beren-Brook Artists, which
s making its initial bow in the con*
Bert world, has chosen these two
irtlsts who are both already known
in European music centers and in
Hew York.
During concert tours as assisting
irtlsts with Tito Schipa, the noted
tenor, Echaniz has acquired a mu
sical following In this country which
"leralds great Interest in his coming
leoui in roe nsuons vapiuu- *iig
:onoert will be given with patronage
>f the Cuban Ambassador. Senor Dr.
3uiUermo Patterson y de Juaregul.
The Latin American diplomatic set
ind resident colony here has mani
fested keen interest in the efforts of
Beren-Brook Artists to help artists
from their native countries to be pre
sented in Washington, New York and
>ther American cities. Further con
:erts are in prospect this Spring, with
% full series locally planned for next
season.
Marta de la Torre’s program Wed
nesday will consist entirely of works
from Latin composers, featuring the
‘El Poema de una Sanluquena.” by
rurina, noted Spanish author, which
she played with the composer in Se
ville in its world premiere.
Duo Pianists at Y.W.C.A.
T>hE program lor the music hour
tomorrow at 5 o’clock at the Y.
n. C. A., Seventeenth and K streets,
rill be given by Elsa Bush i 4 Mar
puret Hall of the music faculty of of
3t. Timothy’s 8chool, CatonsvlUe, Md.
h
Work New to Capital
Offered by Orchestra
Comments on the Program of the National
Symphony Musicians, Thursday at
4:45 p.m., Constitution Hall—Solo
ist, Egon Petri, Pianist.
BY HANS KINDLEB, Conductor.
The program for Thursday's concert
s as follows:
‘Chaconne." for vlollni, cello* and * .
basses" _Purcell
‘Symphony In C Major, Opus 1H."
Boccherini
"Allegro ma non molto.”
"Andante amoroso"
“Tempo dlmenuetto."
Presto ma non tsnto.”
'Concerto In D Minor"- Bach
"AUetro non troppo ed enereico."
"Adagio.”
"Allegro."
Egon Petri.
Indian Pantasy”_-_. Busoni
Egon Petri.
Prelude to Act III from "Die Meister
singar’’_ Wagner
‘Oesang de Rhelntochter," from "Got
terdammerung" _..._Wagner
'Chaconne” .Purcell
LJ^ITHIN comparatively recent years
Purcell has re-acquired the high
>lace in music which during his llfe
.ime was his, and which for several
lundred years, through a number of
:ircumstances, had been lost to him.
We have played with our orchestra
ixcerpts from "Dido and Aeneas,” and
ilso a suite for string orchestra. The
iresent “Chaconne” Is a work for vio
1ns, cellos and basses only; It does
rot have a part for violas in It. The
main theme, as is usual in a chaconne,
:onstantly recurs—In a different way,
rowever, to the passacaglia. Where it
tlways appears in the bass in the pas
iacaglla, it sounds forth in different
‘egisters throughout the work.
This work has never before been
played In Washington.
‘Symphony in C Major, Opus
16”.--Boccherini
FT SEEMS to me that U is both a joy
and the pleasant duty of an or
chestral conductor to acquaint his lis
eners, first of all, with the acknowl
•dged standard works of the great
:lassie composers, as well as of those
ivorks which are presented to him by
contemporary composers.
But there is a third and equally
pleasant duty incumbent upon him,
md that Is to delve into the rich treas
ures of many of the lesser known com
posers of times gone by.
Quite recently I found a.i unusually
fine musical nugget in a symphony by
iiU T tuinb ...411 V.A.-A
its first performance in Washington
mi the coming Thursday. This work,
which is in four movements, has all
the grace of the composers of the
period of Mozart and Haydn, and,
with the exception of these two great
geniuses, is of more interest musically
than any other symphonic composi
tion of the period that I can recall.
It has depth of feeling, charm of ut
terance, contrast throughout, and a
virility which makes jne wonder why
this work should at any time have
been shelved, as undoubtedly it must
have been. Problems it does not pre
sent. It appeared in 1775 in Paris, is
the third one of Boccherini’s sixteenth
opus, which contains six symphonies,
and of which this one is undoubtedly
the most Important.
I feel for this work a particular fond
ness, inasmuch as it was created by
the man who was the greatest cellist
of his time, and whose works for that
instrument have been favorites of
every cellist in the literature for the
instrument.
Boccherini. Italian by birth, lived
mo6t of his life in Spain, where he be
came a great favorite of the Madrid
court circles.
This symphony starts with a warm
hearted and singing firs* allegro, then
a beautiful andante amoroso is fol
lowed by a "tempo dimenuetto,” which
Is eminently worthy of the man who
created what is probably the most fa
mraic minuet in the world. The finale
is of brilliant gaiety.
"Concerto in D Minor”-Bach
1 HE Bach concerto was originally
a violin concerto and is played
lr the Busoni arrangement.
It often happened in Bach’s time
that certain works were used for com
binations of different instruments.
This makes the traditional indigna
tion against any transcription a rather
ridiculous affair, as certainly the
pontiffs would naturally be too full
of respect to deny the authority of
such a master as Bach, cr Vivaldi, or
Handel—who sinned constantly in this
direction.
I think that the entire first half of
this program will be new to our Wash
ington public.
Egon Petri, at one time Busoni’s
greatest pupil and one of the great
pianists of the day, will interpret both
the Bach arrangement and the origi
nal work of his distinguished master.
"Indian Fantasy”.Busoni
"THE Busoni “Indian Fantasy” is
another work which is rarely
heard. Those who have read the re
cent articles and biographies which
have appeared about Busoni know
that here is one of the most intri
guing of modern musical personali
ties, a man who has created more in
the way of a sincere attitude among
the younger composers than any of
the other masters of the day. These
younger ones, although they might be
influenced by momentary tendencies
if fashionable modes, quickly returned
to the more serious aspects of the
arts as presented by Busoni; that is
tc say, those who are at all worthy of
their callin as artists.
Busoni himself was a curious mix
a# Aarv T.oHnkm onH (tfirman
thoroughness, of intellect and temper
ament, of nearly every contradictory
element of which artists are composed,
ft was his strength and at the same
time his tragedy. Although undoubt
edly the greatest pianist of his day,
be was considered by many as not
possessing enough "feeling”—this
being due to the fact that several
generations had been Influenced by
the overemotional, all too sentimental
virtuosi of the ro»tantlc kind who
made the hearts of virtuous eoncert
joing maidens beat more rapidly, but
who were not in reality the ideal
medium between great music and the
public.
Busoni, with his superb attitude of
i nearly priestly approach towards
bis art, with his rasor-like dissection
pf the works he played, was not the
man for this peculiar sort of hero
worship.
The same held good in his compo
sitions. He considered that the ideal
artist should never do anything the
some way twice. And although this,
of course, is undoubtedly the Ideal
attitude of the greatest ones, it can
only be maintained by one who is in
tellectually in constant command of
his faculties. Leonardo da Vinci was
of that caliber, and his fate of leaving
a comparatively small output because
of constant dissatisfaction is in a
larger way somewhat similar to that
of Busoni, whose intellect rebelled
against a kinship of the instinct
and the emotions over what should <
be the higher and controlling faculties.
This comes to the fore in several
of his works and has often been the
cause of misunderstanding on the
part of his auditors, and of tragedy
and despair in his own creative ex
istence. But the example of his
inflexible and noble attitude toward
his art has been the greatest inspira
tion. as I said above, for all those
disciples worthy of the name.
The present work was written by
Busoni during the period when he
interested himself in North American
Indian music. His interest had been
aroused by Miss Natalie Curtis, a well
known authority, who also furnished
him with the melodic material for this
interest composition.
-Prom "Die Meistersinger,” Prelude to
Act III.
Prom ‘Gotterdammerung,” "Gesang
der Rheintochter”_Wagner
'J'WO Wagner excerpts will conclude
the program. The first one is
the prelude to the third act of “Die
Meistersinger.” In this prelude Hans
Sachs, the wise Mastersinger, contem
plates the world and its trouble and,
through the kindliness of his philo
sophic outlook and his noble under
standing brings light into the dark
ness. Wagner’s genius has succeeded
in making this heard in the prelude,
which, therefore, is one of his most
human utterances.
—-« -- ,
Iturbi With
Philadelphia
Orchestra
Spanish Pianist and
Conductor Has Had
Amazing Success.
THE popular Spanish pianist and
conductor, Jose Iturbi, will be
heard here on March 12. when the
Philadelphia Orchestra plays its third
concert at Constitution Hall,
Iturbi »as born in Valencia, where
the oranges ripen for Christmas and
where the Saracenic tiles recall the
days of Moorish kings. Jose was a
child prodigy. At 7 little “Pepe,” as
he was called, was studying and teach
ing pupils three and four time* his
age and giving concerts before amazed
Spanish audiences. In Valencia the
boy studied at the local conservatory
and later was sent to Barcelona to
work under Joaquin Malats.
The people interested in his career
sent him to Paris. Those were hard
days for Iturbi. He studied at the
conservatory all day and played in the
cafes of the boulevards at night for
nis room and food. But at 17 he was
; graduated with first honors.
| While playing at a fashionable hotel
under an assumed name, he was
; called to the telephone by one who
) had followed his career, and to his
great surprise was offered the posi
tion as head of the music department
of the Conservatory at Geneva, the
post once held by Liszt. After a stay
| of four years in Switzerland, Iturbi
I left to embark on his chosen life—
; that of a virtuoso.
The Spanish pianist arrived in
j America for the first time in October.
1 1929, and since then he has returned
every season to a sensational career.
I He has played more concerts in this
I country during this time than any
other pianist since Padereweski.
The program will be the Beethoven
"Concerto in C Minor (No. 3),” for
piano and orchestra; the Weber over,
ture, "Oberon”; Warner’s "Funeral
March” from "Gotterdammerung”
and “Liebestad" from "Tristan und
Isolde." After that will be heard
"Two Nocturnes,” by Debussy, and
as a finale, De Falla’s three dances
from “The Three-Cornered Hat."
Tickets are on sale at the T. Arthur
Smith Concert Bureau, 910 G street
northwest.
Chorus in Annual Recital.
'J'HE Adult Department Chorus of
Calvary Baptist Sunday school
will give its seventh annual concert
Wednesday at 8:15 p.m. in Woodward
Hall, Greene Memorial Building,
Eighth and H streets ljorthwest. The
concert will be under the direction of
Andrew Clifford Wilkins, with Mrs.
Glen Edglngton at the piano.
Howard Mitchell, first cellist of the
National Symphony Orchestra, will be
guest artist. Mr. Mitchell was the
winner of the national contest for
cellists held by the National Federa
tion of Music Clubs in 1929. He was
a member of the Philadelphia Sym
phony Orchestra before joining the
National Symphony Orchestra about
three years ago. ' He graduated from
th» Curtis Institute of Music in 1935.
Mr. Mitchell will play two groups of
solos, accompanied by Sol Sax, pianist *
of the National Symphony Orchestra.
Sixteen sopranos of the senior de
partment of the Sunday school will
sing the solos in two of the selections
on the program, which will consist of
both sacred and secular selections.
Including arrangements for female
and for male voices, in addition to
those for mixed voices.
ISipr
g«=*Sfo*art
— SOPHOCLES PAPAS
''ssuLtis jss'BxEffivii"
Orchestra Practice with the Columbia
Clubs SUte and Radio Technlqn*.
ANDRES SEGOVIA METHOD
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