Evening star. [volume], May 15, 1937, Page B-4, Image 20

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

Image provided by: Library of Congress, Washington, DC

                
American Music Needs
Recognition at Home
Worthy Policy of Selfishness Would Give
Wider Opportunities in Country Which
Shows Appreciation of Such Talents.
By Alice Eversman.
WHEN the Dickstein bill, proposing a limitation of the Importation of
foreign artists was made public, it focused attention on a subject
which has great bearing on the future of music in this country.
Being the kind-hearted Nation that we are, it seemed Incredible
that the United States would discriminate against the stimulus to art which
foreign artists have undoubtedly brought to these shores. There is much
to De saia on doui siaes oi ine question,
foremost among which is the necessity
of America waking up to the need of
a selfish attitude, if it would foster
the artistry within its midst and which
is receiving acclaim all over the world.
Where great art is concerned, there
must ever be a desire to share it, but
the outstanding talent of every coun
try has little difficulty in reaching the
recognition it deserves, and these are
not the individuals who would suffer
from any closed attitude toward art
by this country.
It has long been an accepted fact
that each country develops Its national
putlook in art, keeps it in a form un
derstandable for its own people, and
protects its native exponents. This
country is the only one which has
placed the foreign artist above its
native talent and poured its money
into the laps of strangers and given
them Its enthusiastic support. We have
needed foreign artists and have prof
ited by knowing them, just as we
have needed and profited by the im
portation of laborers to help in the vast
commercial enterprises for which we
are famous as a Nation. But the
time came when a limit had to be
placed on immigration in order to give
Americans a chance to earn a liveli
hood and now the time has come to
admit the same need as regards artists.
W^hile Americans were brilliantly
original In contributing to the
progress of the material side of life,
they had to go to school to learn the
rudiments of art. Foreign teachers,
foreign artists and foreign managers
were our instructors, and for many
years we earnestly sat at their feet and
reverently absorbed all their knowl
edge. We were so humble in our at
titude that seldom was there a
question as to the quality of instruc
tion we were receiving.
Modestly we established conserva
tories of music, advertising every
foreign teacher on the faculty, and
were astonished that now and then
some American artist stepped out from
these schools and challenged the
recognition of the world In later
years, because necessity forced us to
remain at home, and because of the
energy of a few local citizens, the
musical activity of this country has
Increased enormously, imbued with
the same progressive spirit which has
distinguished all our endeavors. What
has not as yet become general knowl
edge is that, as a nation, we are far
in advance of all others in musical
standards and. to a great extent, in
musical appreciation. A stay of
reasonable length in other countries,
with a study of conservatory cur
riculum* and concert and opera pro
ductions, will prove that statement.
Now, wbth all that in being done to
educate the young people of this
oountry in music, what will they do
afterward? Will they be able to earn
a living with music or have assistance
in perfecting themselves in some line?
What does the future hold for all the
students and the earnest and talented
individuals? If orchestras, the con
cert and opera fields and the best
teaching positions are filled with
foreigners, what will all these count
less Americans have to look forward
to? It is only sensible that America
take care of its own and reserve
every opening for their promotion.
EUROPEAN countries make no
secret about their favoring native
talent and it is growing more and
more difficult for outsiders to become
a part of their musical life. Protests
naturally arise from Americans -who
have in some way found their first
« --
Concert Schedule
TOMORROW.
Henry-Gerard Rainville, vio
linist, Congressional Country
Club, 8 p.m.
Winifred Michaelson, pianist,
music hour, Y. W. C. A., 5 p.m.
MONDAY.
Dorothy Seegax, soprano, cos
tume recital, Wardman Park
Theater, 8:45 p.m.
Edwin Orlando Swain, baritone,
recital, Women's University Club.
Cremona Quartet, Pierce Hall,
8:15 pm.
Navy Band, Sail Loft, Navy
Yard, 1:30 p.m.
Marine Band, 5 p.m.
Army Band. 5 p.m.
TUESDAY.
Lovette Choral Club, Eva Whit
ford Lovette, director, Willard
Hotel, 8:30 p.m.
Elena de Sayn, violinist; Thora
Hinshaw Seaton, lecturer;
Tschaikowsky program, Barker
Hall, 3 p.m.
Peggy Norris Hutson, soprano;
Richard Hill, tenor; Marvin
Gardner, baritone, assisting,
Pierce Hall, 8 p.m.
Margaretta EcklofT, soprano;
John Hall, tenor; Robert Ewing,
baritone; joint recital, St. An
drew's Parish Hall. 8 p.m.
Army Band, Walter Reed Hos
pital, 6:30 p.m.
Soldiers’ Home Band, band
stand, 7 p.m.
WEDNESDAY.
Navy Band, Sail Loft, Navy
Yard, 11:30 am.; bandstand,
Navy Yard, 7:30 p.m.
THURSDAY.
Piano Teachers’ Forum, Mount
Pleasant Christian Church, 10:45
a.m.
Recital, students Robert Ruck
man, Barker Hall, 8 p.m.
Navy Band, Naval Hospital, 3
p.m.
Army Band, 3:30 p.m.
Soldiers’ Home Band, band
stand, 7 p.m.
Marine Band Symphony Or
chestra, Marine Barracks, 8 p.m.
FRIDAY.
Helen Spasoff, piano recital,
Washington Club, 8 p.m.
Dorothy Raynor, song recital,
Mount Pleasant Congregational
Church, 8:30 p.m.
Navy Band, Sail Loft, Navy
Yard, 11:30 a.m.; Veterans’ Hos
pital, Mount Alto, 6:30 p.m.
Marine Band, 11 a.m.
SATURDAY.
Army Band. 10:30 a.m.
Soldiers’ Home Band, band
stand, 7 p.m.
*
1 opportunity for public work in Europe,
i but this only emphasizes the wrong
attitude here in America. Why must
1 American singers go to Europe to
have practice in operatic roles? Why
must pianists and violinists have
European concert experience before
they can interest? their compatriots?
Why must students go to Europe for
"atmosphere” and spend years in
learning a foreign language and to
adjust themselves to a foreign stand
ard? Why can we not create such op
portunities and such "atmosphere”
in America?
Of course, the seriousness with
which Europeans study music and
the broadening influence of contact
with an older civilization are bene
ficial to artists, but the American
public has such splendid access to the
best music nowadays that a romantic
setting or the novelty of association
with other nationalties is not essential.
The only thing which matters is
thinking and working in the right
direction, and surely, now, we are able
, to do that in music as we are able to do
it in other things. But such thinking
and working will never be stimulated
unless we can convince ourselves that
our efforts are worthy of nation-wide
recognition and support.
A few of our artists are welcomed
abroad, and, of course, there are
many foreign artists that we are
honored in including in our Winter
seasons. For these, the doors are
wide open in every country. But
the lesser artists, the fine and solid
musicians, are, many of them, helpless
against the influx of foreigners in
positions which they could just as
well occupy. Many cannot earn a
living, and many eat their hearts out
in sorrow that, in spite of all their
talent and study, they are not wanted
in their own country, but must give
way to foreigners of no greater
ability. It is for the protection of
i these fine musicians and the en
I couragement of those coming after,
i that a policy of selfishness is advo
i cated in Americans.
rJ''HE future of American musicians
is a serious problem, which will
have to be solved. Above all else, we
must stand back of each other and
generously encourage every attempt
worthy of consideration. We must be
proud of our schools and proud of our
talented musicians, for we are greatly
gifted in this line, if we only would
recognize it. In our primary school
days we learned the proverb about
the prophet in his own country, but
surely, as adults, we do not need to
model our attitude on it. It would be
safe to wager that, if Americans de
manded only native talent, the num
! ber and quality that would be
unearthed would astonish the world.
At least, it might be given a fair
trial, and -there always remains the
possibility of a return to our old
■ attitude, if we experienced a
■ disappointment.
-•—
CANADIAN TO PLAY !
ON FAMOUS VIOLIN
J-JENRY - GERARD RAINVILLE,
1 the young FYench-Canadian vio
linist, son of the distinguished Cana
dian statesman, the Hon. Henri B.
Rainville, will make his recital debut
in Washington at the Congressional
Country Club tomorrow afternoon at
5 o'clock, on which occasion he will
have the association of Stua Ross,
pianist, who for the last 12 years has
been pianist on tour with Rosa Pon
selle.
Mr. Rainville arrived from Europe
on the Italian liner Rex on May 6 after
a season of engagements in Central
Europe and along the Riviera, where
he was held over for additional en
gagements at Nice, Cannes and Monte
Carlo. With him he brings his superb
Antonius Stradivarius violin, made in
Cremona, Italy, by the great master
in 1697, on which he will play his re
cital tomorrow.
Stuart Ross will play two groups of
solos on the program.
-•
Recital by Mr. Frauenheim.
ORMAN FRAUENHEIM, Wash
ington pianist, will give his only
recital this season at Pierce Hall,
Fifteenth and Harvard streets, on
Friday evening. May 21, at 8:45. Mr.
Frauenheim has recently returned
from an extended tour of the South,
where he has many return engage
ments for next season, including con
certs in many of the musical centers
of that sector.
Mr. Frauenheim's teaching activities
have been extended to New York and
Connecticut as well as Washington,
where he maintains a studio. He has
concertized in many of the world's
prominent cities, appearing in New
York, Paris, London and in Madrid,
under the old regime at a command
performance at the palace of the In
fante Isabelle. He was a pupil of
Lazare Levy at the Paris Conserva
toire and Sigismund Stojowski in New
York.
The program for May 21 follows:
"Prelude and Fugue In A Minor"
"Andante With Variations in P llinor/*1*
' ine e,riKing_ Schubert-Llszt
Nocturne in F Maior" Chopin
-Chopin
_ Chopin
._~Dubussy
-Debussy
Sklarevski to Teach Here.
ALEXANDER SKLAREVSKI, Rus
sian pianist, will conduct master
classes in piano from June 1 to July
15, at the studio of Rose d’Amore, 1501
Connecticut avenue northwest.
A native of South Russia, Mr.
Sklarevski started the study of the
piano at an early age, graduating
from the Imperial Conservatory in
Petrograd in 1908. His concert tours
have taken him all over the world,
including the Par East, when he filled
more than 250 engagements. After
successful appearance in the United
States and Canada, he was invited to
join the faculty of the Peabody Con
servatory in Baltimore, which position
he accepted in 1923 and has held con
tinuously ever since. In addition to
his teaching, Mr. Sklarevski continues
his solo recitals and ensemble work.
Reservations for the master classes
in Washington may be mads through
Mias d'Amore. .
Artists to Appear Here This Week and Soloists of Next Season
Piano Player
Verdicts in
Tournament
Washington Results
Given by Head of
Local Chapter.
oi me wasnmgion cmapier ox xne
National Piano Plrying Tournament,
announces the following results of the
local auditions, held May 6, 7 and 8,
There were 135 pupils entered, who
had prepared programs totaling 866
compositions.
The following honors were awarded:
National honor roll, highest honors
—Phyllis Allwine, Phtla Belle Burk,
I Anthony Chanaka. Ruth Alice Davis,
j Eleanor Hulburt, Betty Jenkins, Nancy
Leachman, Shirley Levin, Myrna
Macklin, Phyllis Schwartz, Margaret
Wood Smith, Gertrude Troutman and
Charlton Meyer.
National honor roll, high honors—
James L. Buckler, Judith Conklin, Wil
liam Drewry, Celia Goldsman, Mary
Graves, Jean Guy, Mary Henning,
Alice Ingersoll, Marilyn Lauter, Sara
Ann Levenson, Arthur McNerney,
Mary Elizabeth Miles, Eoto Russell,
Helen Virginia Smith, Janice Smith,
Julia Ann Warthen and Janet Mac
Donald West.
National honor roll—Betty Bean,
Lucia Perez and Nancy Robinson.
State honor roll, highest honors—
Charlotte Hawthorne.
State honor roll, high honors—Fran
I ces Berg, Jacqueline Blunt, Reta May
Carothers, Eloise Cogswell, Juliet Frost.
: Patsy Garaney. Jean Hedquist, Max
well Howell, Robert Milligan, Betty
! Moore, Jacqueline Neff, June Ney, Lsa
bel Sadler. Betty Walker, Ruby Lee
i Williams and Julia Yamall.
State honor roll—Alan Davis and
! Jean Evans.
District honor roll, highest honors—
Mary Camilla Calnan, Paul Horn,
Elizabeth Raiford and Selma Schwartz.
District honor roll, high honors—
Betty Bell. Anna Bezdikian, Henry
Bowman, Mary Frank Burtner, Ar
thur Carchedi, Marian Canby, Mal
cilm Crandler, Kenneth Cogswell,
Carolyn Rose Cowper, L othy Drum
mond, Francis Fabrizio. Mary Alice
Poor, Ann Friedman. Howard Gaines,
Doris Goldberg. Eva Ooldenberg,
George Graves, Eugene Griffin, Laura
Jane Gott, Paul Griffith, jr.; Emily
Haas, Lots Harman, Donald Haw
thorne, Eleanor Hill, Gloria Hyssong,
Sonia Katz, Lillian Kaufman, Mary
Frances Keiser, Laura Koppel Anne
Kuldell, Helen Kuldell, June Kuldell,
Kathleen Kuldell, Charles McDougal,
Dr. and Mrs. H. J. R. McNitt, Naomi
Miller, Jean Moore, Eleanor Morrison,
Bettie Moulton, Yuvonne Neff, Bryan
Ogden, Mary Ogden, Patsy Pond,
Richard Radcliff, Suzanne Radcliffe,
Patricia Robertson, Virginia Roe,
Rosemary Rolls, Nancy Sehearer, Mar
garet Brantley Smith. Walter Stein
bouer, George Warren Swift, Giaela
Teichman. Jane Walsh, Mabel Wille
brandt, Grace Yates.
District honor roll—Antoinette Bo
zieuich, Jean Burtis, Nancy Collomb,
Sidney Cousins, Leslie Eva, Mary Fus
sell, Roger George, Vera Lee James,
Florence Lyman, Ara Mesrobian, Wal
ter Peacock, Valerie Popham, Dorothy
Ritter, Mary Ann Rob, Margaret Jean
Stead, Barbara Townsend, Lina Walk
er, Jean Wilkins, Gary Wilkinson,
Margaret Eislnger, Dorothy Danly and
Barbara Latta.
Teachers who entered pupils were
Fanny Roberts, Lucia Mackenzie,
Elena Crivella, Helen Miller, Mrs. For
rest Phippeny, Rose d’Amore, Mar
garet Tolson, Hazel Norcross, Virginia
Holland, Violet Ihre, Effie Collamore,
Phila Belle Burk, Evelyn Mayers, Betty
Baum, Mary Tighe, Lillian Harmon
Burke, Gene W. Crist, Elise Hastings,
Pearl Waugh, Dorothy Emery, Iva
Loughlen Guy, Marguerite Lucker,
Mabel Frost, Lucille Hawthorne, Alice
Harvey, Mrs. Lois Abemethy, La Salle
Spier.
__
DOROTHY SEEGAR’S
MUSIC OFFERING
DOROTHY SEEGAR will present a
unique program of songs, in which
she employs the elements of voice,
dance and costume at the Wardman
Park Theater on Monday evening at
8:45 o'clock. Frederick Bristol, pianist,
who recently gave a successful Town
Hall recital in New York, will assist
Miss Seegar. The program will be
as follows:
I
Women
Court Lady.
'L'EventaH" _J. Massenet
Peasant.
"Chanson de Marie Antoinette''
Myron Jacobson
Amorous.
"Berceuae Amoureuae"
_ Theodore Stearns
Radical.
"Rebel Son*’’-Everett Stevens
n.
"Balinese Ritual’’-Everett Stevens
"Old Greek Processional."
_ __ Pindar arr. by Thlerfelder
The Madonna.
"LExtase de la Vlerae"_J. Massenet
Intermission.
in.
"Poissons D’Or" _Debussv
' General Lavlne (Eccentric! Debussy
"Prelude On. 32. No 10",.Rachmaninoff
‘Etude On. 1ft. No. io"_Bortklewicz
Hr. Bristol.
IV.
Songs of the
- Elegant 80s.
Gay OOs.
Tickets are available at Dorothy
Dorsey's Concert Bureau In Droop’s,
1300 a street northwest.
At left is Edwin Orlando Swain. New York baritone, who
will be heard in recital at the American Association of Uni
versity Women's Club on Monday afternoon. Right, the noted
Hungarian violinist, Joseph Szigeti. returning next Winter as
soloist 7cith the Philadelphia Orchestra in February. Below,
left, Henry Gerard Rainville, French-Canadian violinist will
give an interesting program including the Schubert “Sonata
in D major” at the Congressional Country Club tomorrow after
noon. assisted by Stuart Ross, pianist, and right, Eva Whit
ford Lovette, director of the Lovette Choral Club, which will
give its Spring concert on Tuesday evening at the Willard
Hotel.
Choral Club
To Present
Its Program
Soloists Engaged in
Spring Concert of
Lovette Group.
'T'HE annual Spring concert of the
Lovette Choral Club will be held
on Tuesday evening at 8:30 at the
Willard Hotel. Eva Whitford Lovette
will conduct, assisted by Francis Bass
Wilson, assistant director. Elsie Cran
mer, club accompanist, will play the
entire program.
William T. Cameron, harpist, is the
assisting artist, and Carolyn Schulte,
lyric coloratura soprano, will be pre
sented by the club as an artist mem
ber. Miss Schulte will include in her
songs a composition by Dr. Thomas S.
Lovette, in whose memory the club is
named. Hazel Bergstrom Oake will
sing incidental solos in two of the
choruses.
Washington composers whose names
will appear on the program are Mrs.
Alfred S. Gillett, Dorothy Radde
Emory and William Cameron.
The complete program Is as follows:
Choral prologue. "Salutation.”
Snmuel Richards Gaines
(Dedicated to the National Federation of
Music Clubs.*
"The Seasons’ (Swedish folk song).
Arranged by Samuel Richards Gaines
"Spinning Song” (German folk song).
Arranged by A. AslanofT
"Dancing on the Greeny fold English
dance) Arranged by Manney
The Lovette Choral Club.
"Lasciatemi Morire”_Monteverde
"Tarentella”__Panofka
Carolyn Schulte, soprano.
"The Heavens Are Telling” Beethoven
The Choral Club.
"Pavanna.”
Unknown Composer. 16th Century
"Chaconne” _ Durand
"Prayer” Mrs. Alfred S. Gillett
William T. Cameron, harpist.
"Dedication” Robert Franz
"Elfin Dance” Edward Grieg
The Choral Club.
Intermission.
"Winds to the Silent Morn.”
__ Dorothy Radde Emery
"Evening Prayer in Brittany” Chaminade
Incidental solos: Hazel Cake and Fran
cise Bass Wilson.
The Choral Club.
“The Star” James Rogers
“Heart of a Rose” Thomas S. Lovette
"Voci di Primavera” Strauss
Carolyn Schulte.
"Spirit Flower” Campbell-Tipton
"The Sleigh” Kountz-Baldwin
Francise Bass Wilson, assistant director.
The Choral Club.
"Dance of the Gnomes”_Rogers
"Fraicheur” _Salzedo
"La Desirade”_ Salzedo
"Romance” _ Cameron
William T. Cameron.
"The Water Fay”_H. W. Parker
Incidental Solo. Hazel Cake.
"Song of the Danube” (tales from the
Vienna woods) Johann Strauss
The Choral Club.
-- ■ m
POLITICAL STUDY
CLUB BREAKFAST
'T'HE musical program at the annual
breakfast of the Political Study
Club will be given by Martha Byrd,
soprano, and William Moran, tenor.
The breakfast will take place Wed
nesday at the Mayflower Hotel.
Miss Byrd will sing Arditti’s “H
Bacio” and "The Last Rose of Sum
mer,” while Mr. Moran’s numbers will
be the aria from Balfe’s "Bohemian
Girl,” “Then You’ll Remember Me,”
and Grosvenor’s “I Carry You in My
Pocket.” The duets “Love Me To
night,” from “The Vagabond Lover,”
and “Will You Remember?” from
“Maytime,” will conclude the program,
which has been arranged and pre
sented by Mrs. George Oliver Gilling
ham, chairman of music. Edith Vlr
den Smith will aoccmpany the singers.
Kindler Sails
For Musical
Tour Abroad
Symphony Chief Has
Engagements as
Guest Leader.
TAR. HANS KINDLER, conductor
^ of the National Symphony Or
chestra of Washington, will sail for
Europe this week to fill the first of a
series of guest conducting appear
ances for which he has been engaged
this Summer.
Sailing Wednesday aboard the liner
Normandie, Dr. Kindler will go first
to Paris. Later he visits Holland and
Belgium, where he will conduct in
The Hague, Scheveningen ai.d Os
tende. His soloist in the Holland con
certs will be Rose Bampton, the Met
ropolitan Opera Company mezzo-so
prano. In addition to filling these
and other engagements the Washing
ton conductor plans to spend consider
able time, while abroad, gathering
material to present before National
Symphony audiences in the Capital
next Winter.
Returning to the United States next
month Dr. Kindler will begin a sched
ule of conducting engagements that
will take him all the way across the
country. Dr. Kindler will be at Ra
vinia, the beautiful Summer opera
and concert center located just north
of Chicago, in mid-July. He will be
a guest conductor of the symphony
orchestra there for concerts on July
17, 18 and 19. Then he will start
immediately for the West Coast, where
he will be guest conductor in the fa
mous Hollywood Bowl from July 22
until August 10.
The Hollywood Bowl, the largest
natural amphitheater in the world,
will present its sixteenth season of
Summer concerts this year. As usual
outstanding musicians, including solo
ists and conductors, will assemble there
from all parts of the world.
To Give Program
Martha Byrd, soprano, and
William Moran, tenor, soloists
at the annual breakfast of
the Political Study Club on
Wednesday at the Mayflower
Two Famed
Violinists
To Be Heard
Programs of Season
Are Arranged by
Philadelphians.
TWO of the mo6t famous violinists
in the world today will appear
with the Philadelphia Symphony Or
chestra in programs in the series of
five to be given at Constitution Hall
Tuesday evenings next season, accord
ing to the T. Arthur Smith Concert
Bureau, which has been presenting
this orchestra in Washington for more
than a quarter of a century.
The opening program, October 26,
will mark the appearance of Fritz
Kreisler, with Eugene Ormandy con
ducting. Kreisler, master both of the
violin and of the art of composing mu
sic for it, has not appeared here with
orchestra for two years. Last season,
on the same date, October 26, he
opened Mrs. Dorsey’s series as a solo
ist.
The other great violinist, younger
than Kreisler and a Hungarian,
whereas Kreisler is Viennese, who
comes with the Philadelphians on Feb
ruary 1, 1938, with his fellow country
man. Ormandy, conducting, is Joseph
Szigeti. His debut in Washington was
at the Library of Congress with the
brilliant French pianist, Alfred Cortot,
in a sonata program. Since then
Szigeti has made two tours around the
world. His debut with the Philadelphia
Orchestra under Stokowski was made
10 years ago in Beethoven's “Concerto.”
The third soloist for the series lo
cally next year is the American bari
tone, John Charles Thomas, who first
made his mark in the popular field of
operetta as the leading star of “Apple
Blossom Time.” Then he began the
concert work which is still his most
popular field and also did a great deal
of singing in opera both here and
abroad. He was guest artist with the
former Washington Opera Co. both
before going abroad to win laurels in
France and Belgium and since. Mr.
Thomas will be soloist on the final
program of the Philadelphia Orchestra
in Washington next season, April S,
when Eugene Ormandy will conduct.
Leopold Stokowski will lead the or
chestra in its local program November
30 and the other of the five programs
will be presented January 11, with
Ormandy holding the baton.
Season reservations can be made
now at the Smith Concert Bureau, 910
G street northwest.
JOINT OFFERING
OF TSCHAIKOWSKY
|}LENA DE SAYN, violinist, and
Thora Hinshaw Seaton, lecturer,
will combine in presenting a Tschai
kowsky program Tuesday at 3 o’clock
in the afternoon at Barker Hall, Y. W.
C. A. The program will be given under
the auspices of the music division of
the Twentieth Century Club. After
the book review of “Beloved Friend” by
Mrs. Seaton, Miss De Sayn will play
the “Serenade Melancholique,” “Melo
die” and the “Concerto in D Major,”
all of which are Tschaikowsky’s repre
sentative compositions for the violin.
Malton Boyce will be the accompan
ist.
PEABODY ARTIST
IN PIANO RECITAL
A USTIN CONRADI of the Peabody
Institute of Music in Baltimore
will present Helen SpasofT in a piano
recital on Friday evening at 8:30
o'clock at the Washington Club, 1010
Seventeenth street.
Miss Spasoff is a graduate of the
Peabody Conservatory, where she has
been studying during the last two
years with Mr. Conradi. The program
includes compositions of Bach, Bee
thoven, Brahms, Chopin, Liszt and
others.
Pons’ Good Luck Charm.
CEVERAL years ago, when the opera
^ ‘‘La Sonnambula” was revived at
the Metropolitan expressly for Lily
Pons, the opening night found her
extremely nervous. Just before her
first entrance she clipped a small piece
of cloth from the drop curtain and
held it throughout the performance.
When Gatti-Casazza smilingly asked
her why she had done this she replied,
"For luck.**
In Local Music Circles
AT THE closing meeting of the
German Literary Society to
night Wilhelmina Spanhoofd
Walter, soprano, will sing
lieder by Schubert, Wolf, Mahler
and Strauss, with Grete von Bayer
at the piano, and Grace Powell, vio
linist, will play the “A Major Sonata"
by Brahms, accompanied by Lyman
McCrary.
The seventh and last of a series j
of Spring recitals by piano students j
of Robert Ruckman will be given at
Barker Hall, in the Y. W. C. A.
Building at Seventeenth and K streets,
on Thursday evening at 8 o’clock.
The following students will be
heard: Michael Agrie.sU, Elizabeth
Applegate, Katherine Butler, Travis
Butler, George Harvey Cain, Mar- ;
garet Copeland, Dorothy Goebel, Ruth
Hartzell, Mary Ellen Huie, Alma
Douglas Jerome, Lillian Krick, Ethel
Minot Lehman, Robert Mead, Ruth
Nave, Barbara Nelson, Irma Nor
wood, Daniel J. O’Rourke, Ira Pearl
man, Jesse Ridgeway, Ephraim Ro
sen, Charles Forrest Ruppert, Ger
trude Sherman, David Tate and Eve
lyn Toye.
On Friday evening at 8.30 o'clock
In the parish hall of the Mount Pleas
ant Congregational Church, Columbia
road at Fourteenth street, a recital
will be given by Dorothy Raynor,
American opera soprano. Mrs. Ray
nor was with the American Opera
Co. and appeared in Washing
ton In Puccinis "Madame Butterfly.”
She will be accompanied by Claude
Robeson. The recital is being given
under the auspices of the Fireside
Group of the church for the benefit
of the Junior Choir. A silver offering
will be taken at the door. The public
is cordially invited.
The Community Center Depart
ment is in need of a good used piano
suitable for outdoors at the Wash
ir^ton Monument for the Summer
festival programs, which will open
for the 1937 season about June 16
to continue throughout the months
of June, July and August under the
Joint sponsorship of the Community
Center Department and the office of
National Capital Parks.
Already, due to request of Eliza
beth K. Peeples, director of the Com
munity Center Department and of
the Summer festivals, a number of
pianos have been offered by public
spirited citizens of Washington, but
to date no instrument has been found
that will be able to withstand the
rigors of a Summer on the Sylvan
Theater stage, where It is In use
every week for rehearsals and per
formances.
All persons having a piano which
they are willing to donate to the
success of this season's Summer fes
tivals are asked to communicate with
the Community Center Department
at the earliest possible moment.
Virginia Sellars, soprano, made her
operatic debut as Mocaela in "Car
men" on Friday evening with the
Columbia Opera Co. of New York
at the Maryland Theater in Baltimore.
Miss Sellars is a scholarship student
at Peabody Conrervatory of Music.
Baltimore, and i former student of
Helen Turley of this city.
The third of & series of piano re
citals by pupils of Katherine Frost
took place Sunday afternoon at Studio
House of the King-Smith Studio
School, 1708 S ftreet northwest, when
Jane Allen, Jane Ellison, Virginia
Spencer, Anne Sogers, Betty Tolbert
and Suzanne Marshall played a pro
gram which inclided several two-piano
arrangements of classical works.
Miss Frost will present her junior
students thus afernoon at 4 o'clock.
Patricia Benedict Josephine and Flo
ranne Hendersos and Gladys and
Anne Watkins will give a rerita, of
short works by Each, Grieg, Chopin.
Schubert, Beetho'en, Gluck Brahms
and several mod*m compisers.
The Piano Teackers’ Forum will hold
its May meeting rext Thursday morn
ing at 10:45 o’dock in the Mount
Pleasant Christlar Church, Park road
west of Fourteenh street, when Alice
Burbage Hesseltach will speak on
"Credits in Music for High School
Pupils Taught b' Outside Teachers."
Vocal solas will oe given by Marjory
Wilson. This is the last meeting of
the season and al members are urged
to attend. Parkhg space will be found
in rear of the cnurch.
Thelma Callahm presented a group
of her pupil-, in f two-piano recital at
her studio, 605 Taylor street north
west, last Montay. Those playing
were Sibyl Gre«nleaf. Jean Oliver,
Genevieve Billhiner, Dorothy Rudy,
; Olive Fewell. Pail Cramer, Arir.ett"
; Sutton, Elizabeth Cramer, Gwendolyn
Sutton. Virginia Baker, Marian Bona
vita, Fred Powel, Ann Fiigate, Har
irson Leffler, jr.; Frank Herman. Jean
Macey, Virginia Perin, John Leffler,
Olive Rickard, Margaret O'Meara,
George Fiigate, Veon Briggs and Jean
Sherwood. Th<y were assisted by
pupils of Mary Stta Callahan. Peggy
Johnson, Betty Louise Heider and
Dorothy Wemtz
Thelma La D«w, dramatic soprano,
was soloist last "hursday for the Fed
eral Club of th- United States Gov
ernment Departments, which 1s com
posed of the chefs of each depart
ment. Dean Bndlev Thomas was at
j the piano and rave, besides accom
panying the slngjr, several solos of his
own.
—
The Washington Opera Guild wi'l
give the third it its series of twilight
musicales tomorow at the home of
the director, Mm- Gurle Lui.se Correa.
The artists will be Thelma La Dow
and Margaret SIrw. Miss Shaw ease
a song-recital diring Music week at
j the home of Mrs M. Horgan. and was
' soloist on Thurdav evening for the
Chesapeak & Poomac banquet at the
Hotel La Fayettt
LAST MUSIC HOUR
AT THE Y. W. C. A.
J^RS. RALPH JACOBSON, known
In Washington as Winifred
| Michaelson, will be heard at the Y. W.
C. A. tomorrow at 5 o’clock, at the
regular music hour. Mrs. Jacobson is
i the director of the Wilmington Music
School, Wilmington. Del., and will play
the following program:
“Parana. the Earl of Salisbury .”
William Byrd
“Boree" Richard Jones
i “Galliard"-John Bull
“Italian Concerto"_J. S. Bach
Alegro giusto.
Andante.
Presto.
i “Scenes From Childhood "
Robert 8chumann
“Of Foreign Lands and People."
“A Curious Story."
“Catch Me."
“Entreating Child."
“Perfect Happiness."
“An Important Event.”
“Reverie."
“At the Fireside "
“The Knight of the Hobby Horse.”
“Almost Too 8erious.“
“Frightening “
“The Child Falling Asleep.”
“The Poet Speaks."
: Etudes— Frederic Chopin
“Opus 25 No. 8—G Sharp Minor.”
“Opus 25 No. 8—D Flat Major."
“Opus 25. No. 10—B Minor.”
Intermezzi— Johannes Brahmi
Opus 118. No. 1—A Minor
“Opus 110. No. 3—C Major ”
“Opus 118, No. 6—E Flat Minor/*
Rhapsodie—
“Opus 119. No. 4—E Flat Major.”
This is the closing music hour of
the season and the programs will be
resumed early in October. The public
is cordially invited to attend these
hours.
SINGERS SOUGHT
BY OPERA CHORUS
'T'HE newly organized Columbia
Light Opera Co., now in rehear
sal for a performance next month
of Victor Herbert's "Sweethearts,"
desires a few more voices, particu
larly tenors, for its chorus. The com
pany now numbers 60 and has been
rehearsing since early last month.
Rehearsals are held twice weekly, on
Mondays at Central High School and
on Fridays at Thomson School, meet
ings opening at 7:45 pm.
The following singers have been
cast in principal roles: David Man
ley as Lieutenant Karl, Howard Moore
as Prince Franz, Donna Moore as
Sylvia, Frances Jackson as Paula,
Edith Hoffman Jones at Liane, Ken
neth Burgess as Oaniche, Howard
Severe as Petrus Van Tromp and
C. M. Bames as Mikel. The mu
sical direction is in the hands of
Ethel Manning.
One role remaining to be cast is
the tenor part of Slingsby. the Eng
lish fop. Auditions are held at 7:30
on rehearsal evenings.
-•
Recital at Women’s Club.
EDWIN ORLANDO SWAIN, bari
tone, of New York, will give a
concert at the American Association
of University Women club house,
Monday afternoon, following tea. His
program will include a wide range of
classic and melodic songs, in which
he will be accompanied by Theodore
Webb.
Mr. Swain is an American, born in
Florida, and received his musical
training in America, largely with
metropolitan teachers and Metropoli
tan Opera coaches. His first signal
success was the singing of the role
of Amonasro in the opera, “Aida.”
He has appeared extensively as solo
ist with orchestras and in recital,
festival and oratorio engagements.
Program of Quartet.
ALL SOULS' CHURCH will present
the Cremona Quartet — Elsa
Raner and Lavada Hudgens, violins;
Inez Becker, viola, and Mabel Dun
can, cello—In concert at Pierce Hall
on Monday evening, at 8:15 o'clock.
The program will comprise "Quartet
in A. Op. 33, No. 6,” Boccherini;
"Andante,” Schubert; "Londonderry
Air,” arranged by Prank Bridge; "Alla
Spagnuola,” Glaaounow, and "Quartet
in A Minor. Op. 41, No. 1,” Schumann.
▲
! P. E. 0. COSTUME
SONG PROGRAM
^ COSTUME sng recital by Peggy
Norris Hutso:. soprano, assisted by
Richard Hill, enor, and Marvin
Gardner, bariton, has been arranged
by Chapter O, *. E. O. Sisterhood,
for Tuesday eve.ing at Pierce Hall
at 8 o'clock. MS. Charles L. Vaile,
member of Chaptr O, will be the ac
companist.
Mrs. Hutson's program has been
arranged in fout parts, including a
group of songs oy American com
posers of the twntieth century and
a group of old Inglish numbers, in
cluding selectioB from the opera
"Martha.” Song of the old South
will be presented in two groups, spir
ituals and balids. The program
will close with elections from light
operas, solos andduets. For the Eng
lish group, Mrs. Hutson will appear
in an old Englih peasant costume,
and a hoopskir costume of Civil
War days will beworn for the South
ern group.
Savannah, Ga., was Mrs. Hutson's
childhood home, and it was there
she made her de>ut as a singer at
the age of 5, wien she sang solo
parte in a black-ace minstrel. She
was determined tc become a concert
pianist, and it ws while acting as
accompanist for avoice teacher that
her decision was nade to become a
singer. To securi dramatic train
ing she spent two years with a dra
matic stock compaiy in the South.
She went to Nw York City for
further study uner Edith Olandt
and after a montl was selected as
prima donna in "faughty Marietta"
for one of the compnies that toured
the East. Following that she was en
gaged for the prim donna roles in
all of the Victor Herbert musical
productions.
After two years n musical stock
and repertoire coipanies she re
turned to New Yon for additional
study under Frank ^a Forge. Dur
ing this period sh< filled engage
ments for concerts aid radio broad
casts. solo and qurtet work in
churches, directed misical plays and
glee clubs and was ssistant super
visor of music in puHc schools.
SOLOS AND IUETS
BY THREE SINGERS
J E ROY LEWIS will ore-sent in re
cital Margaret Ecloff, soprano;
John Hall, tenor, and lobert Ewing,
baritone, on Tuesday vening at 8
o'clock at St. Andrew’s Parish Hall,
New Hampshire avenue and V street
northwest.
Miss EcklofT. who is 6 years old,
will make her debut as avocalist. She
will be heard in a grout of solos, as
well as in two duets, ae with Mr.
Ewing, "La cl darem la nano,” from
"Don Giovanni,” by Mozrt, and an
other with Mr. Hall, "Voageurs,” bv
Sanderson. Frederick Waver of Bal
timore will be the accospanist and
also will be heard in a grup of piano
solos. The public is cordaliy invited.
Warren F. Johnson, Organist
Church of the Pifrims
Sunday Evenly
Choral Fantasia and Double futue from
On.
Armando Jaanuzzi
Grand Opera Dramaic Tenor
Voice Specitlist
Italian Metlod
School of bel cato
Adams 36874
1519 Oak St. N.W. (Co 16th) *
PIANO TIMING
EXPERT WOK
37 YEARS EXPE/IENCE
SCHAEFIER
1428 IRVING ST. N.E. >0». 0989