Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - May 20, 1950, Winnipeg, Manitoba Page 10 Winnipeg free press saturday May 20, 1930 world of music critic assesses ser offs Rachmaninoff biography f h a l. I _ before the death from cancer March 28. 1943, of Sergei Rachmaninoff he had been the subject of two books in Eri Eltah Rachmaninoff s recollections told to Oskar Vonriesemann and Rachmaninoff a biography by wat Ion Lyle with the former being published in 1934, and the latter in 1939. Since the passing of the famous p i a n i s to composer conductor an other pair of volumes about him also in English have appeared John Culshaw s Critico biographical study of last year and the recently issued biography by Victor i. Seroff. None of these four works and certainly not those by von res Nunn and Lyle can be completely satisfying to the Rachmaninoff admirer Desir ing both a full length portrait of the Man and a1 appraisement of. His music in its entirety. Or. Culshaw s has appealed most to the undersigned because it deals mainly and judicially with Rachmaninoff s apparently More important compositions. Less acceptable Are the biographical pages partly because of their restricted Content and the Brevity accorded certain important phases of Rachmaninoff s hat might have been a picture in the round is More in the nature of a Silhouette. Seroff work found ample biographical by or. Ser offs contribution to Rachmaninoff literature is on the other hand very ample biography Mically with data and comment on the music of lesser dimensions and nearly always in the background. Such a statement can be objected to on the ground that the author judging by the title of his volume intended nothing other than a biography. He has not however strictly adhered to Bio graphical matters Only As he occasionally finds room or a i t h e r his own the composers or some body else s views on one or an other of Rachmaninoff s musical creations. Incidentally one is m e r e by pointing out or. Ser offs illogical Ity of is hardly to be condemned because were such things excluded from his pages there would be a resultant loss of illumination of some aspects of particular compositions by Rachmaninoff. Composer s words of famous prelude As an instance had or. Seroff omitted All technical and critical reference to Rachmaninoff s music readers would not have been Able to peruse the composer s own words on his most celebrated piece the prelude in c Sharp minor. These include an analysis of the Structure of the music no student should miss some Pithy remarks re absolute and programme music the facts of the financial terms involved in disposal of the laconic explanation of what inspired its writing and a few touches of the composer s natural wry humor on the whole business and some of its consequences. To those who regard the pre Lude in c Sharp minor As Musi Cal triviality May the writer cite worthier Sody on and the symphonic dances. What is said in connection with these two Large scale masterpieces As exemplifying Rachmaninoff s latest Way of composition und in relation to much of what he Hall penned previously can he closely examined with profit for a better comprehension or that part of his work which it Likely to defy far an Usu Pecini Tohle period the of fashion and time. Furthermore what May be a Surprise to Many a propos of the rhapsody on a theme of Pagan Ini will be the reproduction of Rachmaninoff s letter to Mikhail be Cine from the family Archive. Here we have about a Page and a half revealing Rachmaninoff As quasi choreographer thinking about a possible subject Why not resurrect the legend about Paganini who for Perfec Tion in his Art and for a woman sold his soul to an evil spirit a the variations which have the theme of Dies irae represent the evil spirit it would be inter Esting to represent Paganini with his a real violin of course but something fantastic. Also it seems to me that the other personages representing the evil spirit at the end of the piece should be drawn As caricatures in their fight for the woman and Paganini s Art. Definitely As ear i c a t u r e s resembling Paganini. They also should be with violins but even More fantastic and Gro Tesque. You Are not going to laugh at me. Are you i want so much to see you in order to talk to you about it in More detail if of course my sketch and my rap a theme o Paganini thoughts Are interesting and valuable to you the sequel to that letter is Well covent Garden presentation of Paganini a fantastic Ballet in three scenes with a new ending specially composed by Rachmaninoff and its critical acclamation As a Fokine Triumph. As Vir. Seroff shrewdly remarks of the rhapsody there is no Way to de Ermine whether Rachmaninoff lad a definite programmatic choreographic plan while composing it the letter to Fokine was sent three years after the composition of the laconic. No song like themes still yet another instance of the benefits of or. Ser offs illogical Ity of procedure in mixing the non biographical with the Bio graphical is sufficiently penetrating to warrant its quotation because although comprised of Only two sentences it nevertheless gives the very essence of the style in which the rhapsody was conceived with More accuracy than anything else one has Ever seen it has no son go Ike russian themes. Laconic in its state ments with a Scarcity of pedal and with rather dry Martel Lato colouring of Short episode it sounds like a contemporary that one suggests is absolutely first rate and genuinely interpretative criticism even though or. Seroff May have deluded him self that he was speaking As a biographer. From such extracts potential readers of or. Ser offs Book on Rachmaninoff can properly As sume that it has readability considerable interest and not a Little fascination. For lovers of music As distinct from lovers of Litera Ture it is the approximate equiv Alent of Richard Aldington s new study of a h. Lawrence. It is Al so far Superior in every Way to or. Ser offs earlier volumes on Shostakovich and the mighty a. A. Many concerts now postponed until autumn because of the flood music news this week still consists mainly of cancellations. The Winnipeg symphony or Chestra has postponed its Annua meeting from May 30 indefinitely this Means the meeting and share holders Bonus concert May be Helt later this season or May he delayed until fall. Because Many of their members have been evacuated from the cite the men s musical club s Winni Peg boys choirs have decided to postpone their concert originally scheduled for May 10, from june 1 to an indefinite Date possibly in the autumn. Tentative Date a tentative been set for the mennonite sym phony orchestra programme which was to have been held sat urday evening. It May have to be changed because some Mem Bers Are High school Stu dents whose examinations would interfere with rehearsal schedules Are you gardening How s your tulips mine Are under four feet of Tenor George Kent greeted his baritone Friend Roy Firth who in High boots and work clothes was standing beside his Home on Lyndale drive. Then the two of them started a patrol of the Dike. Here a photo Grapher snapped an action shot As George left tossed a Sand bag to Roy. Above three flood fighting members of the Winnipeg Ballet Are awaiting transportation to danger areas. At left Are Eva von Gencsy and John Waks. Arnold Spohr Sec Ond from the right is a Dike worker too. Night at opera planned to Aid flood Relief with proceeds for the Manitoba flood Relief fund win Eggers will spend a night in the opera of sometime in the near future. Two frenchwoman. Mireille Grandpierre Ballet dancer Anc Therese Denise Soprano Are work ing on plans for a Benefit concert miss Denise will sing Arias from a French opera. I will dance pieces from the same grand Pierre said this week. Accompaniment be arranged by an or Chestra consisting of radio musicians conducted by Eric wild. Both artists were scheduled to appear in concerts which have been cancelled because of the flood. Miss Denise was to sing in the Csc sunday concert series last week. Miss Grandpierre will dance at the. Gats off to Winni Peg revue originally planned for this month but now delayed until june 3. Kit Silano boys from . Starting european tour the Duke of Kent Memoria Branch of the Canadian legion meeting to be held wednesday night has been cancelled until fur ther notice. Royal conservatory of music of Toronto i corp Maziol Iii summer school july 3 to july 28 courses for teachers piano violin choir training singing kindergarten work. Frit fit hot nution til constr Mary wimm. For copy of Propec Ciu write the registrar 135 Coulot St., Toronto out. Mrs. E. H. A ten to 111 Oak St., Winnipeg pm thirty nine teen age boys from Vancouver will tour Europe this summer. Conducted by Arthur w. Dela Mont the kit Silano boys band is making its fourth visit to the old country. Before it returns to can ads about the Middle of october the band also will give concerts in Belgium Holland and Sweden. The organization was founded by or. Delamont in jh2s and went to Europe for the first time during 1934 its third visit in 1939 was Cut Short by and some of the members very nearly pm marked on the ill fated . Athenia. The band s personnel changes completely almost every year. While on tour the boys have two Foster mothers mrs. Delamont and mrs. William Hamilton. _ rigid schedule is planned Lor this summer. In Britain the band will give two concerts a Day seven Days a week appearing at Parks and Seaside resorts. Each programme is different from All the others. This Beach water milk supplies approved water and milk supplies in the Winnipeg Beach and grand Beach areas have been completely approved l. King sanitary inspect or the Selkirk health unit reported Friday. Public Wells at grand Whyte Wold Matlock Ponemah Winni Peg Beach and Winnipeg Beach West have All been checked and treated. Any doubtful Wells have had their handles removed until they can be checked and approved the inspector said. Milk supplies for these same beaches come from pasteurization plants in Winnipeg and Selkirk and have been approved by the sanitary inspector. In addition he said scavenging plants have been put into opera Tion by the Beach communities a few weeks earlier than usual. Clinics have also been set up at Winnipeg Beach Matlock Selkirk Beausejour and in the grand Beach area for inoculation against typhoid for people who been evacuated from the flood areas. Skenfrith Wales up Abergavenny Fred Evans fs93 in a Flower pot for Safe keeping. Someone took in Bills leaving in Silver for . _ Arthur w. Delamott Means the players must have 14 separate programmes in their repertoire. Long practices will be held in baggage rooms re Jawny can and Tea Iship dining rooms. Four of the boys Are featured in quartet numbers. They Call them selves the four notes and do imitations of the Ink spots and the Mills Brothers. In route across Canada the band was to have stopped in Winnipeg for concerts thursday and Friday. These however have been cancelled. Selkirk tightens Steps guarding against disease the Selkirk health unit is Tak ing precautionary measures in Case of a further Rise in the red River in that area. L. King sanitary inspector of the unit Taid Friday that chlorination of the Public water Supply Hac been stepped up in the town of Selkirk and Wells in the River Are be ing checked. He added that it is impossible for him to Check All the Wells since most of the Side roads Are impassable. In these cases residents have been urged to boil the Well water before drinking it if they Are in doubt about its purity or if there has been much surface run off. Clinics for typhoid vaccination Are being held in Selkirk Matlock Beausejour Winnipeg Beach and in the grand Beach District. Winnipeg s flood victims and fighters by Ruth Wilson said will Rook president. Spohr Leslie Carter Eva von deluge and desolation High and dry Home had been Gencsy and even diminutive Carlu Winnipeg s musical instr a opened to evacuees or. Rook was Carter spent ments where Are the Pepple who doing flood work and mrs. Rook play them like everything else pianos trumpets violins Drums tiaras and musicians have been evacuated or flooded. The City s musical men expect a booming repair business later on. Water or even too much dampness in the atmosphere can ruin Fine instruments the experts say. If a piano gets wet Bijj is a very serious of them told the free press this week. A real soil King would loosen veneer Wash away the glue which holds an Inspru Nie it together and Macli its finish. The sound Hourgil might Warp and strings be ruined altogether. Likewise for string instruments the effect is water will Warp their Fine thin Wood mar the High Quality varnish. The gut from which strings Are Jade absorbs moisture very rapidly and after a while it goes soggy and starts to forecasters the dealer put it this Way Vou know those Little weather Houiss where a toy Man comes out if at s going to rain and a toy lady announces fair and warmer ? a piece gut is used in Mechan ism there. It absorbs moisture almost As for trumpets Cornels Saxo phones and the like valves May rust but pealing will not to dam aged if it is wet Only for a Shorf period. Grimy water May Mog the works however and All brass instruments should be sterilized i before they Are used again. Pads on the keys of course would have a contralto spent her Days with Une red Cross. Or. And mrs. Wil Fred Womersley two other Mem Bers were doing similar tasks and Ron Scarth was on the night shift As Dike patrol. Ernest Enns conductor of the mennonite choir supplied pumps to those in need of them while his wife helped serve meals to workers in the Concordia Hospital area. I jumped furiously r. W. Cooke choirmaster of St. James anglican Church sent mrs. Cooke and family to Edmonton and pumped his basement furiously until you could Row a boat All round the House on the water i pumped or. Cooke is Secretary of the men s musical club. Its treasurer James Seaton lost his Home to the Waters and so did William Macmorran a director. For composers there May be a the sounds which these Days provide a who May Soprano 14, stirs new York with angelic9 voice Quality like a breath of Spring air for new York concert goers a refresh ing rarity appeared on the stage of Carnegie Hall a Short time ago. This was an Angel from Paradise one Man shouted and the whole audience seemed to feel it was wit Nessing a Miracle. Anna Maria Alberghetti a Colora Tura Soprano from Pesaro Italy was giving her first concert in the United states. She was not quite 14, calling her a real a reviewer for the new York times recaptures some of the Enchant ment the child Singer must have created. Child1 vocal prodigies come along so rarely that it is wonder there Only in her native Tongue and she did the songs be Lucciolo and a la Nana Bambino with especially touching expressiveness the girl is the daughter of Dan Iele Alberghetti who was a cellist in the orchestra of la Scala in Milan. Her Mother Vittoria Alberghetti is a pianist and she accompanied the girl always Mother leave the her daughter politely let her stage first. In three Arias her programme included three operatic Arias. The one of the Queen of the night from the magic flute to be replaced. Woodwinds Ore subject to warping. A go Itier might be ruined beyond repair. So much for Complete Immer Sion. Dampness in the air the dealers said is not As damaging As too much dryness. Depending on the degree it might have a salutary effect. Just fell apart one Man however toll of a violin brought to him after the 11948 flood. It had been stored in a basement not wet but humid and when removed from its Case it fell apr dirt in his hands. The glue had been rotted by dampness. Tuners expect a Rush when the flood is Over because tone also is affected by humidity. The experts were emphatic when they added take your instrument to a re pair Man. Don t try to fix it your self. And when it is wet cry it immediately but gradually. An open flame or too much heat will make the varnish Bubble and cause damage to music making a Para dry or water logged Winni Peg s instruments with the exception of Church organs were silent this week and forgotten. Their owners Many of whom lost everything Busy flood fighting if they had not left the City with their families. The red River scattered the members of Winnipeg s symphony orchestra. Its business manager called to ajor Hender Rainbow the City strange discordant Medley. Knows what Harmony they inspire but for music ten Clicks he picture is gloomy. There s nothing Suidt give or seven lessons a week out of Hie Nus ii 40. Most of the children have left lie those who Musl pay rent on their vacant studios would have one More financial worry to blame on the flood. In the schools and at the University the Story was the same. Musical activity was curtailed so that teachers might go diking and one such person was or. Paul univer Tolrud professor in the sity s school of music. Dike Ballet among the most Active flood were members of the mfr Winnipeg Ballet. Jon Waks Arnold Young pianist wins further music Avard was a mistake but she did the was such incredulity and Delight. An unaffected pretty child two others charmingly. They were Caro Nome from pm Gaietto and Una Voce Poco a from the Barber of dressed in a Short Pink dress and clasping her hands just under her Chin As if she were singing in Church miss Alberghetti filled the auditorium with some of the purest loveliest sound that has been heard Jere Al season. And she sustained High notes with an ease that had he audience holding its breath her voice did have an angelic Quality. And she Sang with closed eyes living As it were in her own private world pouring out her feel nos in Fine Jun tones that seemed of grow More and More effortless she ascended the scale. Nearly always too she knew what she Vas singing about. Wisely she Sang Seville. Perhaps miss Alberghetti has not yet been in love but she first radio broadcast symphony slated Aley Wilian s symphony Healey s symphony no. C minor will be broadcast for he first time next week. The Toronto composer and pro lessor of music completed the symphony Early this year. He be Gan it in 1938 but interrupted his Vork to w rite three other com positions the operas Deidre of the sorrows and transit and the piano concerto in c minor. The symphony received its pre Miere thursday at Massey Hall Toronto with or. Ettore Mazzo eni conducting the Royal conserve. Atory orchestra. Next week s Broad cast performance will be by a Csc orchestra under Geoffrey wadding on to be heard Over cow at s . Wednesday. Also on the pro Ramme is or. Willan s Coronation Harch composed in 1936. Drugs May banish sea and air sickness Toronto May 20 up sea and air sickness May soon be Little More than unpleasant memories for most people. Or. G. R. Wendt of University of Rochester told the Canadian psychological association thursday night that prevention of air arid sea sickness now about 60 per cent effective will be raised o better than 90 per cent before Png. The solution lies in develop ment of drugs designed to prevent motion sickness. . Hospitals Cost London May 20 Reuters Britain s nationalized hospitals Ost More than 50 a Day to run during the first nine months of the National health service it has been., announced. During the period july 5, 1948 when the service opened to Farch 31, 1949, the hospitals spent their income Lor the period has certainly imagined the sensations and it was a Joy to hear them Sung by a girl As fresh and unspoiled As the heroines of the com posers imaginations addio Del Massato from la Traviata being the song of a dying woman received added poignancy from the child s unearthly Quality. She is certainly exceptionally gifted. It is to be fervently hoped a Young woman who has so Many music scholarships that she names car i remember Al their James Henderson the army and As son supervised a number of food projects. I first violist Sam med on Wasj flooded out and so was the Lym a pianist Harold Hunter whose suite n the maritime apartments lived i up to its name and succumbed to the inundation. Or. Hunter sent and began for o t h e i that such Talent will not be spoiled by too much exploitation Duke morale variety troupes have Busy time though other groups Are inac Tive Winnipeg s variety entertain ers had their hands full this week. For Dike and programmes have been staged each evening in St. James Hall. On alternate nights Tom Paley and Mabelle Monning ton director of the Cheerio troupe were in charge of operations. The Bill of fare included impersonations chorus lines accordion num Bers violin playing acrobatics and other features. If the emergency continues the shows May go on next week also women s musical delays audition the Winnipeg women s musical club has postponed its audition for scholarship contest entries which was to have been held about june 11. Mrs. Douglas Edmond president announced this week that Many of the applicants there Are 16 in All were directly affected by the flood and it was thought advisable to set a later Date possibly some time during the summer. All 16 musicians whose entries received had qualified for preliminary audition by a panel of adjudicators she said. The scholar ship awarded annually to the most promising Young artist amounts with two prizes for run ners up. Beecham pla1vs tour London conductor sir Thomas Beecham will take his Royal philharmonic orchestra for a United states tour of 50 concerts next Winter it was announced this week. The to year old Maestro and his 100 instrumentalists will sail oct. 7. His family packing pumping basements people. One musical organization completely shattered by the flood was the chamber music club. Many members lived in Wildwood including the president Harry Brad Shaw. He for one Hopes his piano is flood resistant. An upright it. Stands in the living room under several feet of water while i he River creeps toward his second floor. Other flood victims in the club Are prof and mrs. Wolfgang Gerson or. And mrs. Bernard Noonan Irene Thorolfson violinist and violist Edmund James. Singers there were Many flood fighters among them. Two whom this reporter were George locate managed to Kent Tenor and Roy Firth baritone. They had Sung were Gether. Together pumping often. Now they and diking to or. Kent s Home on Fisher Avenue was completely flooded. Or. Firth s on Lyndale drive was threatened but you can quote he Suid. That Dike will and George said you know i Don t Why i should be help ing you on your Dike. It just pushes More water across the River in my never and. He had rescued his piano and the Chesterfield w propped up with one end on the mantelpiece. Or. Kent was continuing work with his Knox Church choir its numbers not bad considering so Many Are out of the like All other groups the Winnipeg philharmonic choir was hav ing trouble keeping track of its members. They re All wet and City girl taking part in . Spring festival Potsdam n.y., May 20 Rosalie Podoba of Winnipeg a freshman at the Potsdam state teachers College will take part in an annual Spring festival of the arts to be held in the col Dorothy Rossell has another Feather in her Bonnet following this week s announcement University examination results. The pianist now an associate of the Manitoba school of music won i he University Gold medal. This Evvard was granted follow ing examinations last fall but it was considered important enough to warrant a further announce ment in. The Spring. The medallist was to receive her . Dip Loma at the University convocation because of the flood. Twenty two Yeier old miss Rossell hip ran her piano studies in Winnipeg at the acre of seven. Before time she Lieen member of a percussion hand in which she took her turn Ruall the instrument s and finally was conductor. As pianist she won festival rending and no it competitions and with Hass Singer James b Hendell Tfir lieder class Fin two years degrees expected she has been enrolled at the Manitoba so drool of music for three years Hopes to receive both her had Elor of arts and music licentiate in 1951. Two years ago was granted the London Royal schools licentiate degree and she has nearly Corn time on the dikes where the muscle building exercise of the dance proved Good training for sandbag duty. Ballet director Gweneth Lloyd and Betty Farrally Ballet mistress cared for evacuee children at red Cross Headquarters. The flood threatened studio was empty. Out of town dancers unwillingly went Home. Just before fabulous Spring we interviewed likeable Young Vancouver on a two years ago British Columbia s floods of 1948 lanky 6 musician visiting one night stand. We called him or. Artistry in rhythm his own new. Bombastic Type name for a of progressive jazz recorded under artistry artistry in and artistry in Bolero among others. The likeable Young musician of course was Stan Ken ton a jazz fanatic with an ear shattering brass Section and a Crystal Ball musical score for jazz concerts of Tomor Row. That tomorrow was introduced today in his latest capital album Stan Kenton and Liis orchestra volume one innovations in modern music innovations in modern music will probably be a big disappoint ment to the blow hard and pegged pants and howl Bop most others will find it the musical Surprise package of 1950 perhaps of the decade. Kenton s latest is his own answer to a Long standing musical Ideal. During our 1.948 conversation in the coast City he stressed one pet Point one lie said i m of coins to fact a band together that does t have to run com petition to King size dogs and soda pop. I m going to play music in car nuffie Hall for people who come to hear Fine music and Fine music was t introduced in Carnegie Hall. It made its Maiden musical flight before some hand picked critics and others on the Home grounds of the Phil Adelphia philharmonic. Nobody went away disappointed. The Radical consists of 40 new Kenton pieces a band Large Pletch the co Icse leading degree from Toronto s to a Royal conservatory. At Manitoba won the jewish women s Mush scholarship the Sarah Heppner scholarship the tees scholarship and the James Mary women s celebrity l. Robertson University club and Fred scholarships. M. Gee for three years i University of she has played Manitoba recitals. Other appearances have included the Winnipeg Branch Mani Toba registered music teachers series concerts at United College and accompaniment for Kelvin grads operettas. While at Kelvin she conducted Folk son classes in the festival which won with very High Marks she Sang year says. As Mezzo Soprano she in Kelvin und last took singing lessons. I d like to con virtue the lessons my interest in singing is really because she said. She Hopes of go away to study with an Eye to a career As accompanist with some Solo concerts lately with Winnifred Johnston also of Winnipeg she has undertaken some two piano work. Australia weighs required defence Canberra. Australia May 20 Reuters the House of representatives thursday Defeated by a vote of 64 to 37. A labor opposition amendment to its anti communist Bill but it approved a government modification of the disputed on the onus of proving allegations of communism. The labor amendment moved y or. Herbert Evatt sought to lege auditorium this week end. Place the onus of proof Ion the a 30-piece with Crown miss Podoba As first violinist will accompany a 230-voice chorus directed by Robert Shaw in the b minor mass of Johann Sebastian Bach elude the a performance will con three concert festival marking the 200th anniversary of death. The Winnipeg musician Ulso is a member of the Crane chorus which will sing the mass. Or. Evatt objected thais the Bill stood making the defendant responsible for prov ing accrued of sedition would have no Chance. Of satisfying the court they were innocent. The House approved 60 to an amendment moved by prime min ister Robert Menzies to delete from the clause the word violin Section cellos French Horn and other incidental Long hair what have you As Well As one of the greatest rhythm sections in the business. Vocals on two of the eight 12 sides Are handled by the inimitable june Christy a Long time Kenton standby. The rest of this Kenton classical showcase is devoted to six of the finest most genuinely compositions we have heard in Many a waxed Moon. We won t go into the Story be Hind each selection. In fact we personally found it much More satisfying to sit Back and develop our own image around each of the sometime ponderous suddenly rhythmic components of innovations Here they by title trajectories Marks cuban episode o Farrill lonesome Road Shilkret Austin incident in jazz Greattinger a rage Rusolo Rue lol theme for sunday1 Ken tool solitaire Russo Kenton fans will recognize most of his old group Back in the line Canadian music lovers May it a kick out of seeing Toronto trumpet virtuoso Maynard Fer us son scored into the brass Sec real car for at Itasta once everyone with a music should listen to this something new under the musical Sun. As one Young lady put it one should never Ever Isten to innovations it packs that much punch. Fred Edge. Toronto May 20 up the Toronto fur workers Union . Night that announced negotiations thursday with employers representing 55 firms employing 550 workers have broken Down in the Union s Campaign for a wage increase of 15. Cents an hour and a pension fund. The Union has applied for conciliation. Free piano practice to the extent 01 our fact limits. Free piano practice is available to evacuees who have entered Lor examinations any College Rona fide night brine note from i heir Shinn conservatory of music 356 Furby St. Pm. 30 279 in View of flood the boys choirs of the Man i musical club concert has been cancelled for june lit plans Are being Trade to hold it in the Early fall. The Dale will be Chute will concert. Ill be m pm ticket mar Mir lube ;