Music

My dear Yvonne:

Don’t you feel relieved that the concert season is about to burst its glories upon us — and we can lose ourselves in its beauties — and so forget the horrors of the war for brief and beautiful intervals? And that reminds me of the lamentable attitude of our friend Campanini — who casts such an insult upon American music lovers by his decision to eliminate German operas during the Chicago Opera Season. Why should Wagner be held responsible for torpedoes and poisonous gases — Zeppelin raids, etc.? Then again if that attitude of mind be allowed to run riot — why not blame Bach and Beethoven also? The elimination of all the great German operas and symphonies has nothing to do with making the world safe for democracy. Surely art is universal. Then why this imbecility? Shame on Signor Campanini. Doesn’t he know that “Maryland, My Maryland” is sung to an old German air — why not suppress it also? This is not fighting Germany — it is making ourselves ridiculous. Would Mr. Campanini also debar us from hearing the Jupiter Symphony? — the Eroica, the Unfinished? — the violin concert of Mendelssohn? The second Symphony of Brahms? — all of them absolutely created in the enemy zone? “Even fair minded Americans cannot be expected to listen with equanimity to music created in the enemy country.”

Surely the drummer of a jazz band in a fifth rate café couldn’t be more stupid!

One thinks with gratitude of Frederick Fischer — who is doing such excellent work in St. Louis — and achieved such splendid success at the recent open air music festival in that city, where he conducted French classics with equal interest to those of his own country. The next two weeks will bring us to the splendid orchestral concerts offered by Mr. Walter Damrosch with his New York Symphony, and the Philharmonic under Mr. Stransky. Many important recitals by old favorites are scheduled — and amongst the younger players, Wynne Pyle, the brilliant Texas pianist, who made such a great success here with the Philharmonic and St. Louis and Minneapolis orchestras last year will make several important appearances. Also Doris Barnett, the finest pianist Australia has produced up till now — a favorite pupil of Leopold Godowsky, who created a furore in Vienna and London — will make her first appearance before New York music lovers.

Isolde Menges — undoubtedly the greatest girl violinist of the day — who created such a sensation here last winter and has been delighting thousands of enthusiasts in Canada, will give two recitals in New York before leaving for London and Paris to fill her engagements there.

One hears with great regret of the absence of Ugo Ara, the magnificent Viola of the Flonzaley Quartet — who has gone into active service in Italy and will be greatly missed here.

One is glad to know Percy Grainger will continue his recitals, and the Red Cross will benefit greatly by the receipts generously turned over to them by this popular young Australian. San Francisco still laments over the absence of Mr. Nikolai Sokoloff, the very gifted young conductor, who has offered his services to France and will spend the winter there doing relief work. Speaking of conductors, one hopes Ossip Gabrilowitsch, the distinguished piano virtuoso, will again appear in the role of conductor this season; for he certainly thrilled us all in the three memorable orchestral concerts. His marvelous magnetism absolutely electrified the audiences. Opera lovers are saddened by the death of that distinguished lyric tenor Luca Botta, whose wonderful career was finished by cancer at the early age of 35. One thinks with gratitude of the many young artists cheering the sick and wounded — in the many camps here and abroad — au revoir, Yvonne, see you often at Carnegie and the Aeolian.

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