Books › Musical Courier 1928-12-13: Vol 97 Iss 24, 1928 › scan 16
Scan 16
Musical Courier 1928-12-13: Vol 97 Iss 24, 1928
55 lines. Read by computer on 29 September 2026. Printed page 17. See the scan on archive.org.
1December 13, 1928
2MUSICAL COURIER
4Bucharoff's Symphonic Works Repeated by Mengelberg and Heard by Large Radio Audience Over WOR
6America's Scene de Ballet and Tone Poems Repeated for the Third Time by the Philharmonic Symphony
8A new symphonic composer of interesting possibilities has been revealed by the Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra in the person of Simon Bucharoff, whose works Mr. Mengelberg repeated on December 2 after their first performances on November 1 and 2. This time Mr. Bucharoff's works, scene de ballet from his opera Sakahra and the two tone poems, Drunk, and Reflections in the Waters were heard by a much larger audience than Carnegie Hall can hold, for they were broadcast over station WOR. The radio audience responded enthusiastically to the work of a compatriot, echoing with customary superlatives the approval of the New York critics, who, upon Bucharoff's symphonic debut, hailed his contributions to the program as "dramatic," "colorful" and "well-scored."
10Beginning as a composer of operas, Bucharoff of late years has come to devote more and more of his time to symphonic composition. His works in this line include America, called now Our Country, a symphonic poem; Carnival; Exiles, a symphonic poem; Satire, for strings, in one movement; Four Tone Poems: Reflections in the Water, Drunk, Doubt, Joy Sardonic; and Fantastic Overture.
12His operatic works include a one act piece, A Lover's Knot, which was first produced privately by Vice-President Charles G. Dawes and later by the Chicago Opera Company; Sakahra, a full length work, produced in Frankfort by Clemens Krauss, and The Soul of Israel.
14Bucharoff was born in Kiev, but came to this country at the age of eleven. He later became a naturalized citizen. He was educated to be a chemist, but soon abandoned science for music. Most of his musical education was received in Vienna. He first attracted attention as a concert pianist, under his original name of Buchhalter, which he had changed legally to its present form in 1919. He has temporarily given up public recitals in order to devote himself exclusively to composition, though he still teaches a little, receiving specially gifted pupils at his New York studio, and from time to time lectures on the theory of music.
16The Soul of Israel, which he is working hard now to complete, is described by those who have heard parts of it as a magnificent and noble work in operatic form, the libretto of which was supplied by Dr. Rudolph Lothar, who made the German adaptation of Bucharoff's Sakahra. The English text of Israel has been made by Charles Henry Meltzer.
18R. H. P.
20Help Your Children to Make Music
21(Continued from page 10)
23negligible. Most music-haters are made, not born, and we have it in our power to decrease or to increase the number.
25There are a few children who do not care what instrument they learn to play. They may be indifferent, or merely undecided. But when a child has decided that he wants to play the piano, the flute, or the violin, he should learn to play that instrument, and not the instruments his parents think will be better. The number of children who are given piano lessons when they would prefer to play the violin is surprising. And then the parent painfully inquires why it is so difficult to make John practice.
27No matter what instrument the child selects to play, he should be encouraged to play it well, even if he wants to learn to play the harmonica or the harmonium. He will be making music, and making it in the way he wishes to, and that is important. Later, he might decide to switch to a more orthodox instrument. But whether he does or not, it makes little difference. The point is that he is making music, and he is interested in music.
29As a rule, jazz should not be administered as the first dose of music. It should come second, after the child has had a thorough grounding in the classics. But jazz must be considered a part of the complete musical fare; to do otherwise would be foolish. Nowadays, jazz is not quite what it used to be. Gershwin, Paul Whiteman and prominent jazz artists have given concerts which entertainingly are a long way from the old tom-tom music. Children should be taken to good jazz concerts as well as to the good symphonic performances. And when they go to a concert they should know something about the music, and something about the instruments which are being played. It makes the concert a great deal more interesting. How many strings, has a harp, for instance? Which is used more in orchestral arrangements, a flute or a clarinet? If you can answer these questions, you can safely pat yourself on the back, because there are not very many people outside the musical profession who know the answers.
31And most of such information is interesting, for the child or for the adult. Knowing how Haydn chanced to write the Farewell Symphony, for example, makes that music full of meaning. Perhaps the genius, who is already soaring off on magic wings, will not concern himself with such details. But the average child, who has to be urged to practice, will find that such details make all the difference in the world. And hearing music played as it is meant to be played is another open sesame.
33Prescriptions for music-lovers cannot be concisely stated. Except, perhaps, that it is the easiest thing in the world to make a music-hater out of a child who is being forced to do a thing he dislikes. Perhaps he finds practicing particularly difficult, even after every effort has been made to make it interesting. Shortening the practice hours may not turn the trick either. What is to be done? The answer may be the discontinuance of the music lessons. One more child may not learn to make music, but at least he will be able to enjoy it when he hears others play. The bitter taste of irksome music lessons and stupid hours of practicing will not remain long to mar his pleasure in hearing others play.
35How would you go about making a music-lover. The prescription is comparatively simple. Take one child, and surround him with a home where music is really enjoyed. Before the child is old enough to play some instrument himself (and playing an instrument in this home is to the youth like catching on the school baseball nine) he is taught how to sing folk songs or other simple melodies. Right from the start, he is making music. As he grows older, he may be given music lessons on some instrument which HE has selected.
37OTTORINO RESPIGHI,
38composer of The Sunken Bell, was so delighted with Elisabeth Rethberg's singing of the part of Rautendelein that he dedicated his manuscript of the opera to her. Mme. Rethberg is here shown with Respighi and his wife. (Photo by Carlo Edwards.)
40The artist came unheralded but required only one hearing to establish himself as the most polished, individual and poetic of the younger generation of American pianists. A master of style."
41—Noel Straus, N. Y. Eve. World.
43An artist to his finger tips and a piano talent of the very first order."
44—Herbert Peyser, N. Y. Telegram.
46An unusually fine tribute to the cause of pianistic art."
47—N. Y. Sun.
49Fine poetic insight, varied dynamic effects and a good sense of rhythm."
50—N. Y. Times.
52For further information regarding this New York debut of Harold Triggs, November 27, 1928, and for fac-simile copies of his complete press notices, apply to
53Direction: JEAN WISWELL
54250 W. 57th Street, N. Y.
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