flom ST. rETERSBURG : ... .;/lmU,fiCdl revivdlharkin6 blJCK to ;;;tiqutt~' "Remarkable and fascinating'." -"Ye,v York American

CARNEGIE HALL MONDAY EVENING, OCTOBER 23, 1911 at 8:15

Prices 50c, 75c, $1.00, $1.50, $2.00 Boxes $15 and $18

. Seat Sale Begins Monday, October 16th

THE BALDWIN PIANO USED .. " . " > ©CI.A299733 \'1-, I "Indescribable."-New York Times

M. Ivan Tomashevitch•. Mlle. Olga Scriabina. Mlle. Liubov Orlova, M. Nicholas Vasiliev of the Operatic Section from St. Petersburg "Deified Mandolin Club."-Collio'J

BALALAIKA LORE A Musical Revival That Harks Back To Antiquity

THE ROMANTIC EVOLUTION OF A HEATHEN PRAYER DRUM

Copyright 191 hy Sen H. Atwell All or any part automatically "released" for use in newspapers or magazines. if published unchanged. For pxplanation. see footnote (") aftf'r closing paragr~ph

lD YOU ever hear a Balalaika? If so, you are one of the comparatively few so favored in this country. O The Balalaika is a musical instrument-the national instrument of Russia. It has a past. one that loses itself in the nebulous unwritten history of the early tribes of northern Europe. Its sensuous tones delighted the uncouth nomads of those parts when Greek and Roman civilization were at their height, yes, even when the inscrutable sphinx was in the hey day of youth. The Balalaika is the connecting link between the primitive savagery of antiquity and the cil'dization of the present. Every great museum attests this fart by giving the instrument representation among its ancient treasurf'S, singly or in classifif'd groups, for it has varied forms. It was the first step towards culture undertaken by what is now a great people. Its dulcet notes were the first outpourings of the fountain of Russian music, which gives to the land of the Czar its first claim to artistic supremacy. The Balalaika's strains inspired the pioneer Russian dancers, whose successors now hold two hemispheres enthralled by their marvelous ballets. Whf'n the primitive barbarians made war, the Balalaika was _--'=""'-_" the tocsin. Doubtlt'ss it helfJed to stll the hordes that all but swept the civilization of the Cresars from the face of the globe when the City of Seven Hills fell before them. In peace its sensuous notes enriched the splendor of the feast; and when the soul awoke responsive to the inherent cry for some form of religion it was the Balalaika that was the prayer drum before the altars of the pagan gods. To this last circumstance may be attributed its almost total eclipse. for with the introduction of Christianity a ban was issued against the Balalaika. To the ecclesiastical mind it typified paganism alone. Its marvelous musical possibilities and the beneficient influences it had exercised were given no thought. A holy war was waged against it. Not only was the instrument condemned. but to listen to it brought excommunication. This drastic action banished the Balalaika to the remote corners of Russia. the woods and mountains and unfrequented spots where folklore thrives and the dictates of state or church are of diminished consequence. If there were those whose good judgment protested against the destruction of so valuable an agency for the increased enjoyment of man, two centuries of Tartar rule stilled their voices and completed the work of stamping out Russian musical consciousness. Unfavorable historical circumstances continued to pursue the Bala­ laika. for in the eighteenth century, during the reign of Peter the Great. when continental music made its way into Russia with continental culture, the simple national instruments were ridiculed. Oblivion and forgetfulness followed.

ISTORY abounds with incidents proving that the right man always arises at the right time to further the general D interests of mankind. When every circumstance indicated the passing of the Balalaika with the flotsam and jetsam of the dead centuries a musical genius of an explorative turn of mind analyzed the instrument as a matter of curiosity. He was surprised to find in the neglected antique amazing vibratory tone possibilities. Volume. loo, was present, and the crescendos and diminuendos that could be produced astonished him. "Something new in music."-iVI'7£' Y~)rk 7('I!,~'J'Jl:

The wonders of the Balalaika inspired within him the dream of reviving it as the national instrument of his land. His first step was to perfect himself as a performer upon it and his next to eliminate its crudities and to make it practical for modern musical employment. Fortunately M. Andreeff was rich, so he was enabled to give lavishly of time and money to attain his purpose. His own marvelous playing won sympathy for his undertaking, its patriotic side appealed to the Slav imagination, and after twenty years of labor and the expenditure of his vast fortune, M. Andreeff had the satisfaction of seeing Balalaika Orchestras established throughout the Russian Empire. His own organization of players was made by Imperial command the Court Orchestra. Czar Nicholas has honored M. Andreeff in many ways for his unselfish and truly wonderful labor-a work that only fanatical faith and unquenchable love could have brought to a realization within the span of one man's life. But this is not all. On Britain's ~hrone sat Edward VII, of illustrious memory. His consort, was Alexandra, now the Queen Mother. Queen Alexandra heard M. Andreeff and his wonderful players at the court of her close Imperial Kinsman, Czar Nicholas, and importuned Edward to hear them. By Imperial command of Nicholas they played before His Majesty and a distinguished retinue on a notable occasion three years ago. King Edward was captivated. So pleased was he that he had M. Andreeff instruct a large group of musicians in the mysteries of the Balalaika by royal command and then appointed them the regimental band for one of England's crack army organizations. Balalaika enthusiam swept over England. Schools devoted to instruction upon it sprang up. In London alone there are now seven large schools devoted exclusively to the Balalaika and the instrument has a department in all the leading English musical conservatories. The hold it has upon the musical public is best demonstrated by the fact that the official consular reports show that England has imported from Russia in the last two years Balalaikas to the value of 1,632.000 rubles. And. think of it. thf' Balalaika was unknown in England three years ago! "Russians make sweet music."-New York America1~

M. W. W. ANDREEFF THE BALALAIKA \ ORCHESTRA "Sweet music from BaJaJaika~."-- \-(7(' } - II.' f-/,/elid

HE wonderful triumphs achieved by M. Andreeff in restoring the Balalaika {J to its rightful position of e~teem in his native land and throughout Europe (for the EnglIsh and RussIan enthusIasm spread over the entire continent) only served to awaken an ambition within him to give the Balalaika world wide vogue. America remained a stranger to him and the instrument, and a rich field for development. M. Andreeff felt that scores of American universities and colleges only required an introduction to the Balalaika to seize upon it as a substitute for the minor stringed instruments so popular with their glee clubs. Also that thousands of con­ cert goers would greet it as a welcome addition to the musical wealth of the land. A brief experimentai American tour was arrall~ed last season. !VI. Andreeff realized all that he anticipated. His organization ach:eved a triumph every where it appeared. The fruit of the experiment is ihc exlcnsIve American tour now in progress. Knowing that critics of varied tastes \\ill be attracted by the novelty of the Balalaika M. Andreeff has arranged hl:; programme's mlh a viclV to demonstra­ ting its remarkable scope, for it mmt be appreCl:lted that the Balalaika is as well adapted to so called "popular music" as to any other. In fact one may be said never to have heard a real waltz \vho has not enjoyed a Balalaika concert. Mr. Andreeff and his wonderful orchestra also play the old folk music, which takes us back to the days when men dwelt in tents and counted their \\'('alth in Rocks. Then, these master musicians delight us with tht' melodies of composers reared in the present complex civilization. The 13Ld aiaika ,;\l()\\S the kinship of Tschaikowski with the pagan tribal minstrel, who seated bcfme a goatskin tent wooed his love with sensuou, melody. It is music through the ages-a rcvivc.\ thQI hc:rks back to antiquity_

*The experience of this management in dil-ecting the tour of Mlle. Anna Pavlowa, l\ 1. l\likail 1\10rdkin and the Imperial R1l3­ sian Ballet last Sf'ason, and the All-Star Imperial Russian Balld this season, has caused every legal protection to be thrown about the Imperial Russian Court Balabika Or,-hc;;tra, to ,hicid it from persons who foist imitations on the puhlh: In the nanlf' of Russian artistry_ RUSSI.\0J t-\ \IUSE\IENT CO _ Inc. ENTERF'RISf'5 OF "lAX r\,~\Bl\JOFF. Inc. "Good, fine music."-Philadrlf/lia .'ltar

The Operatic Section from St. Petersburg

USSIAN music, which at present enjoys greater vogue than that of any other country. has never been sung in America by representative Russian Q artists in their native tongue, Russian music has a conspicuous place· on the programme of every orchestra; Russian singers occupy positions of honor in the great American opera houses, where they are singing in French and Italian, but it has awaited the enterprise of Impresario Max Rabinoff to bring to this country a group of singers from the Imperial Opera Houses to acquaint American audience. with the richness and beauty of Russian vocal music. The plaintive folk songs of the far spread lands of the Czar are of course given prominence ill their programme, since it is in the rendering of the melodies of the people that M. Andreeff has demonstrated the supremacy of his orchestra. But the singers also include in their programmes selections from all the standard Russian operas in solo. duo. trio and quartette. Although small numerically, the operatic section is thoroughly representative, consisting of Mlle. Olga Semeonovna Scriabina, mezzo soprano, Mlle. Liubov Vasilievna Orlova. soprano. M. Nicholas Georgo­ vitch Vasiliev, tenor and M. Ivan To·mashevitch. basso. "Imperial Artists" is the title they carry and they appear in native costume. Music lovers everywhere will welcome this novelty, particularly in communi­ ties where local clubs have taken up the study of Russian mus-ic in accordance with the recommendation of the National Federation of Musical Clubs for the winter of 1911-12.

A Few of the Many Laudatory Comments DEVOTED TO THE IMPERIAL RUSSIAN COURT BALALAIKA ORCHESTRA DURING ITS EXPERIMENTAL TOUR "A sort of deified mandolin club."-Col!ier's TJTet'Ny. "The tone effect, both in variety of color. delicacy and organ-like quality, IS indescribable."-lVt'7U ) '(irk Times. "A concert unique in nearly every Olle of its features." -flew York Tribtme. "It took about two minutes to convince a New York audience that it was listening to a remarkable and most fascinating body of musicians."-New J'ork American. "It is very easy to predict for M. Andreeff's Orchestra the same success here that it has achieved in Paris and London."-iVe,,' ) 'ork Evening Globe. "Easy to predict success."-New York Globe

SIROT A, the world-famous cantor of Warsaw, coming to America for eight concerts in February, under the direction of the Enterprises of Max Rabinoff, Inc. "Simple string chorus."-Baltilllore Star

THE ENTERPRISES OF MAX RABINOFF, INC.

Aiso Announce Mme. La Salle Rabinoff Coloratura Soprano

The All-Star Imperial Russian Ballet MIKAIL MORDKIN, Choreographic Director 30 1911

"A new thing in talk tnusic."-New York Tribulle'

SPECIAL NOTICE

HE Imperial Russian Court Balalaika Orchestra and lJ O!!artette from the Impe­ rial Opera Houses of St. Petersburg and Moscow will be available for a limited number of private engagements in or near New York during the season. Detailed information and terms will be cheerfully furnished upon application.

The Russian Amusement Co. ======INC. ======I45 West 45th Street, New Y orlc City Telephone Bryant 4864 ,'" ' One copy del. to Ca.i. Div.

OCT 31 HU, "Makes hit at first performance."--!Ve7.l1 }'ork ~Vor!d

COPYRIGHTED. WHITE. " r A Great Artist from the All.Star Imperial Russian Ballet