Music in Houston, 1930-1971

Home , Alexander Slobodyanik, Allegri Quartet, Alma Trio, American National Ballet, American Savoyards, Andor Toth

MUSIC IN HOUSTON, 1930-1971

With

Annotated Index

Donald William Looser, Ph.D.

Revised 2020 by Donald W. Looser

CHAPTER ONE: WORLD ENOUGH AND TIME, 1929-1936….………..……..1 SUMMARY…………………………………………………………………….27 CALENDARS………………………………………………………..……29-34

CHAPTER TWO: THE FLEDGLING YEARS, 1936-1948……………….….…35 SUMMARY…………………………………………………………………….64 CALENDARS…………………………………………….……………….67-80

CHAPTER THREE: GREAT EXPECTATIONS, 1948-1955………………..….81 SUMMARY……………………….………………………………………….113 CALENDARS………………………………………………………….116-131

CHAPTER FOUR: THE THREEPENNY OPERA, 1955-1961……………… 132 SUMMARY……………………………………….………………………….162 CALENDARS………………………………………………………….166-183

CHAPTER FIVE: A MAN FOR ALL SEASONS, 1961-1966……….………..184 SUMMARY…………………………………………………………….…….220 CALENDARS………………………………………………………….224-242

CHAPTER SIX: THE SOUND AND THE FURY, 1966-1969………...……..243 SUMMARY…………………………………………………………………..261 CALENDARS………………………………………………………....264-280

CHAPTER SEVEN: THE FULLNESS OF TIME, 1966-1972………..………281 SUMMARY…………………………………………………………………..303

CHAPTER EIGHT: THE HEART OF THE MATTER: A SUMMARY…...……305

BIBLIOGRAPHY..………………………………………………….……..….325-345

INDEX (ANNOTATED)…………………..……..………………….………..347-437

CHAPTER ONE

WORLD ENOUGH AND TIME 1929-1936

Houston in 1930 was one of two major American cities that had doubled its population since 1920.1 Houston had already ridden the crest of every major economic boom since the city’s founding —cotton, rice, lumber, cattle, and oil.2 It was a restless city, full of self-reliance and optimism—a city, though only one hundred years old, like an adolescent on the brink of maturity, pervaded by a sense of wonder and confident of its limitless future. Houston had been labeled a “whiskey and trombone” town—a montage of brassy frontierism and established gentility. Though Southern in its refinement, Houston was Western in its aggressiveness. Only years before, it had drawn the ocean fifty miles to its door, grabbing the torch of leadership from the once-strategic Galveston and creating for itself the nation’s third largest port. Its citizens were rugged individualists, accustomed to hard work and dependent on their own resourcefulness. Its new money was oil; its old money was cotton, cattle, and lumber. Cultural activities were not new to Houston, but there was no major cultural institution that dated from the nineteenth century.3 Houston had introduced the Singing Society to Texas in 1839,4 and as early as 1872, Mrs. Lucy Grunewald had established the Houston Philharmonic Society, which was composed of some thirty to forty mixed

1 Eroll F. Bogy, Houston in Brief (Houston, 1932), p. 8.

2 “Houston, Bold and Beautiful,” Plymouth Traveler, December, 1964, p. 4.

3 George M. Fuermann, Houston, the Feast Years (Houston: Premier Printing Co., 1962), p. 26.

4 Lota M. Spell, Music in Texas (Austin, 1936), p. 92. voices. The Houston Choral Club was organized in 1885 to give light opera and musical plays; and a Male Quartet Club, founded by Anton Diehl, functioned from 1894 to 1915. Houston also led the state of Texas with the formation of the first woman’s singing society, the Treble Clef, in 1895.5 This group later became the Woman’s Choral Club of Houston.6 Orchestral music in Houston dates from 1868 when a Professor Stadtler led a small ensemble at the Exchange Saloon. Orchestras connected with the German Sangerfeste from 1885 to 1913, a local Symphony Club by 1902, and a visit by Modeste Altschuler’s Russian Symphony Orchestra in 1912-13 whetted local appetites for a permanent ensemble7. Nonetheless, prior to 1930, operatic, symphonic, and concert activity in Houston had been largely of the non-resident, touring variety. However, major concert performers were no strangers to the Houston stage. Paderewski, McCormack, Kreisler, Heifetz, the Chicago Opera, and the New York Philharmonic had all visited the city in the early years of the new century6. Local, resident, institutional activity, however, began with the formation of the Houston Symphony Orchestra Association in 1913. In the spring of 1913, following a series of meetings held in the homes of several prominent Houstonians, the Houston Symphony Orchestra Association was founded; Mrs. E. B. Parker was elected its first president.8 The Association, whose membership was composed largely of women, employed a relative newcomer to Houston, cellist

5 Spell, p. 98.

6 David G. McComb, Houston: The Bayou City (Austin: University of Texas Press, 1969), p. 145.

7 “German Music,” The Handbook of Texas Online, Theodore Albrecht, Texas State Historical Society, July 23, 2002.

8 “Expansion of Symphony Orchestra Continues,” International Musician, February, 1938, p. 1.

Julien Paul Blitz, as its musical director. Plans were made for an opening concert in June, and a group of some forty local musicians was engaged.9 A sold-out house gathered at the Majestic Theater for the first concert by the new orchestra. The Majestic Theater is now contained within the bowels of the Houston Chronicle Building on Texas Avenue. Musicians from other vaudeville and silent movie theaters, cafes, hotels, and the city-at-large rushed from their regular day jobs to make the 5:00 p.m. curtain. The Majestic’s own orchestra sounded the last note of its preceding vaudeville show and scrambled from pit to stage to complete the symphony orchestra’s personnel. The glittering audience warmly received Maestro Blitz, his chamber orchestra, and its vocal soloist, Miss Blanch Foley, who sang a Gluck aria.. The varied program included the Mozart Symphony No. 39 and “Dixie.” Thus, it was that on June 21, 1913, Houston’s cultural history entered a new era.10 This first trial concert was followed by a second one six months later. Rehearsals were open to children, and the musicians that year were paid five dollars for each rehearsal and concert. The fifteen- hundred dollar cost of the season was underwritten by a number of twenty-five dollar patron gifts.11 Paul Berge succeeded Julien Blitz on the podium and served as musical director until the orchestra disbanded in 1917 due to personnel inadequacies resulting from World War I. The Association, however, continued to function. Miss Ima Hogg became its second president and served until 1921. In the interim when no local orchestra was active, the Association met regularly and sponsored performances by the St. Louis and Minneapolis orchestras and a number of chamber groups.

9 Houston Post, October 26, 1941, Sec. III, p. 6.

10 Houston Chronicle, October 13, 1963, Texas Magazine, p. 4.

11 Ibid. 3

The twenties represented a dry cultural period in Houston, relying chiefly on visiting ensembles and performers. Mary Elizabeth Rouse, writing for The Houston Gargoyle, a remarkable local version of The New Yorker, described the status of cultural activity in the city in 1929. Houston is going backwards, musically. Twenty years ago, we seemed to have made a beginning. We had the nucleus of a civic symphony. The Treble and Choral Clubs had large memberships and were excellent training schools. They were bringing excellent artists. Everybody went to concerts. When people came, no ballyhoo was necessary. The city has grown; its audience hasn’t. Less than five hundred heard Elisabeth Rothberg. The town is full of music teachers who are failures. The Vitaphone is spreading its racket everywhere. The people of Houston aren’t music lovers or we’d have a symphony. We seem to expect it to pay for itself—none ever has. We had the Minneapolis Symphony here last year and so few came that I am through talking about a local one. . . .12

Despite this pessimistic report, at the end of the 20’s, some serious musical activity graced the city. A woman named Edna Saunders and the Girls Musical Club sponsored two series of recitalists. In addition, the Museum of Fine Arts hosted Sunday Musicales featuring local artists. Josephine Boudreaux, who was to become concertmistress of the reorganized Symphony, had formed a string quartet in 1928 that presented an active calendar of performances. Additionally, in 1928, Foley Brothers department store inaugurated a series of weekly Wednesday Musicales.13 A 1929 advertisement trumpeted: Activated purely by civic pride in things cultural in Houston, leading musicians are cooperating with Foley Brothers (department store) in presenting you this second season of Wednesday afternoon Musicales in an endeavor to bring to the music lovers of the city the wealth of talent right here at home.14

12 Mary Elizabeth Rouse, “Houston and Harmony,” The Houston Gargoyle, December 1, 1929, p. 25.

13 Houston Post, September 21, 1930, State News Section, p. 9.

14 The Houston Gargoyle, October 6, 1929, p. 17 (Foley Brothers advertisement).

This unobtrusive ad is historically significant because it articulates three strengths of Houston’s cultural development that may be observed throughout its history: (1) civic pride rather than cultural aspiration as a reason for support; (2) the major role of business and business people in the musical history of the city; and (3) an emphasis on the nurture and propagation of local musical talent. A 1930 Foley’s concert by two young Houston musicians, Alfred Teltschik, pianist, and Raphael Fliegel, violinist, was typical of the Wednesday afternoon Town Hall series. Robert Rice, President of the Musicians Local, estimated the Houston musicians’ union membership in 1929 at three hundred musicians. Many of these played at local theaters—the Metropolitan, the Majestic, and the Loew’s. Other musicians were members of resident groups at various hotels and radio stations. Former Houston Symphony conductor Julien Blitz was cellist at the Texas State Hotel. Although many musicians were unemployed, the best were apparently in short supply because the musician’s union allowed Kansas City union musicians to take Metropolitan Theater jobs in 1929 when no top local musicians could be secured.15 Despite the Great Depression, the 1929-1930 musical season in Houston was an active one. A local impresario, Edna Saunders, brought Galli-Curci, Beniamino Gigli, and Mary Garden with the Chicago Civic Opera. The Girls Musical Club presented Albert Spalding, and a number of local musicians were variously sponsored in recital and concert.16 Saunders was the daughter of Mayor John D. Woolford and had majored in music and the arts at Stuart School in Washington and the Gardner School in New York before coming home to Houston in 1900 for her debut. She had grown up in a tree-shaded house at Texas and Fannin.

15 Ruth West, “Paying the Piper,” The Houston Gargoyle, November 10, 1929, p. 26.

16 Houston Post-Dispatch, February 2, 1930, Women’s Section, p. 8; March 16, 1930, Society Section, p. 10. 5

Despite her father’s admonition in 1910 that becoming a “booking agent” for the City Auditorium was not a job for a proper lady, Saunders became a dominant force in cultural booking for Houston during her fifty-year career.17 Her entrepreneurial career had begun in 1917, when with the financial backing of Edwin B. Parker, Saunders brought to Houston both Anna Pavlova and the Boston Symphony Orchestra. The evening cleared only fourteen dollars, but Mrs. Saunders was on her way to a career that would enrich Houston until her death in 1963. In the World War I years, she staged free public concerts at the City Auditorium to which almost one hundred thousand people came.18 The biggest musical event of the 1929-30 season was the Houston appearance of the German Grand Opera Company, which performed the entire Wagner Ring, March 3-6, 1930. The company starred Johanna Gadski as Brunnhilde, a star well past her vocal prime but still a memorable performer—not unlike the latter days of Maria Callas. Under the sponsorship of the Houston Chamber of Commerce and the critical eye of impresario Sol Hurok, the German Grand Opera Company of one- hundred fifty presented one opera each evening for four nights. Governor and Mrs. Dan Moody headed the list of dignitaries for the top hat opening, which received an ebullient review.19 The company was one of the few in Houston history to make a profit; the series cleared expenses by $129.20 The opportunity to see the Ring in its entirety never again came to Houston in the twentieth century.

17 Betty Trapp Chapman, Houston Women: Invisible Threads in the Tapestry (Virginia Beach, Virginia: Donning Company Publishers, 2000), pp. 123, 148.

18 Marguerite Johnston, Houston: The Unknown City (College Station: Texas A&M University Press, 1991), pp. 205, 413.

19 Houston Post-Dispatch, March 7, 1930, Section I, p. 1.

20 Houston Post-Dispatch, August 8, 1954, Section V, p. 5.

The City of Houston, through its Parks and Recreation Department, had already established itself in 1930 as a major community purveyor of performing opportunities for local artists. In addition to sponsoring various recitals and concerts, it had initiated an annual band and orchestra contest in 1926 and had worked closely with the public schools in its program of musical education. In 1930, 8119 Houstonians participated in Department musical activities which included community singing, glee clubs, ukulele bands, harmonica ensembles, whistling choruses, toy symphonies, old fiddlers’ festivals, and children’s choruses.21 From Parks and Recreation sponsored events during this period came a remarkable generation of young musicians who served in the twentieth century as musical leaders of the city and as well as concert stage artists in the nation. In the spring of 1930, a series of developments began to take place in Houston that defied the stultifying effects of the depression and created for the city a sudden flurry of serious musical activity. In April of 1930, Victor Alessandro, who had been appointed Director of Instrumental Music for the public schools in 1923, organized a group of thirty-five instrumental teachers and advanced students into the Houston Philharmonic Ensemble. This group rehearsed at the J. W. Carter Music Company and opened National Music Week activities in Houston with its inaugural concert, May 4, 1930, at the Sidney Lanier Junior High School Auditorium.22 Later in the same week, Lanier student, Raphael Norton Fliegel, who had won first place in the 1929 Texas Junior Violinist competition, was presented in concert. Fliegel later became concertmaster of the Houston Symphony and served in that capacity nearly twenty-five years.23 Another young Houstonian, Jack

21 Houston Chronicle, February 1, 1931, Sec. I, p. 20.

22 Houston Post-Dispatch, April 27, 1930, Society Section, p. 7.

23 Houston Post-Dispatch, May 4, 1930, Music Section, p. 4. 7

(later Jacques) Abram came home in 1930 after four years at the Curtis Institute and was presented in piano recital at Levy Hall.24 In June of 1930, one of the city’s most colorful figures resigned as choir director of the First Methodist Church after a twenty-year tenure.25 Mrs. John Wesley “Ma” (Noma) Graham was never prone to be idle and immediately set sail for Europe in search of a conductor to head her planned Civic Opera Company. Mrs. Graham’s industry and reputation as a publicity hound was humorously captured in a tongue-in-cheek New Year’s resolution in 1928. I hereby resolve that I shall request the newspapers to refrain from using my picture more than once per month and that I shall ask them not to feature more than one of my pupils each Sunday.26

Before too many weeks, Mrs. Graham cabled that she was returning in triumph to Houston with opera director Maestro Uriel Nespoli of Milan, director of the original production of Madame Butterfly. Securing the immigration assistance of Congressman Daniel Garrett and Secretary of State Stimson, Mrs. Graham soon had permission to bring Nespoli to his new place of residence in Houston.27 Arriving home, she promised a production of Aida the town would never forget—complete with a real elephant and a big parade. In characteristic style, Mrs. Graham stated, “Honey, I’ve already arranged for the elephant if the Auditorium stage is strong enough.”28 With a

24 Houston Post-Dispatch, May 25, 1930, Society Section, p. 9.

25 Lewis Howard Grimes, Cloud of Witnesses (Houston: First Methodist Church, 1951), p. 130.

26 “I Hereby Resolve,” Houston News Weekly, January 3, 1928, p. 16.

27 Houston Post-Dispatch, October 1, 1930, Section 1, p. 1.

28 Houston Post, August 12, 1955, Section II, p. 10.

8 conductor and an elephant, all Ma Graham needed was an orchestra, singers, sets, and an audience. In the fall of 1930, Foley Brothers Department Store announced a new series of monthly “Grand Opera Etchings” to be presented in its Town Hall Auditorium. Edna Saunders, the Tuesday Musical Club, the Museum of Fine Arts, and the City Department of Parks and Recreation announced their calendars of musical events. In addition, the Houston Symphony Orchestra Association retained sponsorship of the Boudreaux Quartet for a second season.29 In November, Walter Welschoff announced organization of the Houston Symphonic Club and called opening rehearsals at the Phenix Dairy.30 Alessandro’s Philharmonic entered its second season with a benefit performance at the City Auditorium that featured soloists Jacques Abram and Nancy Swinford, winner of the Southeast Texas Atwater-Kent radio contest.31 That winter, Uriel Nespoli arrived in Houston from Milan, set up offices at Mrs. Graham’s school of music, and announced after beginning auditions for Aida, that he was “well pleased with the Texas throat.”32 Mrs. Graham had been busy, and soon civic support was evident for the Houston Civic Opera Company. This opera company had its first meeting on February 10 at the Lamar Hotel Ballroom, then moved its ensuing rehearsals to the M and M Building, later home to the University of Houston Downtown. Nespoli, whose command of the English language was limited at best, was surprised to discover that he was

29 Houston Post-Dispatch, October 12, 1930, Sec. I, p. 15; October 26, 1930, State News Section, p. 7.

30 Houston Post-Dispatch, November 16, 1930, Society Section, p. 8.

31 Houston Post-Dispatch, November 16, 1930, Sec. I, p. 16.

32 Houston Chronicle, January 25, 1931, Sec. I, p. 17.

expected to build his own orchestra for the company since none existed. The first meeting of the potential orchestra members drew one-hundred fifty musicians to the M & M Building’s cotton warehouse. The President of the Houston Chamber of Commerce, Norman Beard, and the President of Musician’s Union, C. G. Risley, pledged their endorsement and cooperation. Thus, the third orchestra in the city was born!33 Ina Gillespie, Fine Arts Editor for the Houston Chronicle reported, “Nespoli is painstaking; and no mistake in rhythm or tone is allowed to pass unnoticed.”34 As activity pressed forward on all three symphonic fronts, a fourth symphonic organization was announced by Ellison Van Hoose, Music Director of the First Presbyterian Church—the Van Hoose Little Symphony. Van Hoose was a former Metropolitan Opera leading tenor who had moved to Houston in 1915 in search of a warmer climate for his wife’s health.35 Faced with the plethora of four symphonic ensembles, the often- humorous Gillespie wrote: Not since the earlier halcyon days when Mrs. Grunewald held sway with the Houston Philharmonic Society in 1872 has there been so much musical activity. . . Almost overnight, Houston has two large and one small symphony, two large church choirs dedicated to annual oratorio, a proposed civic opera company, a studio opera company, and a string quartet.36

In a major tactical victory, Ma Graham persuaded the Welschoff Symphonic Club to merge with her Nespoli aggregation. More significantly, she secured sponsorship by the Houston Symphony

33 Houston Chronicle, March 1, 1931, Sec. I, p. 18.

34 Houston Chronicle, March 15, 1931, Sec. I, p. 19.

35 S C. Red, Brief History of First Presbyterian Church, Houston, Texas (Houston: Wilson Stationery and Printing Co., 1939), p. 126.

36 Houston Chronicle, April 12, 1931, Sec. I, p. 8.

Orchestra Association for her enterprise. Thus, it was that the premier concerts of the Nespoli orchestra would be held May 6-7, 1931 at the Palace Theater.37 Van Hoose, meanwhile, secured the sponsorship of Mrs. Edna Saunders for his Little Symphony that premiered April 23 at the Palace Theater. Not to be outdone, Alessandro scheduled the second concert for his fifty-three piece ensemble at the Scottish Rite Auditorium on May 3.38 The first concert of the reorganized Nespoli orchestra was held at the Palace Theater which was the former Majestic Theater that had housed the original 1913 symphony premier concert.39 Dr. Henry Barnstein again greeted the audience prior to the concert as he had done in 1913.40 Critics generally were positive in their response to the first concert of the reborn Houston Symphony sponsored ensemble.41 Shortly thereafter, Dr. Mullen announced plans for a full season of six concerts in 1931-32. In like kind, N. D. Naman, Chairman of the Executive Board of the Houston Philharmonic Ensemble, announced a five-concert season for the following year.42 With Nespoli devoting much of his time to the Houston Symphony Orchestra, Mrs. Graham named Harry Girard to assume rehearsals of Aida.43 Walter Welschoff, meanwhile, was devoting his attention to a Junior Symphony organization.44

37 Houston Chronicle, April 5, 1931, Sec. I, p. 6.

38 Houston Chronicle, April 12, 1931, Sec. I, p. 8.

39 When a new Majestic Theater was built in 1923, the old Majestic was renamed the Palace Theater; see the Houston Chronicle, March 21, 1946, Sec. II, p. 4.

40 Houston Chronicle, May 7, 1931, Sec. I, p. 10.

41 Houston Chronicle, May 7, 1931, Sec. I, p. 11.

42 Houston Chronicle, May 24, 1931, Sec. I, p. 14.

43 Houston Chronicle, October 11, 1931, Sec. I, p. 7.

44 Houston Chronicle, October 18, 1931, Sec. I, p. 7. 11

Local young musicians were a major force on the Houston music scene during the early thirties. Fourteen-year-old Drusilla Huffmaster was soloist at the opening Houston Symphony Orchestra concert of the 1931-32 season.45 Her performance of the Grieg a minor Piano Concerto began a long and distinguished professional career. Beside the activities of Miss Huffmaster and Jacques Abram, thirteen-year-old Raphael Fliegel received a glowing Dallas Times Herald review following his 1932 debut performance there.46 Moreover, six young members of Welschoff’s Junior Symphony were selected by Nespoli to play with the Houston Symphony.47 In February 1932, the Symphony Society announced: Since the first concert of the season, there has been much discussion of the programs, many feeling that a lighter diet would be more advisable until Houstonians have been led gently to the higher symphonic heights.48

This was the first surfacing of an issue that has played a major role in the city’s cultural life in all the years since. Programs that season had included the Grieg Piano Concerto, “Prelude” to Die Meistersinger, Dance of the Hours, Beethoven’s Violin Concerto in D Major, Der Frieschutz Overture, the 1812 Overture, and L’Arlesienne Suite No. 2. The result of the complaints about literature was an all-request programs that featured Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony, a duet from Pagliacci, “Largo” from Xerses, the Nutcracker Suite, and Liszt’s Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2.49 The Symphony finished its first season with a deficit of $292.

45 Houston Symphony Orchestra programs 1931.

46 Houston Chronicle, January 24, 1932.

47 Houston Post, January 3, 1932, Society Section, p. 8.

48 Houston Chronicle, February 21, 1932, Sec. I, p. 4.

49 Houston Chronicle, April 10, 1932, Society Section, p. 4.

Attendance averaged about six hundred persons at each of the six concerts.50 Harry Girard set Aida aside temporarily and directed two performances of Il Trovatore in April to benefit the city’s unemployed. In literary style typical of the era, it is interesting to read that piano accompanist Mrs. Harry McClean “…was a tower of strength.”51 In 1932, the depression was at its most oppressive level in Houston.52 However, it is correct that the depression was felt less severely in Houston than in the nation-at-large. No banks collapsed in the city due largely to Jesse Jones who formed a money pool among the city’s banks and forced management changes in weak institutions.53 As the stock market fell, oil replaced cotton as the most important product for the Houston ship channel. Moreover, a rising population coupled with an uncompleted building boom in the city helped ease the dark days for Houston.54 Nonetheless, the depression was hard on the local musicians. Arts critic, Hubert Roussel, wrote about hard times. When President Hoover’s act closed at the White House, I was keeping all the necessary dates for the winter on the edge of a shirt cuff, and I lost my shirt before the season was concluded.55

Several humorous anecdotes come out of this period which indicate the state of the musical arts in Houston. The Tuesday Musical Club was

50 Houston Chronicle, June 19, 1932, Sec. I, p. 7.

51 Houston Chronicle, April 19, 1932, Sec. I, p. 18.

52 Clarence Peckham Dunbar, Houston 1836-1936 (Houston: Business Research and Publications Service, 1936), p. 22.

53 McComb, p. 168.

54 Works Project Administration, Houston: A History and Guide (Houston: Anson Jones Press, 1942), p. 119.

55 Houston Symphony Orchestra Scrapbook, 1936-37.

forced to cancel a performance by the Old World Trio of Ancient Instruments when it was unable to get a required musician “…to come this far south.”56 Roussel told the story of the Symphony Board member who pleaded, “Whatever they cost, we simply must get a couple of basinette players.” There was also a story that City Commissioner S. A. Starkey suggested that if no way could be found to exterminate the omnipresent rats from the City Auditorium, then at least the rodents be required to buy season tickets.57 Over the summer months of 1932, the leadership of the Houston Civic Opera was assumed by Franco Autori from the Chicago Civic Opera,58 and Frank St. Leger was named conductor of the Houston Symphony. Nespoli found the Houston scene too embryonic and political to survive. He set up a private studio and announced plans to form a civic chorus.59 The Italian conductor had done excellent work with very limited resources. He had transcribed bassoon parts for saxophones and had re-orchestrated severely to fit available resources in Houston. His powers of adaptation alone deserved applause. Hubert Roussel later wrote60 Nespoli…took the orchestra through its…difficult infancy, bled freely at every pore when it assaulted his ears with all manner of tonal and technical colic, and did remarkable feats of adjustment…He was a great organizer and had a Herculean task.

Nespoli’s programs displayed his loyalty to Italian music as well as his enthusiasm for Wagner. Unfortunately, the budding orchestra was not yet up to the grandeur of sound that Wagner required. There was a brief

56 Houston Chronicle, November 8, 1931, Sec. I, p. 21.

57 Houston Symphony Orchestra Scrapbook, 1933-34.

58 Houston Chronicle, May 15, 1932, Society Section, p. 6.

59 Houston Chronicle, July 24, 1932, Society Section, p. 6.

60 Houston Post, November 6, 1941, Sec. I, p. 14. 14 rivalry with the newly-organized Philharmonic Ensemble, and Nespoli’s unfamiliarity with the English language and the working of Houston society made his tenure a rocky one. The conductor with squeaky shoes had neither the charisma nor the sophistication to last on the Houston podium. In the fall, Nespoli hired a business manager and made plans to mount opera production—the job Mrs. Graham had brought him to do.61 Frank St. Leger was an eloquent, sophisticated gentleman, equally charming to both women and men. His hobbies included fishing, photography, golf, mechanics, boxing, and surgery.62 He was at home on the podium, on the lecturer’s dais, at Rotary, or at the cocktail party. St. Leger had come from the defunct Chicago Civic Opera Company, was a thoroughly experienced conductor, and presented quite a contrast to his Italian predecessor. St. Leger eventually conducted for the Metropolitan Opera and enjoyed a lengthy and successful career on the music faculty of Indiana University. Ten members of the 1932 Houston Symphony Orchestra had been in the 1913 ensemble. Herman Weiss, tympanist and flower grower, had moved to Houston from San Antonio in 1907 with Carl Beck’s band. From 1919-22, he played for Julien Blitz in San Antonio and raised chickens. In 1922, he returned to play in theater orchestras at the Palace, Queen, Metropolitan, and Kirby theaters. Most other members of the orchestra also had other full-time day jobs. Jesus Gutierrez who had migrated from Zacatecas, Mexico, ran a print shop, played bass, and had three children who also played in the orchestra.63 Joe Stokes, percussionist and charter member of the 1913 orchestra, doubled in later years as secretary of Local 65, American Federation of Musicians,

61 Houston Chronicle, August 28, 1932, Sec. I, p. 4.

62 Houston Symphony Orchestra Scrapbook, 1933-34.

63 Houston Post, October 23, 1932, Society Section, p. 4.

served on the Symphony Board, and was a truck farmer.64 Few musicians devoted their attention solely to musical pursuits. Symphony rehearsals that season averaged about twenty hours per performance and were held alternately at the YMCA and Foleys’ Town Hall.65 Following a sold-out performance of Cavalleria Rusticana complete with sixty-piece orchestra, the Houston Civic Opera set to work on Rigoletto.66 Nespoli, meanwhile, had formed the Southern Opera Company which presented Madame Butterfly in April 1933 with imported leads and a sixty-piece orchestra. Mrs. Graham hosted weekly Wednesday afternoon concerts at her studios in the Palm Garden of the San Jacinto Hotel. She had begun the first radio broadcasts of weekly student recitals as early as 1922.67 A January 1933 Graham student program consisted of singers, accordion, dancers, the Municipal Children’s Chorus, impersonations, reading and interpretation, xylophone, and ballet. KXYZ broadcast the event that concluded with the singing of “Auld Lang Syne” by the entire ensemble. Meanwhile, Mrs. Graham served as President of the Texas Music Teachers Association and toured a local musical production within the city, complete with scenery and a fifteen-piece orchestra.68 In March, she announced Aida would be ready for National Music Week in May.69 No effort was spared to make Aida a memorable production. Mrs. Graham arranged to use costumes from the Metropolitan Opera; she

64 Houston Chronicle, October 13, 1963, Texas Magazine, p. 22.

65 Houston Post, November 23, 1932, Sec. I, p. 6.

66 Houston Post, November 2, 1932, Sec. I, p. 1.

67 Betty Trapp Chapman, Houston Women: Invisible Threads in the Tapestry (Virginia Beach, Virginia, 2000), p. 146 with photo.

68 Houston Chronicle, January 1, 1933, Society Section, p. 3.

69 Houston Post, March 19, 1933, Auto Section, p. 10.

hired Vittorio Verse from New York to conduct; and she landed an invitation for the production to be repeated at the World’s Fair in Chicago in August. Governor and Mrs. Ferguson came from Austin for its first performance that allegedly boasted a nine-hundred member cast. The City Auditorium was filled, and a second performance had to be scheduled.70 In late spring of 1933, Dr. Joseph Mullen, President of the Symphony Association, announced a fund-raising drive for the Symphony with Miss Ima Hogg as chairman of the Ways and Means Committee.71 Additionally, the Society sought to enroll three thousand season subscribers for the fall season. Mildred Sage arranged the resumption of band concerts at the Miller Theatre for the summer months,72 and the Metropolitan and Majestic Theaters inaugurated a series of entr’acte musical extravaganzas based on standard symphonic and operatic literature. Presentations included Ravel’s Bolero with the Kosloff troupe of thirty dances, Poet and Peasant Overture, excerpts from Faust, Rigoletto, and Tales of Hoffman, and a staging of Rhapsody in Blue for twenty dancers and eight pianos.73 In August, Governor and Mrs. Ferguson accompanied the Aida train to St. Louis for two performances and then on to Chicago, where five thousand persons saw the World’s Fair production by the Texas Grand Opera Company—complete with the Chicago Lyric Opera Orchestra. Mrs. Graham’s reputation as a producer was established forever in the hearts of her fellow Texans.74

70 Houston Post, May 14, 1933, Society Section, p. 6.

71 “Symphony Orchestra Plans Final Concert,” Houston, April, 1933, p. 26.

72 Houston Chronicle, June 4, 1933, Sec. I, p. 5.

73 Houston Post, June 25, 1933, Society Section, p. 4; June 25, 1933, Society Section, p. 5; July 30, 1933, Sec. I, p. 6.

74 Houston Chronicle, January 21, 1934, Sec. I, p. 5. 17

The 1933-34 musical season was the most active in history. Local impresarios announced their most impressive rosters; movie theaters again began presenting musical reviews; major hotels reinstituted floorshows and resident orchestras; and a constant parade of nationally- touted dance bands swept in and out of the area supper clubs. So successful was the new vaudeville policy in theaters that the Interstate Theater chain formed the largest circuit in the nation, offering five weeks in Texas and an option of up to twenty weeks employment for the southern states circuit.75 Local artists were also active. Victor Alessandro formed an orchestra at the new Houston Junior College in the fall of 1933, while Victor Alessandro, Jr. entered Eastman School of Music.76 About the same time, Houston public School’s Cedric Seaver organized an All-City High School Orchestra of sixty-five players for the purpose of continuing to develop young talent during the depression. Young Raphael Fliegel served as concertmaster.77 Arnold Caplan, a young Houston violinist, won a scholarship to Julliard School of Music and enrolled there in the fall of 1933.78 Another impressive talent, eleven-year-old violin prodigy, Fredell Lack, was presented in formal recital at the Public Library Auditorium in late January.79 By 1934, the depression was easing in Houston, but jobs for musicians were in short supply. In an attempt to provide work for more local musicians, Eddie Collins, City Manager for the Interstate Theater

75 Houston Chronicle, January 21, 1934, Sec. I, p. 5.

76 Houston Chronicle, September 3, 1933, Society Section, p. 4; September 17, 1933, Society Section, p. 6.

77 Houston Chronicle, January 13, 1934, Sec I, p. 2.

78 Houston Post, October 8, 1933; Society Sec. p. 6 (photo of Caplan).

79 Houston Post, January 28, 1934, Society Section, p. 8 (photo of Lack).

chain, instituted a new policy at the Metropolitan Theater in accordance with new NRA theatrical regulations. The regular nine-piece orchestra at the Metropolitan played three weeks of each month, and a pick-up group of available local musicians worked the fourth week of each month.80 Had it not been for the continuous employment provided to a core of professional musicians by the local theaters and clubs, it is doubtful that a symphony of any mettle would have developed at this stage in the city’s history. Some of the touring entertainers whose Houston appearances provided employment for the local musicians were Fannie Brice, the Boswell Sisters, Cab Calloway, Phil Harris, Morton Downey, Perry Como, Kate Smith, and the Mills Brothers. The Metropolitan Theater also housed national touring productions of The Student Prince, the Ziegfeld Follies, Rose Marie, and Blossom Time.81 The weekly payroll of the Metropolitan Theater alone added some $4850 to the Houston economy through salaries paid its forty-four employees.82 The Houston Symphony Orchestra Association entered a new era with the election of Joseph Smith as President in 1934. Speaking to the Houston Chamber of Commerce, Smith emphasized the importance of the Symphony to the city. The character of a city must be judged equally by its churches, schools, parks, libraries, art museums, and other facilities for the development of its spiritual life. Among these, a symphony orchestra ranks as an indispensable asset.83

Under its new head, the Association began an aggressive advancement campaign. St. Leger was a major strength to the

80 Houston Chronicle, February 4, 1934, Sec. I, p. 12.

81 Houston Chronicle, February 21, 1932, Sec. I, p. 6; March 25, 1934, Society Section, p. 9; Houston Post, January 5, 1936, p. 14.

82 Houston Chronicle, April 15, 1934, Interstate Section, p. 1.

83 “Joseph Smith New President of Houston Symphony Orchestra Association,” Houston, June, 1934, pp. 26, 31.

development activities for the orchestra. He was a highly engaging, personable, man-about-town. St. Leger was the life of many parties, playing the “Pilgrim’s Chorus” from Tannhauser at the piano, using a whisk broom to brush treble figures over the melody. Another St. Leger crowd-pleaser featured a grapefruit arpeggio on the black keys. Many men in Houston bought symphony tickets and attended the concerts for the first time just because they had been asked by “good old Frank.”84 The orchestra numbered some eighty musicians for the 1934-35 season including sixteen new musicians. New manager, Harry Bourne, declared the 1934 symphony the “best ever” and hypothesized, “The extraordinary work of the orchestra appears to be drawing musicians to Houston.”i85 Newspaper coverage of musical activities during the early thirties was extensive. Chief in influence were critics Ina Gillespie of the Houston Chronicle and Hubert Roussel, then of The Houston Gargoyle and the Houston Press. Gillespie’s writing was informed, sparkling, and opinionated. An active, community volunteer, she served at various times as President of the Tuesday Musical Club, a member of the Board of the Houston Grand Opera Association, and a soprano soloist. Journalism was a family tradition. Her father, C. B. Gillespie, had been the first managing editor of the Houston Chronicle and later has served as editor.86 Her incisive prose reflected her literary heritage as well as her active personal association with those who were most intimately involved in the Houston musical scene. Hubert Roussel was born in Houston after his parents left behind the seat of their French ancestry in Louisiana. He was educated in New

84 Houston Post, April 18, 1947, Sec. I, p. 18.

85 Houston Post, October 28, 1934, Society Section, p. 6.

86 Houston Chronicle, April 4, 1967, Sec. I, p. 1.

York City, served on various magazine staffs there, wrote some fiction, and returned to Houston in 1928 as associate editor of a local magazine, The Houston Gargoyle that was successfully modeled after the sophisticated The New Yorker Magazine.87 Roussel, like Ina Gillespie, shaped the musical destiny of the city with his brilliant wit and unrelenting attention to the cultural future of the city. Roussel’s wife Dewey also wrote for The Houston Gargoyle and was actively involved with Johnny George’s Houston Little Theatre on Chelsea Boulevard. The first children’s concert in Houston Symphony history was held February 28, 1935.88 An overflow audience of 3,000 students paid twenty-five cents to attend the City Auditorium performance.89 During the spring, however, serious trouble beset the symphony. Apparent discontent with St. Leger coupled with financial doubts were the principal reasons. Ina Gillespie, now married to Hermann Grotte, reported in the Chronicle: St. Leger found little when he came to Houston. Now is no time for quibbling. We must continue to support the symphony.90…It is an excellent commentary on Houston citizens that, while other cities have retrenched as regards the so-called cultural, this city has offered its biggest programs along these lines to date.91 …the Houston orchestra has weathered the financial storm…I think we’ve made a pretty good record. It’s a record I should hate to see fall next season for many reasons…I’d hate to see us lose the investment which the orchestra represents to Houston…92

87 Houston Post, January 30, 1955, Sec. A, p. 5.

88 Houston Post, February 28, 1935, Sec. I, p. 8.

89 Houston Post, March 1, 1935, Sec. I, p. 8.

90 Houston Chronicle, February 12, 1935, Sec. I, p. 12.

91 Houston Chronicle, February 17, 1935, Society Section, p. 6.

92 Houston Chronicle, March 17, 1935, Society Section, p. 4. 21

At the same time, St. Leger attempted to unite the community behind the orchestra and dispel the dissension that was rife. He wrote to the community: You must not conceive of letting go this beautiful thing which you have here. It would be a pity if the spirit of the players were to be broken. You are building musicians here. Many cities advertise the symphony orchestra as being theirs, when it is in reality simply assembled from New York and Chicago players. The orchestra here is really yours and any shortcomings it may have are because of lack of appreciation and not because it hasn’t the spirit and will to succeed. If you break this now, you won’t build it again in a hurry, for you will be destroying confidence. Whether I am the conductor next year or someone else makes no difference.93

In the face of difficulty, President Joseph Smith urgently requested donations to underwrite a $25,000 Symphony budget for the 1935-36 season. A goal of 1500 subscribers was set.94 This was the first significant effort in history to broaden the orchestra’s base of support. In 1934-35, for example, a group of only fifteen businessmen had contributed $7500 toward underwriting that year’s budget.95 Plans were also set for booking one major concert artist annually and for including two children’s concerts in the regular symphony schedule. In late July of 1935, the threatening storm broke. St. Leger charged that the Symphony Association had delayed in submitting him a contract for the fall season. He wired Smith a list of demands that included a larger orchestra, a longer season, and a personal raise. When Smith replied that the requests were impossible, St. Leger wired, “Am sorry cannot sign contract. Regards.”96 Significantly, the executive

93 Houston Chronicle, April 14, 1935, Society Section, p. 7.

94 Houston Chronicle, April 28, 1935, Society Section, p. 7.

95 Houston Chronicle, May 5, 1935, Sec. I, p. 6.

96 Houston Press, July 26, 1935, p. 24.

22 committee of the Symphony Association was already in New York City at the time of St. Leger’s telegram for the purpose of hiring a new conductor for the Orchestra. Ima Hogg, Mary Fuller, Mrs. Herbert Roberts, and Dr. Joseph Mullen denied St. Leger’s requests and moved to find new musical leadership for the orchestra. Roussel reported, “By this time, they may have been killed in their rush (to hire a new conductor).”97 The treatment of Nespoli and St. Leger by the Symphony Association Board was predictive of future difficulties with a number of conductors. St. Leger had gotten the position when jobs were scarce, had been paid a salary of $3,600 for seven months, and had been provided a home while in Houston. The orchestra made swift progress under his direction, but had reached a plateau in the 1935-36 season. His resignation was a disappointment to many concertgoers, although it was generally agreed that he had forced the Symphony Board to take the only action left open to it. St. Leger had caught the orchestra in it infancy. He had changed the direction of the programming from repertoire that emphasized the weakness of the brass section and exposed uneven instrumentation to programming that featured the more dependable strings. Unlike Nespoli, his command of the English language frequently made his despair fluent and eloquent. St. Leger with face reddened could long be remembered easing his own anxieties about the orchestra saying, “Let us be calm, dears.”98 Where Nespoli had given the orchestra vigor, St. Leger gave it polish, grace, and restraint. Roussel placed much of the responsibility for the resignation on St. Leger himself. Ina Grotte condemned the Symphony Board. She wrote: …They first put forward likeable little Uriel Nespoli…and, for no given reason, after one adulatory season, withdrew him from the

97 Ibid.

98 Houston Chronicle, October 13, 1963, Texas Magazine, p. 22.

pedestal upon which they had insisted upon placing the bewildered Italian. Then Frank St. Leger…for three seasons bore the uneasy crown. Now, it seems, in true ‘Alice in Wonderland’ fashion, they have ‘offed with his head’ because he insisted on a mead of progress for the orchestra…Houston lost in him not only a musician of distinct merit, but worst of all, the orchestra lost a real friend since friendship is not always best shown by being blind to the faults of the object of affection. Funny things you find hiding under a Board.99

Undaunted by the Symphony shakeup, Mrs. John Wesley Graham announced “the highlight of my 24-year career,” a Waltz Tour of the World. Three years in the planning, the program featured a hundred and fifty waltzes, pianos, costumes, dancers, and a steel guitar orchestra.100 In August 1935, Houston boasted three million dollars of theater construction.101 The rise of interest in movies, however, marked the decline of vaudeville in local theaters. The Metropolitan Theater orchestra, the most active in the city, was disbanded late in the summer of 1935.102 About the same time, the University of Houston was formed from the Houston Junior College. The new institution expanded its music program to include vocal and instrumental activities.103 The Symphony Association Executive Committee was not totally successful in New York City in filling Frank St. Leger’s vacant podium. Three conductors were announced for the 1935-36 season: Dr. Alfred Hertz of the San Francisco Orchestra, Dr. Modeste Alloo of the Cincinnati Conservatory Orchestra, and Vittorio Verse, former conductor of the Texas Grand Opera Company. Six new professional violinists were

99 Houston Chronicle, September 15, 1935, Sec. I, p. 22.

100 Houston Chronicle, July 7, 1935, Sec. I, p. 11.

101 Houston Chronicle, August 18, 1935, Business Section, p. 6.

102 Houston Chronicle, September 16, 1935, Sec. I, p. 13.

103 Houston Chronicle, September 1, 1935, Sec. I, p. 10.

secured for the concerts. Irving Wadler moved from violin to viola, and Tony Russo and E. E. Schmidt were recruited for solo clarinet and flute respectively.104 Two thousand persons attended the Symphony opening concert under Verse. About the performance that included Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony, Roussel reported, “This reporter has never encountered a rendition of any work that sounded less like Beethoven had written it.”105 Other critics were equally reserved. In December, Verse redeemed himself somewhat by serving as both conductor and piano soloist for a Mozart concerto.106 Ina Grotte resigned from the Houston Chronicle in January 1936 with no public explanation, leaving the city’s cultural journalism considerably weakened. Following the December concert, Verse handed the baton to Dr. Alfred Hertz. Hertz, a Wagernian specialist, had been signed by his agent and had no personal knowledge of the Houston Symphony. Despite the pride that Houstonians had in the quality of their orchestra, Hertz conducted only five minutes of the first rehearsal when he suddenly stopped and exclaimed, “This is imbossible! The orchestra is not ready. We must have extra blayers!”107 Faced with such open criticism, the Symphony Association quickly and quietly imported several key musicians from other orchestras including Louis Greenberg, oboist from Dallas; Joseph Carso, St. Louis English horn; Elmer Roehl, St. Louis bassoon; Noel Poepting, St. Louis contra-bassoon; and Paul Davis,

104 Houston Chronicle, October 20, 1935, Society Section, p. 7.

105 Houston Press, November 5, 1935, Scrapbook of Houston Symphony Orchestra News Clippings.

106 Houston Chronicle, December 16, 1935, Society Section, p. 8.

107 Houston Post, March 30, 1947, Sec. II, p.6.

Wichita, Kansas French horn. Hertz was provided funds for three additional rehearsals.108 The first Hertz concert was stunning. However, when the public learned of the augmented orchestra, fans of Uriel Nespoli and Frank St. Leger cried foul. When Hertz learned that the extra players and rehearsals had virtually exhausted the orchestra’s budget, he agreed to conduct the regular complement of local musicians. Although the February concert failed to measure up to the first concert, the Symphony Association Board members were now aware of the dividends that the additional instruments provided. Hertz holds the distinction of being the only conductor in the history of the Houston Symphony who rehearsed with a police whistle.109 The third conductor of the year was Modeste Alloo. His tenure was unmemorable except for his exceptionally long legs, his reported simultaneous use of two batons, and the fact that he spent forty-five minutes of rehearsal time on one occasion to tune the orchestra.110 Roussel titled this musical period, “Much Alloo About Nothing.”111 The St. Louis Symphony appeared in March and planted a spark in the city that was to grow into renewed support and fresh enthusiasm for the local orchestra. The community was given a taste of the excellence that is sought for itself. With the election of Walter Walne as President of the Symphony Association, the announcement of plans to construct a new Music Hall and Coliseum, and the employment of Ernst Hoffmann as new conductor of the Houston Symphony Orchestra, the musical life of Houston left its infancy and moved into active childhood.

108 Dallas Times Herald, February 23, 1936, Houston Symphony Orchestra Scrapbook, 1936-37.

109 Houston Post, March 30, 1947, Sec. II, p. 6.

110 Houston Symphony Orchestra Scrapbook, March 10, 1936.

111 Houston Post, March 30, 1947, Sec. II, p. 6. 26

Summary Despite the nation-wide depression, Houston in the thirties benefited economically from a building and population boom and a shift toward an oil-based economy. Much of the credit for the early musical development of the city must be given a group of Houston residents who desired for Houston the cultural level that characterized older cities of the North and East. Professional musicians were drawn to the city by employment opportunities that existed in churches, vaudeville, radio, hotels, supper clubs, and dance bands. A strong commitment to the development of local musical talent also characterized the city. The Junior League, the Museum of Fine Arts, Foley Brothers Town Hall concerts, the City Parks and Recreation Department, and the public schools all provided performance opportunities. The early musical activity was motivated by civic pride rather than cultural aspiration. Active participation by many businessmen, business firms, and the Chamber of Commerce stemmed largely from a sense of need for civic musical development. An urban pattern of development rather than a suburban pattern focused continuing attention on the needs of the whole city. Early attention to young people was significant. Both a Junior Symphony and an All-City High School Orchestra were organized. Children’s concerts were scheduled by the Houston Symphony. From this nurturing environment came Raphael Fliegel, Jacques Abram, Drusilla Huffmaster, Victor Alessandro, Jr., Fredell Lack and Arnold Caplan. The city enjoyed an active corps of dedicated music teachers, music stores, and music clubs. Moreover, the musical activities of many Houston churches approached or equaled extant professional standards of performance within the city.

The variety of music performance opportunity was significant. In this early period of its musical development, Houston boasted a chamber orchestra, a string quartet, a symphony, several oratorio choirs, two young symphonies, a college orchestra, and a variety of other choral and instrumental groups. Public school music enjoyed outstanding professional leadership and a high level of activity. Few forces on the musical life of Houston were as powerful, however, as the major newspaper critics and Houston’s local impresaria, Edna Saunders. By striking the public conscience and by molding its taste, these people exerted more direct influence on the community-at- large than any other single factor. Sharing a commitment to musical values and a genuine love for the city of Houston, these outstanding individuals strongly influenced the molding of Houston’s musical future.

SELECTED CALENDAR OF

HOUSTON MUSICAL EVENTS

1930-31

March 3-6, 1930 German Grand Opera, Wagner’s Ring May 4 Houston Philharmonic Ensemble, Victor Alessandro conducting Oct. 10 Sr. Juan Torreblanca, Tipica Orchestra— Edna Saunders 15 Foley’s Town Hall Opera Etchings Nov. 12 Philharmonic Ensemble, Jacques Abram and Nancy Swinford, Victor Alessandro, conducting 13 Foley’s Town Hall Opera Etchings 19 Norfleet Trio—Tuesday Musical Club, Junior League Jan. 11, 1931 Foley’s Town Hall Opera Etchings 17 Josephine Boudreaux String Quartet, Houston Symphony Society 29 Edwin and Jewel Bethany—Tuesday Musical--SR Club Feb. 9 St. Olaf College Choir 11 Ignance Paderewski—Edna Saunders Mar. 1 Roxy and his Band, Madame Ernestine Schumann-Heink—Edna Saunders 15 Philharmonic Ensemble Apr. 23 Van Hoose Little Symphony—Edna Saunders May 3 Philharmonic Ensemble 4 Royal Russian Choir—Edna Saunders 6-7 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Uriel Nespoli conducting 10 Houston Glee Club, Ellison Van Hoose 12 Van Hoose Little Symphony, Jacques Abram— Edna Saunders June 1 Martha, Crampton Studios June 21, 1931 Houston Municipal Band, C. G. Risley conducting

SELECTED CALENDAR OF MUSICAL EVENTS 1931-32

Oct. 18, 1931 U. S. Army Band—Edna Saunders Nov. 2 Lawrence Tibbett—Edna Saunders 16 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Drusilla Huffmaster, Uriel Nespoli, conducting 17 Old World Trio of Ancient Instruments— Tuesday Musical Club (cancelled) Dec. 10 Esther Dale—Tuesday Musical Club 14 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Josephine Boudreaux, soloist; Uriel Nespoli, Conductor Jan. 18, 1932 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Card Elliot, Uriel Nespoli, conducting 22 José Iturbi—Edna Saunders 27 Beniamino Gigli—Edna Saunders Feb. 2 Barrère Little Symphony—Edna Saunders 18 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Rhodes Dunlap, soloist; Uriel Nespoli, conducting Mar. 9 The Student Prince—Edna Saunders 10 Walter Gieseking—Tuesday Musical Club, Scottish Rite Auditorium 15 Wonderbar, Al Jolson—Edna Saunders 21 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Daisy Elgin, Uriel Nespoli, conducting Apr. 7 Yehudi Menuhin—Edna Saunders 18-19 Il Trovatore, Houston Civic Opera Company, Harry Girard, Director 25 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Nancy Swinford, Walter Jenkins, Uriel Nespoli, conducting May 22, 1932 Fransee Quartet

SELECTED CALENDAR OF HOUSTON MUSICAL EVENTS 1932-33

Nov. 1, 1932 Cavalleria Rusticana—Houston Civic Opera, Franco Autori, Director 7 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Julien Blitz, cellist, Frank St. Leger, conducting Dec. 1 Madame Ernestine Schumann-Heink—Metropolitan Theater 12 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Marouisa Mueller, Frank St. Leger, conducting 15 Jascha Heifitz—Edna Saunders Jan. 10, 1933 Manhattan String Quartet—Tuesday Musical Club, Scottish Rite Auditorium 14 Drusilla Huffmaster, Houston Public Library Auditorium 23 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Raphael Fliegel, Frank St. Leger, conducting 24 Sergi Rachmaninoff—Edna Saunders Feb. 4 Don Cossack Chorus—Edna Saunders 13 Fritz Kreisler—Edna Saunders 18 Of Thee I Sing—Edna Saunders 20 John McCormack—Edna Saunders 25 Pianists Harold Morris, Rhodes Dunlap, New York String Quartet, Scottish Rite Auditorium 27 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Walter Jenkins, Frank St. Leger, conducting Mar. 12 Barbara Lull—Edna Saunders 25 The Mikado—Crampton Studios 27 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Elva Kalb, Frank St. Leger, conducting 30 Myra Hess—Tuesday Musical Club, Scottish Rite Auditorium Apr. 4 Madame Butterfly—Southern Opera Company, Uriel Nespoli, Director 6 Lily Pons—Edna Saunders 24 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Jacques Abram, Frank St. Leger, conducting May 8 Aida—Southern Opera Company, Uriel Nespoli June 4 First Summer Band Concert, Miller Theatre Pavilion 18 Bolero, Metropolitan Theater July 30 Faust, Metropolitan Theater Aug. 23 Aida—Southern Opera Company, Chicago World’s Fair

SELECTED CALENDAR OF

HOUSTON MUSICAL EVENTS 1933-34

Oct. 25, 1933 Gladys Swarthout—Tuesday Musical Club, Scottish Rite Auditorium Nov. 8 Mischa Elman—Edna Saunders 13 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Paola Autori, Frank St. Leger, conducting Dec. 11 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Marousia Mueller, Frank St. Leger, conducting Jan. 6, 1934 John Charles Thomas—Edna Saunders 15 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Josephine Boudreaux, Frank St. Leger, conducting 19 All-City Senior High School Orchestra 27 Fritz Kreisler—Edna Saunders 29 Fredell Lack, Houston Public Library Auditorium Feb. 10 Vienna Boys Choir—Edna Saunders 12 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Barbara Lull, Frank St. Leger, conducting 14 Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo—Edna Saunders Mar. 12 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Robert Hopkins, Frank St. Leger, conducting 15 Josef Hofmann—Edna Saunders April 9 Faust April 16, 1934 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Drusilla Huffmaster; Frank St. Leger, conducting

SELECTED CALENDAR OF HOUSTON MUSICAL EVENTS 1934-35

Nov. 12, 1934 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Daisy Elgin, Frank St. Leger, conducting 15 Lawrence Tibbett—Edna Saunders Dec. 10 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Harrison Stevens, Frank St. Leger, conducting Jan. 14, 1935 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Lester Brenizer, Frank St. Leger, conducting 15-16 San Carlo Opera Company—Edna Saunders 28 Don Cossack Chorus—Edna Saunders Feb. 11 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Paul Burke, Frank St. Leger, conducting 14 Madeleine Monnier—L’Alliance Francaise 15 Vienna Boys Choir—Edna Saunders 28 First Houston Symphony Orchestra Children’s Concert Mar. 4 Yehudi Menuhin 11 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Nancy Yaeger Swinford, Frank St. Leger, conducting 21 Chicago Opera Company—Edna Saunders 28 Roland Hayes—Edna Saunders Apr. 15 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Arnold Caplan, Frank St. Leger, conducting June 3, 1935 Fisk University Jubilee Singers—Edna Saunders

Unknown date: Paris Instrumental Quintet—Tuesday Musical Club

SELECTED CALENDAR OF HOUSTON MUSICAL EVENTS 1935-36

Oct. 26, 1935 Fritz Kreisler—Edna Saunders Nov. 4 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Vittorio Verse, conducting 14 Dalies Frantz—Tuesday Musical Club, Scottish Rite Auditorium 21 American Ballet—Edna Saunders Dec. 9 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Vittorio Verse conducting Jan. 13, 1936 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Dr. Alfred Hertz, conducting 25-26 San Carlo Opera Company—Edna Saunders Feb. 8 Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo—Edna Saunders 17 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Leslie Hodge, Dr. Alfred Hertz, conducting 24 Josef Hofmann—Edna Saunders Mar. 7 Hollywood Ballet—Edna Saunders 9 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Modeste Alloo, conducting 16 St. Louis Symphony Orchestra—Edna Saunders Apr. 13, 1936 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Modeste Alloo, conducting

Unknown date: Alfred Casella’s Trio Italiano, TMC--SR

CHAPTER TWO

THE FLEDGLING YEARS

1936 – 1948

Ernst Hoffman and Walter Walne brought new vigor to Houston’s musical life. Walne was the managing partner of one of Houston’s leading law firms, Baker Botts, having joined the firm in 1912. Among his professional skills was the identification of outstanding young talent with promising potential. Walne brought his gifts to the Symphony organization. He declared an end to “tin-cup” financing of the Symphony and appointed a new board to help raise $30,000 for the 1936 season. The Symphony Association announced its commitment to perform repertoire the audience wanted to hear, to rectify the personnel weaknesses of the orchestra, and to engage major concert artists as guest performers.1 Ernst Hoffman had come from a position as conductor of the Boston Commonwealth Orchestra, a WPA institution, and had been selected over some thirty other applicants.2 Accompanying him to Houston were eight of his Boston players. These included Houston’s first two resident bassoonists, an oboist, two violinists, and a bass player. Over many years to come, much of Ernst Hoffman’s legacy would be built on the affection of colleague musicians. Walne’s efforts to provide the musicians a regular, if modest, salary were generally lauded in the community. His further recommendation that a business manager be employed was greeted favorably. His “Music for Everybody” concept of programming, however, was rebutted by Roussel who wrote, “You have to play a symphony to be one.”3

1 “More Prosperity for Symphony,” Houston, June, 1936, p.22.

2 Houston Press, July 2, 1936, p. 19.

3 Houston Press, November 8, 1936, Houston Symphony Orchestra Scrapbook. 35

The opening Hoffman concert with Richard Bonelli as soloist was warmly received. However, the new conductor was plagued by a series of anonymous telephone calls protesting the personnel replacements in the orchestra. Of the seventy-eight members of the 1936 orchestra, sixty-seven were Houstonians, three were imported from Dallas, two from San Antonio, and six were new residents who came with Hoffman from Boston. Pay for the musicians was raised from $30 to $40 per concert.4 Professional duties with the Symphony continued to be a part-time responsibility. This arrangement occasionally became so critical that rehearsals had to be canceled due to absences5. According to a Newsweek report, one symphony member was a racetrack bookie, another, Dr. H. L. Kirkham, was a plastic surgeon. Some enjoyed other music-making jobs. On the evening of the opening 1936 concert, for example, trumpeter Joe Lube reportedly played both the Tschaikovsky Fourth Symphony and “Hot Lips” in the course of several hours.6 Novel programming characterized the spring series of symphony concerts. The orchestra’s first pop concert was held in January, and a series of woodwind chamber serenades was held in a number of River Oaks homes.7 A concertized version of Madame Butterfly was presented in January; a February concert was entitled Shakespeare in Music. During the 1936-37 season, the name of the Houston Symphony Orchestra Association was changed to the Houston Symphony Society.8

4 Houston Post, November 11, 1936, Sec. I, p. 4.

5 Houston Chronicle, February 25, 1937, Sec. I, p. 16.

6 “Music: Houston Symphony Goes Hollywood in Opening Concert,” Newsweek, November 21, 1936, p. 24.

7 Houston Post, March 9, 1937, Sec. I, p. 1.

8 Houston Symphony Orchestra Programs, 1936-37.

36 Over the summer, the most well organized financial campaign in the Symphony’s history was launched. The 1937 budget for the orchestra was set at $60,000 but later reduced to $46,000. Editorials flourished in the local press, and community-wide support was encouraged. In addition, Elizabeth M. Dundas was appointed Publicity and Business Manager to replace Mrs. Charlotte Flynn who had resigned.9 Edna Saunders joined with the Community Concerts division of Columbia Artists Management for her 1937 season of thirty events that featured Albert Spalding, José Iturbi, the St. Louis Symphony, Kirsten Flagstad, and Marian Anderson.10 The Tuesday Musical Club continued its policy of presenting major artists by offering recitals by Jacques Abram and the Manhattan Quartet. The opening Symphony concert under Hoffman was a critical success. The Dallas Times Herald reported that although Hoffman was lacking in “magnetic theatricality,” he was a fine conductor.11 Moses Smith of the Boston Transcript reported: It is far from being a first class orchestra, but it has the makings of a good one. As a whole, it played with fairly commendable precision and tone quality. Technically, the most agile section is the strings. In tone quality, the best is the brass, which is rather unusual . . . in a young orchestra. The Orchestra is as good as—maybe better than—the People’s Symphony Orchestra of Boston.12

In January, 1938 Efrem Kurtz conducted a small orchestra for the performances of the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo marking the first Houston appearance of a conductor who was later to play a major role in the musical history of the city. Kurtz was to return eleven years later as conductor of the Houston Symphony Orchestra. Later that month, radio station KPRC began

9 Houston Post, September 19, 1937, Sec. IV, p. 3.

10 Houston Post, October 3, 1937, Sec. IV, p. 12.

11 Dallas Times Herald, November 9, 1937, Scrapbook of the Houston Symphony Orchestra Clippings.

12 Houston Chronicle, November 9, 1937, Sec. B, p. 6.

37 a series called “Backstage with the Symphony” that featured demonstrations of various instruments and introduced members of the orchestra.13 Following a February College Night Concert that featured the Symphony, the Rice Band and Choral Club, the University of Houston Glee Club, and the Baylor A Cappella Choir,14 the orchestra traveled to Beaumont and Galveston for performances with Nancy Swinford Blackburn as soloist.15 Hoffman was indefatigable in his efforts for the orchestra. More often than not, he set up his own chairs and stands for rehearsals. He spoke before countless service and social clubs in behalf of the orchestra; he paid train fare from his own salary to bring new symphony members to Houston; he bought new instruments for his players and housed musicians in his own home. Several musicians left the Houston orchestra in 1938 for better paying positions. At a time when Houston Symphony musicians were being paid $70 a month, the St. Louis Symphony was paying $60 a week; eastern theaters were paying $85 a week; and WPA relief orchestras were paying $94 a month.16 While Houston’s budget was stretching to reach $60,000, Kansas City’s symphony budget was $120,00; Washington’s, $140,000; St. Louis’, $265,000; and Los Angeles’, $250,000. The Kansas City Orchestra gave fifty annual concerts in 1938, Washington seventy, and St. Louis, eighty-seven concerts in comparison to Houston’s twenty-one.17 In April 1938, the new Music Hall was dedicated. In a political coup, the City Federation of Women’s Clubs was selected to plan the inaugural program instead of the Symphony Society.18 General Maurice Hirsch

13 Houston Post, January 27, 1938, Sec. I, p. 10.

14 Houston Post, February 13, 1968, Sec. IV, p. 7.

15 Houston Post, February 24, 1938, Sec. I, p. 1.

16 Houston Post, April 7, 1938, Sec. I, p. 6.

17 Houston Post, February 20, 1938, Sec. I, p. 1.

18 Houston Post, April 17, 1938, Sec. V, pp. 6-7.

38 delivered the dedicatory address, and Elva Kalb, dramatic soprano, was soloist.19 The new building contained the Music Hall and a Coliseum. Both facilities shared a common stage. The opening of the new facility was made more exciting when a section of border lights fell on the piano while soloist Miriam Fallader Lurie was playing.20 Theodore F. Gannon was named new business manager of the Symphony in the fall of 1938. Gannon was the first professionally experienced manager in Houston Symphony history. For five years, he had been director of programming at CBS, and for two years, he had served as Manager of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.21 The position of business manager was a boon to Ernst Hoffman. The tireless conductor had spent the month of August auditioning young but experienced musicians in the East. It was primarily to this group that Hoffman could make an offer that was attractive. Walter Walne extended the 1938-39 season to include twenty-one concerts and five Woodwind Serenades. The 1938-39 season was held in the new Music Hall and consisted of the subscription concerts, a second College Night Concert, pop concerts, four children’s concerts, seven out-of-town performances, and a series of Saturday afternoon chamber serenades. Under the leadership of choirmaster E. B. Gammons, Christ Church Cathedral turned impresario and sponsored three Music Lovers’ Concerts during the season.22 The common stage shared by the Music Hall and the Coliseum soon betrayed inherent problems. With only a drapery curtain dividing the two buildings, a gusty draft chilled patrons on the lower floor of the Music Hall, while those in the balcony sweltered. Moreover, noise drifted freely from the Coliseum into the Music Hall. The scheduling of a roller derby on the same

19 “Music Hall Dedicated by Women’s Federation,” Houston, Vol. 9, May, 1938, p. 36.

20 Houston Post, October 14, 1954, Sec. III, p. 4.

21 Theodore F. Gannon, “A New Business Comes to Houston,” Houston, October, 1938, p. 26.

22 Houston Post, September 18, 1938, Sec. IV, p. 5. 39 evening as a Houston Symphony Orchestra performance quickly brought the problem into focus.23 After pressure was brought by the Symphony Society, the City Council let a contract to construct a soundproof wall across the back of the shared stage. The 1938 orchestra was considerably improved over any previous Houston symphony. It was “. . . no more the same orchestra that last year played than a caterpillar is a butterfly.”24 Some of the improved sound of the orchestra was due to the better acoustical properties of the Music Hall in comparison with the cavernous City Auditorium. Roussel, in a review in which he described the “plangent beauty” of the orchestra’s sound as “eluctable,” estimated that the City Auditorium diminished the sound of the orchestra by at least one-third.25 Moses Smith of the Boston Evening Transcript shared Roussel’s estimate. The City Auditorium, he said, “. . . is a curious assortment of reverberations and dead spots.”26 Concert manners during this period were a matter of constant concern. Patrons continued to arrive up to thirty minutes late and insisted upon leaving by 10:15 p.m. Open conversation often accompanied the musical proceedings. One reprimanding newspaper column pleaded with the audience to stop its habit of applauding the stagehand who opened the piano for guest artists.27 During the fall, Uriel Nespoli quietly left Houston and moved to Washington, D. C.; 28 Victor Alessandro, Jr. was named conductor of the

23 Houston Post, November 10, 1938, Sec. I, p. 11.

24 Houston Post, November 17, 1938, Sec. I. p. 14.

25 Houston Post, November 8, 1938, Sec. I, p. 1.

26 Boston Evening Transcript, November 13, 1937, Scrapbook of the Houston Symphony Society Orchestra news clippings.

27 Houston Post, October 14, 1938, Sec. I, p. 12.

28 Houston Post, November 20, 1938 Sec. IV, p. 3.

40 Oklahoma City Symphony;29 and the Houston Post became the only major newspaper to provide dependable coverage of music activity within the city. Joseph Gallo replaced the ailing Josephine Boudreaux as concertmaster of the Houston Symphony and formed the Houston Quartet composed of first- chair Symphony musicians.30 The Houston Conservatory of Music continued its growth by employing many of the newly recruited Symphony musicians as teachers.31 In 1930, Neiman-Marcus co-founder, Herbert Marcus, had called a meeting in Dallas of Texas citizens who were interested in attempting to get the Metropolitan Opera to come to the state on its annual spring tour.32 Little was accomplished at the meeting, and no progress was made until the Metropolitan Opera began to investigate the possibilities for a tour of the Southern states. Costs were estimated to run about $150,000 per week on tour. New Orleans quickly began negotiating with the Met; talk flourished about Houston and Dallas sharing a week. However, Dallas, in what was perhaps an early indication of basic community philosophies, began making plans to bring the Metropolitan there while Houston chose to devote its available monies to support local enterprise. It is significant to note that in the year the Metropolitan Opera inaugurated its Dallas visits, the Dallas Symphony Orchestra dissolved for lack of funding. Financial requirements of the Texas Centennial in 1936 also contributed to the collapse of symphony activity in Dallas.33 Following only one year at the Music Hall, Symphony Society President, Walter Walne, announced that the 1939-40 season of the Houston Symphony would be held at the City Auditorium. Rent for performances was

29 Houston Post, October 12, 1938, Sec. I, p. 10.

30 Houston Post. February 5, 1939, Sec. II, p. 3.

31 Houston Post, October 31, 1937, Sec. V, p. 4.

32 Houston Post, February 10, 1930, Sec. I, p. 1.

33 Houston Post, July 25, 1939, Sec. I, p. 6.

41 thus reduced from $5,000 to $475, freeing more money for player’s salaries. Additional factors in the decision were the inadequate lobby of the Music Hall coupled with the necessity for pairs of concerts to accommodate the audience.34 The 1939 season, billed as the “Arrival Season,” was the first thirty-concert season in Symphony history. Indicative of its growing reputation, out-of-town concerts were scheduled in New Orleans, Austin, Galveston, Bryan, and San Angelo. By 1939, the orchestra had grown to an eighty-piece ensemble.35 In its further efforts to build public awareness of the orchestra, the Houston Symphony played a totally un-identified program in January, 1940. The audience was asked to write the names of the compositions it recognized, and drop its answers in boxes following the concert.36 Correct responses were received from two hundred three individuals; it was noted that a large number of the correct titles were written in German.37 The financial problems of the Symphony began to be more serious in early 1940. Walter Walne announced the 1939-1940 season would conclude with an $8,000 deficit.38 About the same time, a committee of orchestra members wrote an open letter to the public, appealing for a “living wage.” Wages in the Houston Symphony Orchestra are below those of any skilled worker, white or colored. The best-paid musician does not earn the average annual wage of a Houston street cleaner. . . . We believe that with the exception of the big four, we compare very favorably with any other orchestra in the country. They all pay a living wage, except Houston. . . .39

Roussel echoed:

34 Houston Post, March 7, 1939, Sec. I, p. 1.

35 Houston Post, November 14, 1939, Sec. I, p. 1.

36 Houston Post, January 7, 1940, Sec. II, p. 7.

37 Houston Post, January 10, 1940, Sec. I, p. 13.

38 Houston Post, January 25, 1940, Sec. I, p. 10.

39 Houston Post, February 21, 1940, Sec. I, p. 13.

42 . . . the patience of some of the best players is stretched as far as they are going to let it be. . . These people are not helpless relief cases. . . They have stayed on a diet of canned beans and uneatable big talk from officials who have meant well, but shown considerable queasiness of giving the budget a good kick. Some players are making $50 a month; others less. . . .40

The Symphony Society responded by launching a campaign to raise $35,000 for a maintenance fund. Civic leaders appeared before service clubs; the Chamber of Commerce urged the support of its members; newspaper critics pricked the public conscience. Roussel again wrote: . . . in matters artistic, Houston suffers from a blighting inferiority complex. It appears to have started when we had a self-conscious and overgrown town. . . . It is time to drop the bush league attitude. If the Houston Symphony Orchestra can free us from one of a lingering hick- town character, it is worth ten times what it costs.41

By early March 1940, the Society had raised $30,513 for the maintenance fund. Ernst Hoffman was so elated that he promised an orchestra for the coming year that would have no rival in Houston history.42 Unlike most of its more musically dormant predecessors, the summer of 1940 proved to be a significant period in the musical history of the city. In early June, a letter to Houston Post critic Hubert Roussel suggested a series of concerts at Miller Theatre in Hermann Park by the Houston Symphony. Roussel conferred with Ernst Hoffman, who characteristically agreed to donate his services. The two estimated that a fifty-piece orchestra could be gathered for Miller Theatre concerts for about $450 per performance. Hoffman agreed to make the arrangements, if a donor of a $1,000 guarantee could be found. Roussel wrote a series of articles concerning the apparent apathy of cultural Houston and pleaded for a donor.43

40 Houston Post, February 22, 1940, Sec. I, p. 13.

41 Houston Post. March 31, 1940, Sec. IV, p. 2.

42 Houston Post, April 9, 1940, Sec. I, p. 5.

43 Houston Post, August 1, 1940, Sec. I, p. 4. 43 On August 11, 1940, the Post carried the headline, “First Summer Concert to be Played at Miller Theatre, Thursday, August 21.” The first concert, the article explained, was to be an experiment. Admission was to be free, but contributions were to be accepted. Roussel, serving as catalyst, had secured a gift from an anonymous donor for the first concert.44 In the summer of 1940, with German bombs beginning to fall on Britain, a peculiar apprehension was sweeping America. The uncertainty of the immediate future engendered a strange insecurity in the populace. In this context of foreboding, the first outdoor summer concert by the Houston Symphony Orchestra was held. The entire city seemed caught up in the spirit of the moment. To the delight of Roussel and Hoffman, a whole new audience for the orchestra made itself known. Many arrived two and three hours before the concert. Available seats were gone an hour before the performance. When Ernst Hoffman stepped to the podium, he was greeted by the applause of an audience numbering more than 15,000 persons.45 Response to the first concert was overwhelming. Hoffman and Roussel received thousands of letters of praise; plans for a second concert were immediately made. Musicians rehearsed for the second concert in the 100° heat of August in Houston. That evening, some twenty thousand people sang Irving Berlin’s “God Bless America” and heard pianist Bert Sloan play Gershwin.46 It was front-page news in the local press. Succeeding concerts drew fifteen thousand and twenty-five thousand persons respectively, and the summer season ended with a surplus of $200.47 The anonymous guarantor who had made the first season possible was revealed to be local

44 Houston Post, August 11, 1940, Sec. I, p. 1.

45 Houston Post, August 22, 1940, Sec. I, p. 1, 5.

46 Houston Post, August 29, 1940, Sec. I, p. 1.

47 Houston Post, September 1, 1940, Sec. III, p. 6.

44 real estate businessman, N. D. Naman, who ten years before had been the angel for the Houston Philharmonic Ensemble.48 A second summer season was held in 1941 after a very uneventful regular symphony season. Attendance at the summer concerts averaged between twenty-five and thirty thousand persons for each of the seven summer concerts. During the summer, local musical performers were featured as soloists, and a Public Music Association was formed to perpetuate the summer concert series.49 Edna Saunders’ 1940-41 season was highlighted by appearances that included Yehudi Menuhin, Sergei Rachmaninoff, Vladimir Horowitz, and the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra. These internationally renowned artists kept high the musical aspirations of the city for its own performers. However, financial problems continued to beset the Symphony. The maintenance drive rarely reached its intended goal. Players were still paid minimum wages. Ernst Hoffman continued to perform custodial tasks. Score rental, for example, became a problem. In order to play the Sibelius Symphony No. 2, funds had to be solicited from interested persons. Reverend John Hines of Christ Church Cathedral contributed $15 that was matched by Alabama Bill Lee, a professional wrestler, who “rehearsed” at the City Auditorium at the same time as the orchestra. Financial support for cultural activity in Houston was viewed as the responsibility of the wealthy.50 World War II strongly influenced the musical life of the city. The reactivation of Ellington Field and the burgeoning production of the ship channel industries brought vast influxes of people and money into Houston. At the same time, the Houston Symphony sustained heavy losses to membership because of the military draft.51 Hugh Roy Cullen, perhaps the

48 Houston Post, August 7, 1940, Sec. I, p. 1.

49 Houston Post, August 7, 1941, Sec. I, p. 1.

50 Houston Post, January 20, 1942, Sec. I, p. 5.

51 Houston Post, October 4, 1942, Sec. III, p. 10.

45 most famous of Houston’s oil millionaires, was persuaded to accept the Presidency of the Symphony Society during the war years. It was largely through the direct philanthropy of Cullen that the Houston Symphony was financially able to survive the war years. The direction of the Symphony’s focus was markedly altered, however. Cullen viewed the Symphony as a viable community asset that could best serve the needs of the nation as a wartime morale-builder. In February, 1943, he announced that the orchestra would play lighter fare for the remainder of the war and would attempt to meet the needs of the military camps of the region for entertainment.52 Roussel and others voiced strong objection to this announced plan for the orchestra. The Symphony was not primarily intended for box suppers, Rotary luncheons, or for combating juvenile delinquency, the Houston Post critic wrote. “Its management is a public trust. Changes in organization do not convey ownership.”53 Nevertheless, the 1942-43 season of the Symphony contained ten subscription concerts, four student performances, two concerts for servicemen, thirteen out-of-town performances, and thirteen appearances at army camps and navy bases.54 In January 1943, the Houston Symphony made its first national radio broadcast over NBC’s Cities Service Hour that originated in the Music Hall and featured vocalist Lucille Manners.55 Later, in the spring of 1943, the City of Houston made its first grant to the orchestra. This $5,000 allocation helped fund the $12,000 budget for the summer symphony concerts which were jointly sponsored by the Houston Symphony Society, the Department of

52 Houston Post, February 28, 1943, Sec. III, p. 4.

53 Ibid.

54 Ima Hogg, Houston Symphony Society: The Outstanding Wartime Program, July 30, 1965, unpaged.

55 Houston Post, January 16, 1943, Sec. I, p. 1.

46 Parks and Recreation, and the Wartime Youth Council.56 Concerts were scheduled alternately in Hermann Park and in various neighborhood parks. Founded in 1942, the Houston Society for Contemporary Music opened its second season in 1943 featuring local performers.57 Additionally, the Symphony Society announced ten concerts to be held at Cullen Auditorium on the University of Houston campus.58 Because of the war, considerable personnel changes were evident in the orchestra in 1943. Twenty-six women filled positions that included concertmistress and tympanist. The 1943 orchestra enjoyed fewer strings than usual and a generally weaker woodwind section.59 In 1943, for a second year, the orchestra played national radio broadcasts, this time for the Voice of Firestone60 as well as the Cities Service Hour. During the season, Oscar Levant and the Symphony drew an audience of five thousand;61 the University of Texas drama department and the orchestra presented Hansel and Gretel, the first opera for children in Symphony history;62 and a successful season of Sunday afternoon pop concerts was inaugurated.63 The effects of the war continued to be felt on the local music scene. Hugh Roy Cullen continued to make up any deficit the orchestra incurred.64 Mr. Cullen promoted the orchestra through publicity more than any previous

56 “Symphony Concerts in the Houston Parks,” Recreation, December, 1943, pp. 506, 523.

57 Houston Post, October 10, 1943, Sec. III, p. 15.

58 Houston Post, October 10, 1943, Sec III, p. 14.

59 Houston Post, October 10, 1943, Sec. I, p. 5.

60 Houston Post, October 10, 1943, Sec III, p. 15.

61 Houston Post, January 11, 1944, Sec. I, p. 9.

62 Houston Post, March 16, 1944, Sec. II, p. 8.

63 Houston Symphony Society minutes, March 30, 1944.

64 Houston Symphony Society minutes, November 30, 1944.

47 Symphony President had done. He made direct gifts for this purpose and arranged events that, by their very nature, drew public attention to the Symphony.65 One of the most spectacularly successful and famous of these was a war bond, fund raising extravaganza, which featured the Houston Symphony and wrestlers Lou Thesz and Bill Longson. Front row seats sold for $25,000, and the program featured Wagner, Liszt, and “half Nelson.” Hoffman conducted the “Funeral March” during the main event. Later, a battered, 230-pound wrestler, Ellis Bashara, conducted the orchestra himself.66 Seven million dollars of war bonds were sold at the concert.67 A second, similar event was held in June when the Symphony played prelude music for a Houston Buffaloes baseball game to raise money for concerts in hospitals and military camps.68 Cullen’s leadership of the Houston Symphony Society was recognized in July, 1944 by the Houston Chamber of Commerce Magazine, Houston, which devoted an entire issue to the work of Cullen with the Symphony.69 In the 1943-44 season, the Houston Symphony played thirty service camp concerts. In 1944-45, twenty-two concerts were played at military camps and hospitals. The main burden for the out-of-town concerts fell on conductor Ernst Hoffman. It was Hoffman who maintained the morale of his over-worked, tired, and often hungry musicians during the road trips— sometimes as long as eighteen hours. Hoffman checked busses, programs, publicity, and of course, conducted all the performances himself. Before the end of the season, Hoffman’s health was impaired.

65 Houston Symphony Society minutes, November 30, 1944.

66 George Fuermann, Land of the Big Rich (Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, 1951), p. 174.

67 Houston Chronicle, October 13, 1963; Texas Magazine, p. 22.

68 Houston Post, June 4, 1944, Sec. I, p. 19.

69 Houston, Volume 16 (July, 1944). 48 The City of Houston appropriated $10,000 for the 1944 summer series, and twenty-four summer concerts were played.70 In the fall, the Symphony Society announced the employment of Amelio Colantoni from New Orleans to organize and direct opera productions.71 With a budget somewhat more than $150,000, the orchestra played eighty-five concerts in 1944-45 including the regular subscription series, pop concerts, opera performances, out-of-town performances, and military engagements.72 The concerts featured an outstanding roster of guests including Grace Moore, Alec Templeton, Robert Casadesus, Jascha Heifitz, Gladys Swarthout, Oscar Levant, and Lauritz Melchior. Roussel reported that the orchestra delivered a “brilliant” season, marred somewhat by the poor quality of the opera efforts.73 Through the spring, Roy Cullen worked tirelessly for the Symphony. He persuaded the Houston Chamber of Commerce to undertake a drive to raise $75,000 to $100,000 for the 1944 maintenance drive and promised to match twenty percent of all the monies raised. He requested $15,000 from the City of Houston for the summer concerts and promised the Society to pay the additional $5,000 personally if the City refused his request. Cullen personally continued to absorb the orchestra deficit, which in 1945 was $50,000. He arranged a radio-broadcasting contract that netted the Symphony $30,000 income.74 And, living true to his promise to see the Houston Symphony through the war years, he served as President of the Society until 1945 when he submitted his resignation. The weekly radio concerts employed fifty members of the orchestra and were sponsored by the

70 Houston Post, May 7, 1944, Sec. III, p. 11.

71 Houston Post, September 10, 1944, Sec. III, p. 10.

72 Houston Post, October 24, 1944, Sec. I, p. 1.

73 Houston Post, December 28, 1944, Sec. I, p. 5.

74 Houston Symphony Society minutes, January 10, 1945.

49 Texas Gulf Sulphur Company. Not only did this series provide the Society additional income, but it also publicized the Houston Symphony throughout the region in the most efficient and effective manner the orchestra had yet devised.75 The rivalry between the major cities of Texas has a lengthy and colorful history. However, the cultural rivalry between Houston and Dallas actually benefited both cities. History shows that when local impetus for musical growth and development waned, an event in a distant, rival, city was often sufficient to spark enthusiasm and renewed vigor at home. At the close of World War II, this Houston-Dallas cultural competition became a strongly motivating force for both cities. The 1939 performances of the Metropolitan Opera in Dallas first provided a forum for the sounding of the two cities’ individual philosophies of civic musical development. The announcement by the Houston Symphony in 1945 of its series of weekly radio broadcasts prompted John Rosenfield, music critic of the Dallas Morning News, to criticize the cultural possibilities of such broadcasts, especially in view of the reduced size of the orchestra for the broadcasts. Roussel fired back that Dallas was noted for . . . a burning appreciation of its own virtues and a short view of the undertakings of others. . . Least of all is this attitude a becoming pose for the critical gentry of North Texas, which is not yet able to build and sustain an orchestra comparable with the local (Houston) organization. We do not covet the cultural brilliance that region displays through its Bonehead Clubs . . .76

A March, 1945 Newsweek article erroneously stated that the Houston Symphony Orchestra’s budget was under $100,000 and, therefore, the organization did not qualify as a “major” symphony. Rosenfield further antagonized Houstonians by submitting “. . . until we hear a better symphony, we shall call San Antonio’s the finest developed in this part of the

75 Houston Post, February 8, 1945, Sec. II, p. 1.

76 Houston Post, February 8, 1945, Sec. II, p. 1. 50 country.”77 In reality, the Houston Symphony Orchestra’s budget was $190,000 for the one hundred sixteen concerts of the 1944-45 season.78 While defending the orchestra abroad, at home Roussel criticized the artistic stultification of the orchestra during the war years. The Symphony budget during the war had escalated enormously. However, the available funds were widely diffused in a variety of activities—expensive guest artists, opera, elaborate pop concerts, and tours. Roussel observed, “The truth is that the orchestra has made no measurable artistic advance in some years— five or six at least.”79 The orchestra needed more money for personnel. Key players were making only $50 per week for the limited season, and Houston continued to lose musicians to better-paying orchestras. During the war years, the Houston Symphony lost concertmaster Gallo, its principal second violinist, and eight others including half the celli including Paul Burke, the entire bass section, two full oboe sections, a principal bassoon, and four tympanists.80 A tremendous rebuilding task faced Hoffman. Citywide music activity had gradually slowed during World War II. By the end of the War, the impressment of the orchestra for patriotic purposes, the shortage of personnel, and the deactivation of many civic music enterprises left the city far poorer musically than it had been in 1940. In early 1946, the Houston Chronicle urged better public school music instruction to help accomplish . . . the immediate acquisition of a first class symphony orchestra to replace the brave but limited organization with which we have struggled too long, a suitable concert hall, the revitalization of our university life which appears flaccid, timid, and provincial, a new outdoor theater . . . and the encouragement of young talent.81

77 “San Antonio Makes Music,” Newsweek, March 5, 1945, pp. 88-90.

78 Houston Chronicle, March 7, 1945, Sec. II, p. 8.

79 Houston Post, May 20, 1945, Sec. III, p. 4.

80 Houston Chronicle, October 10, 1945, Sec. I, p. 10.

81 Houston Chronicle, January 6, 1946, Sec. III, p. 10.

In Dallas, a quarter of a million dollars was raised to resurrect the Dallas Symphony. Antal Dorati was hired from the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo to serve as conductor of Dallas’ new eighty-three-member ensemble. Within several days, RCA Victor signed the orchestra to record the Bartok Violin Concerto with Menuhin as soloist.82 In additional Texas music activity, the Metropolitan Opera scheduled performances again in Dallas, and San Antonio announced its Second Grand Opera Festival featuring ten Metropolitan stars in four opera productions.83 San Antonio also received very favorable national notice because of Sir Thomas Beecham’s guest appearance there. Only Houston, among major Texas cities, received no such publicity at the hands of the national press. It was not surprising, therefore, that ferment permeated the Houston Symphony Society which decided to begin looking for a new conductor as well as a business manager. It was also decided to contract seventy-five musicians in 1946-47 for fifty-five concerts at a minimum wage of $60 per week. Twenty-two replacements were needed for the 1946-47 orchestra,84 whose budget was $200,000 in comparison with a $225,000 budget in both Dallas and San Antonio.85 The Symphony Board of Directors offered Ernst Hoffman a $10,000 contract for the new season, which he refused to sign, requesting $15,000.86 His salary had been frozen at $10,000 for several years. Great turmoil permeated the Symphony Society Board. Roy Cullen submitted his resignation as Chairman of the Board of the Houston Symphony Society motivated by his respect for the personal sacrifice and dedication of Ernst

82 “Dorati’s Texas Band,” Newsweek, January 7, 1946, pp. 68-69.

83 Houston Chronicle, February 10, 1946, Sec. IV, p. 7.

84 Houston Symphony Society minutes, March 26, 1946.

85 Houston Post, April 10, 1946, Sec. I, p. 13.

86 Houston Symphony Society minutes, April 16, 1946. 52 Hoffman.87 Meanwhile, Joseph Smith, the President of the Symphony Society, angered over a letter he received concerning the Hoffman salary matter, submitted his resignation as President.88 Ima Hogg, long the mainstay of the Symphony Society, attempted to ameliorate the differences sundering the Society leadership. Smith withdrew his hasty resignation and then formally submitted it again a week later. At that time, Miss Hogg was elected President of the Symphony Society, and at her request, Gus Wortham was elected Chairman of the Board. Hugh Roy Cullen continued to contribute sizeable amounts of money for the orchestra’s support, despite his resignation as Chairman of the Board.89 In further action, Frances Deering, former manager of the Loews Theater, was employed as Business Manager for the Symphony.90 The Philadelphia Orchestra thrilled its Houston audience of five thousand in a May appearance, providing the same boost to the musical morale of the city that the St. Louis Symphony had provided in 1936. Then, in an unexpected move, the Philadelphia Orchestra refused to continue on its tour to San Antonio because of a polio and encephalitis outbreak there, and played a second Houston concert.91 The majesty of the playing by this renowned orchestra gave renewed encouragement to the citizens of Houston in their efforts to strengthen the local orchestra. In early summer of 1946, Hoffman returned from a recruiting trip, having signed twenty-two new musicians to contracts for the Houston Symphony. The nineteen summer symphony concerts featured a forty-five- member orchestra and a number of young Houston soloists. In addition, the City Recreation Department presented two Gilbert and Sullivan productions

87 Houston Symphony Society minutes, April 23, 1946.

88 Houston Symphony Society minutes, April 16, 1946.

89 Houston Symphony Society minutes, May 8, 1946.

90 Houston Post, May 23, 1946, Sec. II, p. 4.

91 Houston Post, May 15, 1946, Sec. I, p. 1. 53 at Miller Theatre in Herman Park.92 The most exciting new development, however, was the founding of the Summertime Light Opera Company by Virginia Plunkett. The organization staged three musicals at the Music Hall, and each was highly successful with local audiences. The orchestra was drawn from the Houston Symphony and was directed by Albino Torres.93 During the summer months, the Symphony Society granted Ernst Hoffman a $2,000 raise and announced that Efrem Kurtz, Reginald Stewart, and Carlos Chavez would serve as guest conductors for the coming season. Two new impresarios entered the Houston musical scene in 1946. William Z. Rozan, local lawyer and amateur actor, formed Texas Concert Artists. Rozan’s artists were booked as a series in small towns. Under contract were performers Fredell Lack, Nancy Swinford, Edward Bing, Albino Torres, Elizabeth Blake, the Kruger and Kroll Ballet, and the Fliegel Rumanian Gypsy String Quartet.94 A second manager, Dick Wheeler, announced two 1946 concert series. Wheeler’s “Friends of Music” series was to include Isaac Stern, Muriel Wheeler, the Metropolitan Artists Ensemble, Donald Dixon, Shara Cherkassky, and Gladys Swarthout. The series found few friends, however, and unfortunately never materialized.95 The undisputed leader of the Houston musical scene was impresaria Edna Saunders. As President of the Women’s Choral Club, “Miss Edna” had begun her career by serving as entrepreneur for that organization. She became a professional impresaria when Samuel Insull offered Houston the Chicago Opera, only if Mrs. Saunders would manage the local appearances. She had a number of musical coups to her credit. In 1920, she first brought Caruso to a Houston audience of six thousand. She discovered Menuhin as

92 Houston Post, June 2, 1946, Sec. IV, p. 7.

93 Houston Post, June 29, 1946, Sec. I, p. 1.

94 Houston Post, October 30, 1946, Sec. I, p. 7.

95 Houston Post, September 22, 1946, Sec. II, p. 11. 54 a nine-year-old boy and had been virtually a foster mother to him since. In 1936, she secured the original Ballet Russe with Wasily de Basil.96 Perhaps her greatest achievement as an impresaria, however, came in this 1946-47 season when Mrs. Saunders managed to secure the Metropolitan Opera for Houston on its annual tour. With the financial backing of Jesse Jones, a separate, tax-exempt association was created to sponsor the Houston performances of the Met.97 Other exciting developments were quickening the musical pulse of the city. In the fall of 1946, Al Urbach, first cellist with the Orchestra, began organizing a Houston Chorale, for which he envisioned professional standards and a role of performing large choral works with the Symphony. Urbach had studied under Carl Mueller, Noble Cain, and Robert McLeod and was in a strategic position where he could influence plans for both the Symphony and the Chorus.98 Hubert Roussel, once again, was instrumental in encouraging the formation of this significant cultural organization in the city. A 1986 history of the Chorale, published for the 40th anniversary of its founding, chronicled these early beginnings. Based on his experience with the response of military personnel to choral music, Urbach "believed strongly in the value of music as a unifier and peacemaking force in human relations." The Houston Chronicle donated the use of its radio station KTRH studios, then in the Rice Hotel, for the first auditions. It took two months to get the thirty singers together for the first rehearsal on October 29, 1946 at the old Houston Conservatory of Music. The fall of 1946 also marked the beginning of new professional careers for several young Houstonians. Raphael Fliegel, a twenty-eight-year-old Houstonian, was appointed concertmaster of the Houston Symphony. Fliegel had begun to study cello at age four, but had switched to violin a year

96 Houston Chronicle, October 2, 1966, Sec. I, p. 60.

97 Quaintance Eaton, ed., Opera Caravan: Advent of the Met on Tour 1883-1956 (New York: Farrar, Straus, and Cadahy, 1957), p. 167.

55 later. By age ten, he was studying at the American Conservatory of Music. When his family moved to Houston in 1930, Fliegel continued his instruction under J. Moody Dawson. The young violinist had debuted with the Houston Symphony Orchestra at thirteen years of age under Frank St. Leger. Later, he had joined Carlos Molino’s travelling orchestra, but became a member of the Houston Symphony in 1939. After enlisting in the armed services in 1942, Fliegel returned to Houston following World War II to receive the high honor of the position as concertmaster.99 Two other young Houstonians, Alfred and Herbert Teltschik, made their Carnegie Hall piano debuts on September 20 and 21, 1946.100 In October, Howard Webb called together a new group of young high- school musicians for the first rehearsal of the Houston Youth Symphony. This organization, which performed its first concert on Saturday morning, December 28, 1946, was to have a long and distinguished history, and was to make a major contribution to the nurture of musical talent in the city.101 The 1946 Houston Symphony Orchestra was much improved over the immediately preceding years. Both the woodwind and string sections had been considerably strengthened as a result of the tireless recruiting efforts of conductor Ernst Hoffman. Roussel later recalled in his history of the Houston Symphony: The Hoffmanns had charity equal to their carefully planned ambitions. There were few lengths to which they would not go, if the promise was that of aid to the band. They had a talent for finding, in faraway places, violinists or woodwind players, of better than ordinary grade, who were victims of the times and in conditions of extraordinary distress. They knew of other musicians in Germany, suffering bitterly, who would do anything to escape. By means greatly involved and demanding of patience, they brought some of these cases to Houston— and then found they must rehabilitate them in order to make use of their skills. It was privately said in the orchestra that Mimi Hoffmann

98 Houston Post, September 3, 1946, Sec. IV, p. 8.

99 Houston Post, September 15, 1946, Sec. II, p. 8.

100 Houston Post, November 10, 1946, Sec. II, p. 9.

101 “Houston Youth Symphony,” Violins and Violinists, January, 1957, p. 31. 56 would do the laundry of any fiddler who could play Brahms well enough, in order to get him into the orchestra, moreover would find him a shirt if he needed one . . . she had fed, sheltered, and tenderly nursed indigent players from abroad, or their wives or children, while they struggled to get on their own feet.102

The programming for the 1946-47 season delighted local newspaper critics.103 Moreover, the orchestra seemed refreshed and inspired while enjoying its first guest conductors in years. The concerts under Chavez and Kurtz were extraordinary.104 Both conductors expressed surprise to find Houston had an orchestra of the quality that it displayed. This fact, coupled with the ten-year-old description of the orchestra that appeared in Newsweek and omission from a New York Times article on music in Texas, led local leaders to analyze means by which the city’s musical virtues could be more widely touted. Doubtless, this set of events made Hoffman’s position as conductor more precarious and created in the Symphony Society the conviction that future conductors should be able to bring notoriety and attention to the Houston Symphony, as was occurring in Dallas. Ezio Pinza’s performance with the Symphony set a record attendance of 3814 tickets sold.105 NBC Radio featured the Houston Symphony in an hour-long radio program, Orchestras of the Nation, in February, 1947, and the New York program director for the network urged the Symphony to seek wider publicity for the local ensemble.106 The sentiment created by the broadcast forestalled the Hoffman’s plans to resign after a particularly heated meeting of the Symphony Society Executive Committee. Joseph Smith, former President of the Society, had wanted to release Hoffman in

102 Hubert Roussel, The Houston Symphony Orchestra, 1913-1971 (Austin, Texas: University of Texas Press, 1972), p. 83.

103 Houston Post, September 12, 1946, Sec. II, p. 4.

104 Houston Post, November 19, 1946, Sec. I, p. 6; January 7, 1947, Sec. II, p. 5.

105 Houston Post, January 15, 1947.

106 Houston Post, February 23, 1947, Sec. I, p. 1. 57 1946, but then Chairman of the Board, Hugh Roy Cullen, had defended Hoffman’s retention. Miss Hogg noted that Mr. and Mrs. Cullen remained the largest single contributors to the Symphony, even in the postwar years. Nonetheless, Ernst Hoffman did announce his resignation to the Monday evening Symphony audience in March, 1947.107 Miss Hogg, Gus Wortham, and Manager Frances Deering were in New York City at the time, conferring with Arthur Judson of the Columbia Concerts Corporation about a new conductor. Efrem Kurtz, the Guest Conductor of the New York Philharmonic, was considered the most likely candidate.108 Hoffman’s last concert of the regular season with the Houston Symphony on April 14, 1947 was a brilliant and emotional occasion.109 The orchestra at this time was earning about 80% of its budget of $195,000. The spring musical scene was highlighted with performances by Fritz Reiner and the Pittsburgh Orchestra, Marian Anderson, Rudolf Serkin, Pierre Monteux and the San Francisco Orchestra, Lauritz Melchior, Lily Pons, and William Kapell. The first concert of the seventy-five-voice Houston Chorale was held on April 23, 1947. The avowed aim of the Chorale was to become the choral auxiliary to the Houston Symphony.110 The new seventy-piece Houston Youth Symphony presented three concerts during the season.111

107 Houston Post, March 17, 1947, Sec. I, p. 7.

108 Houston Post, March 17, 1947, Sec. I, p. 5.

109 Houston Post, April 15, 1947, Sec. I, p. 12.

110 Houston Post, April 17, 1947, Sec. II, p. 8.

111 Houston Post, April 20, 1947, Sec. IV, p. 11.

58 And, of course, for its first visit since 1905, the Metropolitan Opera came to Houston in May, 1947.112 The Met had first appeared in Houston in 1901 in the Winnie Davis Auditorium on Main at McGowan, opened in 1895 and named for a daughter of the former Confederate States president, Jefferson Davis. Madame Schumann-Heink starred as Ortrud in the 1901 Lohengrin, which appealed, perhaps, to Texas’ German heritage, but was difficult listening for Houston’s audience of that day. Electricity was a reality at Winnie Davis Auditorium, but indoor plumbing was absent in the dressing rooms prompting Schumann-Heink’s demand, “No vessel; no performance.”113 Later, in 1905, the Met scooped the copyright of Parsifal in Europe and presented it on tour in Houston with great fanfare—six years before the opera was heard in London and in most of Europe. The Metropolitan Opera’s home in Houston, the City Auditorium, was a huge, cavernous building built in 1910. The building was centrally located downtown, but had no orchestra pit and limited backstage facilities. Its acoustics were never good, but following renovations made in 1945, they were worse than before. In a world that was not yet air-conditioned, noises from the city streets and oppressive heat were additional features of the structure during the open-window months of summer.

112 Houston Post, May 4, 1947, Sec. IV, p. 19.

113 Robert I. Giesberg, Houston Grand Opera: A History (Houston: Houston Grand Opera Guild, 1981), p. 2. 59 For its 1947 Houston opening, the Metropolitan Opera presented Aida with Blanche Thebom and Robert Merrill. On that May evening, the heat was so intense that soprano Daniza Ilitsch fainted during Act I and was replaced by Florence Kirk. By Act II, the orchestra was in shirtsleeves, performing for an audience steadfastly formal in attire.114 Dorothy Kirsten starred in Madame Butterfly the next evening to a second sold-out house. The national touring company of Oklahoma appeared in Houston in March, 1947. Like many other touring musicals, ice shows, and circuses, Oklahoma provided employment for twenty-three local musicians during its Houston engagement.115 And in May, Jose Iturbi performed a sold-out benefit concert for the victims of the Houston Ship Channel explosion in Texas City. More than 200 additional chairs had to be added to the City Auditorium stage. Virginia Plunkett’s Summertime Opera Company had enjoyed a splendid first season and announced its second season of productions. The company employed twenty-eight musicians including concertmaster Fliegel and featured a thirty-five-voice chorus directed by Al Urbach. Musicals for the summer included Vagabond King, The Merry Widow, and Roberta.116 Additionally, Ernst Hoffman directed twenty-three summer symphony concerts by his forty-five-piece orchestra. These were co-sponsored jointly by the City of Houston Parks and Recreation Department and the Houston Symphony Society.117

114 Houston Post, May 7, 1947, Sec. I, p. 1.

115 Houston Chronicle, March 2, 1947, Sec. I, p. 19.

116 Houston Post, May 18, 1947, Sec. III, p. 3.

117 Houston Post, May 25, 1947, Sec. III, p. 3. 60 In July, the newly formed Houston Youth Symphony traveled to Mexico City following a series of summer concerts at Miller Theatre in Hermann Park.118 The 1946-47 musical season had been the longest in Houston history. Roussel echoed the sentiments of many residents when he wrote: We have everything we need to become a center of culture— wealth, vigor, vast commercial and economic development, and a generally high public intelligence. There is now a new determination to have the best and in bounty—the great wealth of this city is beginning to flow into the arts with new freedom. A city becomes great when it learns to invest in things of the spirit for the benefit of its whole citizenship.119

Mr. and Mrs. Hugh Roy Cullen, in a move that was to affect the civic vitality of Houston for years to come, announced in March a gift of $160 million dollars to establish the Cullen Foundation120. Over the years of the twentieth century, the Cullen family name came to be inextricably linked to philanthropic causes related to the fine arts and higher education. Edna Saunders marked her thirtieth anniversary in 1947. The Houston Symphony opened a $100,000 maintenance fund drive and announced a menu of guest conductors for the 1947-48 season that included Carlos Chavez, Hans Schweiger, Leonard Bernstein, George Enesco, Walter Hendl, Tauno Hannifainen, Charles Munch, and Efrem Kurtz.121 The Symphony Society completely sold out of tickets and held a waiting list

118 “Houston Youth Symphony,” Violins and Violinists, January, 1957, p. 31.

119 Houston Post, March 23, 1947, Sec. II, p. 8.

120 Houston Post, March 28, 1947, Sec. I, p. 1.

121 “Twelve Guests Conduct the 1947-48 Houston Symphony Season,” The Strad, LXXIX, 269-271. 61 of seven hundred patrons for the coming season.122 Franklin Washburn organized the Music Guild Quartet.123 The Metropolitan Opera cancelled its 1948 Houston dates causing Roussel to begin a long-term campaign favoring locally produced opera;124 the Alley Theatre was organized by Nina Vance in October;125 the University of St. Thomas was founded in the old T. P. Lee home on Montrose; and a new acoustical shell for the Houston Symphony Orchestra was constructed for the City Auditorium stage.126 Other features also graced the City Auditorium, as well. A November rat war, vigorously reported by Hubert Roussel, netted eighteen specimens, including Roussel’s longtime friend, Sascha—the rodent with “ . . . a definite predilection for Russian composers.”127 The City Auditorium had become a source of embarrassment. It was uncomfortable. It was ill suited to the growing musical needs of the city. Roussel opined that the City Auditorium was “. . . less impressive, clean, and comfortable than a shotgun movie theater, or for that matter, a cow shed.”128 In December, a significant milestone was reached when the Houston Civic Music Association was formed. Two thousand, three hundred sixteen seats were sold in only five days for the inaugural season that brought Ezio Pinza, Nathan Milstein, Luboschutz and Nemenoff, Poldi Mildner, and Winifred Heidt.129 Founders of the new organization included civic leaders Leopold Meyer, Mrs. Cecil Cook, Rex Baker, Jr., and William Fabian. The concept was to sell season tickets at low cost using only volunteer personnel.

122 Houston Post, September 24, 1947, Sec. I, p. 13.

123 Houston Post, October 5, 1947, Sec. IV, p. 18.

124 Houston Post, September 3, 1947, Sec. I, p. 13.

125 Houston Post, October 8, 1947, Sec. II, p. 5.

126 Houston Post, October 2, 1947, Sec. II, p. 7.

127 Houston Post, November 26, 1947, Sec. I, p. 12.

128 Houston Post, November 19, 1947, Sec. I, p. 8.

62 No individual tickets were sold; seating was open and non-reserved; and income was directed to artists’ fees, avoiding advertising and box office costs. The Civic Music Association flourished over the next three decades by providing a rich palate of performing artists for the city at moderate cost.130 Ernst Hoffman stayed on in Houston after his dismissal. For a while, he served as announcer for radio station KPRC, and then he recorded music education materials that dealt with instruments, standard works, and composer biographies.131 Houston bore the indelible mark of the Hoffman years. Ernst Hoffman was a selfless, indefatigable conductor who brought the musical life of Houston to the brink of maturity. After eleven productive seasons in Houston, Ernst and Annemarie Hoffman returned to Boston, leaving behind their son in medical school, and taking with them a personal gift of ten thousand dollars from Roy Cullen in thanks for their tireless efforts in the Symphony’s behalf.132 Hoffman never returned to the Houston Symphony as guest conductor despite his specific request to do so in 1948, but ultimately enjoyed a distinguished career as conductor and pedagogue at the University of Indiana. In a tragic finale to a productive life, Ernst and Annemarie Hoffman were killed in an automobile accident in 1955 on their way back to Bloomington, having left Houston after a Christmas visit with their son.

129 Houston Post, December 7, 1947, Sec. IV, p. 24.

130 Leopold Meyer, The Days of my Years (Houston: Universal Printers, 1975), pp. 117-121.

131 Houston Post, January 29, 1948, Sec. I, p. 17.

132 Hubert Roussel, The Houston Symphony Orchestra 1913-1971 (Austin: The University of Texas Press, 1972), p. 119.

SUMMARY By definition, the fledgling period is the time during which a young creature is nurtured until it is able to fly on its own. The Hoffman years in Houston encapsulate this stage of the city’s music development. However, no period of recent local history contained a greater threat to the basic musical enterprise than is found in this period of Houston history. For the first time in Houston musical history, a symphony orchestra dominated the music scene. For the young symphony organization, there were not only implicit post-natal problems, there were severe complications resulting from the upheaval of war. This child of the depression, however, was accustomed to adversity. It was steeled against difficulty and motivated by vision. During the late thirties, the civic influence of traditional forms of musical activity paled in comparison with the influence of the Houston Symphony. Newspapers from the period reflect a gradual dilution of comparative influence by churches and music teachers, for example. For the first time, the Orchestra drew a number of outstanding new musicians to Houston. Through the years, many of these professional performers made their home in Houston and have significantly contributed to broadening the range and quality of the city’s musical activity. This period marked the beginning of regional and national awareness of Houston as a musical center. Radio provided the greatest national exposure. The Houston Symphony performed on NBC’s Cities Service Hour, The Voice of Firestone, and Orchestras of the Nation. Moreover, articles began appearing in national periodicals in testimony of the musical development of the city. Regional attention was garnered primarily by orchestra tours, military base performances, and newspaper accounts. A growing number of Houston musicians began commanding regional and national attention as concert artists. Of course, the employment of

64 Bostonian Ernst Hoffman as conductor of the Houston Symphony Orchestra helped dispel any lagging reputation of provinciality. Houston maintained its basic commitment to local organizations and performers. Its orchestra was staffed by resident artists; most of the money expended for musical activity was provided to support local enterprise. Significantly, there developed the conviction that local endeavor could be as fine as anything imported, given time and resources. Therefore, the community set about advancing itself on all music fronts. By way of contrast, many other cities of like size and development were totally dependent on talent and resources residing outside local boundaries. Therefore, none of the residual benefits of investment accrued to these cities, but rather the resident home of the imported performers. The Houston Symphony during this period grew from a semi- professional organization with a budget of $46,000 in 1937 to a professional ensemble with a budget of $200,000 in 1946. With increasing maturity, the Symphony realized the need for a regular salary base, a business manager, advertising, competitive standards of achievement, and community support and appeal. The Symphony owed its very survival to the sweat of Ernst Hoffman and the friendship of Roy Cullen expressed through his tireless effort and his monumental financial support. The Symphony first faced the problem of artistic control and musical direction during this period and granted it pragmatically not to its conductor, but to its patron. And it committed itself to move toward the competitive circle of the nation’s major cultural centers. Houston’s cultural rivalry with Dallas blossomed and flourished, fed freely by the powerful pens of Hubert Roussel and John Rosenfield. A new corps of individuals continued to widen the scope of music with the city. Many of these were citizens who desired for Houston the best. These included Miss Ima Hogg, Roy Cullen, Walter Walne, Joseph Smith, N. D. Naman, Mrs. Ray Dudley, and Gus Wortham. Others were citizens also, but musicians by trade. New organizations were born. Al Urbach first formed

65 the Houston Chorale. Howard Webb organized the Houston Youth Symphony. Virginia Plunkett founded the Summertime Opera Company. Franklin Washburn began the Music Guild Quartet. In every case, the success of a new enterprise depended upon the commitment of one individual whose loyalty to that organization surpassed the devotion to any other. The Civic Music Association was formed, and a culturally significant but non-musical organization, the world famous Alley Theatre, came into being. A growing dissatisfaction with the status quo permeated all strata of the cultural life of the city. A post-war boom loomed on the horizon. The fledgling Houston musical phoenix poised itself for its first real flight.

66 SELECTED CALENDAR OF HOUSTON MUSICAL EVENTS 1936-37

Nov. 9, 1936 HSO, Richard Bonelli, Ernst Hoffman conducting 18 Jascha Heifetz—Edna Saunders, City Auditorium Dec. 14 HSO, “Viennese Evening,” Ernst Hoffman cond. 17 Sergi Rachmaninoff—Edna Saunders, Scottish Rite Auditorium Jan. 7, 1937 Ballet Russse de Monte Carlo—Edna Saunders 10 Mercado’s Tipica Mexican Orchestra— Edna Saunders, City Auditorium 11 HSO, concertized Madame Butterfly, Nancy Swinford and Hu T. Huffmaster, Ernst Hoffman conducting 24 First HSO Pops Concert 26 Vladimir Horowitz—Edna Saunders, City Auditorium Feb. 8 HSO, Dusolina Giannini, Ernst Hoffman conducting 11 Jan and Rafael Kubelik—Edna Saunders 11 HSO Young People’s Concert 15 HSO Young People’s Concert 28 Marian Anderson—Edna Saunders, City Auditorium March 8 HSO, “Shakespeare in Music,” Ernst Hoffman conducting 21 Second HSO Pops Concert April 6 St. Louis Symphony Orchestra—Edna Saunders, City Auditorium 12 HSO, Ernst Hoffman conducting May 4, 1937 Nelson Eddy—Edna Saunders, City Auditorium

Unknown dates: Edward Kane, tenor—Tuesday Musical Club Joseph Knitzer, pianist—Tuesday Musical Club

67 SELECTED CALENDAR OF HOUSTON MUSICAL EVENTS 1937-38

Nov. 8, 1937 HSO, Ernst Hoffman conducting, City Auditorium 10 Mordkin Ballet—Edna Saunders 16 Albert Spalding—Edna Saunders, City Auditorium 20 HSO Pops, concertmaster Joseph Gallo, Ernst Hoffman conducting Dec. 1 Ruth Slenczynski—Edna Saunders, City Auditorium 6 HSO, E. B. Gammons, Houston Symphony Society Chorus, Ernst Hoffman conducting 9 HSO, Children’s Program 13 HSO Pops, Shirley Tinterow 15 Ted Shawn Dancers—Edna Saunders, City Auditorium 19 Salzburg Opera Guild—Edna Saunders, Cancelled 26 Billy Rose’s Show of Shows—Edna Saunders Jan. 10, 1938 HSO Pops, Albino Torres, Ernst Hoffman conducting 13-14 Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo—Edna Saunders 17 HSO, Student Concert, San Jacinto Auditorium 24 HSO Pops 28 HSO, Music Lover’s Candlelight Concert 29 Jooss Ballet—Edna Saunders Feb. 5 Hindu Ballet—Edna Saunders, City Auditorium 7 HSO, Ernst Hoffman conducting 12 Nino Martini—Edna Saunders, Cancelled 19 Ruth Page and American Ballet—Edna Saunders 21 HSO Pops, Rice Band, University of Houston Glee Club, Baylor A Cappella Choir, Ernst Hoffman conducting March 7 HSO, Gregor Piatigorsky, Ernst Hoffman conducting 9 Jose Iturbi—Edna Saunders, Civic Community Concerts 16 Grace Moore—Edna Saunders, City Auditorium 17 Marian Anderson—Edna Saunders, Music Hall 19 HSO Pops, Ballet Katchetovsky, Hoffman conducting 31 Dave Rubinoff—Edna Saunders April 4 St. Louis Symphony Orchestra—Edna Saunders, Civic Community Concerts, City Auditorium 11 HSO, Beveridge Webster, Ernst Hoffman conducting 24 HSO Pops, City Auditorium April 30, 1938 Kirsten Flagstad—Edna Saunders, Music Hall, Civic Community Concerts

Unknown dates: Jacques Abram, pianist—Tuesday Musical Club Manhattan String Quartet—Tuesday Musical Club

68 SELECTED CALENDAR OF HOUSTON MUSICAL EVENTS 1938-39

Oct. 11, 1938 Lawrence Tibbett—Edna Saunders, Music Hall, Civic Community Concerts 24 Jessica Dragonette—Edna Saunders, Music Hall 26 HSO, Ernst Hoffman, conducting, Music Hall Nov. 7-8 HSO, Ernst Hoffman conducting, Music Hall 16 Attilio Baggiore. tenor—Tuesday Musical Club 26 Ethel Bartlett and Rae Robertson, duo-pianists— Edna Saunders, Civic Community Concerts Dec. 3 HSO, Ernst Hoffman, conducting 5-6 HSO, Ernst Hoffman, conducting 12 HSO, Music Lover’s Candlelight Concert— Ladies Parish Association of Christ Church Cathedral Jan. 9-10, 1939 HSO, Hoffman conducting 13-14 Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo—Edna Saunders, Music Hall 23 HSO, Music Lover’s Candlelight Concert— Ladies Parish Association of Christ Church Cathedral 29 Don Cossack Chorus—Edna Saunders Feb. 1 Nathan Milstein—Edna Saunders 6-7 HSO, Ernst Hoffman conducting 12 Houston String Quartet, Junior League 13 Nelson Eddy—Edna Saunders, Music Hall 15 Silvio and Isabel Scionti—Tuesday Musical Club Scottish Rite Cathedral March 6-7 HSO, Gregor Piatigorsky, Ernst Hoffman cond. 9 HSO, Student Concert 15 Drusilla Huffmaster, Scottish Rite Cathedral 23 Marian Anderson—Edna Saunders, City Auditorium 28 St. Louis Symphony Orchestra—Edna Saunders, Music Hall, Civic Community Concerts April 3-4 HSO, Ernst Hoffman conducting 12 Nino Martini—Edna Saunders, Music Hall 22 Ignance Paderewski—Edna Saunders, City Auditorium May 6, 1939 Mischa Elman

69 SELECTED CALENDAR OF HOUSTON MUSICAL EVENTS 1939-1940

Nov. 13, 1939 HSO, Jacques Abrams, Ernst Hoffman conducting, City Auditorium 15 Lauritz Melchior—Edna Saunders, Music Hall, Civic Community Concerts (CCC) 27 HSO, Ernst Hoffman conducting 30 Siberian Singers—Tuesday Musical Club Dec. 7 HSO Student Concert 11 HSO, Bidu Sayao, Ernst Hoffman conducting Jan. 8, 1940 HSO, Mystery Program, Ernst Hoffman conducting 11 HSO Student Concert 14 HSO Serenade, Ernst Hoffman conducting 19 HSO, Ernst Hoffman conducting 20 Lina Pagilughi—Edna Saunders, Music Hall, CCC 25 HSO, Robert Casadesus, Ernst Hoffman conducting 25 Jose Iturbi—Edna Saunders 29 Joseph Szigeti—Edna Saunders, Music Hall, CCC 30 HSO, Music Lover’s Candlelight Concert—Ladies Parish Association of Christ Church Cathedral Feb. 5 HSO, Ernst Hoffman conducting 12-13 San Carlo Opera Company—Edna Saunders 13 Loewenguth Quartet—Tuesday Musical Club 15 Josef Hofman—Edna Saunders, Music Hall, CCC 19 HSO, Paul van Katwijk, Ernst Hoffman conducting 23 Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo—Edna Saunders 25 HSO, Serenade 27 HSO, Music Lovers’ Candlelight Concert—Ladies Parish Assoc. of Christ Church Cathedral March 4 HSO, Ernst Hoffman conducting 7 HSO Student Concert 17 HSO Serenade 25 HSO, Albert Spalding, Ernst Hoffman conducting 29 St. Louis Symphony Orch.—Edna Saunders, CCC April 8 HSO, Nancy Swinford, Ernst Hoffman conducting 11 HSO Student Concert 14 HSO, Serenade 23 HSO, Music Lover’s Candlelight Concert—Ladies Parish Association of Christ Church Cathedral May 9 Marian Anderson—Edna Saunders Aug. 21, 1940 First ever Summer Concerts of HSO, Miller Theatre, Hermann Park

70 SELECTED CALENDAR OF HOUSTON MUSICAL EVENTS 1940-41

Oct. 29, 1940 Helen Olheim. ,mezzo—Tuesday Musical Club Nov. 4 HSO, Edward Bing, Hoffman conducting, Music Hall 6 Yehudi Menuhin, Community Concerts— Edna Saunders, Music Hall 19 HSO, Student Concert 25 HSO, Drusilla Huffmaster, Ernst Hoffman cond. Dec. 3 HSO, Massed Church Choirs, Messiah, Ernst Hoffman conducting 9 HSO, Ernst Hoffman conducting 15 HSO, Messiah, Ernst Hoffman conducting Jan. 6, 1941 HSO, Phillip Williams, Ernst Hoffman conducting 16 HSO, Student Concert 20 HSO, Harold Bauer, Ernst Hoffman conducting 20 Sergei Rachmaninoff—Edna Saunders 28 Muriel Kerr—Tuesday Musical Club Feb. 3 HSO, Ernst Hoffman conducting 11 Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra—Edna Saunders, Music Hall, Community Concerts 17 HSO, Barbara Lull, Ernst Hoffman conducting 21-22 Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo—Edna Saunders 27 Vladimir Horowitz—Edna Saunders, Music Hall, Civic Community Concerts March 3 HSO, Ernst Hoffman conducting 6 HSO, Student Concert 18 HSO, San Antonio concert 24 HSO, Bidu Sayao, Ernst Hoffman conducting April 1 St. Louis Symphony Orchestra—Edna Saunders 7 HSO, Ernst Hoffman conducting 10 HSO, Student Concert July 7, 1941 HSO, First of six 1941 Summer Concerts, Miller Theatre

SELECTED CALENDAR OF HOUSTON MUSICAL EVENTS 1941-42 Oct. 22, 1941 Lansing Hatfield—TMC, Museum of Fine Arts 27 Marian Anderson—Edna Saunders Nov. 3 HSO, Hoffman conducting 13 HSO, Student Concert, Ernst Hoffman conducting 24 HSO, Igor Gorin, Ernst Hoffman conducting 25 Don Cossack Chorus—Edna Saunders Dec. 4 HSO, Student Concert 8 HSO (post-Pearl Harbor), Hoffman conducting. Final movement of Tschaikovsky’s Pathetique Symphony was not played in response to the bombing of Pearl Harbor. 14-15 HSO, Messiah, Ernst Hoffman conducting Jan. 5, 1942 HSO, Ernst Hoffman conducting 15 HSO, Student Concert 19 HSO, Ernst Hoffman conducting 31 Guiomar Novaes—Edna Saunders Feb. 2 HSO, Rose Bampton, Ernst Hoffman conducting 8 St. Olaf Choir 14 Richard Crooks—Edna Saunders 23 HSO, Ernst Hoffman conducting 25 Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra, Dimitri Mitropoulos conducting March 4 Curtis String Quartet—Tuesday Musical Club 7 Agnes DeMille—Edna Saunders 9 HSO, Artur Schnabel, Ernst Hoffman conducting 12 Alec Templeton 12 HSO, Student Concert, Music Hall 14 Helen Traubel—Edna Saunders 21 St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, Jacques Abram— Edna Saunders 23 HSO, North Texas State Teachers College Choir, Ernst Hoffman conducting April 13 HSO, Ernst Hoffman conducting 15 Lily Pons—Edna Saunders July 14, 1942 HSO, First 1942 Summer Concert, Miller Theatre, Ernst Hoffman conducting

72 SELECTED CALENDAR OF HOUSTON MUSIC EVENTS 1942-43

Oct. 28, 1942 Eleanor Steber—Tuesday Musical Club Nov. 5 HSO, Student Concert 9 HSO, Rice Institute Band, Hoffman conducting 23 HSO, Helen Jepson, Ernst Hoffman conducting 29 HSO Pops Concert Dec. 3 HSO, Student Concert 9 Robert Goldsand, pianist—Tuesday Musical Club 10 Claudio Arrau—Edna Saunders 14 HSO, Texas A&M Singing Cadets, Ernst Hoffman conducting 27 HSO Pops Jan. 4, 1943 HSO, Fredell Lack, Hoffman conducting 13-14 Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo—Edna Saunders 18 HSO, Lucille Manners, Ernst Hoffman conducting 20 Zino Francescatti—Edna Saunders 28 Dorothy Maynor—Edna Saunders Feb. 1 HSO, Milla Dominquez, Ernst Hoffman conducting 10 Trapp Family Singers—Tuesday Musical Club, San Jacinto Auditorium (SRO) 11 HSO, Student Concert 14 Don Cossack Chorus—Edna Saunders 15 HSO, Ernst Hoffman conducting March10-11 Sigmund Romberg—Edna Saunders 15 HSO, Jose Iturbi, Ernst Hoffman conducting 17 Marian Anderson—Edna Saunders 18 HSO, Student Concert 29 HBU, Monte Hill Davis, Ernst Hoffman conducting April 12, 1943 HSO, Ernst Hoffman conducting

73 SELECTED CALENDAR OF HOUSTON MUSICAL EVENTS 1943-44 Oct. 18, 1943 HSO, Hoffman conducting Nov. 2 Patricia Travers—Tuesday Musical Club 8 HSO, Albert Spalding, Ernst Hoffman conducting 11 Ezio Pinza—Edna Saunders, Music Hall, CCC 21 HSO Pops, Beatrice Hogan, Hoffman conducting 29 HSO, Virginia Jean, Ernst Hoffman conducting Dec. 9 Yehudi Menuhin—Edna Saunders, Music Hall, CCC 10-12 Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo—Edna Saunders 13-14 Porgy and Bess 13 HSO, Claudio Arrau, Ernst Hoffman conducting 19 HSO Pops, Percy Grainger 27 Alexander Brailowsky—Edna Saunders, Music Hall, Civic Community Concerts Jan. 10, 1944 HSO Pops, Oscar Levant 17 HSO, Rose Bampton, Ernst Hoffman conducting 24 HSO, Firestone Hour Broadcast, Richard Crooks, William Primrose, Hoffman conducting Feb. 4 Don Cossack Chorus—Edna Saunders 7 HSO, Jacques Abram and the North Texas State Teachers College Choir, Hoffman conducting 13 HSO Pops, Lois Bannermann 14 Marie Wilkins, soprano—Tuesday Musical Club, San Jacinto Auditorium 19-20 Philadelphia Opera—Edna Saunders, Music Hall, Civic Community Concerts 24 Dorothy Maynor—Edna Saunders 25 HSO, Cities Service Broadcast, Lucille Manners 28 HSO, Lucille Manners, Ernst Hoffman conducting March 1 Mia Slavenska Ballet—Edna Saunders, Music Hall, Civic Community Concerts 7 Salvatore Baccaloni Opera Co.—Edna Saunders, Music Hall, Civic Community Concerts 20 HSO, Helen Traubel, Ernst Hoffman conducting 26 HSO Pops, Civic Ballet April 10 HSO, Tosca, Elsa Kalb Dumas, Taylor, Edward Bing, Hoffman conducting. Fully staged. 18 Jose Iturbi—Edna Saunders June 13, 1944 HSO, First 1944 Summer Concert, Miller Theatre

Unknown date: Jesus Maria Sanromá, pianist—Tuesday Musical Club

74 SELECTED CALENDAR OF HOUSTON MUSICAL EVENTS 1944-45 Oct. 18, 1944 Patrice Munsel—Community Concerts, Edna Saunders 23 HSO, Drusilla Huffmaster, Hoffman conducting 30 James Melton—Community Concerts, Edna Saunders Nov. 6 HSO, Drusilla Huffmaster, Hoffman conducting 8 Erica Morini—Tuesday Musical Club 11 Naughty Marietta 12 HSO Pops, Grace Moore, Hoffman conducting 18 La Argentina Company, Carlos Montoya—Edna Saunders 25 Arthur Rubinstein—Community Concerts, Edna Saunders 27 HSO, Percy Grainger, Hoffman conducting Dec. 3 Don Cossack Chorus—Edna Saunders 10 Bartlett and Casadesus—Edna Saunders 11 HSO, Robert Casadesus, Hoffman conducting 17 HSO Pops, Paul Wittgenstein, Hoffman conducting 27 HSO, La Traviata 28 HSO, Il Trovatore Jan. 9, 1945 Jose Iturbi—Edna Saunders 14 HSO, Eric Sorantin, Hoffman conducting 22 HSO, Mack Harrell, Hoffman conducting 24 Leonard Warren—Tuesday Musical Club 31 New York City Center Opera Feb. 4 Tito Guizar—Edna Saunders 12 HSO, Ruth Posselt, Hoffman conducting 18 HSO, Alec Templeton, Hoffman conducting 23 HSO, Hoffman conducting 27 Rudolf Firkusny—Tuesday Musical Club Mar. 5 Jan Peerce—Edna Saunders 7 Roland Hayes—Edna Saunders 12 HSO, Jascha Heifetz, Hoffman conducting 13-14 Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo—Edna Saunders 18 HSO Pops, Betty Ruth Robbins, Hoffman conducting 20 HSO, La Boheme “for colored people.” 24 Isaac Stern—Edna Saunders 26 Marian Anderson—Edna Saunders April 1 HSO Pops, Hoffman conducting 2 HSO, Gladys Swarthout, Hoffman conducting 6 HSO, Oscar Levant, Hoffman conducting 14 HSO, La Boheme, Hoffman conducting. Fully staged. 18 Minneapolis Symphony, Dimitri Mitropoulos, CCC 20 Columbia Opera Company June 17, 1945 First Concert of HSO 1945 Summer Season, Miller Theatre

75 SELECTED CALENDAR OF HOUSTON MUSICAL EVENTS 1945-46

October 12, 1945 HSO, Hoffman conducting 18 Blanche Thebom—Edna Saunders, Music Hall, CCC Nov. 5 HSO, Helen Jepson, Hoffman conducting 8 Zodel Skolovsky—Tuesday Musical Club 13 Fritz Kreisler—Edna Saunders, Music Hall 24 Don Cossack Chorus—Edna Saunders, Music Hall 26 HSO, Jeanne Therrien, Hoffman conducting 27 Markova Dancers-Edna Saunders, Music Hall, CCC Dec. 8 Artur Rubinstein—Edna Saunders, Music Hall 10 HSO, Zino Francescatti, Hoffman conducting 11 Nino Martini—Edna Saunders, Music Hall, CCC 17 HSO, Virginia Jean, Hoffman conducting 17-20 Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo—Edna Saunders, Music Hall January 7, 1946 HSO, Fredell Lack, Hoffman conducting 21 HSO, North Texas State College Choir, Hoffman 23 Robert Casadesus-Edna Saunders, Music Hall, CCC 28 Jacques Abram—Edna Saunders 29 Gordon String Quartet—Tuesday Musical Club Feb. 11 HSO, William Kapell, Hoffman conducting March 1 HSO, Ballet Theater, Hoffman conducting 4 HSO, Helen Traubel, Hoffman conducting 12 HSO, Hoffman conducting 14 Isaac Stern—Edna Saunders, Music Hall, CCC 23 Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra—Edna Saunders, Music Hall, CCC 25 HSO, Hoffman conducting April 3 Jennie Tourel—Tuesday Musical Club 15 HSO, Hoffman conducting May 14 Philadelphia Orchestra, Eugene Ormandy conducting 15 Desert Song—Edna Saunders June 11 First Summer Concert for HSO, Miller Theatre 28-29 Chocolate Soldier—Summertime Opera Company July 12-13 Firefly—Summertime Opera Company July 26-27, 1946 New Moon—Summertime Opera Company

76 SELECTED CALENDAR OF HOUSTON MUSICAL EVENTS 1946-47

Oct. 7, 1946 Eleanor Steber—Edna Saunders, Community Concerts 19 Strauss Festival 21 Icelandic Singers—Edna Saunders 22 Budapest String Quartet—Edna Saunders, Music Hall Nov. 4 HSO, Ewin Lear, Hoffman conducting 7 James Melton—Edna Saunders 11 Marcel Dupre'—American Guild of Organists 13 Maryla Jonas—Tuesday Musical Club 18 HSO, Carlos Chavez, Hoffman conducting 20 Don Cossack Chorus—Edna Saunders 23 Robert Casadesus—Edna Saunders, City Auditorium, CCC Dec. 9 HSO, Jacques Abram, Hoffman conducting 25-27 Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo—Edna Saunders Jan. 6, 1947 HSO, Efrem Kurtz conducting 9 Irene Manning—Ted Roggen 11-12 Carmen Jones—Edna Saunders 16 Zino Francescatti—Edna Saunders, Music Hall, CCC 20 HSO, Ezio Pinza, Fred Gibbons, Hoffman conducting 30 Nathan “Tossy” Spivakovsky—Tuesday Musical Club Feb. 3 Torsten Ralf—Edna Saunders, Music Hall, CCC 5 William Doty—American Guild of Organists 10 HSO, William Kapell, Hoffman conducting 12 Antonio and Rosario, flamenco—Edna Saunders, CCC 15 Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Fritz Reiner conducting—Edna Saunders 22 HSO, Fredell Lack, Hoffman conducting on NBC radio, City Auditorium, KPRC, Hampton Keathley, ann. 24 HSO, Alfred Mirovitch, Hoffman conducting 25-26 Original Ballet Russe—Edna Saunders Mar. 3 Julius Huehn—Tuesday Musical Club 4 Trapp Family Singers—Edna Saunders 5 Shura Cherkassky—Dick Wheeler (cancelled) 6 Marian Anderson—Edna Saunders 7 Azalea Musical Festival, Gluck’s Orpheus, Bayou Bend 8 HSO, Bach’s Mass in b minor, North Texas State Teacher’s College School of Music, Hoffman conducting 12 Martha Graham Dancers 16 Ballet Theater 17 HSO, Erika Morini, Hoffman conducting Mar. 19, 1947 Rudolf Serkin—Community Concerts, Edna Saunders

SELECTED CALENDAR OF HOUSTON MUSICAL EVENTS (continued)

1946-47

Mar. 29, 1947 San Francisco Symphony, Pierre Monteux, conducting 31 HSO, Reginald Stewart, Hoffman conducting April 10 Dorothy Maynor—Edna Saunders 14 HSO, Albino Torres, Hoffman conducting 19 Lauritz Melchior and Orchestra—Edna Saunders 22 Lily Pons—Edna Saunders 22 Gladys Swarthout—Dick Wheeler (cancelled) 23 Houston Chorale First Public Concert, Al Urbach Conducting May 6-7 Metropolitan Opera—Edna Saunders, City Auditorium 11 Houston Chorale, Christ Episcopal Church, Al Urbach conducting—American Guild of Organists 14 Jose Iturbi, Benefit for Texas City victims June 17-18 First 1947 Summer Concert of HSO, Miller Theatre 30 Houston Chorale, Miller Outdoor Theatre, Al Urbach conducting July 10 Merry Widow—Summertime Opera Company July 23, 1947 Roberta—Summertime Opera Company

78 SELECTED CALENDAR OF HOUSTON MUSICAL EVENTS 1947-48

Nov. 3, 1947 HSO, Carlos Chavez conducting 10 Menahem Pressler—Tuesday Musical Club, San Jacinto High School Auditorium 11 HSO Pops, Benny Goodman 17 HSO, Hans Schweiger conducting 19 Don Cossack Chorus—Edna Saunders 20 HSO, Hoffman conducting 24 Paganini Quartet—Tuesday Musical Club, San Jacinto HS 25 HSO Pops, Morton Gould conducting Dec. 1 HSO, Claudio Arrau, Maurice Abravanel conducting 3 Vatican Choir 5-6 New York City Center Opera Company—Edna Saunders 10 HSO, “Negro” Student Concert 15 HSO, Isaac Stern, Frieder Weissman conducting 22 Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo—Edna Saunders 30 Sylvia Zaremba—Edna Saunders Jan. 3, 1948 Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Edna Saunders, Music Hall 5 HSO, Leonard Bernstein, conducting, Music Hall 7 Nathan Milstein—Edna Saunders, Music Hall, Civic Music 8 Arthur Rubinstein—Edna Saunders, City Auditorium 14 Luboschutz and Nemenoff—Edna Saunders, Civic Music 19 HSO, Georges Enesco conducting, City Auditorium 28 Jeannette McDonald—Edna Saunders, City Auditorium 29 Marian Anderson—Edna Saunders, City Auditorium Feb. 2 HSO, Eugene List, Walter Hendl conducting 3 E. Power Biggs—American Guild of Organists 7 Maryla Jonas—Edna Saunders 10 Licia Albanese—Edna Saunders 16 HSO, Edmund Kurtz, Tauno Hannikainen conducting 17 William Kapell—Edna Saunders, Music Hall, CCC 19 Robert Casadesus 24 Mariam Solovieff—Tuesday Musical Club—San Jacinto 25 Ezio Pinza—Civic Music 28 First Piano Quartet—Edna Saunders March 1 HSO, Nicole Henriot, Charles Munch conducting 8 HSO, Efrem Kurtz conducting 11 Nelson Eddy—Edna Saunders 11-14 Texas Creative Arts Festival 12 Martha Graham Dancers—Edna Saunders, Music Hall March 13, 1948 HSO, Frederick Fennell, Texas Composer Concert

79 SELECTED CALENDAR OF HOUSTON MUSICAL EVENTS (continued) 1947-48

Mar. 14, 1948 HSO, Verdi Requiem 16 Jolanda di Maria Petris—Tuesday Musical Club, San Jacinto Auditorium 18 James Melton—Edna Saunders 22 HSO, Bettye Ruth Robbins, Igor Butekoff conducting April 5 HSO, Massimo Freccia conducting 7 William Primrose—Edna Saunders, Music Hall, CCC 16 Houston Chorale, Music Hall, Al Urbach and Arthur Hall conducting 23 Rudolf Firkusny—Edna Saunders May 10 Philadelphia Orchestra, Eugene Ormandy conducting 23 Houston Chorale, South Main Baptist Church, Al Urbach conducting—American Guild of Organists June 8 First Concerts of 1948 HSO Summer Season, Miller Theatre, Hoffman conducting 21 Die Fledermaus—Summertime Opera Company 29 Houston Chorale, Miller Outdoor Theatre, Al Urbach conducting July 2 Houston Chorale, San Jacinto Monument, Al Urbach conducting—Texas Bar Association 5 Desert Song—Summertime Opera Company July 9, 1948 Girl Crazy—Summertime Opera Company

80 CHAPTER THREE

GREAT EXPECTATIONS

1948-1955

Although the Houston Symphony Orchestra dominated the musical life of the city during the early nineteen-forties, it began to spawn a host of other musical ventures as well. Born of its predecession were the Houston Youth Symphony, the Houston Chorale, the Civic Music Association, and the Houston Music Guild. The coming of Efrem Kurtz was accompanied by a sizeable immigration of professional musicians to the city. Only twenty-seven members of the 1947 Orchestra who auditioned for Kurtz were re-engaged. Some left; others did not audition; two refused contracts.1 As a result, more than two-thirds of the 1948 orchestra was new. Kurtz searched the country for fresh talent. In New York, he auditioned three hundred players, then went to Tanglewood, and on to California, stopping in six cities along the way to audition prospects for the Houston orchestra.2 Doubtless, much of the flurry of musical activity in Houston during the Kurtz’ years resulted from the arrival of fifty-seven new instrumental performers on the local scene.3 Kurtz had left his native St. Petersburg during the Revolution and had fled to Germany. In 1933, he went to Paris where Colonel Wasily de Basil offered him a position with the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo. It was during his Ballet Russe years that Houston first met Kurtz and that a long-standing rivalry with Antal Dorati developed.4 Kurtz brought a

1 Houston Post, April 21, 1948, Sec. I, p. 8.

2 “Southwest Music Triumph: Houston Symphony Orchestra,” Christian Science Monitor Magazine, May 20, 1950, p. 12.

3 Houston Post, October 10, 1948, Sec. IV, p. 23.

4 “Arts: Story of a Conductor,” Newsweek, April 20, 1942, p. 65.

81 reputation as an audience favorite from his years in Kansas City. His conducting experience had included the Los Angeles, Cleveland, Detroit, and NBC Orchestras, as well as the New York Philharmonic. Houston, he said, was . . . known as a city whose wealth, power and astonishing growth are about to result in most significant artistic developments. This city is not only the current industrial prodigy of the nation; it bulks large in the cultural picture, as well.5

Raphael Fliegel was retained as concertmaster.6 Moreover, Kurtz was greeted by a new symphony manager, Tom Johnson, who replaced Frances Deering.7 Most of the personnel shuffling was completed by the summer of 1948; a new assistant conductor, Orlando Barera, arrived in time to conduct the summer symphony concerts which for the first time were financed entirely by the City Parks and Recreation Department.8

Virginia Plunkett produced a successful season of Summertime Light Opera musicals that enjoyed John Brownlee as director and included Die Fledermaus, Desert Song, and Girl Crazy.9 In the midst of summer, Kurtz announced the premiere of Copland’s Red Pony for the opening concert of the 1948 season. At the same time, Roy Harris and Don Gillis were commissioned to compose works for the orchestra.10 These announcements garnered national attention for the publicity impoverished organization and helped convince the skeptics that the orchestra was serious in it bid for major status.11

5 Houston Post, April 6, 1948, Sec. I, p. 10.

6 Houston Post, May 13, 1948, Sec. I, p. 18.

7 Houston Post, May 16, 1948, Sec. IV, p. 23.

8 Houston Post, June 9, 1948, Sec. II, p. 6.

9 Houston Post, June 29, 1948, Sec. II, p. 6.

10 Houston Post, June 27, 1948, Sec. II, p. 3.

82 Ernst Hoffmann was named visiting conductor at Indiana University in August and left Houston after more than a decade of tireless endeavor in the city’s behalf.12 No Houston conductor until Barbirolli would again receive the genuine affection of the people of Houston in so great a measure. The October arrival of Mr. and Mrs. Efrem Kurtz and their poodle Dandy signaled the beginning of the musical season. Kurtz bore the title of Musical Director and commanded a salary of $30,000 for the first two years of his three-year contract.13 The size of the orchestra increased from seventy-two to eighty-four musicians who were paid a minimum scale of $70.14 The Texas Gulf Sulphur Company again sponsored a series of twenty-six radio concerts,15 and for the first time in the symphony’s history, the subscription series sold out before the opening of the season.16 Hugh Roy Cullen introduced Kurtz to the opening night audience. Cullen alluded to the work of his good personal friend, Ernst Hoffmann, and also expressed thanks to the late Walter Walne, Joseph Mullen, Miss Hogg, Gus Wortham, and Joseph Smith for their years of guidance and support. Unstated, but obvious to all, was the unstinting loyalty of Cullen himself through all the crises the orchestra had survived in its recent history.17 The concert itself was a “brilliant debut” for Kurtz and

11 “Houston,” Violins, July, 1954, p. 175.

12 Houston Post, August 20, 1948, Sec. I, p. 16.

13 The New York Times, April 4, 1948, Sec. I, p. 62.

14 “Efrem Kurtz to Houston,” Variety, April 4, 1948, p. 6.

15 Houston Post, October 17, 1948, Sec. IV, p. 23.

16 Houston Post, November 29, 1948, Sec. I, p. 24.

17 Houston Post, November 3, 1948, Sec. II, p. 6.

83 the musicians;18 in only a few weeks, the orchestra became a thoroughly unified ensemble. After the fourth concert, Roussel trumpeted, “There is no longer any reason to speak of ‘promise’ in connection with this excellent instrument; it is ‘there.’”19 In November, the Henke and Pillot food chain announced sponsorship of a special series of five free orchestra concerts. Within thirty-six hours, the 4,250 tickets for the first performance were gone.20 Houston, even in these comparatively early days of its serious musical development, garnered among its prized possessions a business community responsive to the arts. Frank St. Leger and Ernst Hoffmann had done much to develop a public consciousness of need. John Rosenfield once wrote, “Symphony support in the southwest is unique for it is a civic duty--not a cultural or social hobby. Not one man in fifty who pays likes music.”21 In at article that described the Henke patronage, The New York Times breezily noted the Houston scene, reporting: Some cities are finding it hard getting the necessary cash for their symphony orchestras. But not in Houston, the largest city in Texas. The bell on the till seems to be ringing merrily down there.22

No small factor in the financial support of musical activity in Houston was the success of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Antal Dorati and the San Antonio Symphony under Max Reiter. The local Houston chieftains longed for greater exposure through recordings, tours, broadcasts, and the printed media. Dorati had been Kurtz’ assistant with the Ballet Russe. Both men were imaginative,

18 Houston Post, November 2, 1948, Sec. II, p. 6.

19 Houston Post, December 14, 1948, Sec. II, p. 6.

20 Houston Post, November 7, 1948, Sec. IV, p. 29.

21 John Rosenfield, “The Resident Arts,” Southwestern Review, XXXIV (1949), p. 10.

22 The New York Times, January 2, 1949, Sec. II, p. 7.

84 vigorous, and aware of the value of publicity. After Kurtz revitalized the Kansas City Philharmonic, Dorati came to Dallas and accomplished a similar mission. Without doubt, the renown of the Dallas orchestra under Dorati became a direct stimulus to the development of the Houston Symphony. John Rosenfield, critic of the Dallas Morning News, flatly stated, “It is something less than inference to say the Dorati era cost Hoffmann his job and two [Houston] Symphony Presidents their peace of mind.”23 Ironically, after a concert by the Dallas Symphony in Houston in 1949, Dorati resigned his post in Dallas to accept the Mitropoulos podium in Detroit, leaving Kurtz, happily, regionally unchallenged by his rival of so many years.24 In February 1949, Igor Stravinsky conducted the Houston orchestra, and Manager Tom Johnson announced an expanded season of twenty weeks for the 1949-50 season.25 During the spring, the second annual Texas Creative Arts Festival featured works selected in the Texas Composers’ Contest. Both events promulgated the emergence of Houston’s musical talent and acknowledged the premium that the city placed on the nurture of its own developing artists.26 Virginia Plunkett’s second season arrived under the baton of Frederick Fennell and the stage direction of John Brownlee after some uncertainties securing financial backing.27 Many local singers found opportunity in these productions, though imported star performers often commanded the lead roles. A new Assistant Conductor of the Symphony

23 John Rosenfield, “The Resident Arts,” Southwestern Review, XXXIV, 16.

24 Houston Post, January 6, 1949, Sec. III, p. 6.

25 “Houston Symphony Will Increase Concerts,” Musical Courier, March 1, 1949, p. 11.

26 Houston Post, March 6, 1949, Sec. IV, p. 16.

27 Houston Post, January 16, 1949, Sec. II, p. 2; Houston Post, March 13, 1949, Sec. IV, p. 23.

85 conducted the summer concerts at Miller Theatre. Andor Toth, former Assistant Concertmaster of the Cleveland Symphony, reported, I gave up my Cleveland position to come to Houston because of the greater opportunity here. This is the most musically interesting region in the country today—and Houston is the city everyone is talking about.28

In the fall of 1949, Houston enjoyed its most active concert season in history. The Civic Music organization, now on firm footing, announced its series of Jerome Hines, Andres Segovia, Arturo Michelangeli, Gladys Swarthout, and Isaac Stern.29 The Tuesday Music Club continued its long and successful policy of sponsoring performances by rapidly- emerging artists which in 1949 included Elena Nikolaidi, Szymon Goldberg, and Nikolai and Joanna Graudan. Edna Saunders brought Leonard Warren, Nelson Eddy, the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo, Yehudi Menuhin, Rose Bampton, Lauritz Melchior, James Melton, and the Metropolitan Opera. Other performing artists were sponsored variously by the Houston Youth Symphony, the American Guild of Organists, and the Houston Music Teachers’ Association.30 In the fall of 1949, the Symphony presented an impressive list of guest soloists, a proposed first national tour under Kurtz, and an expanded season that included twenty-six radio concerts, ten youth concerts, and five pops concerts sponsored by the Henke and Pillot Company.31 In October, Columbia Records announced the engagement of Kurtz and the Houston Symphony to record four seventy-eight rpm

28 Houston Post, June 14, 1949, Sec. I, p. 18.

29 Houston Post, September 4, 1949, Sec. II, p. 2.

30 Frances Deering, “Survey of Houston Music,” Musical America, February, 1950, p. 366.

31 Houston Post, September 16, 1949, Sec. IV, p. 23.

86 records and two LP’s in December.32 The Houston Youth Symphony and the Music Guild Quartet enjoyed expanded seasons, but the three-year- old Houston Chorale announced it might be forced to cancel its season because of the failure of its fund drive.33 The Museum of Fine Arts continued to provide opportunity for local performing artists through its series of weekly Sunday Musicales. In November, Claudia Cassidy, fine arts critic for the Chicago Tribune, reported, Just last week the Chicago Symphony Orchestra finally went over the top in the drive to coax $155,000 from sustaining members . . . Down in Texas, the Houston Orchestra asked for a maintenance fund of $163,000 and in one week had $168,000. Under the direction of Efrem Kurtz, the orchestra will have a twenty-six week season, a 4,000 mile tour, and guest conductors including Sir Thomas Beecham, Dimitri Mitropoulos, and Virgil Thompson. And when the orchestra comes to Chicago March 5, it will bring us what apparently is to be our first hearing of Prokofiev’s Symphony No. 6.34

Sir Thomas Beecham and the Columbia Records crew arrived in Houston about the same time. More than 4,000 persons heard the Beecham concert which moved the noted conductor to remark, “There’s no question about it; the orchestra is one of the finest in the United States.”35 Richard Gilbert, head of Columbia Masterworks Division, likewise exclaimed, “The Houston Symphony was a happy surprise to us all. This is really an excellent orchestra. . . . We were hardly prepared to encounter so much genuine brilliance in the ensemble.”36 Houston’s dreams of musical recognition were partially dashed, however, when it

32 Houston Post, October 19, 1949, Sec. I. p. 12.

33 Houston Chronicle, November 6, 1949, Sec. D, p. 20.

34 Houston Post, November 13, 1949, Sec. V, p. 1.

35 Houston Post, December 16, 1949, Sec. II, p. 10.

36 Houston Post, December 15, 1949, Sec. II, p. 15.

87 was learned that the orchestra had recorded music from South Pacific and Kiss Me Kate, Satie’s Parade, Auric’s Les Matelots, and the Faure Pavanne for Orchestra—hardly a diet for a musical gourmand. The spring tour by the orchestra wrought more as an artistic success than did the first recordings. Claudia “Acid” Cassidy of the Chicago Tribune called the ensemble “a crisp, competent orchestra,” while the St. Louis Post Dispatch labeled the Houston orchestra a “top flight outfit, guided by musicianship, and fired by ambition.”37 The orchestra returned from the tour amid frantic preparations in Houston for the arrival of Auturo Toscanini and the NBC Orchestra. Freshly covered seat pads, borrowed from Rice Stadium, graced each chair in the parquet section of the City Auditorium. Fans had been secured for each member of the audience, and hopes were high that the April heat wave might relent for the concert. Wednesday, April 26th, the orchestra’s sixteen-car train arrived in Houston. On Thursday, the one hundred six members of the orchestra endured a grueling four-hour rehearsal prior to the concert. Toscanini was reported to be appalled with the condition and acoustics of the City Auditorium and with the oppressive heat. That night, some 4,400 patrons packed the Auditorium for the concert. The heat and humidity were devastating. Cellist Frank Miller reported that within ten minutes on stage he was soaked with perspiration. Toscanini was reported to have nearly fainted during the slow movement of the Eroica. Orchestra members said his eyes glazed; he seemed faint, then pulled himself together and regained his vigorous beat. At intermission, the maestro stripped to the waist in the wings, fanned himself with a bamboo fan, and dried his coat before an electric fan. Toscanini’s grandson Walfredo rushed by cab to the new Shamrock Hotel to get fresh shirts. By concert’s end, the entire orchestra was

37 David Colvig, “Successful Houston Tour,” Symphony, April, 1950, p. 7.

88 sapped of its energy, and Toscanini refused to play an encore for the first time on the tour. Life Magazine recorded the evening, which concluded with the Shamrock re-opening its pool late that night for the relief of the haggard musicians.38 So intense had been the heat and humidity that the glue had loosened on the fingerboard of violinist Mischa Mischakoff’s Stradivarius.39 The inadequacies of the City Auditorium were further highlighted by the visit of the Metropolitan Opera in May. Houston had worked tirelessly to get the Met to come. The 1950 visit had been secured largely through the efforts of Edna Saunders and the influence of Jesse Jones, former Secretary of Commerce, and leading citizen of Houston.40 To the dismay of the company, the stage of the City Auditorium had to be stripped of equipment due to malfunction and neglect. The Met crews repaired, replaced, and improvised. “People with a hall like this,” quipped the master mechanic, “shouldn’t expect to have opera.”41 The City Auditorium received as much national publicity through the NBC and Metropolitan visit as did any other facet of Houston’s cultural life. Harold Taubman bemoaned to The New York Times’ readers, Houston boasts of the speed of its growth and its pre-eminence among Texas cities. It has nothing to crow over when it comes to the City Auditorium . . . with 4,500 people packed into the place, it was like a steaming oven.42

Hubert Roussel had long ballyhooed for a more adequate hall. On the eve of discussions over a proposed six-million-dollar sports stadium,

38 Dorman Winfrey, Auturo Toscanini in Texas: the 1950 NBC Tour (Austin: Encino Press, 1967), pp. 9-12.

39 Houston Chronicle, April 28, 1950, Sec. A, p. 15.

40 Houston Post, January 1, 1950, Sec. III, p. 3.

41 Houston Post, May 2, 1950, Sec. I, p. 10.

42 The New York Times, May 14, 1950, Sec. II, p. 7.

89 the salty critic wrote a memorable commentary on Houston concert customs in the forties. What was needed, Roussel said, was . . . a $6 million music hall to accommodate the Houston Symphony Orchestra and wrestling matches. It should have such innovations as the most spectacular including a glassed-in coughing room with piped-in sound for all those that bring colds to the concerts. It should also have trap doors in the aisles for all late-comers, with the basement as a holdover—if it proved large enough. It should also have piped soda water to every seat and a ventilation system—an absolute novelty. Finally, it should have built-in slippers for women who can only listen with their shoes off.43

Following a survey of orchestra members that revealed greater dissatisfaction over the hall than any other single factor including salary, Efrem Kurtz, Miss Hogg, and others visited Mayor Oscar Holcombe in the spring of 1950 to solicit his support for a new music hall.44 The Coliseum Music Hall had never proved adequate for local demands. It suffered from poor acoustics, limited seating, and an unfortunately small orchestra pit. Though the city had constructed a new amphitheater in Hermann Park in 1948,45 it had shown little interest in the insufficiencies of both the City Auditorium and the Music Hall. “The city government of Houston,” blasted the Houston Post, “is hardly more deeply concerned for the aesthetic sensibilities of the citizenship than it is over the recent reports of an outbreak of psoriasis among the natives of British East Africa.”46 However, despite general acknowledgment of a deplorable, embarrassing facility, the City Auditorium was to stand another fifteen years before falling to make way for a new hall.

43 Houston Post, February 16, 1949, Sec. II, p. 4.

44 Hope Stoddard, “As Orchestra Members See It,” International Musician, September, 1949, pp. 11-12.

45 Houston Post, June 9, 1948, Sec. II, p. 6.

46 Houston Post, May 11, 1948, Sec. I, p. 12.

90 In May, a new venture, the Outdoor Lyric Theatre of Houston, rented the public school stadium for the summer to present a series of musicals. The professional production company made large installations of lighting and sound equipment and announced an outstanding roster of star that included Sterling Holloway, Virginia Gibson, Carol Bruce, and Billy Gilbert.47 Virginia Plunkett countered by announcing a Summertime season which included the Vagabond King with Marguerite Piazza, Bittersweet with Ethel Barrymore Colt, and Irene with Ethel Shutta, Betty Greene, Jack Sheehan, and Kay Conner. Frederick Fennell and John Brownlee directed the Plunkett season.48 Houston and Los Angeles were the only cities in the United States to have two summer production companies active in 1950. 49 However, despite the critical success of both the Lyric and Summertime companies, attendance was low. The outbreak of the Korean War had depressed business throughout the nation. The Lyric lowered its prices mid-season, and sales did improve. Despite increased late season attendance, however, the Lyric Theatre cut its season short and cancelled its last production.50 Amid the flurry of other summer activity, the University of Houston announced an expansion of its music department coupled with a liaison agreement with the Houston Symphony Orchestra. Up to this time, the University of Houston had caught the public eye only by some intermittent choral offerings. Not since earlier history when some Symphony members had served Mozart Hammond’s Houston Conservatory had such an employment link agreement existed.

47 Houston Post, June 9, 1949, Sec. II, p. 6.

48 Houston Post, May 14, 1950, Sec. V, p. 4

49 Houston Post, August 2, 1950, Sec. II, p. 4.

50 Houston Post, July 8, 1950, Sec. I, p. 20.

91 Under the University of Houston plan, opportunity was provided the musicians for additional employment at the University while conversely, the college was afforded an outstanding performing nucleus that it could have otherwise ill afforded. At the same time, the University of Houston announced the opening of a Department of Sacred Music.51 New faculty members included Edward Bing, Louise Rose, pianist Jack Armistead, Joseph Henkel, Edythe Wagner, and Dr. Paul Koepke. Among the symphony members, University appointments were announced for Houston Symphony Orchestra assistant conductor Andor Toth, Al Urbach, Raphael Fliegel, and Marion Davies.52 One of the Miller Theatre performing groups in the summer of 1950 was the highly successful Houston Youth Symphony whose concerts were sponsored by the City of Houston.53 Sidney J. Palmer, local musician, composer, and winner of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra’s “Harold Abrams Award” also formed a second organization for high school performers about this time. This fifty-member orchestra, the Houston Symphonette, first performed in May at the Music Hall and, like the Houston Youth Symphony, dedicated itself to the integration of music with other art forms.54 An interesting concept of sponsorship was suggested by Mrs. Eleanor Weatherly who proposed a recital series by seven major artists at the Carter Music Company Recital Hall. Seating would be limited to two hundred forty, and tickets for the series would be set at approximately one hundred and twenty dollars per seat. The elite series never materialized but gave evidence of the distorted image of Houston

51 “Houston University will give church Music Degree,” Diapason, October 1, 1950, p. 34.

52 Houston Post, August 20, 1950, Sec. V, p. 1.

53 Houston Post, July 30, 1950, Sec. V, p. 2.

54 Houston Post, April 16, 1950, Sec V, p. 3; August 27, 1950, Sec. V, p. 1.

92 resulting from exaggerated descriptions of wealth that surfaced during the opening of Glenn McCarthy’s Shamrock Hotel.55 Several conductors who were later to play major roles in the cultural development of the city of Houston were given introduction during this era. A 1948 back page news item reported, “The newest young man after Jan August, Duchin, Carle is the young talented pounder of the 88’s named Andre Previn.”56 Previn ultimately followed Sir John Barbirolli in succession to the Houston Symphony Orchestra musical leadership. In 1950, another future conductor of the Houston Symphony, Leopold Stokowski, first appeared before the city as guest conductor as had Efrem Kurtz. Stokowski was generous in his praise of the orchestra. “Beecham,” said Stokowski, “told me that I would find a great orchestra here; that I would delight in conducting it.”57 “The Houston Symphony Orchestra is one of the great orchestras of the world today. Its players are all artists; its ensemble is perfect.”58 These words seem more likely to have been coined by some public relations specialist. Later, in a Dallas interview, Stokowski provoked more City Auditorium controversy when he affirmed the orchestra’s quality, but commented, “An unpleasant contrast is the City Auditorium in Houston where I conducted last week. The acoustics were so poor that they did little justice to the superb Houston Symphony.”59 Edna Saunders, who had remained quiet in the press, was annoyed by the presence of an annual carnival immediately adjacent to the neighboring Music Hall. She echoed Stokowski’s complaint.

55 Houston Chronicle, July 28, 1950, Sec. A, p. 19.

56 Houston Post, July 4, 1948, Sec. I, p. 13.

57 Houston Post, November 29, 1950, Sec. I, p. 16.

58 Houston Post, December 5, 1950, Sec. II, p. 7.

59 Houston Post, December 14, 1950, Sec. II, p. 12.

I have simply reached the point of disgust. The city shows an utter disregard for the rights of people who rent the Music Hall or go to it. Street shows surround it for five weeks. Parking is impossible, and bedlam makes it impossible to hear. . . I consider this a shameful treatment of the audience for theater in Houston. I have protested in vain. The city agents are completely indifferent.60

Meanwhile, at the City Auditorium, patrons in the parquet section sat on the backs of their chairs in order better to see a performance by England’s Sadler’s Wells Ballet. Mr. A. I. Lack, the father of violinist Fredell Lack, began a fund for construction of a new hall with a gift of $5,000.61 During the spring of 1951, the Lyric and the Summertime operas both cancelled plans for the summer because of financial difficulties.62 However, more permanent drama was provided with the construction of the three-hundred-seat Playhouse on South Main, a new theater designed specifically for productions in-the-round.63 The Music Guild, which had circuited from one auditorium to the next in its history, soon reserved the Playhouse’s dark Monday evenings for its chamber concerts. Not only were the acoustics good, but the theater’s intimate seating arrangement enhanced the special nature of the Guild’s performances.64 The University of Houston continued to develop its musical impact on the city. During the summer of 1951, the University’s Attic Opera presented three productions, and in August, the Symphony announced it would perform five 1951 concerts at the University’s Cullen

60 Houston Post, December 15, 1950, Sec. III, p. 3.

61 Houston Post, October 22, 1950, Sec. V, p. 1.

62 Houston Post, April 18, 1951, Sec. III, p. 3; April 29, 1951, Sec. V, p. 1.

63 Houston Post, August 22, 1950, Sec. I, p. 23.

64 Houston Post, March 20, 1951, Sec. I, p. 8.

94 Auditorium.65 About the same time, the University snared the Music Guild and established a Fine Arts Series of its own on campus.66 Another aspect of the University’s music program began to attract national attention. Eddie Gerlach, former tenor saxophonist with Tex Beneke, formed a University dance band and offered three courses in music arranging. The twenty-four-piece band that quickly evolved found itself quite active with radio and television performances and was thrown into the national entertainment spotlight.67 The Gerlach aggregation was strengthened by several former big band musicians and proved a forerunner of the later lab band movement in colleges across the United States. Though the attendance was down for the 1951-52 symphony season, the quality was decidedly up.68 Kurtz had built a solid orchestra that had proved its mettle both at home and on tour. In a reminiscent mood, Kurtz reflected, When I first went to Houston, it was my first duty to convince the citizens . . . that it is not worthwhile to support a mediocre orchestra, that this would be throwing money away. A first class orchestra, though more expensive in the running, is still a saving, since it pays its way in prestige for the town and in the enjoyment of its citizens. . . I choose the best first-chair men I can. Then orchestra members are attracted by the twenty-four week season, and the salary I offer makes it worth their while.69

65 Houston Post, July 1, 1951, Sec. V, p. 1.

66 Houston Post, August 26, 1951, Sec. V, p. 1.

67 Downbeat, September 7, 1951, p. 13. (Photograph of Gerlach.)

68 Houston Post, November 22, 1951, Sec. I, p. 16.

69 Hope Stoddard, “As the Conductor Sees It,” International Musician, September 1949, p. 10.

Newsweek well summarized the first Kurtz’ years in a lengthy tribute to the orchestra: In the four years since coming, Kurtz has built the orchestra into one of the nation’s most aggressive and vital musical forces. Last year, the Houston Symphony was the fourth highest earner among major orchestras of the country. . . .Operating on the biggest budget in the Southwest, the Symphony plays regular subscription series, free pop concerts, free park concerts, and low-cost student concerts. It is active on radio, on records, on tour, and annually holds a Texas composers’ competition.70

Guest conductors and visiting metropolitan critics were unanimous in their praise of the orchestra Kurtz had developed. After conducting all three of the major Texas orchestras, Virgil Thompson wrote, “The Houston Symphony Orchestra is a virtuoso group comparable throughout to the northern orchestras. It is a major orchestra and among the better ones.”71 The orchestra is “. . . a remarkably youthful, vibrant, and high-spirited ensemble . . . with a verve and vitality not always found in some of the older symphonic bands,” wrote Olin Downes. “I am delighted at the precision and finish of the orchestra and of its uniformly excellent first chairs.”72 In the spring of 1952, local musical activity was burgeoning. The Houston Chorale was on its feet financially and musically and had been pressed by its popularity to divide into two smaller seventy-voice units.73 The University of Houston named Dr. Merrills Lewis Chairman of its music department and announced plans for a May Music Festival that was to include performances by its resident ensembles and of two short

70 “Guion’s Texas,” Newsweek, February 18, 1952, p. 90.

71 Houston Post, April 9, 1950, Sec. V, p. 1.

72 Houston Post, March 26, 1952, Sec. II, p. 7.

73 Houston Post, March 31, 1952, Sec VI, p. 1.

96 operas.74 The Houston Symphony musicians signed a three-year contract and hosted a sponsors’ gala concert which featured three guest conductors: Hugh Roy Cullen directing “I’ll See You Home Again, Kathleen”; Mayor Oscar Holcombe leading “Auld Lang Syne”; and Symphony Society President W. D. Sutherland conducting “The Stars and Stripes Forever.”75 The Metropolitan Opera returned for its third Houston season in 1952 and admitted that it was forced to select operas for Houston performance that could be accommodated on the small City Auditorium stage.76 Houston was the only city on the Met’s May tour with an auditorium that lacked air-conditioning. Following the demise of the Houston Little Theatre, a new company, the Houston Music Theatre formed by Assistant Conductor Toth and the University of Houston’s Charles Gray, leased the Chelsea Street stage for a trial summer season.77 Elsewhere in town, another groups of devotees formed a society dedicated to producing Gilbert and Sullivan. Both aggregations made good their promises, and Houston saw a “stiff, but fun” production of The Gondoliers in July and several excellent musicals at the new Houston Music Theatre.78 A Houston Composers Guild was organized in January, 1953 stemming from the increased emphasis on music in higher education, from the enthusiasm for new music engendered by the annual Texas Composer’s Contest, and from the heightened level of professional

74 Houston Post, April 6, 1952, Sec. VI, p. 1.

75 David Colvig, “Three-Year Contracts for Houston Symphony,” Symphony, March, 1952, p. 3.

76 Houston Post, April 13, 1952, Sec. VI, p. 1.

77 Houston Post, May 8, 1952, Sec. VIII, p. 1.

78 Houston Post, July 15, 1952, Sec. II, p. 7

97 musical activity during the Kurtz’ years.79 This action followed a successful concert of music by Houston composers sponsored by the Contemporary Arts Museum in December, 1952. Arthur Hall, a prime force in the local organization, was selected to have his String Quartet performed at the National Gallery of Art’s American Music Festival. Hall, Director of Music for and Dominican College, was a Yale graduate and had been Associate Conductor of the Yale Glee Club.80 Despite the Houston Symphony Society’s refurbishing of the City Auditorium with tiers of cushioned seats in staggered rows, audiences were smaller during the 1952-1953 symphony season.81 Kurtz left Houston to conduct four performances of the New York Philharmonic in February in a move historically considered by Houstonians to mean lack of commitment to the local orchestra.82 While Kurtz was in New York, local critic Hubert Roussel reported the desire of Kurtz’ New York manager, Arthur Judson, to place the conductor increasingly more often on podiums other than Houston’s.83 This was the first evidence of the deteriorating infatuation between Efrem Kurtz and the Houston Symphony Society. Fredell Lack, who made her mark on Houston as a child performer, had returned to the city in 1951 accompanied by her husband and a new daughter. In the spring of 1953, she organized a series of chamber recitals at the Jewish Community Center, thus forming a second unit serving the growing Houston interest in chamber music. A second newcomer to Houston was also destined to play a major role in the

79 Houston Post, January 4, 1953, Sec. VII, p. 1.

80 Houston Post, December 3, 1952, Sec. III, p. 9.

81 Houston Post, October 19, 1952, Sec. VIII, p. 1.

82 Houston Post, December 23, 1952, Sec. II, p. 7.

83 Houston Post, February 18, 1953, Sec. II, p. 7.

98 musical growth of the city. Albert Hirsch moved to Houston in 1950 from Vermont. He had made his Town Hall debut in 1935 and had served as accompanist for a number of outstanding performers, including Zino Francescatti.84 Hirsch soloed with the summer symphony, was added to the music faculty of the University of Houston in the spring of 1953,85 and became staff pianist for the Houston Symphony some months later.86 Author George Fuermann relates that Hirsch was called upon to keep Kurtz’ dog Dandy in 1951. While on vacation, Kurtz post carded the poodle, “I’m leading a dog’s life.” To which the dog wrote back, “That’s alright. I’m being treated like a symphony conductor.”87 The Houston Music Theatre opened its 1953 summer season with a powerful production of Menotti’s The Medium starring Kathryn Gutekunst.88 The Gilbert and Sullivan Society proved its mettle with a fine production of The Mikado,89 and a new organization, Theatre, Inc., displaced the Houston Music Theatre and offered its first show, a review called Hit the Road, in the former home of the Houston Little Theatre.90 Dissatisfaction with Efrem Kurtz continued to develop. Many felt the best interests of Houston were not being well-served by a conductor who recorded so freely with other orchestras and served their podiums as well. Roussel began referring to Kurtz as “our now and again” head.91 Kurtz’ contract was not renewed by the Symphony management, but a

84 Houston Post, June 25, 1950, Sec. VI, p. 1.

85 Houston Post, May 26, 1953, Sec. II, p. 5.

86 Houston Post, December 18, 1953, Sec. IV, p. 7.

87 George Fuermann, Houston, Land of the Big Rich (Garden City, N. Y.: Doubleday, 1951) p. 177.

88 Houston Post, July 19, 1953, Sec. VIII, p. 1.

89 Houston Post, July 16, 1954, Sec. III, p. 2.

90 Houston Post, May 31, 1953, Sec. VII, p. 1.

91 Houston Post, June 21, 1953, Sec. V, p. 1.

99 letter of understanding was issued for the 1953 season. The Houston Post lamented: . . . our conductor is obviously not greatly concerned with its (HSO) interests, except as they coincide with his own personal advantage, And whose feelings about the city itself are indicated by the speed with which he quits (leaves) at every possible chance.92

In September, the Metropolitan Opera announced it would not appear in Houston the following spring. Because of the inadequacies of the City Auditorium, the Met had lost its enthusiasm for Houston. Del Monaco reportedly swore he would cancel his contract before returning to Houston again, especially in the heat of May. Max Rudolf, Director of Tours, complained, “The hall is a menace. We leave here every year with an epidemic of colds.”93 Edna Saunders immediately set about negotiating for other opera companies.94 Houston was entirely devoid of opera production in 1953 except for scattered amateur efforts. The fall 1953 music season began with Efrem Kurtz refusing to comment on either his own future or that of the Houston Symphony.95 The Jesse Jones Interests picked up the option on the Symphony’s radio broadcasts,96 and a new acoustical shell was installed on the City Auditorium stage.97 The Music Guild Quartet, Theatre, Inc., and the Houston Youth Symphony all made auspicious season debuts. In November, Columbia Records added salt to deep Houston wounds by

92 Houston Post, August 30, 1951, Sec. VII, p. 1.

93 Houston Post, May 15, 1953, Sec. IV, p. 11.

94 Houston Post, September 23, 11953, Sec. III, p. 3.

95 Houston Post, October 20, 1953, Sec. II, p. 6.

96 Houston Post, October 4, 1953, Sec. VII, p. 1.

97 Houston Post, October 27, 1953, Sec. II, p. 5.

100 presenting Kurtz a gold record for his three millionth sale, garnered almost entirely by orchestras other than the Houston Symphony.98 The Teltschik brothers made their New York Town Hall debut with excellent reviews99 and returned to their native Houston later to be presented in recital by the Houston Music Teachers Association and Steinway’s Carter Music Company.100 Ultimately, the two pianists formed a successful chain of teaching studios and combined pedagogical and performance pursuits.101 In the fall of 1953, about the time Roy Cullen gifted the University of Houston with a 2.25 million dollar gift and Baylor College of Medicine with a gift of one million dollars, Ferenc Fricsay conducted the Houston Symphony in one of the most memorable concerts in its history.102 It was reported that Fricsay was actively being sought by orchestras in both Boston and San Francisco, and he apparently was anxious to leave his conducting position in Berlin.103 Efrem Kurtz had brought the Houston Symphony Orchestra to a national reputation as a very good orchestra—but not a great one. Even with a doubled budget and a high conductor’s salary, the Symphony had suffered declining attendance over the last several years. Once again, the Symphony Society faced the question of goodness or greatness for its orchestra. Kurtz conducted some of the most masterful concerts of his Houston career during these months of unease.104 In December, the

98 “Conductor Honored by Record Company,” Musical America, November 1, 1953, p. 18.

99 Houston Post, November 22, 1953, Sec. VII, p. 3.

100 Houston Post, December 18, 1953, Sec. IV, p. 7.

101 Houston Post, November 29, 1953, Sec. VII, p. 3.

102 Houston Post, November 24, 1953, Sec. IV, p. 7.

103 Houston Post, December 17, 1953, Sec. IV, p. 5.

104 Houston Post, January 12, 1954, Sec. IV, p. 3.

101 orchestra presented a successful production of Amahl and the Night Visitors directed by the Alley Theatre’s Nina Vance.105 And in January, 1954, Dr. Merrills Lewis of the University of Houston music faculty conducted the premier of his own composition Symphony in One Movement.106 In January, Symphony Manager Tom Johnson left for New York to book the next season’s performers. And on January 17, 1954 Ferenc Fricsay was named new Principal Conductor of the Houston Symphony. Fricsay was thirty-nine years of age and was conductor of Europe’s highly respected FIAS orchestra in Berlin. Born in Budapest, Fricsay had entered the Royal Academy of Bucharest at age seven and had begun conducting at fourteen. In his twenties, he became conductor of Szeged Philharmonic Orchestra and began to direct opera at Salzburg and Berlin. First brought to this country by the Boston Symphony, he had come to national prominence in America very quickly.107 His Houston contract was for five months annually, October to Christmas, and February to March.108 By its action, the Houston Symphony Society revealed its hopes that a new man on the podium would result in increased attendance. The Fricsay announcement was greeted warmly by the public who had responded favorably to his recent concert with the orchestra. Kurtz announced he would leave Houston immediately following the closing

105 Houston Post, December 16, 1953, Sec. III, p. 11.

106 Houston Post, January 3, 1954, Sec. VII, p. 1.

107 Houston Post, January 24, 1954, Sec. VII, p. 1.

108 The New York Times, January 18, 1954, Sec. I, p. 19.

102 performance of the spring tour and would not return. “My business in Houston will be over.”109 Meanwhile, many evidences of Houston’s growing cultural maturity were beginning to emerge. An Allied Arts Association formed in 1952 by those concerned primarily with the graphic and visual arts—the Museum of Fine Arts, The Contemporary Arts Association, the Art League, and the local chapter of the American Institute of Architects. In 1953, the Music Guild and the Tuesday Musical Club joined the organization, and later the Symphony Society became a part of the Association’s membership.110 The pioneering efforts of Fredell Lack at the Jewish Community Center were developing into an annual winter series of chamber music recitals in which Albert Hirsch was an active participant. The year 1953 marked the third year for the music series.111 Like most large cities, the rivalry between Houston’s newspapers was intense. The Houston Chronicle, the Houston Post, and The Houston Press each had its avid following. Except for the brief period when Ina Gillespie had served the Chronicle, the Press and the Post had dominated the local scene for cultural news. Hubert Roussel, critic for the Post, had played a significant role in molding the shape and destiny of the city’s musical development through his commentary in both the Press and the Post. However, the Chronicle had found itself a spokesperson in Ann Holmes who was equally as vocal as Roussel. Holmes had joined the Chronicle staff in 1942 and had been Fine Arts Editor since 1948. Her accounts have provided Houston with a rich source of cultural history filled with backstage prattle and personal commentary.

109 Houston Post, March 7, 1954, Sec. V, p. 5.

110 Houston Post, October 25, 1953, Sec. VII, p. 1.

111 Houston Post, December 18, 1953, Sec. IV, p. 7.

103 Holmes and Roussel first publicly aired their oft differing points of view over the announced plans of the City of Houston to remodel the Music Hall. In November, 1953 the City of Houston revealed it had “discovered” two million dollars in bonds voted seven years previously to “make improvements to exposition grounds and buildings.” The City therefore decided to remodel the Coliseum and to enlarge and improve the Music Hall by the construction of additional wings and a new foyer, enlargement of the orchestra pit, replacement of the old seating, and revamping the Hall’s acoustics.112 Roussel and Edna Saunders issued a counter-proposal to use the funds to remodel the much larger City Auditorium in “the grand European style.” Roussel kept up his pressure on City Hall throughout February of 1954.113 Holmes, on the other hand, favored the Music Hall plans.114 Roussel returned Holmes’ fire in early March. A small but persistent effort . . . has appeared in one of the other journals of town. There is nothing surprising in that. Confusion is quite at home there.115 As if Holmes were not enough, Roussel took on Mayor Roy Hofheinz, as well. The only time I have ever known a city official of Houston to attend a Houston Symphony concert was a special occasion when Mayor Holcombe appeared, and it took the Duke and Duchess of Windsor to cause that.116 Roussel’s implication seemed to be that city officials did not know what the city really needed in a cultural facility. He further reported that Hofheinz had made a campaign promise to improve the City Auditorium.

112 Houston Post, November 8, 1953, Sec. VII, p. 1.

113 Houston Post, February 14, 1954, Sec. VII, p. l; February 18, 1954, Sec. IV, p. 4. 114 Houston Chronicle, February 21, 1954, Feature Magazine, p. 3.

115 Houston Post, March 2, 1954, Sec. IV, p. 5.

116 Houston Post, March 3, 1954, Sec. IV, p. 5. (See Houston Post, February 21, 1950, p. 1).

104 As a result of that mayoral promise, an architectural study had been commissioned with acoustical expert Dr. C. P. Boner in consultation. The resultant plans had called for interior redesign of the City Auditorium to achieve a fixed seating capacity of 3,352, lowering the stage level, tiering the lower floor, air-conditioning the facility, installing a hydraulic lift in the orchestra pit, and converting the large reception hall to offices and lounges. The bid for the job was reportedly $1,092,968. No public announcement of any of the details had ever been made, however. Roussel hypothesized that the installation of air- conditioning and escalators in the Coliseum simply did not leave enough money for the City Auditorium remodeling; hence, the second best Music Hall project had be decided upon.117 In the heat of the debate, Mayor Hofheinz appointed a Civic Center Committee118 and later held a press conference to discuss the Roussel article.119 Despite the efforts of the Post critic, in April the city announced plans to move forward with the Music Hall remodeling.120 Meanwhile, Efrem Kurtz was conducting his last concerts with the orchestra on its 3200-mile tour. His last Houston concert had featured the Pathetique which in some quarters has long been regarded with some degree of superstition. Some three hours before the concert, Symphony violinist, Mrs. Eunice Gorish, died.121 Ann Holmes review of the final Kurtz concert reflects the emotional nature of such an event.

117 Houston Post, March 19, 1954, Sec. IV, p. 5.

118 Houston Post, March 4, 1954, Sec. II, p. 8.

119 Houston Post, March 21, 1954, Sec. V, p. 5.

120 Houston Post, April 4, 1954, Sec. V, p. 6.

121 Houston Post, March 17, 1954, Sec. IV, p. 5.

105 Words from her review caught the mood of the evening: “Uttered . . . pierce . . . lament . . . requiem . . . ebbing . . . hush.”122 The tour itself was long and arduous. The Chicago critics were lukewarm in their reviews of the orchestra. Claudia Cassidy wrote, This is not the oldest, the biggest or the most polished orchestra in the land, and to compare it to the virtuoso organizations would be a waste of everybody’s time . . . But it is the most interesting of the second rank orchestras to come visiting in a long time. It plays with spirit and spontaneity and spurts of fire . . . 123 Faithful to his announced plans, Kurtz ended his Houston career with the last concert of the tour, flew back to New York City directly from Shreveport, Louisiana and left Andor Toth to conduct the remaining Sponsors’ concert.124 Both the University of Houston and Texas Southern University held fine arts festivals in the spring. The Boys Choir of the Houston Youth Symphony journeyed to Austin to sing for the new legislature,125 and Edna Saunders happily announced that the Metropolitan Opera would return to Houston in the spring.126 In May, the Houston Conservatory of Music graduated its thirty- seventh class.127 Like other earlier forces in the city’s cultural heritage, this institution had gradually faded from the prominence it once held. Founded in 1917 by Dr. Clarence A. Hammond, the Conservatory had begun with thirty students. Over the years, many members of the Houston Symphony had served as faculty members. The Conservatory boasted its own recital hall, Mefo Hall, named for Houston

122 Houston Chronicle, March 17, 1954, Sec. A, p. 14.

123 Houston Post, March 28, 1954, Sec. V. p. 5.

124 Houston Post, March 7, 1954, Sec. V, p. 5.

125 Houston Post, April 4, 1954, Sec. V, p. 6.

126 Ibid.

127 Houston Post, May 12, 1954, Sec. IV, p. 5.

106 newspaperman Marcellus Foster, an early Conservatory benefactor. Mozart Hammond had returned from Leipzig to head the institution following the death of his father. At the time of the thirty-seventh annual commencement, the Houston Conservatory had an enrollment of five hundred students.128 Popular Houston soprano Virginia Babikian opened the twenty-one concert 1953 summer symphony season as soloist with the Symphony.129 In the months that followed, the Gilbert and Sullivan Society mounted its third annual production at Cullen Auditorium.130 The Houston Youth Symphony performed its summer concerts at Miller Theatre in Hermann Park and received national publicity through a Life Magazine photo story on Howard Webb’s class of eight student conductors.131 In July, the Symphony Society announced plans to move to the newly-renovated Music Hall for the 1954-55 season,132 due at least in part to Ferenc Fricsay’s reported refusal to perform in the City Auditorium.133 Henke and Pillot Food Stores dropped its sponsorship of the pops concerts for the Symphony. A new series was scheduled for the Music Hall and was designed for non-profit organizations to sell blocks of tickets as a means of fund-raising.134 In only a few months, sponsoring

128 “The Houston Conservatory,” Southwestern Musician, October, 1950, p. 3.

129 Houston Post, June 6, 1954, Sec. V, p. 5.

130 Houston Post, July 15, 1954, Sec. IV, p. 5.

131 “Class of Budding Batoneers,” Life, July 26, 1954, pp. 63-65.

132 Houston Post, July 9, 1954, Sec. III, p. 9.

133 Houston Post, April 25, 1954, Sec. V, p. 3.

134 Houston Post, July 23, 1954, Sec. IV, p. 9.

107 groups included B’nai B’rith, Chi Omega, the Jaycees, the Tuesday Musical Club, and Beta Sigma Phi.135 Fredell Lack continued to be a prime force within the city by establishing a Young Audiences organization in 1954 to provide chamber music performed by local professional musicians for school children. Mrs. Louis Lobit, who had helped form the Music Guild, also devoted her attention to this new venture,136 as did Symphony Society leader Mrs. Charles Bybee. A new J. S. Bach Society was also formed in 1954 by symphony musicians. The new society announced its first concert at the Milford House.137 With the oft-protested Shrine Circus carnival enveloping the newly remodeled Music Hall, the Symphony season opened in October. In response to Fricsay’s demands, five string players were added to the orchestra with noticeable result.138 However, all was not well behind the scenes. Rumors of misunderstanding between Fricsay and the Symphony Society had been voiced as early as July.139 In November, the conductor presented his desires for a five-year development plan for the Orchestra to the Symphony Society. Fricsay’s proposal included: (1) A new hall seating 2,000 by his third year. (2) Replacement of 25% of the musicians; increase to 95 players by the third year. (3) Expansion of the season from 24 to 28 weeks by the third year. (4) Replacement of musical instruments. (5) A European tour in the fourth year and a U. S. tour in the fifth year.

135 Houston Post, August 15, 1954, Sec. V, p. 5.

136 Houston Post, September 30, 1954, Sec. III, p. 4.

137 Houston Post, October 24, 1954, Sec. V, p. 9.

138 Houston Post, October 17, 1954, Sec. V, p. 7.

139 Houston Post, July 14, 1954, Sec. II, p. 6.

108

(6) Establishment of an American branch of Deutsche Grammaphone to be located in Houston. (7) An annual salary for himself of $20,000 in addition to business and living expenses. (8) Orchestra budget increases from $407,000 to $700,000 in the fifth year.140

Fricsay felt the orchestra should be vastly upgraded immediately in hopes that the results would encourage greater community support. None of Fricsay’s proposals, however, were made public at the time. About ten days later, the Symphony Society responded to the conductor’s proposals. (1) The Society felt it could not increase the number of personnel with the imminent raise for musicians. (2) Instrument replacement would have to be through gifts and not by budgeted funds. (3) The Society affirmed the Music Hall as the site for performance for the foreseeable future. (4) The Society stated that a European tour seemed neither desirable nor necessary. (5) The Society felt that local capital for the recording company in Houston would probably not be forthcoming.141

The Symphony Society felt the proposals were excellent long-range goals, but were not immediate possibilities. At the same time, the Society offered to renew Fricsay’s contract for the next year.142 In December, rumor began to leak out concerning Fricsay’s ideas for the orchestra. Manager Tom Johnson referred all questions regarding the matter to Society President, Miss Ima Hogg, who declined comment.143 Fricsay then made a public statement that he was denied

140 Houston Symphony Society minutes, November 8, 1954.

141 Houston Symphony Society minutes, November 27, 1954.

142 Houston Symphony Society minutes, November 8, 1954.

143 Houston Chronicle, December 13, 1954, p. 1.

109 opportunity to appear before the Society officially to explain his plan.144 Despite these differences, the Society continued to negotiate with Fricsay’s manager about a permanent conductor position.145 Chronicle columnist Holmes slapped the hand of the Post’s Roussel for attacking Fricsay, for revealing Fricsay’s salary, and for muddying the water by throwing in the extraneous question of the Music Hall’s acoustics.146 Symphony Manager Tom Johnson carefully discussed local needs and possibilities with Andrew Shulhof, Fricsay’s manager, and stressed the importance of harmony between conductor and Society.147 Contrary to Fricsay’s intimations, the new Music Hall had worked out rather well. Following the beginning of the fall season, the City Auditorium shell had been rebuilt and moved to the Music Hall where it contributed greatly to the successful acoustics of the new hall.148 Fricsay had made his contract a public issue. Despite the fact that members of the Society apparently felt his action to be improper and disruptive to the morale of the musicians149, everything seemed satisfactory when Fricsay left to spend Christmas in Switzerland with his children. However, on January 15, Tom Johnson received the following cablegram: CAUSE SERIOUS RHEUMATISM WAS OBLIGED RECALL CLEVELAND CONCERT. ACCORDING MEDICAL STATEMENT HIGHLY IMPROBABLE THAT I WILL BE ABLE CONDUCT FEBRUARY-APRIL CONCERTS HOUSTON. RECOMMEND

144 Houston Chronicle, December 14, 1954, Sec. D, p. 11.

145 Houston Post, December 16, 1954, Sec III, p. 4.

146 Houston Chronicle, December 19, 1954, Feature Magazine, p. 3; December 20, 1054, Sec. A, p. 13.

147 Houston Symphony Society minutes, December 18, 1954.

148 Houston Post, December 1, 1954, Sec. IV, p. 7.

149 Houston Symphony Society minutes, December 20, 1954.

110 YOU THEREFORE MAKE NECESSARY ARRANGEMENTS. PLEASE CABLE CONFIRMATION. FRICSAY150 To which symphony manager Johnson replied on the same day: REGARDING YOUR CABLE ARRANGEMENTS BEING MADE. REGRET YOUR INABILITY TO PERFORM. THIS WILL CONFIRM THAT ALL OBLIGATIONS BETWEEN YOU AND HOUSTON SYMPHONY SOCIETY HAVE BEEN MUTUALLY SATISFIED. TOM M. JOHNSON, MANAGER151

There was little doubt in the minds of most Houstonians that Ferenc Fricsay’s indisposal was far more than medical. Fricsay later expressed puzzlement regarding why he could not speak directly with members of the Symphony Society. What had been intended as suggestions, he said, had been represented as demands. William Rice, a noted Houston composer, summarized the controversy for a Musical America report. Houston’s two major fine arts critics, he reported, had taken final and opposing stands and the . . . venom spent in this quarter alone leaves little hope that Mr. Fricsay could ever again work at peace in Houston. The average ticket holder is baffled and keenly aware that for the third time in less that seven years, a conductor of the Houston Orchestra has left town with no feeling but relief at being allowed to escape the town’s music life.152 To paraphrase Mark Twain, the rumors of Houston’s ability to support its orchestra on a scale equivalent to that of a small European nation were greatly exaggerated. Fricsay’s error was in believing that the city could provide such support. Miss Hogg was elected President of the Symphony Society for an eighth term in late January, 1955. She graciously asked not to be

150 Houston Symphony Society minutes, January 15, 1955.

151 Houston Symphony Society minutes, January 15, 1955.

152 William Rice, “Houston Stirred by Fricsay Controversy,” Musical America, January 15, 1955, p. 11.

111 re-nominated, and then announced plans for securing a guest conductor for the remainder of the season. A permanent conductor of the first magnitude, she said, would be sought. . . . but he will be expected to take an interest in the community with the objective of attaining a desirable integration of the orchestra’s public service program along with the other cultural projects of the city.153 Two days later, she stunned the musical world with her quiet announcement that a substitute conductor had been secured for the remaining eight concerts of the 1954-55 season. Miss Hogg had secured Sir Thomas Beecham “. . . to fill in. He was very gracious,” she said. “We feel elated.” In reporting the news, Time Magazine referred to Miss Hogg as the Empress of the Symphony.154 Houston again found itself on the horns of a dilemma. The orchestra recently had been ranked in the nation’s top twelve by Time Magazine. Should just another good conductor be sought? Had the moment arrived when the push for greatness should be made? Little time was wasted in decision-making, for in February the famed Leopold Stokowski was named conductor and musical supervisor for the 1955-56 season.155 Sir Thomas Beecham conducted a memorable performance of the Verdi Requiem which followed a sparkling opening concert by the orchestra under his baton. In a curtain speech, Beecham commented: I also want to pay tribute to this very remarkable chorus (the Houston Chorale), one of the best in the country. It is a very much better choir than some in cities larger and more celebrated.156

153 Houston Post, January 21, 1955, Sec. II, p. 7.

154 “Empress of the Symphony,” Time Magazine, February 7, 1955, p. 40.

155 The New York Times, March 6, 1955, Sec. I, p. 81.

156 Houston Post, April 6, 1955, Sec. II, p. 7.

112 In the spring of 1955, the Metropolitan Opera paid its last visit to the Houston City Auditorium,157 and local artist Lois Townsend won the Metropolitan regional auditions;158 Virginia Babikian was awarded a Berkshire scholarship for study at Tanglewood; and the City Parks and Recreation Department announced plans for the summer productions of Martha and The Bartered Bride.159 The Houston Youth Symphony marked its tenth anniversary in April with the celebration of its annual Spring Music Festival and its traditional concerts at the Music Hall and Miller Theatre.160

SUMMARY

The Kurtz years witnessed the blossoming of Houston’s music life. In seven swift years, Houston developed from a fledgling, provincial musical outpost to one whose moves commanded the attention of the national press. The Houston Symphony, though no longer the sole musical enterprise of the city, continued to be the progenitor. The massive immigration of new professional talent which accompanied the arrival of Efrem Kurtz was stimulated by the greatly expanded symphony budget arising from the war years’ activities. Kurtz acknowledged that the wealth, power, and growth of Houston were factors that brought him to the city. Much new activity permeated the musical scene during these years. The Summertime and Lyric musical companies flourished briefly and enjoyed great artistic, but limited financial, success. The City of

157 Houston Post, May 11, 1955, Sec. I, p. 10.

158 Houston Post, May 10, 1955, Sec. II, p. 7.

159 Houston Post, June 5, 1955, Sec. II, p. 8.

160 “Stokowski Gets Houston Post,” Violins, May, 1955, p. 121.

113 Houston took on the financing of the summer symphony programs and sponsored the Miller Theatre appearances of the Houston Youth Symphony. A full complement of city-wide musical activities was also directed throughout the year by the City Parks and Recreation Department. The City was able to provide a more adequate music center by the controversial remodeling of the Music Hall. Moreover, local government implemented a method for organized community participation in municipal planning by the establishment of a Civic Center Committee. The rivalry between Houston and Dallas flourished, stimulated by the annual spring visits of the Metropolitan Opera to the two cities, the long-standing rivalry of Antal Dorati and Efrem Kurtz, and the rhetoric of Roussel and Rosenfield. Intra-city sparring flourished between the critics of the city’s two major news dailies. Houston profited enormously form the commitment of the business community to the musical enterprise. Articles in The New York Times and The Chicago Tribune trumpeted this local loyalty. The contributions of Foley’s Department Store, the Henke and Pillot Food Company, the Carter Music Company, the Jesse Jones Interests, and a host of other firms bore witness to Rosenfield’s commentary that cultural support in the Southwest stemmed largely form the conviction that it was a civic duty. The Houston Symphony reached new heights of achievement under Efrem Kurtz. Columbia Records added the symphony to its roster. Nationwide tours began to attract the interest of audiences outside the immediate geographical region. A Texas Composers’ Contest and Creative Arts Festival became a part of the annual activities of the symphony. The orchestra commissioned several new works and premiered a number of compositions by major contemporary composers. And in a move which likely had more influence on its future over the next twenty years than any other single action, the symphony took

114 Tom Johnson as its manager—an aggressive, hard-nosed administrator whose commitment to the future of the Houston Symphony was unequaled by any other single contributor. The Metropolitan Opera began a series of regular visits to Houston, providing further acknowledgment of the growing importance of the city as a cultural center. The University of Houston awoke and established a liaison with the Houston Symphony whereby musical personnel could be mutually appointed. A new generation of music organizations was spawned: the Gilbert and Sullivan Society; Theatre, Inc.; and the Houston Music Theatre. Arthur Hall, William Rice, and Merrills Lewis pioneered the establishment of a Houston Composers’ Guild. An Allied Arts Association was formed and succeeded in banding together the musical and visual arts organizations of the city. Fredell Lack returned home and organized a chamber music series at the Jewish Community Center and established Young Audiences, the city’s first organization designed to take the professional musician into the school classroom. Albert Hirsch and the Teltschik brothers joined the city’s community of nationally-known concert performers. In 1955, Houston enjoyed a thriving musical enterprise. Though young in years by comparison with other major American cities, Houston showed evidence of maturity. Houston stood ready to join the ranks of the major cultural centers of the nation and to receive leadership over the next fifteen years from some of the greatest figures in the musical world.

115

SELECTED CALENDAR OF HOUSTON MUSICAL EVENTS 1948-49

Oct. 6, 1948 Florence Quartararo—Civic Music 7-9 Oklahoma 11 Lauritz Melchior—Edna Saunders 23 Robert Shaw Chorale—Edna Saunders 26 Tito Guizar—Edna Saunders 27 Joseph Battista, pianist—Tuesday Musical Club Nov. 1 HSO, Efrem Kurtz inaugural performance 3 Dr. Bernard Pick—American Guild of Organists 5 Jussi Björling—Edna Saunders, Music Hall 15 HSO, Janet Remington, harpist, Kurtz conducting 17 Marimi del Pozo, soprano—Tuesday Musical Club 18 French National Orchestra, Charles Munch conducting—Edna Saunders, Music Hall 20 HSO, Albino Torres—Henke & Pillot Food Stores 29 HSO, Alexander Brailowsky, Kurtz conducting Dec. 4 HSO Promenade Concert, Dorothea Powers 10 Houston Chorale, Music Hall, Al Urbach conducting 11 Arturo Michelangeli—Civic Music 13 HSO, William Primrose, Kurtz conducting 14 Clifford Curzon—Edna Saunders, Music Hall 16-18 Carousel—Interstate Theaters 18 HSO Pops, Thelma Connally—Henke Pillot Food Stores 22-26 Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo—Edna Saunders, Music Hall Jan. 3, 1949 HSO, Eugene Istomin, Efrem Kurtz, City Auditorium 7 HSO Promenade, Sidney Foster, City Auditorium 11 Vienna Choir Boys—Edna Saunders, Music Hall 12 Arthur Rubinstein—Edna Saunders, City Auditorium 15 Dallas Symphony Orchestra—Edna Saunders, MH 17 HSO, Ginette Neveu, Efrem Kurtz conducting 21 HSO Promenade, Jacques Abram 27 Paganini String Quartet—Civic Music 31 HSO, Igor Stravinsky conducting Feb. 1 National Male Quartet—Civic Music 5 HSO Pops, Ray Fliegel—Henke & Pillot Food Stores 14 HSO, Frances Yeend, Efrem Kurtz conducting 16 Erica Morini—Edna Saunders Feb. 18, 1949 HSO Promenade, Seymour Lipkin, pianist

116 SELECTED CALENDAR 1948-49 continued

Feb. 21, 1949 Jussi Björling—Scandinavian Club 23 Jean Casadesus—Edna Saunders 28 HSO, Tossy Spivakovsky, Efrem Kurtz conducting March 1 Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Thor Johnson conducting—Civic Music 5 HSO Pops, Robert Douglas—Henke Pillot Food Stores 5 Bidu Sayao—Edna Saunders, Music Hall 7 First Piano Quartet—Edna Saunders 7 Craig Timberlake—Tuesday Musical Club 8 Sigmund Romberg Music—Edna Saunders 12-20 Texas Creative Arts Festival 14 HSO, Ervin Laszlo, Efrem Kurtz conducting 15 Alexander Schreiner—American Guild of Organists 18 HSO Promenade, Drusilla Huffmaster 20 Martha Graham Dancers—Edna Saunders 24 Marian Anderson—Edna Saunders, City Auditorium 24 Giusseppe de Stefano—Civic Music 25-26 Allegro –Music Guild 28 HSO, Marion Davies, Gaetano Molieri, Efrem Kurtz conducting April 2 HSO Pops—Henke & Pillot Food Stores 10-11 HSO, Houston Chorale Beethoven Ninth Symphony, Efrem Kurtz conducting Chorale’s first performance with HSO 22 Giuseppi di Stefano—Civic Music 27 Richard Purvis—American Guild of Organists May 3 Annie Get Your Gun, Metropolitan Theater—Interstate Theaters June 13-18 Student Prince—Summertime Light Opera— Virginia Plunkett, Frederick Fennell, conducting, Music Hall 27-30 Great Waltz—Summertime Light Opera July 1-2 Great Waltz—Summertime Light Opera 11-16 Rose Marie—Summertime Light Opera Aug. 18-19,1949 Naughty Marietta-Wilson Starlight Opera Guild

117 SELECTED CALENDAR OF

HOUSTON MUSICAL EVENTS

1949-50

Oct. 10-17, 1949 Leonard Warren—Edna Saunders, Music Hall 27 Dame Moura Lympany, pianist—TMC 28 Jerome Hines—Civic Music 31 HSO, Kurtz conducting, City Auditorium Nov. 2 Elena Nikolaidi, mezzo-Tuesday Musical Club 5 HSO Pops 7 HSO, Efrem Kurtz conducting, City Auditorium 12-13 Charles Wagner Opera Co.—Edna Saunders 14 HSO, Janet Remington, Kurtz conducting 19 Vladimir Horowitz—Houston Youth Symphony 21 HSO, Arthur Rubinstein, Efrem Kurtz cond. 26 Nelson Eddy—Edna Saunders, City Auditorium 27 David Craighead—American Guild of Organists 28 HSO, Jacob Lateiner, Efrem Kurtz conducting Dec. 3 Slovakian Opera Company 5 HSO, Italo Tajo, Efrem Kurtz conducting 10 Houston Chorale, Music Hall, Al Urbach, cond. 12 HSO, Sir Thomas Beecham conducting 17 HSO Pops, Houston Chorale, Coliseum— Henke & Pillot Food Stores 19 HSO, Ossy Renardy, Efrem Kurtz conducting 23-31 Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo—Edna Saunders, Music Hall Jan. 2, 1950 HSO, Frances Magnes, Kurtz conducting 5 Yehudi Menuhin—Edna Saunders, Music Hall 6 Andres Segovia—Civic Music 9 HSO, Marion Davies, Efrem Kurtz conducting 14 Mariemma and Spanish Dancers—Civic Music 14 HSO Pops—Henke & Pillot Food Stores 16 HSO, Robert Casadesus, Efrem Kurtz cond. 17 HSO, Houma, Louisiana 18 HSO, Beaumont, Texas 23 HSO, Clifford Curzon, Efrem Kurtz conducting 24 Arturo Michelangeli—Civic Music 25 Rose Bampton—Edna Saunders, Music Hall 30 HSO, Houston Chorale Men (Alto Rhapsody), Blanche Thebom, Efrem Kurtz conducting Feb. 1 Samson Francois—Edna Saunders, Music Hall Feb. 2, 1950 Szymon Goldberg, violin—Tuesday Musical Club

118 SELECTED CALENDAR 1949-50 continued

Feb. 6, 1950 HSO, A&M Glee Club 11 HSO Pops 15 Lauritz Melchior—Edna Saunders 18 Jacques Abram—Houston Music Teachers Association 20 HSO, Zino Francescatti, Efrem Kurtz conducting 23 Margaret Truman—Edna Saunders 27 HSO, Dimitri Mitropoulos conducting 28 Sigmund Romberg—Edna Saunders March 2 HSO Tour 3 Ballet Theater—Edna Saunders 9 James Melton—Edna Saunders 10 Gladys Swarthout—Civic Music 14 Nikolai and Joanna Graudan, cello/piano— Tuesday Musical Club, San Jacinto H. S. 17 HSO, Dallas Concert 20 HSO, Byron Janis, Virgil Thompson conducting 22 HSO, Huntsville, Texas 27 HSO, Fredell Lack, Efrem Kurtz conducting April 3 HSO, Efrem Kurtz conducting 4 HSO Pension Fund Performance 8 HSO Pops 10 HSO, Houston Chorale (Polovetsian Dances), City Auditorium, Efrem Kurtz conducting 17 Virgil Fox—American Guild of Organists 27 NBC Symphony, Arturo Toscanini conducting 28 Isaac Stern—Civic Music May 1-2 Metropolitan Opera Company—Edna Saunders 6 HSO in Chicago, Efrem Kurtz conducting, Rudolf Firkusny 6 Houston Symphonette 12 Houston Chorale, Music Hall, Al Urbach, conducting 20 Stan Kenton Orchestra, Music Hall June 11 HSO Summer Season opens 12 Vagabond King—Summertime Light Opera 19 New Moon—Lyric Outdoor Theatre 26-1 Bittersweet—Summertime Light Opera June 27, 1950 Bloomer Girl—Lyric Outdoor Theatre

119 SELECTED CALENDAR, 1949-50 continued

July 3-9, 1950 Merry Widow—Lyric Outdoor Theatre 10 One Touch of Venus—Lyric Outdoor Theatre 10-15 Irene—Summertime Opera Company 17 Chocolate Soldier—Lyric Outdoor Theatre 24-31 Brigadoon—Summertime Light Opera 31 Rio Rita—Lyric Outdoor Theatre August 7, 1950 Good News—Lyric Outdoor Theatre

120 SELECTED CALENDAR OF

HOUSTON MUSICAL EVENTS

1950-51

Oct. 14-15, 1950 Sadler’s Wells Ballet, Margot Fonteyn— Edna Saunders, City Auditorium 18 Helen Traubel—Edna Saunders, Music Hall 30 HSO, Kurtz conducting 31 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Dedication of Cullen Auditorium, University of Houston Nov. 1 Patrice Munsel—Civic Music 4 Wagner Opera Company, Edna Saunders 6 HSO, Efrem Kurtz conducting 8 Music Guild 11 HSO Pops—Henke & Pillot Food Stores 13 HSO, Rudolf Firkusny, Efrem Kurtz conducting 14 Jorge Bolet, pianist—Tuesday Musical Club 20 HSO, Jean Therrien, Efrem Kurtz conducting 21 Marais and Miranda—Civic Music 27 HSO, Kirsten Flagstad, Efrem Kurtz conducting Dec. 3 Anna Maria Alberghetti—Edna Saunders 4 HSO, Leopold Stokowski conducting 5 William Shriner, baritone-Tuesday Musical Club 6 Music Guild 8 HSO, Houston Chorale (Franck), Music Hall, Efrem Kurtz conducting 9 HSO Pops—Henke & Pillot Food Stores 11 HSO, Patrice Travers, Efrem Kurtz conducting 18 HSO, Albert Brusilow, Efrem Kurtz conducting 22-30 Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo—Edna Saunders Jan. 2, 1951 Houston Symphony Orchestra 8 HSO, Samuel Sorin, Efrem Kurtz conducting 13 HSO Pops—Henke & Pillot Food Stores 15 HSO, Eugene Ormandy conducting 20 HSO, Yehudi Menuhin 25 Erica Morini—Edna Saunders, Music Hall 29 HSO, Isaac Stern, Efrem Kurtz conducting Feb. 5 HSO, Dame Moura Lympany, Efrem Kurtz, cond. 6 Robert Shaw Chorale—Edna Saunders, MH 6 London String Quartet—Tuesday Musical Club 7 Four Piano Ensemble—Civic Music 10 HSO Pops—Henke & Pillot Food Stores 10-11 American National Ballet Theater Feb. 12, 1951 HSO, Anita Dorfman, Efrem Kurtz conducting

121 SELECTED CALENDAR, 1950 51 continued

Feb. 19, 1951 Ljuba Welitsch—Edna Saunders, Music Hall 19 E. Power—American Guild of Organists 26, Clifford Curzon—Edna Saunders, Music Hall 27 Houston Youth Symphony March 4 Westminster Choir 7 Joseph Szigeti—Civic Music 12 Houston Symphony Orchestra 13 Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, Jewish Community Center, Leonard Bernstein, conducting 15 Ampara and Jose Iturbi—Edna Saunders 19 HSO, Texas Composers Concert, Elaine Shaffer, Kurtz conducting 20 Music Guild 21 Robert Merrill—Civic Music 24 HSO Pops—Henke & Pillot Food Stores 26 HSO, Jascha Heifetz, Efrem Kurtz conducting 30 Suzanne Danco, soprano—Tuesday Musical Club 31 Drusilla Huffmaster April 2 HSO, Abba Bogin, Efrem Kurtz conducting 9 HSO, Houston Chorale, Nan Merriman and George London, Verdi Requiem, Efrem Kurtz conducting 11 Benno Moiseiwitsch 16 Jeanette McDonald—Edna Saunders 16 Leonard Pennario—Civic Music April 30-1, 1951 Metropolitan Opera—Edna Saunders, City Auditorium Aug. 16, 1951 Beggar’s Opera, Houston Little Theatre, Chelsea Theatre

Note: No 1951 Summer Outdoor Theatre performances

122 SELECTED CALENDAR OF

HOUSTON MUSICAL EVENTS

1951-52

Oct. 23, 1951 HSO, Efrem Kurtz conducting 26 Jose Limon Ballet, Cullen Auditorium, University of Houston 29 HSO, Joan Mainzer, Efrem Kurtz conducting Nov. 1 Mimi Benzell—Civic Music 3 Wagner Opera Company, La Traviata— Edna Saunders, Music Hall 6 HSO, Claudio Arrau, Efrem Kurtz conducting 7 Blanche Thebom, mezzo—Tuesday Musical Club 8 Rogers and Hammerstein Evening—Edna Saunders 9 HSO, Jack Armistead, Cullen Auditorium, University of Houston 12 HSO, Nicole Henriot, Efrem Kurtz conducting 15-17 Music Guild, Playhouse Theatre 15-18 Die Fledermaus—Edna Saunders, City Auditorium 17 HSO Pops –Henke and Pillot Food Stores 19 Salzburg Marionette Theater—Cullen Auditorium, University of Houston 20 HSO, Dorothy Dow, Efrem Kurtz conducting 24 Jasha Heifetz—Edna Saunders, City Auditorium 26 HSO, Nathan Milstein, Efrem Kurtz conducting Dec. 3 Houston Youth Symphony, Music Hall, Howard Webb, conducting 4 HSO, Bruno Walter conducting 5 Dorothy Maynor—Texas Southern University 6 Ida Krehm, pianist—Tuesday Musical Club 8 Houston Chorale Christmas Concert, University of Houston Chorus, Al Urbach, conducting 10 HSO, Jeanne Mitchell Biancolli, Efrem Kurtz cond. 15 HSO Pops—Henke and Pillot Food Stores 18 HSO, Elaine Shaffer, flute, Efrem Kurtz conducting 22-30 Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo—Edna Saunders, MH 31 HSO, Dorothy Kirsten, André Kostelanetz conducting Jan. 3, 1952 Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, Carol Channing 5 HSO, Cullen Auditorium, University of Houston 8 HSO, Raymond Lowenthal, Efrem Kurtz conducting 9-10 Sadler’s Wells Ballet—Edna Saunders, City Auditorium 12 HSO Pops—Henke and Pillot Food Stores 14 HSO, Vladimir Golschmann conducting Jan. 18, 1952 Joseph Schuster—Civic Music

123 SELECTED CALENDAR, 1951-1952 continued

Jan. 19, 1952 Teltschik Brothers—Houston Music Teachers Association, San Jacinto High School 21 Houston Youth Symphony, Music Hall 22 HSO, Edmund Kurtz, Efrem Kurtz conducting 28 HSO, Arthur Rubinstein, Efrem Kurtz conducting 29 Clair Coci—American Guild of Organists 31 Music Guild, Playhouse Theatre 31 Kiss Me Kate, Interstate’s Metropolitan Theater 31 San Antonio Symphony—Edna Saunders, CA Feb. 1 HSO, Cullen Auditorium, University of Houston 4 Nelson Eddy, Cullen Auditorium, University of Houston 5 HSO, Arthur Grumaiux, violinist 9 HSO Pops—Henke and Pillot Food Stores 12 Leslie Chabay, tenor—Tuesday Musical Club 14 First Piano Quartet—Edna Saunders, Music Hall 25 HSO Sponsors’ Concert, Drusilla Huffmaster, Efrem Kurtz conducting 27 Nikolai and Joanna Graudan—Tuesday Musical Club 28 Vladimir Horowitz—Edna Saunders, City Auditorium 29 HSO, Cullen Auditorium, University of Houston March 3 HSO, Maryan Filar, Pianist 3 HSO, Galveston concert 6 Ljuba Welitsch, Soprano—Edna Saunders, Music Hall 11 HSO, Erica Morini, Kurtz conducting 12 Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra—Edna Saunders, MH 14 Eleanor Steber, Cullen Auditorium, University of Houston 17 HSO, Ray Fliegel, Albert Hirsch, and Marion Davies, Kurtz conducting 22 HSO Pops—Henke and Pillot Food Stores 25 HSO, Monte Hill Davis, Kurtz conducting 28 HSO, Cullen Auditorium, University of Houston 31 HSO, Houston Chorale, Kurtz conducting April 4 Music Guild, University of Houston 5 Kirsten Flagstad Farewell Concert-Edna Saunders, MH 7 Houston Youth Symphony, City Auditorium, Howard Webb conducting 14 Jussi Bjorling—Edna Saunders, Music Hall 14 Guys and Dolls, Metropolitan Theater—Interstate Theaters May 6 Music Guild, Playhouse Theatre May 12-13, 1952 Metropolitan Opera—Edna Saunders, City Auditorium

124

SELECTED CALENDAR, 1951-52 continued

May 16, 1952 Music Guild, University of Houston 20 University of Houston Spring Festival Aug. 7-9, 1952 Gilbert and Sullivan Society

125 SELECTED CALENDAR OF

HOUSTON MUSICAL EVENTS

1952-53

Oct. 16, 1952 Blanche Thebom—Edna Saunders 28 HSO, Kurtz conducting 30 Jose Iturbi—Edna Saunders Nov. 1 Wagner Opera Company, —Edna Saunders 3 HSO, Herman Dorfman, Kurtz conducting 11 HSO, Zino Francescatti, Kurtz conducting 13 Robert Shaw Chorale—Edna Saunders, MH 17 HSO, Witold Malcuzynski, Kurtz conducting 19 Paul Badura-Skoda, piano-Tuesday Musical Club 20 San Antonio Symphony, Victor Alessandro, conducting—Edna Saunders 21 HSO, Cullen Auditorium, University of Houston 25 HSO, Jennie Tourel, Kurtz conducting Dec. 1 HSO, Guiomar Novaes, Kurtz conducting 3 Jose Greco—Edna Saunders, Music Hall 8 TMC Chorus, Kathryn Gutekunst, cond. 9 HSO, Alfred and Herbert Teltschik, Kurtz conducting 13 St. Louis Symphony—Edna Saunders, MH 13 Houston Chorale Christmas Concert, Music Hall, Al Urbach conducting 15 HSO, Efrem Kurtz conducting 17 HSO, Cullen Auditorium 23 HSO, Andor Toth conducting 29 South Pacific, City Auditorium—Interstate Theaters Jan. 5, 1953 HSO, Efrem Kurtz conducting 6 E Power Biggs—American Guild of Organists, First Presbyterian Church 7 Fredell Lack and Albert Hirsch—Jewish Community Center 13 HSO, Nicole Henriot, Efrem Kurtz cond, CA 14 Herta Glatz—Tuesday Musical Club 15 Arthur Rubinstein—Civic Music 16 HSO, Cullen Auditorium, University of Houston 17 Lauritz Melchior—Edna Saunders 19 HSO, Alexander Brailowsky, Efrem Kurtz cond. Jan. 21, 1953 Houston Chorale, Music Hall, Al Urbach conducting

126

SELECTED CALENDAR, 1952-53 continued

Jan. 21, 1953 Music Guild (Toth, Davies, Albert Hirsch, Brusilow), Playhouse Theatre 27 HSO, Leopold Stokowski conducting 31 The Mikado, American Savoyards— Edna Saunders, Music Hall Feb. 2 HSO, Isaac Stern, Kurtz conducting 6-7 Ballet Theater, Metropolitan Theater—Interstate Theaters 9 Festival of Song, Lara Hoggard conducting 10 HSO, Solomon, Efrem Kurtz conducting 12 HSO, Cullen Auditorium, University of Houston 23 Mia Slavenska-Frederic Franklin Dancers— Edna Saunders, Music Hall 24 Fred Waring—Edna Saunders Mar. 2 HSO Sponsors’ Concert 4 Boston Pops—Edna Saunders 9 HSO, Astrid Varnay, Efrem Kurtz conducting 11 Fredell Lack—Jewish Community Center 17 HSO, Clifford Curzon, Efrem Kurtz conducting 19 Erica Morini, violinist—Tuesday Musical Club 24 HSO, Alexander Hilsberg conducting 26 HSO, Cullen Auditorium, University of Houston 31 HSO, Nathan Brusilow, Efrem Kurtz conducting 31 Leonard Warren—Civic Music April 6 HSO, Houston Chorale, Efrem Kurtz conducting 9 Drusilla Huffmaster, St. Thomas Library 13 Jan Peerce, University of Houston 15 Gold and Fizdale—Civic Music 17 North Texas State College Eight Piano Symphonic Quartet May 11-12 Metropolitan Opera—Edna Saunders, City Auditorium July 7-15 The Mikado—Gilbert and Sullivan Society July 18, 1953 Opening HSO Summer Season, Toth conducting

127 SELECTED CALENDAR OF

HOUSTON MUSIC EVENTS

1953-54

Oct. 21, 1953 Guys and Dolls, Music Hall 22 Virtuoso de Roma—Edna Saunders 26 HSO, Efrem Kurtz conducting, City Auditorium 30 HSO, Cullen Auditorium, University of Houston Nov. 3 HSO, George London, Efrem Kurtz conducting 5 Liberace, Music Hall 7 HSO Pops—Henke and Pillot Food Stores 9 HSO, Joseph Szigeti, Efrem Kurtz conducting 10 Music Guild, Cullen Auditorium, University of Houston 13 Benno Moiseiwitsch—Civic Music 14 Wagner Opera Company, Il Trovatore—Edna Saunders 17 HSO, Jacques Abram, Hugo Rignold conducting 18 University of Houston Symphony 20 HSO, Cullen Auditorium, University of Houston 23 HSO, Ferenc Fricsay conducting 24 Cesare Siepi, baritone—Tuesday Musical Club Dec. 1 HSO, Maurice Abravanel conducting 2 Fredell Lack—Edna Saunders 5 HSO Pops—Henke and Pillot Food Stores 7 HSO, Maria Tipo, Maurice Abravanel conducting 8 Music Guild 12 Houston Chorale, City Auditorium, Al Urbach conducting 15 HSO, Amahl and the Night Visitors, Toth conducting 18 Teltschik Brothers, duo-pianists, Music Hall 19 Agnes deMille—Civic Music 21 HSO, Marion Davies, Kurtz conducting 29 Music Guild, Playhouse Jan. 5, 1954 HSO, Beatrice Schroeder, Lewis, Kurtz conducting 9 HSO Pops—Henke and Pillot Food Stores, Efrem Kurtz conducting 11 HSO, Rubinstein, Efrem Kurtz conducting 12 Griller String Quartet—Tuesday Musical Club 14 Isaac Stern—Civic Music, Music Hall 15 HSO, Cullen Auditorium, University of Houston 19 HSO, Menuhin, Efrem Kurtz conducting 25 HSO, Segovia, and William Rice “The Alamo: 1836” 26 Houston Chorale, Noble Cain, guest conductor 26 Music Guild Feb. 1, 1954 HSO, Rudolf Serkin, Efrem Kurtz conducting

128 SELECTED CALENDAR, 1953-54 continued

Feb. 1-6, 1954 South Pacific—Edna Saunders 6 HSO Pops—Henke and Pillot Food Stores 8 HSO, Kurtz conducting, City Auditorium 9 Richard Tucker—Civic Music, Music Hall 12-13 Ballet Theater—Edna Saunders 15 Jean Langlais, St. John the Divine Church— American Guild of Organists 16 HSO, Ernest Ansermet conducting, City Auditorium 17 Victoria de los Angeles—Edna Saunders 19 Rise Stevens—Edna Saunders (cancelled—illness) 22 HSO, Erich Leinsdorf conducting, City Auditorium 23 Music Guild 24 HSO in La Marque 27 First Piano Quartet—Edna Saunders March 1 Viennese String Quartet—Edna Saunders 2 HSO, Paul Badura-Skoda, Efrem Kurtz conducting 3 Monique de la Bruchollerie, pianist—Tuesday Musical Club 4 Fredell Lack, Jewish Community Center 6 HSO Pops—Henke and Pillot Food Stores 7 Houston Chorale, Noble Cain conducting 8 HSO, Elijah, Frances Yeend, Nan Merriman, David Lloyd, James Pease, Kurtz conducting 9 Music Guild 10 Ann Ayars and Robert Rounseville—Civic Music 12 HSO, Cullen Auditorium, University of Houston 14 HSO in Austin 15 Houston Youth Symphony, Howard Webb conducting 16 HSO, Kurtz conducting 18 Monte Hill Davis, pianist, Dominican College April 5 HSO Sponsors’ Concert 13 Music Guild May 4 Music Guild 6 Virgil Fox—American Guild of Organists 7 Houston Chorale, Noble Cain conducting May 30, 1954 Philadelphia Orchestra, Eugene Ormandy conducting—Edna Saunders

129 SELECTED CALENDAR OF

HOUSTON MUSCIAL EVENTS

1954-55

Oct. 18, 1954 Blanche Thebom, Cullen Auditorium, University Of Houston 20 Roberta Peters—Civic Music Nov. 1 Eileen Farrell, soprano—Tuesday Musical Club 2 HSO, Ferenc Fricsay conducting 3 Goldovsky Opera Company—Civic Music 6-7 Wagner Opera Company, Madame Butterfly— Edna Saunders 8 HSO, Ferenc Fricsay conducting 9 Music Guild 13 HSO Pops, Fricsay conducting 14 J. S. Bach Society 16 HSO, Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, Fricsay conducting 18 University of Houston Symphony, Cullen Auditorium 22 HSO, Claudio Arrau, Fricsay conducting 24 Yma Sumac—Edna Saunders 26 HSO Pops, Fricsay conducting 30 HSO, Beatrice Schroeder, Byron Hester, Anshel Brusilow, Fricsay conducting 31 Gina Bachauer—Civic Music Dec. 3 HSO, Houston Chorale, Amahl and the Night Visitors 6 HSO, Grant Johannesen, Fricsay conducting 7 Music Guild , Playhouse 7-9 HSO, “White” Student Concerts 11 HSO Pops, Fricsay conducting 14 HSO, Isaac Stern, Fricsay conducting 15 HSO, “Negro” Student Concert 18 Marge and Gower Champion—Edna Saunders 20 HSO, Walkure excerpts, Astrid Varnay, Walter Fredericks, Fricsay conducting 26-28 Ballet Theater—Edna Saunders Jan. 4, 1955 HSO, Alfred and Herbert Teltschik, Toth conducting 5 Fredell Lack, Albert Hirsch, and Marion Davies, Jewish Community Center 8 London Festival Ballet—Edna Saunders 10 HSO, Milton Katims conducting 11 Music Guild 15 HSO Pops, Milton Katims conducting 18 HSO, Milton Katims conducting Jan. 20, 1955 J. S. Bach Society, M. D. Anderson Auditorium

130 SELECTED CALENDAR 1954-55 continued

Jan. 24, 1955 HSO, Witold Malcuzynski, Katims conducting 29 HSO Pops, Katims conducting Feb. 1 Michael Rabin, violinist—Tuesday Music Club, San Jacinto High School Auditorium 7-9 Ballet Espagnol—Edna Saunders 18 Music Guild, Rice Institute Library Lecture Lounge 21 Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra, Antal Dorati conducting—Civic Music 22 HSO, Houston Chorale Women (Midsummer Night’s Dream), Nicole Henriot, Andor Toth conducting 24 J. S. Bach Society, Jewish Community Center 28 HSO, Samuel Antek conducting March 1 Music Guild 5 HSO Pops, Samuel Antek conducting 5-10 Allied Arts Festival 8 HSO, Leon Fleisher, Samuel Antek conducting 9 Peer Gynt, Cullen Auditorium—Edna Saunders 10 Jose Greco—Edna Saunders 10 Gold and Fizdale, duo-pianists—Civic Music 11 Music Guild 11-12 Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo—Edna Saunders 14 HSO, Gregor Piatigorsky, Sir Thomas Beecham, cond. 15 University of Houston Symphony 17 Jewish Community Center Chamber Music Series 18-19 Gilbert and Sullivan Society, Trial by Jury, Merrills Lewis conducting 19 HSO Pops, Sir Thomas Beecham conducting 21 Seymour Lipkin, pianist—Tuesday Musical Club, San Jacinto High School Auditorium 22 HSO, Benno Moiseiwitsch, Beecham conducting 24 HSO, Cullen Auditorium, University of Houston 28 HSO, Fredell Lack, Sir Thomas Beecham conducting 29 Music Guild, Playhouse 31 J. S. Bach Society, University of Houston April 4-5 HSO, Verdi Requiem, Houston Chorale, Music Hall, Yeend, Corelli, Yi-Kwei Sze, Beecham conducting 18 Jan Peerce—Civic Music 20 HSO Pops 28 Rudolph Firkusny—Edna Saunders May 3 Music Guild 9-10 Metropolitan Opera—Edna Saunders, City Auditorium June 20-23,1955 Gilbert and Sullivan Society, Pirates of Penzance

131 CHAPTER FOUR

THE THREEPENNY OPERA

1955-1961

In July of 1954, Hubert Roussel received a letter that proved to be of great significance in the history of Houston’s musical development. The former director of the New Orleans Opera House Association, Walter Herbert, had lost his position in a Crescent City shakeup. Herbert wrote Roussel outlining his eleven years in New Orleans and inquiring whether it would be worth his time to visit Houston with the hope of forming an organization here. Herbert had already attempted to interest the Houston Symphony Society but had received no response. Referring to an Ann Holmes’s column in the Houston Chronicle that predicted a new, big-name theater planned for Houston, Roussel responded: Well, why not? If what I read in the papers these days is correct, half the millionaires of the city are competing for chances to hurl their fortune into production. So come on, Mr. Herbert—everybody’s joining the game now.1 Ultimately, Herbert was formally invited to Houston by a group of local backers headed by Mrs. Louis Lobit. Since leaving New Orleans, the opera conductor had been on the West Coast making similar inquiries there.2 In late June of 1955, Mrs. Lobit announced that opera would be produced in Houston the following year. She voiced no real concern for the financial liabilities of the venture, but expressed her own enthusiasm for the establishment of a local opera company, whatever the

1 Houston Post, July 16, 1954, Sec. I, p. 10.

2 Houston Post, June 21, 1955, Sec. IV, p. 8.

132 cost.3 Previously, Mrs. Lobit had been a driving force in the establishment of the Music Guild and the Young Audiences program. In August, the Houston Grand Opera Association was chartered as an educational, non-profit organization. Plans were immediately announced for productions of Salome and Madame Butterfly in January. The new company set its sights on a goal of three productions annually.4 Thus was conceived the organization that would prove to be second in musical importance only to the Houston Symphony (at least initially), would have its future dictated by its Musical Director for the next eighteen years, and would follow a road lazily toward maturity. A number of developments remolded the Houston music scene during the 1955-56 season. Mrs. Whitfield Marshall formed the Houston Ballet Foundation in July and secured Mme. Tatiana Semenova to head the school.5 Semenova was a product of the Franco-Russian school in the nineteen-twenties and had enjoyed a memorable career with the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo under Wasily de Basil.6 This new organization symbolized the unusually strong devotion which Houston had to ballet and was indicative of the growth and maturity of the cultural life of the city. In the fall of 1955, the Music Guild reorganized with members of the Houston Symphony Orchestra including concertmaster Ray Fliegel, assistant concertmaster Max Winder, violist Robert Slaughter, assistant first cello Margaret Aue, and pianist Hirsch commanding positions in the ensemble.7 Later in November, the Lyric Art Quartet was formed adding

3 Houston Post, June 26, 1955, Sec. V, p. 10.

4 “Houston Grand Opera Granted Charter,” Musical America, September, 1955, p. 31. 5 Houston Post, July 29, 1955, Sec. II, p. 8.

6 Houston Post, October 16, 1955, Houston Now, p. 27.

7 Houston Post, October 23, 1955, Houston Now, p. 26.

133 still another chamber group to the growing list of the city’s ensembles. Headed by Fredell Lack, the Quartet was comprised also of George Bennett, Wayne Crouse, and Marion Davies.8 The J. S. Bach Society opened its Houston season in 1955 at the First Unitarian Church with a performance by Fredell Lack, Helen Furbay, Nancy Heaton, Wayne Crouse, Marion Davies, Stephen Gorisch, David Colvig, Betty Ruth Tomfohrde, and singers Lois Townsend and Annette Dinwoodey.9 The Society requested a $5 annual membership contribution. Houstonian Drusilla Huffmaster, meanwhile, was receiving fine reviews of her recitals performed on her European concert tour including those from the London Times and Daily Telegraph.10 The biggest musical news of the year, however, was the arrival of the enigmatic, controversial new conductor of the Houston Symphony, the famed Leopold Stokowski. Assuming the leadership of the Symphony at age seventy-three, he was an aggressive bundle of restless energy. Called the master showman by some, he was undeniably the master of orchestra tone color as well. His successes in Philadelphia and New York led David Ewen to remark, “. . . Stokowski eloquently proved Mahler’s famous adage: ‘There are no great orchestras, only great conductors.’”11 Stokowski personified the decision of the Symphony Society to take the giant step toward membership in the select body of internationally famous orchestras. Upon his appointment, Stokowski remarked, I see in Houston the possibility of building one of the greatest orchestras of the world, and for this reason, I have gladly accepted the invitation. Houston has a good past, a good

8 Houston Post, November 27, 1955, Houston Now, p. 32.

9 Houston Post, November 3, 1955, Sec. IV, p. 9.

10 Houston Post, November 13, 1955, Houston Now, p. 31.

11 David Ewen, Dictators of the Baton (New York: Ziff-Davis Publishing Company, 1948), p. 85.

134 present, and a tremendous future. I shall enjoy devoting all my experience and energy to the development of an orchestra that expresses every kind of music.12

The Society had approached the Maestro with the idea of only a one-year appointment. It was he who wanted a permanent arrangement.13 “Hooston,” he always called it. Ironically, Stokowski had family ties with the city. His first wife, Olga Samaroff (Lucy Hickenlooper), was the granddaughter of Houstonian Mrs. Lucy Grunewald, founder of the Houston Philharmonic Society in 1872.14 Over the years, Hubert Roussel had commented freely about Stokowski’s eccentricities. Yet, in the conductor’s first season in Houston, the Post critic lauded the brilliance of the orchestra’s performances and largely ignored local criticism of Stokowski’s musical proclivities.15 The number of symphony players was augmented by several new performers in the fall of 1955, including a new Associate Conductor, Maurice Bonney, and a new Assistant Concertmaster, Max Winder.16 Stokowski commissioned a new Alan Hovhaness work for the season’s opening concert, rearranged the orchestra seating in a European operatic style, and debuted to a sold-out audience.17 In subsequent weeks, the Houston Symphony appeared on a live Wide, Wide World broadcast on NBC television,18 premiered Henry Cowell’s Symphony No. 6,19

12 Phillip Lambro, “Houston,” Musical Courier, November 1, 1955, p. 26.

13 Houston Chronicle, October 13, 1963, Texas Magazine, p. 23.

14 Lota M. Spell, Music in Texas (Austin: Privately printed, 1936), p. 98.

15 Houston Post, September 20, 1955, Sec. I, p. 10.

16 Houston Post, August 29, 1955, Houston Now, p. 28; October 12, 1955, Sec. I, p. 12.

17 Houston Post, November 1, 1955, Sec. IV, p. 6.

18 Houston Post, October 30, 1955, Houston Now, p. 25.

19 Houston Post, November 13, 1955, Houston Now, p. 31.

135 Khachaturian’s Festive Poem, and performed Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana with Virginia Babikian, Dorothy Brown, Guy Gardner, Howard Hartmann, Jack Waggoner, Clifford Thompson, the Houston Chorale, and the Houston Youth Symphony Boy’s Choir. It was “an evening to put in the record books.”20 However, Stokowski’s concentration on contemporary music did not set well with symphony-goers. At a November concert, for example, the audience was coolly receptive, attendance was low, applause was thin, and many of the audience left during the concert.21 Roussel, in one of his regular satirical columns, recalled a recent conversation with Fleecie, the fictitious cigarette girl in his office building. Ernestine, her equally fabricated roommate, said Fleecie, had been to hear the Houston Symphony. Ernestine said it was right pretty at first . . . But, she said there wasn’t anything she really knew, or Willard either, and the more she took of it, the more she felt dizzy and queer inside, like listening to Liberace, but worse . . . There’s a lot of this going around this winter.22

Despite the doses of unfamiliar music, advance sales to the symphony concerts were up thirty-six percent overall.23 The next fall, Stokowski announced plans for opera, ballet, and drama with the Symphony, recommended the addition of nine new positions, and requested the gradual remodeling of the Music Hall.24 The Symphony

20 Houston Post, February 1, 1956, Sec. III, p. 9.

21 Houston Post, November 29, 1955, Sec. IV, p. 9.

22 Houston Post, December 1, 1955, Sec. IV, p. 6.

23 “Stoky Hyping Houston Symphony Take—Advance and Single Sales Zoom,” Variety, December 21, 1955, p. 40.

24 “Stoky Plans Opera, Ballet and Drama with Houston Symphony: 450G Budget,” Variety, September 7, 1955, p. 51.

136 Society Board promised “sympathetic consideration.”25 A few weeks later, as a Christmas present to the orchestra, Miss Hogg gave the money for construction of a new “sound reflector” designed by Stokowski and Houston architect Hermon Lloyd.26 During the 1955 Christmas holiday season, tragedy struck. Ernst and Anna Maria Hoffmann were tragically killed in an automobile accident near Clarksdale, Mississippi. The Hoffmanns were returning home to the University of Indiana after spending Christmas in Houston visiting friends and their son in medical school. Hoffmann was fifty-six; Anna Marie was fifty-three. At Indiana, Hoffmann had pioneered the development of the famous opera department at Bloomington and had made the performance of Parsifal a yearly Easter tradition. Hubert Roussel wrote a beautiful elegy for his good friends. Hoffmann made it an orchestra. He taught it not only how to play well, he gave it the other characteristics inseparable from the proper understanding and performance of great music . . . He was good . . . simple . . . industrious . . . wholesome . . . generous. He gave freely and abundantly. . . . He made the orchestra a fully professional unit, laid the repertoire foundation, made it more friends than any other of its leaders has done, set a model of community integration and extra-occupational service and probably saved the orchestra for Houston in the War years. . . . He made a fast friend of Hugh Roy Cullen, gave the first chamber concerts, arranged and conducted the first tour, the first oratorio, and the first opera. He conducted the first summer concerts and received no pay for the first three summers. Hoffmann was never invited back to conduct in its more elegant form the instrument he did so much to establish. Little was said when he left. Now, they’re gone. They were good people, and many loved them.27

25 Houston Post, November 16, 1955, Sec. III, p. 12.

26 Houston Post, December 11, 1955, Houston Now, p. 25.

27 Houston Post, January 4, 1956, Sec. IV, p. 4.

137 By early December, the new Houston Grand Opera Association had sold 3,000 subscriptions to its first season.28 The opening production in January, 1956 starred Brenda Lewis and Frederick in Salome.29 Two weeks later, Nancy Swinford Blackburn and Eugene Conley were called a “triumphant success” in Madame Butterfly. The conducting of Walter Herbert was labeled “masterful, incisive and excellent.”30 The 1955 musical season was probably the most popular and artistically interesting one in local history as a result of the birth of the Houston Grand Opera Company, the proliferation of chamber ensembles of all descriptions, the swelling number of resident concert artists, the growth of music activity in educational institutions, and the renewed enthusiasm of the Houston Symphony. Most concerts enjoyed full, if not packed, houses. Many new faces dotted the assembled audiences.31 Roussel analyzed the phenomenon for his Post readers. Four principal reasons, he felt, were responsible for the burgeoning musical interest in the city. First, Houston enjoyed the legacy of a cultured citizenry.32 As early as the turn of the twentieth century, interest was manifested in developing the city’s cultural life. Moreover, many of the city’s leading citizens had experienced periods of residency in leading cultural capitals of the world. Second, the massive influx of population in the post-World War II years had provided vast new audiences for all forms of musical endeavor. Years ago, I had a least a nodding acquaintance with two-thirds of the Music Hall audience. Now, I spend evening after evening and don’t know a soul. Then, we got excited over little achievements—

28 Houston Post, December 11, 1955, Houston Now, p. 25.

29 Houston Post, January 15, 1956, Houston Now, p. 23.

30 Houston Post, January 27, 1956, Sec. I, p. 9.

31 Houston Post, February 19, 1956, Houston Now, p. 23.

32 Houston Post, January 29, 1956, Houston Now, p. 27.

138 the first big concert under Hertz, the first national broadcast, the days the ladies had coffees in the City Auditorium for guest artists.33

Marvin Hurley, secretary of the Houston Chamber of Commerce, commented, “The twenty years that followed World War II brought such revolutionary changes . . . that many feel the twentieth century actually began in 1945.”34 In few American cities was this as true as in Houston. The third factor which Roussel felt was responsible for the growth of Houston’s musical life was a plenteous supply of money.35 Despite its abundance, money was often difficult to secure. This was an era of few major benefactors rather than dependence on fund-raising programs in the community. Fortunately, Houston enjoyed a large number of Cullens, Worthams, Lobits, and Hoggs who could underwrite a major venture, if they so chose. The cultural heritage of these same families led them to assume financial leadership in the musical enterprise. Nonetheless, a co-dependency was evident in which the financiers fully expected to set policy and make decisions in an atmosphere of isolation from the general public. By 1956, there was also evidence of the beginning of a long history of corporate support for the arts. Despite the annual financial burden for the Symphony Society, however, Houston Symphony musicians at this time were paid only $125 per week for a 26 week season.36 The fourth factor listed by Roussel was the nature of the new citizenry. By and large, new residents in the city were a diversified and often international population.

33 Houston Post, December 5, 1956, Sec. III, p. 2.

34 Marvin Hurley, Decisive Years for Houston (Houston: Houston Magazine, Houston Chamber of Commerce, 1966), jacket notes.

35 Houston Post, January 29, 1956, Houston Now, p. 27.

36 Houston Post, April 15, 1956, Houston Now, p. 23.

139 The social fabric of the community, established in other generations and indeed in another country, out of which grew the original sponsorship of the art movements of Houston, has been affected by the rapid increase in the city’s size—without proving entirely capable of adapting itself to the newer condition.37

There was in Houston at this time some factionalism mainly as a result of the latent ferment between the old guard and newer stakeholders. Houston simply had become much more cosmopolitan. It is common now to hear several tongues and to see several examples of national dress . . . Neither are ovations as excited, now measured and slower. The audience is quieter, listens attentively, and looks at pictures in the lobby, smokes — like Rome, Paris.38

George Feurmann, noted Houston columnist and author, wrote that Houston had skipped fifty years between 1940 and 1955. Its population ranked it twenty-first among cities in the United States in 1940; it was fourteenth in 1955, twelfth in 1959, fifth in 1965, and fourth by the turn of the twenty-first century. Dallas Morning News columnist Lon Tinkle observed,”Houston is obsessed by the future. Just as they have annexed everything else in sight down there, they have annexed tomorrow.”39 Fredell Lack continued to persevere with her Young Audiences project. She persuaded the Houston Independent School District to authorize two pilot demonstrations at Peck and River Oaks Elementary Schools. The New York Woodwind Ensemble appeared in forty-five minute performances at each school with very enthusiastic response from the children. Buoyed by these trial performances, the Young Audiences program was established in HISD supported in part by grants from the Music Performance Trust Fund of the local musicians’ union.40

37 Houston Post, January 29, 1956, Houston Now, p. 27.

38 Houston Post, December 5, 1956, Sec. III, p. 2.

39 George Fuermann, The Reluctant Empire (Garden City, New York: Doubleday and Company, Inc., 1957, p. 159.

40 Houston Post, March 28, 1956, Sec. I, p. 10.

140 The University of Houston enjoyed an active spring 1956 calendar of musical events. The University hosted a Contemporary Composers’ event sponsored by the American Composers Alliance.41 In April, the fifth UH annual Spring Music Festival was celebrated including performances of Mozart’s Impresario, Menotti’s The Old Maid and the Thief, and concerts by various chamber ensembles.42 To close the academic year, Frederick Fennell conducted a band workshop in June sponsored by the University. The Houston Youth Symphony celebrated its tenth anniversary in the spring under the leadership of Howard Webb. Early in its history, the organization had been forced to borrow instruments to get started and had nearly collapsed from financial shortages. However, the orchestra proved its value to parents and to the community and quickly garnered civic support. Stokowski maintained a lively interest in the organization.43 At the time of it tenth anniversary, its constituent organizations included three orchestras, a ballet corps, and a boy’s choir.44 Elsewhere, Rice Institute had become the beneficiary of a $350,000 gift from the estate of Mrs. Sallie Shepherd Perkins in 1950.45 The bulk of the income from this endowment was channeled each year into a growing concert series. In April of 1956, Rice announced it would sponsor four performances by the Lyric Art Quartet as a part of the

41 Houston Post, April 22, 1956, Houston Now, p. 23.

42 Houston Post, April 29, 1956, Houston Now, p. 23. 42 Houston Post, April 29, 1956, Houston Now, p. 23.

43 Houston Post, February 23, 1956, Sec. VI, p. 4.

44 Houston Post, April 22, 1956, Houston Now, p. 27.

45 Houston Post, December 6, 1950, Sec. II, p. 13.

141 Shepherd program.46 Additionally, Dr. and Mrs. Henry Leigh Bartlett announced they would sponsor an annual performance at Rice by the University of Texas Faculty Trio.47 Houstonian Virginia Babikian was awarded a Fulbright Fellowship for voice study in Italy in 1956.48 Babikian’s Madrigal Singers regularly marked Christmas with performances at the Junior League. The popular soprano gave her second Symphony performance of the season during the summer and was later to record the memorable performance of Carmina Burana with Stokowski and the Houston Symphony Orchestra. At the end of the Houston Grand Opera’s first season, Walter Herbert severed his ties with the Opera Association over an exclusivity issue. Houston Grand Opera had apparently offered Herbert a handsome salary and a three-year contract but wanted to restrict his professional activity solely to Houston. Herbert resigned in order to be able to direct productions with other companies.49 However, four weeks later in July, Mrs. Lobit announced Herbert had returned to the Houston Grand Opera fold for the coming season.50 In June 1956, Houston lost another of the men who had been so instrumental in molding its destiny; Jesse Jones died at eighty-two.51 In addition to the accomplishments of his remarkable life, Jones had been instrumental in securing the Metropolitan Opera for Houston, and had for a number of years sponsored the radio broadcasts of the Houston Symphony Orchestra. His extraordinary contributions to the city and to

46 Houston Post, April 22, 1956, Houston Now, p. 28.

47 Houston Post, February 28, 1956, Sec. I, p. 8.

48 Houston Post, May 17, 1956, Sec. V, p. 2.

49 Houston Post, May 31, 1956, Sec. IV, p. 7.

50 Houston Post, July 1, 1956, Houston Now, p. 29.

51 Houston Post, June 2, 1956, Sec. I. p. 1.

142 the nation during the years of the great depression may never fully be realized. His role was later to be immortalized with the naming of the Houston Symphony’s performance hall in his honor. The symphony enjoyed a summer concert season in 1956 of twenty-one performances under Maurice Bonney at Miller Outdoor Theatre.52 The summer was also marked by the annual Houston Youth Symphony camp in Seguin,53 the Gilbert and Sullivan Society’s Gondoliers,54 and Theatre, Inc.’s King and I.55 Ticket sales for fall 1956 musical events were brisk. Subscription series sales were very high with the Jewish Community Center, the Music Guild, and the J. S. Bach Society following the lead of the Houston Symphony in offering attractive ticket packages. By late October, there were few tickets for individual events available in the city.56 Stokowski arrived for the season aboard the Missouri Pacific’s Texas Eagle train with a new Capitol Records contract under one arm and an enormous brass gong purchased for the orchestra in Yugoslavia under the other.57 Capitol’s press release made no mention of the Houston Symphony Orchestra, but rather of Stokowski.58 Maestro Stokowski assured the Symphony Society that any recording he did would be with the Houston Symphony Orchestra. “The orchestra is good

52 “Houston Youth Symphony,” Violins and Violinists, January 1957, p. 31.

53 Houston Post, July 12, 1956, Sec. IV, p. 2.

54 Houston Post, June 17, 1956, Houston Now, p. 25.

55 Houston Post, June 3, 1956, Houston Now, p. 28.

56 Houston Post, October 7, 1956, Houston Now, p. 27.

57 Houston Post, October 23, 1956, Sec. III. p. 2.

58 “Leopold Stokowski Inks Contract with Capitol,” Billboard, September 8, 1956, p. 22.

143 enough, but no one knows about it . . . the record companies are wary of it, regardless of how good it is.”59 Miss Ima’s new Music Hall orchestra shell was her welcome-home gift and Christmas present to Stokowski. The new shell added six feet to the stage depth, was sealed against sound leakage, and allowed tiered seating and vastly improved lighting.60 The orchestra itself had eight new positions, bringing the total membership to ninety-two. However, there were a total of twenty-four new musicians in the 1956 Symphony greatly strengthening the musical fiber of the orchestra.61 The Symphony played its opening concert of a standing-room-only audience and displayed an extraordinary new sound. Three world premiers and an American premier were scheduled in the 1956-57 symphony season.62 Young Audiences, pioneered by Fredell Lack, became a reality early in 1957. Financed by the Music Performance Trust Fund through the cooperation of Musicians Local 65, Young Audiences, Inc., the Houston Music Teachers Association, and private philanthropy, the school concerts featured the Lyric Art Quartet and the Music Guild Quartet.63 The Houston Grand Opera offered a second set of productions buoyed by strong ticket sales. Rossini’s La Cenerentola (Cinderella) featured the Houston Ballet Foundation, Frances Bible, David Cunningham, Frances Junger, Guy Gardner, and “economically modern” sets.64 Roussel’s review of the resultant potpourri lamented

59 Houston Post, October 23, 1956, Sec. III, p. 2.

60 Houston Post, August 1, 1956, Sec. I, p. 10.

61 Houston Post, October 16, 1956, Sec. IV, p. 5.

62 “Houston to Premier Three New Works,” Musical Courier, November 1, 1956, pp. 11-12.

63 Houston Post, January 13, 1957, Houston Now, p. 27.

64 Alfred R. Newmann, “Ayes of Texas: Houston Heroines,” Opera News, April 1, 1957, p. 26.

144 With all proper respect to everyone, the dollar expended, civic pride and all else, what occurred on the Music Hall stage was a carnival of bad theatrical taste and an over-ambitious employment of limited artistic resources. There is no use putting any other name to the business.65

However, with Tosca, the Houston Grand Opera had a hit. Local artists William Guthrie and Nancy Swinford Blackburn headed the cast.66 In February, 1957 Capitol Records announced it would run acoustical tests in the Music Hall as a prelude to signing the Houston Symphony Orchestra to a contract.67 The testing revealed the hall to be a “little dead,” but satisfactory for recording purposes. True to his world, Stokowski announced several days later that he would record Gliere’s Symphony No. 3 in stereo with the Houston Symphony for Capitol Records.68 Stokowski told a March audience: We are trying to build an ideal orchestra—one that will be the equal of any anywhere in the world. . . . With our recordings we expect to show the world that this is a great community not only commercially, but culturally.69

Spring 1957 was distinguished by the annual University of Houston Fine Arts Festival which featured a production of Stravinsky’s L’Histoire du Soldat,70 the Houston Youth Symphony Festival, and a Houston Symphony Orchestra performance of the Beethoven Ninth Symphony with soloists Jean Hinkle, Jay Froman, and Annette Dinwoodey. The Youth Symphony initiated a $35,000 maintenance

65 Houston Post, January 25, 1957, Sec. II, p. 6.

66 Trudy Goth, “The National Scene: Houston,” Musical Courier, March 15, 1957, p. 17.

67 Houston Post, February 24, 1957, Sec. I, p. 1.

68 Houston Post, March 5, 1957, Sec. IV, p. 5.

69 Houston Post, March 28, 1957, Sec. IV, p. 1.

70 Houston Post, March 19, 1957, Sec. I, p. 10.

145 campaign in March,71 and the Houston Grand Opera announced a six- week summer workshop, by invitation only. Forty-two singers were selected to work with Walter Herbert on productions of Ibert’s Angelique and Suppe’s The Beautiful Galatea.72 The spring visit by the Metropolitan Opera was plagued with illness. Despite Dimitri Mitropoulos’ conducting, Carmen suffered from the absence of Rise Stevens, the sloppiness of the orchestra, and a generally colorless performance. However, Renata Tebaldi in Tosca was masterful and commanding.73 In the same cultural year that witnessed the death of Jesse Jones, philanthropist oilman Hugh Roy Cullen suffered a stroke and died on July 4, 1957. The contributions of this man to the city are incalculable. A vast number of organizations owed their origin, their very survival, or both to this generous citizen. The University of Houston and the Houston Symphony Orchestra are but two of the major institutions that owed their very presence to his philanthropy. The summer of 1957 saw Theatre, Inc.’s production of The Boy Friend along with the regular summer series of eighteen symphony concerts under conductor Maurice Bonney at Miller Outdoor Theatre.74 Late in the summer, Theatre, Inc. announced that it was sponsoring a six-week workshop with the famed opera director Boris Goldovsky.75 The Houston Municipal Band, begun in 1956, played a season in

71 Houston Post, March 3, 1957, Sec. I, p. 1.

72 Houston Post, April 12, 1957, Sec. II, p. 9.

73 Houston Post, May 19, 1957, Houston Now, p. 27.

74 Houston Post, August 15, 1957, Sec. IV, p. 2.

75 Houston Post, September 22, 1957, Houston Now, p. 29.

146 neighborhood parks, and the Gilbert and Sullivan Society presented Frances Junger in its production of Iolanthe.76 With the clamor for symphony tickets for the 1957-58 season, the Houston Symphony decided to expand its offerings to twelve pairs of concerts. General Maurice Hirsch, President of the Symphony Society, announced that the 5,152 subscribers to the concert series were commanding nearly ninety percent of all available seats.77 Edna Saunders began her fortieth year of remarkable leadership in bringing major musical artists to the city.78 During the summer of 1957, Hubert Roussel embarked upon a campaign to acquaint the Houston public with Stokowski’s reluctance to claim any connection to the Houston Symphony when he was away from the city—despite the title of Conductor and Musical Director.79 Roussel wrote, “Stokowski, known to close friends as conductor of the Houston Symphony Orchestra, failed even to mention his affiliation with the Orchestra in his summer releases.”80 Stokowski, meanwhile, announced a fall season containing one world premier, two American premiers, fifteen Houston premiers, and forty-four percent contemporary works.81 The Gliere recording was released in November. Stokowski liked the results, but stated that he would not again record at the Music Hall.82 Though Roussel had little negative comment regarding the orchestra, he issued a strong statement on the Gliere Symphony. “It is a

76 Houston Post, June 23, 1957, Houston Now, p. 31.

77 Houston Post, March 10, 1957, Houston Now, p. 25.

78 Houston Post, September 29, 1957, Houston Now, p. 23.

79 Houston Post, April 14, 1957, Sec. I, p. 1.

80 Houston Post, July 31, 1957, Sec. IV, p. 5; August 4, 1957, Houston Now, p. 26. 81 Houston Post, September 29, 1957, Houston Now, p. 23.

82 Houston Post, November 3, 1957, Houston Now, p. 23.

147 banality of its model, flatulent, rhetorical, uninspired in its means, stodgy of texture, monotonous in its scoring, and in every respect a work of the second-rate kind.”83 The contemporary music on the symphony programs was not popular. Many performances fell on empty seats and departing patrons.84 In November, 1957 Houston lost one its most colorful and productive music leaders. Mrs. John Wesley Graham died in her sleep after a lingering illness. Synonymous with Houston music since her move to the city in 1910, “Ma” Graham had directed the First Methodist Church choir for twenty years. She was past President of the Texas Music Teachers Association, Music Director of the Houston Fair and Exposition, founder of the Houston Civic Opera Company and the Texas Grand Opera Company, producer of Aida at the Chicago World’s Fair, and popular local music teacher and radio pioneer.85 She was honored in 1956 by the Harris County Tuberculosis Association for her 1934 production of Faust whose proceeds purchased the first X-ray equipment for the Association.86 Furthermore, Mrs. Graham had brought to Houston Uriel Nespoli, first conductor of the reorganized Houston Symphony Orchestra. She was exemplary of the early vision for music by many pioneering Houstonians; yet in a very real sense, there had never been anyone quite like her! In January 1958 a major cooperative agreement was reached between the Houston Grand Opera, the Houston Symphony Orchestra, and the Musicians Local 65 which stipulated that the Houston Symphony Orchestra would not schedule subscription concerts during

83 Houston Post, October 20, 1957, Houston Now, p. 23.

84 Houston Post, November 12, 1957, Sec. IV, p. 5.

85 Houston Post, November 5, 1957, Sec. III, p. 10.

86 Houston Post, March 27, 1956, Sec. IV, p. 7.

148 the weeks of the Houston Grand Opera performances. This arrangement eliminated any competition for audiences which might have developed and assured the availability of the orchestra for Houston Grand Opera productions.87 At the same time, a new three-year contract was signed with the musicians’ union. Strauss’ Electra showed the merit of cooperation between the two organizations. Staged by Metropolitan Opera director Herbert Graf,88 the opera starred Norman Treigle and Regina Resnik.89 Even John Rosenfield, the Dallas Morning News critic who was basking in the aura of the Maria Callas coup for Dallas, commented, “Electra couldn’t have been that good.”90 The quality of the orchestra provided a solid musical foundation for this first cooperative production. Roussel observed, “The symphony is the center and generator of our musical life in this city, without which we would be in poor condition indeed . . . with it we have access to every pleasure that music can bring.”91 In April, Roussel received a letter from former Symphony conductor, Uriel Nespoli. For some time after his Houston tenure, Nespoli had done vocal coaching in New York.92 However, he was now back in Naples. “The only thing I have left in life now is to come back to Houston to conduct for the public which has given me many memories.”93 Like Ernst Hoffmann, however, Nespoli was never invited back to conduct the orchestra he had labored to re-establish.

87 Houston Post, January 31, 1958, Sec. I, p. 8.

88 Houston Post, April 9, 1958, Sec. I, p. 11.

89 Houston Post, April 20, 1958, Sec. I, p. 1.

90 Houston Post, April 30, 1958, Sec. IV, p. 5.

91 Houston Post, April 22, 1958, Sec. III, p. 2.

92 Houston Post, January 10, 1958, Sec. II, p. 7.

93 Houston Post, April 30, 1958, Sec. IV, p. 5.

149 Capitol Records taped the Houston Symphony Orchestra in performances of the Shostakovich Symphony No. 11 and Orff’s Carmina Burana in May. This time, the floor of the City Auditorium was used for the sessions.94 Later in May, the Houston Grand Opera announced plans for a second workshop under the direction of Walter Herbert and a new chorus master from New York, Charles Rosekrans.95 The American Guild of Organists met in Houston for its national convention in 1958. Visiting performers included E. Power Biggs, Catherine Crozier, Virgil Fox, and the Texas Boys Choir.96 Theatre, Inc. opened Damn Yankees,97 and the Municipal Band initiated its third season of activity under the direction of Bert Sloan.98 The University of Houston offered Martha as a part of its Music Festival;99 the Gilbert and Sullivan Society presented The Mikado; and the Houston Grand Opera company produced Donizetti’s Rita and Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi.100 Finally, a Texas boy named Cliburn gained international acclaim by winning the Tchaikovsky International Piano Competition and was signed for a performance with the Houston Symphony.101 The global recognition of this award was politically compounded in a world that was still stunned by Russia’s successful launch of Sputnik only months before.

94 Houston Post, Mary 22, 1958, Sec. V, p. 1.

95 Houston Post, Mary 25, 1958, Houston Now, p. 32.

96 Houston Post, June 8, 1958, Houston Now, p. 32.

97 Houston Post, June 10, 1958, Sec. IV, p. 7.

98 Houston Post, June 1, 1958, Houston Now, p. 2.

99 Houston Post, May 18, 1958, Houston Now, p. 29.

100 Houston Post, June 29, 1958, Houston Now, p. 28.

101 Houston Post, April 20, 1958, Sec. I, p. 1.

150 The burgeoning importance of the arts in Houston caught the attention of the Ford Foundation in 1958. McNeil Lowry visited Houston during the year to survey personally the dynamic level of arts activity in the city. In July, the Foundation announced the selection of the Houston Symphony Orchestra and the Alley Theatre as local beneficiaries of a new program for nurturing young creative talent.102 Capitol Records released the Shostakovich recording close on the heels of the Ford announcement. The jacket notes firmly identified Stokowski as conductor of the Houston Symphony Orchestra and noted the coup premiere of the work which the ensemble had performed.103 Reviews of the Shostakovich recording began appearing in the fall; most praised the orchestra and generally panned the work. Arthur Hall, now head of the Shepherd School of Music at Rice Institute, was awarded a Charles Ives Music Grant for composition in August 1958.104 Elsewhere in the city, the Allied Arts Council met to decide whether or not to disband.105 Young Audiences planned its most ambitious schedule to date; some forty concerts were calendared for metropolitan schools during 1958-59 funded by the support of the Music Performance Trust Fund and Local 65.106 Symphony Assistant Conductor Maurice Bonney resigned to assume direction of the Albuquerque Symphony, and Ezra Rachlin, newly appointed conductor of the Austin Symphony, was recruited to conduct the nineteen children’s concerts scheduled for the year.107

102 Houston Post, July 22, 1958, Sec. II, p. 5.

103 Houston Post, July 27, 1958, Houston Now, p. 25.

104 Houston Post, August 3, 1958, Houston Now, p. 28.

105 Houston Post, August 15, 1958, Sec. IV, p. 7.

106 Houston Post, October 26, 1958, Houston Now, p. 34.

107 Houston Post, June 10, 1958, Sec. IV, p. 7.

151 Stokowski arrived back in Houston for his four weeks in the fall and promptly announced he had decided Houston audiences preferred a symphonic mix of four parts standard repertoire and one part contemporary.108 The unflagging maestro also called a meeting of all those interested in forming a contemporary music society for Houston. Some one-hundred-fifty persons attended the initial meeting which resulted in the organization of a local society.109 Charter members included Stokowski, Dr. Alfred R. Newmann, Mrs. Louis Lobit, Drusilla Huffmaster, Miss Ima Hogg, General Maurice Hirsch, Arthur Hall, Ralph Gunn, Fredell Lack, Wayne Crouse, Mrs. Herman Brown, and Rex Baker, Jr. Cliburn’s concert in November was a homecoming. As a twelve- year-old, he had made his first appearance with the Houston Symphony in 1947 as a result of winning the Texas Gulf Sulphur Company competition.110Tickets for the 1958 performance had been sold out for five months. But in response to demand, a Monday evening rehearsal was opened for teenagers at a cost of one dollar.111 Three thousand young people witnessed the shirt-sleeve performance.112 The rehearsal was made more instructive by the comments of Cliburn to the audience, sharing details of musical decisions with Stokowski. Educational music activity was burgeoning within the city. The rapidly expanding music department at the University of Houston had added four new faculty members in 1957—Dr. Klaus Speer, Michael

108 Houston Post, September 21, 1958, Houston Now, p. 25.

109 Houston Post, October 26, 1958, Houston Now, p. 34.

110 Houston Post, November 23, 1958, Houston Now, p. 28.

111 Houston Post, November 6, 1958, Sec. II, p. 7.

112 Houston Post, November 25, 1958, Sec. III, p. 3.

152 Wilkomirski, Dr. Elmer Schoettle, and John Sawyer.113 The University received accreditation by the National Association of Schools of Music in November 1958. At the time, some two114 hundred students and twenty- eight faculty members were involved in the music department which offered the BM, BME, MM and BA degrees. A new ensemble, the University of Houston Symphonette conducted by Richard Ferrin, was added to the performance opportunities open to students.115 An All-City Orchestra had been revived in 1956 under Houston Independent School District sponsorship. However, city-wide awareness was not achieved until January 1959 when the ensemble appeared in joint performance by the All-City Band, Orchestra, and Chorus with the Houston Symphony under the direction of Frederick Fennell.116 The reputation of the orchestra and its director Harry Lantz was further enhanced with the issuance of a recording of the ensemble’s work.117 Chamber music had long enjoyed much favor in Houston. New chamber groups continued to form. The Woodwinds of Houston was organized early in 1958. Its members included Byron Hester, Ray Weaver, Jeffrey Lerner, Caesar LaMonaca, and James Dickey—all from the University of Houston music faculty.118 In additional chamber activity, the New Art String Quartet focusing on contemporary music was formed composed of Richard Collins, Margot Collins, Jerry Horner, and Stephen Gorisch.119 The first program by the new Contemporary Music

113 Houston Post, October 6, 1957, Houston Now, p. 26.

114 Houston Post, November 30, 1958, Houston Now, p. 28.

115 Houston Post, January 4, 1959, Houston Now, p. 24.

116 Houston Post, November 30, 1958, Sec. I, p. l.

117 Houston Post, September 20, 1959, Houston Now, p. 32.

118 Houston Post, February 22, 1959, Houston Now, p. 26.

119 Houston Post, July 19, 1959, Houston Now, p. 31.

153 Society utilized thirty-seven members of the Houston Symphony under Stokowski’s baton. Five hundred listeners packed Rice’s Hamman Hall for the concert.120 The Carmina Burana recording was released in stereo in April and received immediate acclaim.121 The recording ultimately was judged as the finest classical record of 1959 by the United Press International.122 The Houston Grand Opera produced Menotti’s The Consul in the fall at the Playhouse Theatre starring three respected Houston performers— Frances Junger, Kathryn Gutekunst, and Pauline Stark; Herbert’s new protégé, Charles Rosekrans, accompanied at the piano. John Druary, leading tenor of the New York City Opera Company, and Robert Brownlee, winner of the National Federation of Music Clubs Young Pianists Competition, joined the University of Houston music faculty in June.123 The Metropolitan Opera dropped Houston from its itinerary for the spring of 1960. One full week had to be cut from the tour, limiting the company to twelve cities. Houston was off the circular route preferred by the Met. It had to retrace its steps annually back through Dallas after leaving Houston to arrive at Oklahoma City. And, costs also rose from $20,000 to $28,000 per performance. Edna Saunders either would have had to require a $7 minimum ticket at the Music Hall or make up the $10,000 deficit with a fund drive. She was willing to do neither.124 The Houston Grand Opera productions for 1960 seemed destined for failure. Ann Holmes called the stylized version of Die Walküre

120 Houston Post, April 4, 1959, Sec. I, p. 6.

121 Houston Post, April 12, 1959, Houston Now, p. 31.

122 Houston Symphony Society minutes, February 10, 1960.

123 Houston Post, June 21, 1959, Houston Now, p. 27.

124 Houston Post, July 12, 1959, Houston Now, p. 25.

154 “a visual failure.” Moreover, she wrote, the whole production was “distressingly inept.”125 Carmen was to star Claramae Turner, Richard Cassily, and Norman Treigle. However, on the evening of the first performance, influenza swept through the entire company. Cassily lasted only two acts; the ranks of the chorus were decimated. Maestro Herbert and Claramae Turner were also ill, but managed to make it through the performance.126 Much of the difficulty which the Houston Grand Opera was facing was due to the severe budget limitations under which it operated. Only $107,000 was allotted for the entire 1959-60 season.127 Production budgets were scarcely adequate to cover personnel costs with sets and costumes continually short-changed. By season’s end, Houston Grand Opera President William Bland announced a deficit of $32,000. Because of the new contract which had recently been negotiated with the Symphony, the Symphony Society found itself facing a $25,000 shortage should the opera organization collapse.128 Basso Noel Tyl, who had been serving also as Business Manager for the Houston Grand Opera Association, resigned in June and left for New York to pursue a singing career.129 He was succeeded by Ellis Gilbert, former stage manager of the Metropolitan Opera and most recently manager of an FM radio station.130 Two local foundations, Jesse Jones’ Houston Endowment and the M. D. Anderson Foundation offered the opera company up to $40,000 on

125 Ann Holmes, “Houston’s Troubles,” Opera News, March 5, 1960, p. 26.

126 Houston Post, January 28, 1960, Sec. III, p. 1.

127 Ann Holmes, “Houston’s Troubles,” Opera News, March 5, 1960, p. 26.

128 Houston Post, July 21, 1960, Sec. V, p. 1.

129 Houston Post, June 1, 1960, Sec. I, p. 10.

130 Houston Post, September 10, 1960, Houston Now, p. 29.

155 a dollar-for-dollar matching basis. By late August, $24,000 of the needed $32,500 had been raised.131 In September, Grand Opera officials underwrote the remaining $6,000.132 A Houston Grand Opera Guild was formed in the fall of 1960 in order to build better public support for the Opera Association. Mrs. Ralph Gunn first chaired the group whose plans called for cultivating greater public enthusiasm through open rehearsals, opera previews, receptions, publications, and an annual ball.133 The inconsistency, the poor organization, and lack of integration in the early opera productions had failed to build public confidence. By the spring of 1961, however, the community was beginning to rally. Attendance was up; production quality had improved; and the organization mounted a maintenance drive for $65,000.134 Meanwhile, the Houston Symphony Society was also in ferment. Stokowski’s willingness to conduct only eight weeks of the season, his repeated failure to publicize his relationship with the Houston orchestra, and his penchant for programming contemporary music jeopardized his harmonious relations in the city. To its credit, the orchestra had produced several outstanding recordings under Stokowski’s leadership. And in February, Society President General Hirsch announced the orchestra would record two albums for the Everest label.135 Sir John Barbirolli conducted a memorable performance of the orchestra in February. Battling a bronchial ailment, Sir John molded the orchestra into an ensemble of a mettle not heard for many months.

131 Houston Post, August 25, 1960, Sec. III, p. 1.

132 Houston Post, September 2, 1960, Sec. IV, p. 2.

133 Houston Post, October 11, 1960, Sec. IV, p. 7.

134 Houston Post, March 5, 1961, Houston Now, p. 35.

135 Houston Post, February 11, 1960, Sec. III, p. 1.

156 Roussel labeled Barbirolli as “the clarifier” and called the concert “a triumphant music lesson for orchestra and audience.”136 About a month later, Barbirolli revealed to the press that he was considering an offer from a major United States symphony to become its permanent conductor. The Houston Symphony Orchestra Society, however, refused to comment on the statement.137 On the eve of his annual spring exodus, Leopold Stokowski announced his intention to resign after the 1960-61 season. The announcement came as no shock. Much of the excitement of having a world-famous conductor on the Houston podium had dissipated, and the city found itself—as it had in other days—wanting a person whose interests were more exclusively local.138 During these days of turmoil for the Houston Symphony and the Houston Grand Opera, other aspects of the city’s musical life continued their orderly development. The All-City Orchestra had ripened into a viable community ensemble. Its conductor, Harry Lantz, invited Stokowski to conduct the orchestra before he left Houston in the spring. Stokowski rehearsed the four-year-old ensemble in the Shostakovich Symphony No. 5 at its regular Bellaire High School practice, then left to catch his last train out of town. In the audience that day were mentors Ray Fliegel and Victor Alessandro, Sr. whose Houston Junior Symphony had been a pioneer musical organization for young people in Houston.139 The Contemporary Music Society commissioned its first work by Paul Nelson in the spring of 1960,140 and in May, the Second Annual

136 Houston Post, February 8, 1960, Sec. I. p. 6.

137 Houston Post, March 25, 1960, Sec. I, p. 10.

138 Houston Post, August 7, 1960, Houston Now, p. 9.

139 Houston Post, April 7, 1960, Sec. I, p. 1 (photograph of Stokowski.)

140 Houston Post, January 24, 1960, Houston Now, p. 32.

157 Greater Houston Area Symposium of New Music was held at the University of St. Thomas. Financial support was provided by the Music Performance Trust Fund.141 Further activity was generated in August by a four-day Festival of New Music sponsored by the Contemporary Arts Association featuring electronic music by composer Peter Yates.142 The music department of the University of Houston made some strong faculty acquisitions in the spring. Dr. Earl Moore, nationally famous educator and Dean of the School of Music at the University of Michigan, came to Houston to chair the University of Houston’s Department of Music. Moore had studied organ with Charles-Marie Widor in Paris and had been awarded honorary degrees by Eastman School of Music, the American Conservatory, and Drake University.143 Some months later, Fredell Lack joined the University faculty as visiting lecturer. Moreland Kortkamp, a former Julliard classmate of Lack’s, also joined the faculty in 1961.144 Kortkamp had toured Houston with the Philharmonic Piano Quartet in 1956 and had performed widely with the Henry Hudson Trio.145 In early fall 1960, Symphony Manager Tom Johnson flew to London. Because Barbirolli had made such an impression in his 1960 visit, and because Sir Malcolm Sargent was already booked for the 1960- 61 Houston season, both men were considered prime candidates for the Houston podium. Houston’s two major fine arts writers differed on which conductor each felt would receive an invitation.146

141 Houston Post, May 1, 1960, Houston Now, p. 32.

142 Houston Post, July 31, 1960, Houston Now, p. 33.

143 Houston Post, May 22, 1960, Houston Now, p. 28.

144 Houston Post, January 10, 1961, Sec. I, p. 9.

145 Houston Post, April 1, 1956, Houston Now, p. 33.

146 Houston Post, August 26, 1960, Sec. III, p. 7.

158 The fall symphony season opened with a weak, “inexcusable” performance.147 As lame-duck seasons are likely to be, the fall concerts were lackluster. At the time, Stokowski was embroiled in a difficult child-custody case in his divorce from Gloria Vanderbilt. In November, Stokowski asked to be released from all but his final pair of concerts in the spring in order to conduct several performances for the Metropolitan Opera.148 Roussel described the moment as “mutual ennui.” The Stokowski years, Roussel observed, had offered a good part-time job for the benefit of all concerned.149 Erich Leinsdorf, Georges Sébastian, and Vladimir Golschmann were quickly announced as replacement conductors for the spring concerts.150 Reflecting the long history of excellent business support of the arts in Houston, a group of concerned professional men formed the Houston Friends of Music in 1960 with the purpose of underwriting an annual season of chamber music concerts. Dr. John Robert Hill, President of the Friends, announced an initial season of performances by the Hungarian String Quartet, Janos Starker, the Budapest String Quartet, and the Quartetto Italiano.151 The concerts were scheduled for Cullen Auditorium; seven hundred subscriptions were sold in the first several weeks.152 By the end of the year, the Friends of Music had cleared $1,000 on its first season and had garnered a Coolidge Foundation grant for future seasons. In other arts activity supportive of the musical life of

147 Houston Post, October 18, 1960, Sec. I, p. 6.

148 Houston Post, November 27, 1960, Sec. I, p. 1.

149 Houston Post, November 30, 1960, Sec. II, p. 7.

150 Houston Post, December 18, 1960, Houston Now, p. 38.

151 Houston Post, October 20, 1960, Sec. IV, p. 1.

152 Houston Post, October 30, 1960, Houston Now, p. 38.

159 the city, the Allegro Ballet was chartered in December 1960. Mrs. John B. Hunter was named President.153 Ann Holmes listed her aspirations for Houston for the new year in the January 1, 1961 Houston Chronicle. She hoped: (1) that the Houston Symphony Orchestra would get a new acoustical shell “in a color harmonious with the Music Hall (2) that Mayor Louis Cutrer would use his influence to hasten the construction of a new music hall (3) that someone would build a 500-700 seat auditorium (4) that Houston money would flow more freely into the fine arts (5) that a Society for Baroque music would be formed to augment the work of the J. S. Bach Society (6) that the sets and costumes for the Houston Grand Opera would soon equal the quality of the singing (7) that Houston would start trumpeting its cultural values more frequently and with increased vigor.154

Holmes was to receive a Guggenheim grant later in the spring to “explore music, theater, and art in America.”155 Harry Lantz was appointed director of the University of Houston orchestra in the spring of 1960. Lantz had organized the All-City Symphony and was a former University of Houston music faculty member.156 The University also formed a community orchestra, designed to serve the avocational interests of amateur instrumentalists.157 In May, the University of Houston became a Texas public university following months of heated debate in the Texas legislature.158 This action was to have marked effect on the growth of the institution over the

153 Houston Post, December 11, 1960, Houston Now, p. 35.

154 Houston Chronicle, January 1, 1961, Feature Magazine, p. 3.

155 Houston Chronicle, May 7, 1961, Zest, p. 8.

156 Houston Post, April 23, 1961, Houston Now, p. 21.

157 Houston Post, March 5, 1961, Houston Now, p. 35.

158 Houston Post, May 24, 1961, Sec. I, p. 1.

160 next several years. In other developments, pianist Drusilla Huffmaster was named Artist-in-Residence at Southwestern University in Georgetown.159 Michael Spampinato was named director of the All-City Band,160 and Tom Johnson played host to the conference of managers of major symphony orchestras in the United States and Canada.161 At the Museum of Fine Arts which had long hosted Sunday Afternoon Musicales, James Johnson Sweeney, nationally-acclaimed Guggenheim administrator, was named new Museum Director.162 The Houston Chronicle contracted with the Houston Symphony Orchestra in 1961 for a number of “services” which yielded several Chronicle One-dollar Concerts aimed at a broader symphony audience.163 Hubert Roussel of the Houston Post criticized the action which he termed a symphony “sellout to a local business concern.” Houston responded, however, and the first Chronicle concert conducted by Arthur Fiedler drew an audience of nine thousand persons at the Coliseum.164 A total of 25,000 heard the first three Dollar concerts. It was estimated that ninety-five percent of the audience was new to the orchestra.165 During the period from 1955 to 1961, it seemed clear that the direction of the arts within the community was dramatically changing. The musical progress in Houston during the Stokowski years had been extraordinary. The presence of such a brilliant conductor had stimulated national attention and local interest in the symphony. His years in

159 Houston Post, April 23, 1961, Houston Now, p. 21.

160 Houston Post, March 5, 1961, Houston Now, p. 42.

161 Houston Post, June 4, 1961, Houston Now, p. 29.

162 Houston Post, January 10, 1961, Sec. I, p. 9.

163 Houston Chronicle, October 19, 1961, Sec. I, p. 10.

164 Floyd Funk, “Houston Orchestral Schedule Rearranged,” Musical Courier, February, 1961, p. 22.

165 Houston Symphony Society minutes, May 24, 1961.

161 Houston fell short of their potential, however, because of lack of rapport with the city itself. Stokowski had stimulated the environment; he had been good for box office sales; he was good for publicity and had brought a new level of musical maturity to the orchestra itself. However, a sense of esprit de corps was missing among the musicians of the orchestra. It would take a magnificent new conductor who shared the dreams of the orchestra, who labored tirelessly in its behalf rather than his own, and who would commit his every energy to the building of a great ensemble in order to bring fruition to all the years of development which the Houston Symphony Orchestra had experienced.

SUMMARY By 1955, the civic musical enterprise which was sired by the Houston Symphony Orchestra had achieved a degree of maturity and was operating somewhat independently of the orchestra. Because the vast corps of professional musicians which supported civic musical activity had become well established in residence, ebbing and flowing in one organizational structure did not necessarily deter the progress of another. The orchestra continued to be the backbone of all musical activity and was a vital component in the success of others, particularly the Houston Grand Opera. Moreover, its existence provided basic employment for a majority of the city’s professional instrumental musicians. Nevertheless, the development of ancillary organizations progressed more and more independently of the orchestra. Stokowski, despite his gifts, was a part of the Houston scene for only eight weeks each year. His influence in the community was felt chiefly through the publicity he drew to the city, the increased size of the orchestra, and the taste of greatness which the orchestra experienced. The legacy he left was primarily in the talent of the musicians he recruited, the recordings he made, and the excitement he generated. The development of the Houston Symphony Orchestra under his baton has

162 been likened to the nurture of his other orchestras in other days—the New York City Symphony in 1944, the American Youth Orchestra in 1940 and 1964, and the Philadelphia Orchestra in the 1930s.166 Yet, when Stokowski left Houston in 1960, optimism and excitement were probably less than when he had assumed leadership of the orchestra in 1955. Roussel voiced three elements that distinguish first magnitude orchestras: tone, style, and esprit de corps. Leopold Stokowski had brought the Houston Orchestra to the brink of excellence in the first two of these qualities. However, his basic position as a guest—whatever his title—did not permit the development of the third quality. Therefore, in 1961 the Houston Symphony Orchestra stood ready for the next step in its long climb to maturity. The founding of the Houston Grand Opera in 1955 was an event second in musical importance only to the establishment of the Houston Symphony Orchestra. The courage and determination of Mrs. Louis Lobit coupled with the availability of Walter Herbert were the catalytic agents in the formation of this long-awaited organization. The first few seasons suffered artistically from insufficient monies; Houston’s efforts did not favorably compare to other major cities. The most important developments of the organizations formative years were the establishment of the Opera Guild and the acquisition of Charles Rosekrans. New musical organizations formed and flourished, reflecting Houston’s intense interest in a broad spectrum of musical activity. Born of these years were the Lyric Art Quartet, the Young Audiences program,

166 David Wooldridge, Conductor’s World (New York: Praeger Publishers, 1970), p. 126.

163 the Houston Municipal Band(s), Woodwinds of Houston, the New Art String Quartet, the Music Guild, the Contemporary Music Society, the Houston Friends of Music, the Houston Symphony Brass Quintet, and the city’s second All-City Orchestra. The Houston Youth Symphony and its associated organizations celebrated a tenth anniversary. Two ballet companies—the Houston Ballet Foundation and the Allegro Ballet— sprang into being. Much of his expansion was funded through the financing of Local Musicians Union No. 65 and the Music Performance Trust Fund. Rice Institute inaugurated a series of musical events, supported and sponsored by its emerging Shepherd School of Music—this despite no degree offering in music and only a few limited music courses. The University of Houston enjoyed a greatly expanded emphasis on its music program which was thriving under the direction of a new chair, Dr. Earl Moore. It added outstanding faculty members and took an aggressive leadership role in the city. The University offered a wide variety of music programs and was rewarded with accreditation by and membership in the National Association of Schools of Music. In addition, the city enjoyed several symposiums of new music, the Chronicle Dollar concerts, the summer symphony and band seasons, and the various festivals of new music. Houston was saddened by the deaths of Ernst Hoffmann, Jesse Jones, Hugh Roy Cullen, Mrs. John Wesley Graham, and old friends Dimitri Mitropoulos and Sir Thomas Beecham. At the same time, it was thrilled with the triumphs of Van Cliburn whom it had known since boyhood. The city was gratified by the growing national awareness of its cultural virtues through the Ford Foundation grant recognitions. Four factors seemed to contribute to the growth of the city’s musical life during this period: the legacy of a cultured citizenry, rapid and massive population growth, a high level of financial productivity, and an increasingly cosmopolitan population. Houston was no longer was

164 the overgrown southwestern town it had once been. It bore its title of Baghdad on the Bayou with elegance and grace. It was a city of dreams and their realization. Standing on the brink of the space age, Houston claimed tomorrow for itself.

165 SELECTED CALENDAR OF HOUSTON MUSIC EVENTS 1955-56 Oct. 5, 1955 Fiesta Mexicana—Edna Saunders, Music Hall 10-11 Frank Guarrera—Civic Music 16 Fredell Lack & Albert Hirsch-Jewish Community Center 18 Robert Shaw Chorale—Edna Saunders, Music Hall 25 Music Guild: Fliegel, Windor, Slaughter and Aue 30 HSO, NBC Television, Leopold Stokowski conducting Nov. 3 J. S. Bach Society, First Unitarian Church 5 HSO Pops, Houston Chorale, Maurice Bonney conducting 8 HSO, Stokowski conducting 9 Leonard Pennario, pianist—Tuesday Musical Club, Lamar High School Auditorium 10 University of Houston Orchestra 11 Menotti Operas—Edna Saunders, Music Hall 14 HSO, Stokowski conducting 15 Music Guild 17 Scots Guards Pipers—Edna Saunders 18 St. Cecelia’s Choirs of Rome—Civic Music 19-20 Wagner Opera Company—Edna Saunders, Music Hall 21 Houston Youth Symphony and Ballet 22 HSO, Firkusny, Stokowski conducting 25 J. S. Bach Society, First Unitarian Church 26 HSO Pops, Maurice Bonney conducting 27 Lyric Art Quartet: Lack, Bennett, Crouse, Davies 28 HSO, Stokowski conducting 29 Music Guild 29 South Pacific, Theatre, Inc. Dec. 5 Berlin Dance Theater—Civic Music 6 HSO, Houston Chorale, Stokowski conducting 9-10 Ballet Theater—Edna Saunders 12 HSO, Robert Casadesus, Max Rudolf conducting 13 University of Houston Orchestra and Chorus 13 Music Guild 14 Regina Resnik, Eugene List—Israel Benefit 20 HSO, Szymon Goldberg, Max Rudolf conducting 26 HSO, Andre Kostelanetz conducting Jan. 2, 1956 Houston Youth Symphony 3 HSO, Nadine Conner, Maurice Bonney conducting Jan. 9, 1956 HSO, Erica Morini, Bernard Hermann conducting

166

SELECTED CALENDAR, 1955-56 continued

Jan. 10, 1956 Music Guild 11 Ballet Espagnols—Edna Saunders, Music Hall 14 HSO Pops, Bernard Hermann conducting 14 Houston Grand Opera, Salome 17 HSO, Van Cliburn, Bernard Hermann conducting 19-20 Houston Grand Opera, Salome, Herbert conducting 23 HSO, Stokowski conducting 26-27 Houston Grand Opera, Madame Butterfly, Walter Herbert conducting 30 Budapest String Quartet—TMC—Cullen UH 31 HSO, Carmina Burana, Houston Chorale, Virginia Babikian, Stokowski conducting Feb. 1 Virtuoso de Roma—Edna Saunders, Music Hall 4 Anna Russell—Edna Saunders, Music Hall 5 Lyric Art Quartet—Jewish Community Center 6 HSO, Andres Segovia, Villa-Lobos, conducting 7 Music Guild 9 Zino Francescatti, Albert Hirsch—Civic Music 10-11 Ballet Theater—Edna Saunders, Music Hall 12 J. S. Bach Society, First Unitarian Church 14 HSO, Sir Thomas Beecham conducting 20 HSO, Richard Tucker, Milton Katims conducting 25 HSO Pops, Katims conducting 27 HSO, Ellen Ballon, Katims conducting 28 Anything Goes, Theatre, Inc. Mar. 1 Lisa Della Casa, soprano—Tuesday Musical Club 3-4 Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo—Edna Saunders, MH 12 Azuma Kabuki Theater—Edna Saunders, Music Hall 20 Friedrich Gulda—Civic Music 28 Yugoslav National Folk Ballet—Ted Roggen April 2 HSO, Houston Chorale, Stokowski conducting 3 Music Guild 7 HSO Pops, Bonney conducting 8 Lyric Art Quartet, Moreland Kortkamp 10 J. S. Bach Society, First Unitarian Church 10 HSO, Stokowski conducting 19 George London—Edna Saunders, Music Hall 22 Contemporary Composers Seminar, University of Houston—American Composers Alliance 29 Impresario & Old Maid and the Thief—U of Houston April 30, 1956 Music Guild

167 SELECTED CALENDAR, 1955-56 continued

May 14-15, 1956 Metropolitan Opera—Edna Saunders June 10 HSO Summer Series opens, Maurice Bonney conducting 21 concerts 21 King and I, Theatre, Inc. July 11, 1956 Gilbert and Sullivan Society, The Gondoliers, Bill Guthrie, Cullen Auditorium, Merrills Lewis conducting

168 SELECTED CALENDAR OF

HOUSTON MUSIC EVENTS

1956-57

Oct. 7, 1956 Lyric Art Quartet—Jewish Community Center 16 Music Guild 18 Licia Albanese—Civic Music 23 Theodore Uppman, baritone—Tuesday Musical Club, Cullen Auditorium, University of Houston 30 HSO, Leopold Stokowski conducting 31 Richard Tucker—Edna Saunders, Music Hall Nov. 2 Fred Waring and the Pennsylvanians—Edna Saunders 4 J. S. Bach Society, First Unitarian Church 5 HSO, Stokowski conducting 9 Fujiwara Opera Company—Edna Saunders, Cullen Auditorium 11 Jewish Community Center Woodwind/Piano Ensemble 12 Flor Peeters—American Guild of Organists 13 HSO, Stokowski conducting 17 Societa Corelli—Edna Saunders, Music Hall 19 HSO, June Stokes, Stokowski conducting 21 Don Cossack Chorus—Edna Saunders 25 Houston Youth Symphony and Ballet 26 Mantovani Orchestra—Edna Saunders, Music Hall 27 HSO, Fredell Lack, Stokowski conducting Dec. 4 Kovack and Robovsky—Civic Music 4 HSO, Stokowski conducting 5 Carmen Amaya—Edna Saunders, Music Hall 11 HSO, Nancy Swinford Blackburn, Leopold Stokowski conducting 13 University of Houston, Amahl and the Night Visitors 17 & 19 HSO, Houston Chorale, L’Enfance du Christ, Leopold Stokowski conducting 18 Music Guild 18 Plain and Fancy—Theatre, Inc. 31 HSO, Andre Previn, Andre Kostelanetz conducting Jan. 6, 1957 Lyric Art Quartet—Jewish Community Center 6 HSO, Liese Brass 8 HSO Special, Alec Templeton 13 J. S. Bach Society, First Unitarian Church 14 HSO, Drusilla Huffmaster, Sir Malcolm Sargent, cond. 15 Gregor Piatigorsky—Civic Music 15 E. Power Biggs—American Guild of Organists Jan. 22, 1957 HSO, Benno Moiseiwitsch, Walter Herbert conducting

169 SELECTED CALENDAR, 1956-57 continued

Jan.24-25, 1957 Houston Grand Opera, La Cenerentola, Walter Herbert conducting 28 HSO, Eileen Farrell, André Kostelanetz conducting 29 Berl Senofsky, violinist—Tuesday Musical Club, Cullen Auditorium 31-1 Houston Grand Opera, Tosca, Walter Herbert conducting Feb. 2 Les Ballets Basques de Biarritz—Edna Saunders, MH 5 HSO Special, Skitch Henderson 7-8 Houston Grand Opera, La Traviata, Walter Herbert conducting 12 HSO, Isaac Stern, Maurice Bonney conducting 15 Ruth Page Chicago Opera Ballet, Maria Tallchief— Edna Saunders 17 Jewish Community Center Music Series 18 HSO, Witold Malcuzynski, Victor Alessandro, Jr. 19 Music Guild 26 HSO, Pierre Monteux conducting 27 St. Louis Symphony—Edna Saunders Feb. 28-Mar. 3 Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo—Edna Saunders, MH March 4 HSO, Zino Francescatti, Leopold Stokowski conducting 5 Music Guild 6 Gina Bachauer—Civic Music 7 Jose Greco—Edna Saunders 11 Obernkirchen Children’s Choir—Edna Saunders, MH 12 HSO, Houston Chorale, Leopold Stokowski conducting 15 Roger Wagner—Civic Music 16 Anna Russell—Edna Saunders, Music Hall 18 HSO, Raymond Weaver, Leopold Stokowski conducting 22 Music Guild, Rice Institute—Bartlett sponsorship 24 Albert Hirsch—Jewish Community Center 27 HSO, Houston Chorale, Stokowski conducting 28 Walter Gieseking—Edna Saunders, Music Hall April 2 HSO Special, Jose Iturbi 2 Byron Janis, pianist—Tuesday Musical Club, Cullen Auditorium 5 Fine Arts Festival, University of Houston 7 J. S. Bach Society, First Unitarian Church 7 Pajama Game, Theatre, Inc. 8 HSO Special, Fred Waring & Houston Chorale 9 Music Guild 13 Arthur Rubinstein—Edna Saunders, Music Hall April 14, 1957 Jewish Community Center

170 SELECTED CALENDAR, 1956-57 continued

May 4-5, 1957 Houston Youth Symphony Festival 8 HSO, Houston Chorale, Stokowski conducting 13 Metropolitan Opera, Carmen, Dimitri Mitropoulos conducting—Edna Saunders 14 Metropolitan Opera, Tosca, Dimitri Mitropoulos conducting—Edna Saunders May 26-July 28 Houston Symphony, summer series, Maurice Bonney conducting June 23 Houston Municipal Band second season, John Robbins conducting Houston Symphony Orchestra Summer Series, Outdoor Theatre July 11 Houston Grand Opera Workshop, Ibert’s Angelique and Suppe’s The Beautiful Galatea, Miller Outdoor Theatre, Walter Herbert conducting July 17-20 Gilbert and Sullivan Society, Iolanthe, Merrills Lewis conducting Aug. 15, 1957 The Boy Friend, Theatre, Inc.

171 SELECTED CALENDAR OF

HOUSTON MUSICAL EVENTS

1957-58

Oct. 7, 1957 Music Guild, Fliegel, Windor, Bonney, Lucien de Groote, Drusilla Huffmaster, Playhouse 15 Phillipe Entremont, pianist—Tuesday Musical Club, Cullen Auditorium, University of Houston 27 Fredell Lack and Albert Hirsch—Jewish Community Center 28-29 HSO, Leopold Stokowski conducting Nov. 1 NBC Opera Company—Edna Saunders, Music Hall 2 American Ballet Theater—Civic Music 3 J. S. Bach Society, First Unitarian Church 4-5 HSO, Leonard Pennario, pianist, Stokowski conducting 8 University of Houston Orchestra 8-10 Royal Ballet of London-Sadler’s Wells—Edna Saunders 11-12 HSO, Houston Chorale, Aue, Stokowski conducting 16-17 Boris Goldovsky Opera Workshop—Theatre, Inc. 18-19 HSO, Stokowski conducting 20 Lyric Art Quartet, Hamman Hall—Rice Institute 23 Ruggiero Ricci—Civic Music 24 Houston Youth Symphony, Howard Webb conducting 25 HSO Special, Eugene List, Kostelanetz conducting 27 Andre Tchaikovsky—Edna Saunders, Music Hall 30 Fred Waring and the Pennsylvanians—Edna Saunders Dec. 2 Music Guild, Playhouse Theatre 5 Kiss Me Kate, Theatre, Inc. 9-10 HSO, Claudio Arrau, Villa-Lobos conducting 16 HSO Special, Frances Yeend, Norman Treigle 31 HSO Special, Frances Bible, Skitch Henderson conducting Jan. 6-7, 1958 HSO, Houston Chorale, Igor Stravinsky conducting 9 Lyric Art Quartet, Hamman Hall—Rice Institute 10 Jean Madeira—Civic Music 12-13 Lyric Art and Music Guild Quartets— Jewish Community Center 20-21 HSO, Walter Susskind conducting 23 Eileen Farrell—Edna Saunders, Music Hall 25 Vienna on Parade—Edna Saunders, Music Hall 27 HSO Special, Jan Peerce, Ezra Rachlin conducting Jan. 31-1, 1958 Houston Grand Opera, Aida, Walter Herbert conducting

172 SELECTED CALENDAR OF HOUSTON MUSICAL EVENTS (continued) 1957-58

Feb. 2, 1958 J. S. Bach Society, First Unitarian Church 3-4 HSO, Yehudi Menuhin, Walter Susskind conducting 9 J. S. Bach Society—Jewish Community Center 10 HSO Tour: New Mexico, West Texas 13 Chicago Opera Ballet—Edna Saunders, Music Hall 17 Lois Marshall, soprano—Tuesday Musical Club 18 Minneapolis Symphony, Antal Dorati—Civic Music Mar. 4 Cesare Valletti—Civic Music 5 Joseph Eger Players Chamber Group—Tuesday Musical Club 9 Chamber Music Series—Jewish Community Center 10 Music Guild 17-18 HSO, Nathan Milstein, Stokowski conducting 21-22 Houston Grand Opera, La Boheme, Walter Herbert conducting 24-25 HSO, Stokowski conducting 26 Jose Greco—Edna Saunders, Music Hall 28 Music Guild, Drusilla Huffmaster, Bartlett sponsorship—Rice Institute 30 J. S. Bach Society 31 HSO, Stokowski conducting April 1 HSO, Stokowski conducting 2 Byron Janis—Civic Music 7-8 HSO, Houston Chorale, Stokowski conducting 9 Jussi Björling—Edna Saunders (cancelled—illness) 11 National Symphony Orchestra of Mexico— Edna Saunders 18-19 Houston Grand Opera, Elektra, Walter Herbert conducting 21 Music Guild 22 Lyric Art Quartet, Hamman Hall—Rice Institute 23-26 Damn Yankees—Edna Saunders May 4-5 Houston Youth Symphony Festival 5 Music Guild 12-13 Metropolitan Opera—Edna Saunders, Music Hall 18 Houston Youth Symphony May 19, 1958 Fine Arts Festival, University of Houston, Martha May 25-Aug. 3 Houston Symphony Summer Series, Maurice Bonney 1958 conducting

173 SELECTED CALENDAR OF HOUSTON MUSICAL EVENTS (continued)

1957-58

June 1-Aug. 24 Houston Municipal Band Summer Series, Bert Sloan 1958 conducting; Jack Bradley directed another ensemble for Negro parks June 23-27 American Guild of Organists National Convention July 9 Damn Yankees, Theatre, Inc. July 16-19, 1958 The Mikado, Cullen Auditorium, Merrills Lewis conducting—Houston Gilbert and Sullivan Society

174 SELECTED CALENDAR OF

HOUSTON MUSICAL EVENTS

1958-59

Sept. 28, 1958 Music Guild, Drusilla Huffmaster Oct. 9 Leonard Warren—Civic Music 12 Astoria Strings and Trio—Jewish Community Center 13 Music Guild 14 Wonderful Town, Theatre, Inc. 20-21 HSO, Houston Chorale, Leopold Stokowski conducting 27-28 HSO, Stokowski 29 Leopold Simoneau, tenor—Tuesday Musical Club Nov. 2 J. S. Bach Society, Gloria Brydon 3-4 HSO, Houston Chorale, Stokowski conducting 6 Lyric Art Quartet 6 Julian Olevsky—Civic Music 10-11 HSO, Stokowski conducting 13 Bambi Linn and Rod Alexander—Edna Saunders, MH 17-18 Houston Grand Opera, Rigoletto 23 David Wuliger, Elmer Schoettle—Jewish Community Center 24 Nita Aikin—American Guild of Organists 24 HSO Open Rehearsal, Van Cliburn 25 HSO Special, Van Cliburn, Ezra Rachlin conducting 26 Ferrante and Teicher—Civic Music 30 Music Guild, Jones Hall Dedication— University of St. Thomas 31 Music Guild, Playhouse Theatre Dec. 2 Johanna Martzy, violinist—Tuesday Musical Club, Cullen Auditorium 7 Fredell Lack, Hirsch—Jewish Community Center 8-9 HSO, Walter Susskind conducting 13 HSO Special, Captain Kangaroo 15-16 HSO, Teresa Stratas, Walter Susskind conducting 31 HSO Special, Phyllis Curtin, Andre Kostelanetz conducting Jan. 5-6, 1959 HSO, Glenn Gould, Andre Kostelanetz 9 HSO, All-City Orchestra, Frederick Fennell conducting 12 Music Guild 13 Festival Quartet (Primrose, Goldberg, Babin, Graudon)—Edna Saunders, Music Hall 19-20 HSO, Sir Malcolm Sargent conducting Jan. 25, 1959 J. S. Bach Society, Houston Chorale, Al Urbach conducting

175

SELECTED CALENDAR OF HOUSTON MUSICAL EVENTS (continued) 1958-59

Jan. 26-27, 1959 HSO, Grant Johannesen, Sir Malcolm Sargent cond. 28 Leonard Pennario—Edna Saunders, Music Hall 29 Ralph Hunter Chorale—Civic Music Feb. 2-3 Houston Grand Opera, Der Rosenkavalier, Walter Hebert conducting 4 Blanche Thebom—Edna Saunders, Music Hall 5 Lyric Art Quartet, Hamman Hall—Rice Institute 7-8 Mary Martin—Edna Saunders, Music Hall 9-10 HSO, Sir Thomas Beecham conducting 10 St. Olaf Choir—University of Houston 12 Zinka Milanov—Civic Music 16-17 HSO, Isaac Stern, Sir Thomas Beecham conducting 22 J. S. Bach Society 23 HSO, Houston Foundation for Ballet 26 Woodwinds of Houston—Rice Institute 28 Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo—Edna Saunders, MH Mar. 9-10 Houston Grand Opera, Manon, Walter Herbert 13 Arthur Rubinstein—Edna Saunders, Music Hall 15 Jewish Community Center Series 16-17 HSO, Stokowski conducting 22 Music Guild 23-24 HSO, Francesca Bernasconi, Stokowski conducting 25 Lyric Art Quartet, Hamman Hall—Rice Institute 26 Canadian National Ballet—Civic Music 30-31 HSO, Berl Senofsky, Stokowski conducting April 3 Contemporary Music Society—Rice Institute 6-7 HSO, Houston Chorale, Stokowski conducting 8 Ruth Slenczynska, pianist—Tuesday Musical Club 13 Music Guild 17 Don Pasquale—University of Houston 20 All-City Symphony 26 Jewish Community Center Series 27 Music Guild, Lois Banke May 7 Lyric Art Quartet 10 Houston Youth Symphony Spring Festival 11-12 Metropolitan Opera, Erich Leinsdorf conducting—Edna Saunders, Music Hall 24 HSO Summer Series, Miller Outdoor Theatre, Ezra Rachlin conducting July 5, 1959 Showboat, Theatre, Inc.

176

SELECTED CALENDAR, 1958-59 continued

July 12, 1959 Yeoman of the Guard, Cullen Auditorium, Merrills Lewis conducting—Houston Gilbert and Sullivan Society Aug. 27, 1959 The Most Happy Fella—Theatre, Inc.

177 SELECTED CALENDAR OF

HOUSTON MUSICAL EVENTS

1959-60

Sept. 21, 1959 Albert Hirsch, Fredell Lack, Jewish Community Center 25 John Druary, Robert Brownlee—University of Houston 27 Houston Youth Symphony Oct. 1 Houston Grand Opera, The Consul, Playhouse Theatre 5 Guiomar Novaes—Civic Music 5 Music Guild Quartet, Playhouse Theatre 7 Drusilla Huffmaster—Edna Saunders 11 Michael Wilkomirski and Albert Hirsch 12 Music Guild Quartet, Playhouse Theatre 19-20 HSO, Leopold Stokowski conducting 20 Robert McFerrin—Texas Southern University 21 Carlos Montoya—Art Squires 22 Alexandra Danilova—Civic Music 25 Woodwinds of Houston—Jewish Community Center 26-27 HSO, Rudolf Serkin, Stokowski conducting 30 University of Houston Orchestra, Dr. Thomas Pierson 30 Takarazuka Dance Theater—Edna Saunders, MH Nov. 1 J. S. Bach Society 2-3 HSO, Stokowski conducting 4 A Most Happy Fella—Civic Music 5 Yi Kwei Sze—Edna Saunders, Music Hall 9-10 HSO, Zino Francescatti, Stokowski conducting. 15 Les Petits Chanteurs a la Croix de Bois, Edna Saunders 16 Music Guild Quartet 17 Hans Richter-Hasser, pianist—Tuesday Musical Club 18 New Art String Quartet—Museum of Fine Arts 18 Mimi Benzell—Chi Omega Chautauqua 19-20 Fred Waring and the Pennsylvanians 19 Woodwinds of Houston—Rice Institute 20 University of Houston Band 23-24 HSO, Leonard Pennario, Ezra Rachlin conducting 27-28 Houston Grand Opera, Die Walkure, Walter Herbert conducting Dec. 2 My Fair Lady 4 University of Houston Christmas Concert Dec. 7-8, 1959 HSO Special, Richard Tucker, Walter Susskind conducting

178 SELECTED CALENDAR, 1959-60 continued

Dec. 14-15, 1959 HSO, Houston Chorale, Ezra Rachlin conducting 16 Mischa Elman—Civic Music 19 HSO Special, Captain Kangaroo 31 HSO Special, Mildred Miller, Andre Kostelanetz conducting Jan. 4-5, 1960 HSO, John Browning, Golschmann conducting 10 J. S. Bach Society 11 Music Guild Quartet, Playhouse Theatre 13 Woodwinds of Houston, Contemporary Arts Museum 14 Lyric Art Quartet, Hamman Hall—Rice University 15 University of Houston Orchestra 18-19 HSO, Nathan Milstein, Ezra Rachlin conducting 23 & 25 Houston Grand Opera, Carmen, Walter Herbert conducting Feb. 1-2 HSO, Sir John Barbirolli conducting 1 Andres Segovia, University of St. Thomas 3 Christian Ferras, violinist—Tuesday Musical Club, Cullen Auditorium 6 Vienna on Parade—Edna Saunders, Music Hall 7 Jewish Community Center Series 8 Music Guild Quartet 12 Cesare Siepi—Civic Music 12 University of Houston Faculty Recital, Cullen Auditorium 14 Stefan Bardas—Dominican College 15-16 HSO, Johanna Martzy, Walter Susskind conducting 19 John Druary, Cullen Auditorium—University of Houston 23 Karl Richter, organist, Trinity Lutheran Church 23 HSO, Houston Foundation for Ballet 25 Lyric Art Quartet, Hamman Hall—Rice University 26 Chamber Music—University of Houston 29-1 HSO, Eugene Istomin, George Sebastian conducting Mar. 5 & 7 Houston Grand Opera, Die Fledermaus 6 Houston Youth Symphony 10 Jose Greco—Edna Saunders, Music Hall 11 Jeffrey Lerner, Albert Hirsch—University of Houston 12-13 Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo—Edna Saunders, MH 13 J. S. Bach Society 14-15 HSO, Stokowski conducting 15 Guys and Dolls, Theatre, Inc. 18 University of Houston Orchestra Mar. 18, 1960 Contemporary Music Society, Stokowski conducting

179

SELECTED CALENDAR, 1959-60 continued

Mar. 19, 1960 Chicago Opera Ballet—Edna Saunders, Music Hall 21-22 HSO, Frances Bible, Leopold Stokowski conducting 22 Margaret Tynes—Texas Southern University 24 National Ballet of Canada—Edna Saunders, Music Hall 24 Lyric Quartet, Rice University 27 Eileen Farrell—Civic Music 28-29 HSO, Stokowski conducting. April 4-5 HSO, Houston Chorale, University of Houston, Stokowski conducting 8 University of Houston Band 11 Music Guild, Drusilla Huffmaster 19 Carol Smith, contralto—Tuesday Musical Club, Cullen Auditorium 25 Music Guild Quartet 26 University of Houston Faculty Recital, Elmer Schoettle 28 Lyric Art Quartet, Hamman Hall—Rice University May 1 All-City Symphony, Museum of Fine Arts 3 Woodwinds of Houston 6 University of Houston Chorus and Orchestra 8 Houston Youth Symphony 13 University of Houston Opera 28 HSO Summer Series, Miller Outdoor Theatre, Ezra Rachlin conducting July 13 H.M.S. Pinafore & Trial by Jury, Merrills Lewis conducting—Houston Gilbert and Sullivan Society, Cullen Auditorium Aug. 28, 1960 Annie Get Your Gun, Theatre, Inc.

180 SELECTED CALENDAR OF HOUSTON MUSICAL EVENTS

1960-61

Sept. 25, 1960 Houston Youth Symphony, Music Hall Oct. 9 Fredell Lack, Hirsch—Jewish Community Center 10 Music Guild, Drusilla Huffmaster, Playhouse Theatre 11 Teresa Stratas, soprano—Tuesday Musical Club 15 Bronho Dismanovich Chorus—Civic Music 17-18 HSO, Leopold Stokowski conducting 18 Call Me Madame, Playhouse Theatre 24-25 HSO, Ezra Rachlin, Stokowski conducting 27 Lyric Arts Quartet, Rice University 30 Hungarian String Quartet—Friends of Music 31-1 HSO, Stokowski conducting Nov. 5 Fred Waring and the Pennsylvanians 6 J. S. Bach Society, First Unitarian Church 9 Birgit Nilsson—Civic Music 14 Jose Iturbi—Edna Saunders, Music Hall 17 & 19 Houston Grand Opera, Turandot, Walter Herbert conducting 21 Music Guild Quartet 21 Don Cossack Chorus—Texas Southern University 23 Thomas Scherman’s Little Symphony Orchestra, Irene Jordan—Edna Saunders, Music Hall 27 Albert Hirsch—Jewish Community Center 28-29 HSO, Houston Chorale, Sir Malcolm Sargent conducting 30 Lillian Kallir, pianist—Tuesday Musical Club 30 Fiorello, Music Hall Dec. 1 Lyric Art Quartet, Hamman Hall—Rice University 2-3 Sadler’s Wells Ballet The Royal Ballet—Edna Saunders 2 Carlos Montoya—University of Houston 5-6 HSO, Claudio Arrau, Sargent conducting 12-13 HSO, Vronsky and Babin, Sargent conducting 15 Singers and Dancers of Scotland—Civic Music 17 HSO Special, Captain Kangaroo 19 Music Guild Quartet 31 HSO, Beverly Sills, André Kostelanetz conducting Jan. 1, 1961 New Art Quartet—Jewish Community Center 2-3 HSO, Firkusny, Kostelanetz conducting 6-14 The Music Man, Music Hall Jan. 9, 1961 Music Guild Quartet

181

SELECTED CALENDAR, 1960-61 continued

Jan. 15, 1961 New Art Quartet—Jewish Community Center 16-17 HSO, Nicole Henriot, Rachlin conducting 18 Obernkirchen Children’s Choir—Edna Saunders 19 Woodwinds of Houston, Contemporary Arts Museum 22 Janos Starker—Houston Friends of Music 26 & 28 Houston Grand Opera, Walter Herbert, conducting 29 J. S. Bach Society Feb. 3 Robert Brownlee, Cullen Auditorium 3-4 Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo—Edna Saunders, MH 6-7 HSO, Tourel and Lewis, Sargent conducting 9 Drusilla Huffmaster, Rice University—Civic Music 10-11 Jose Greco—Edna Saunders, Music Hall 12 Elmer and Mary Schoettle and John Druary— Jewish Community Center 13-14 HSO, Mischa Elman, Sir Malcolm Sargent conducting 19 John Druary, Jeff Lerner, and Albert Hirsch, Cullen Auditorium 20-21 HSO, Glenn Gould, Sargent conducting 23 Judy Garland—Edna Saunders 25 Hohner Accordion and Harmonica Orchestra— Edna Saunders, Music Hall 26-27 American Ballet Company (formerly Ballet Theater) Maria Tallchief—Edna Saunders, Music Hall 26 Moreland Kortkamp, Cullen Auditorium 27 Music Guild 28 Budapest String Quartet—Friends of Music Mar. 2 & 4 Houston Grand Opera, Tales of Hoffman 5 Wuliger, Crouse, Lerner and Hirsch— Jewish Community Center 8 Quartetto Italiano—Friends of Music 9 University of Houston Community Orchestra 10 All-City Band 12 Houston Youth Symphony, Go Texan Concert 13-14 HSO, Houston Chorale, Laszlo Somogyi conducting 15 Aaron Rosand, violinist—Tuesday Musical Club 17 National Symphony Orchestra, Howard Mitchell conducting—Civic Music 20-21 HSO, Houston Chorale, Herff Applewhite, Golschmann conducting 23 Woodwinds of Houston, Rice University 27-28 HSO, Fredell Lack, Sebastian conducting Mar. 29, 1961 New Art String Quartet—Friends of Music

182

SELECTED CALENDAR, 1960-61 continued

Mar. 31, 1961 St. John Passion, Christ Church Cathedral April 3-4 HSO, Houston Chorale, Eileen Farrell, Erich Leinsdorf conducting 10 Music Guild 11 Lyric Art Quartet, Hamman Hall—Rice University 12 Van Cliburn—Edna Saunders, Music Hall 16 J. S. Bach Society 17 William Lewis—Civic Music 27-28 National Ballet of Canada—Edna Saunders, Music Hall 30 Chamber Music—Jewish Community Center 31 Music Guild May 2 Lyric Art Quartet, Hamman Hall—Rice University 5 Suor Angelica, Apothecary –University of Houston 7 Houston Youth Symphony and Ballet 13 Concertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam—Chi Omega Chautauqua 16 Contemporary Music Society, Frederick Fennell conducting 28 HSO Summer Concerts begin, Miller Outdoor Theatre. Ezra Rachlin conducting June 4 L’Heure Espagnole & Down in the Valley, Playhouse Theatre—Houston Grand Opera 29 West Side Story, Theatre, Inc. July19-22, 1961 Pirates of Penzance, Cullen Auditorium, Merrills Lewis conducting—Houston Gilbert & Sullivan Society

183 CHAPTER FIVE A MAN FOR ALL SEASONS 1961-1966

On September 20, 1961, the National Aeronautics Space Administration announced that it would build its Manned Spacecraft Center at Clear Lake near Houston.1 This commitment of millions of dollars and thousands of highly educated persons to the Houston community contributed significantly to the rate at which the city was already expanding. Furthermore, it had an untold effect upon the speed and scope of the cultural maturation of the entire region for which Houston was the center. Symbolic of the diversified nature of the city’s patronage, the Tuesday Musical Club announced its fiftieth anniversary season of performers in 1961. The organization devoted itself to providing Houston with performances by emerging young musicians. The Club’s cumulative list of sponsored artists included Jacques Abram, Paul Badura-Skoda, Jorge Bolet, Lili Chookasian, Louis Crowder, Philippe Entremont, Eileen Farrell, Rudolf Firkusny, Dalies Frantz, Walter Gieseking, Edward Kilenyi, the Manhattan String Quartet, Elena Nikolaidi, the Paganini Quartet, Leonard Pennario, Hans Richter-Hasser, Cesare Siepi, Gerald Souzay, Albert Spalding, Eleanor Steber, Teresa Stratas, Gladys Swarthout, Blanche Thebom, Jennie Tourel, Yong Uck-Kim, and Leonard Warren.2 Ima Hogg had been an early president of the Tuesday Musical Club, then called the Girls Musical Club.3 Many of the performers introduced by the Club returned in later years as Houston Symphony and Houston Grand Opera guests or as major concert artists under the aegis of Edna Saunders

1 Houston Post, September 20, 1961, Sec. I, p. 1.

2 Tuesday Musical Club Yearbooks, 1914-1970.

3 Houston Chronicle, June 10, 1966, Sec. I, p. 19. 184 or the Civic Music Association. The club’s commitment to the development of Houston’s musical life stimulated the growth of several generations of women whose later pursuits found them guiding and establishing a myriad of additional musical organizations for the city. The Houston Grand Opera continued to be distinguished chiefly by its lack of money. The 1960-61 maintenance drive for the organization yielded only $45,000 of the $60,000 sought.4 The budget was slashed to a point that scarcely $40,000 was available for each production. Roussel labeled the 1961 opening production of Faust, “A Victory for Satan.”5 At a time when the Dallas Civic Opera was starring Joan Sutherland, Houston featured Arlene Saunders in a production of Faust characterized primarily by “economic starvation.”6 Lucia di Lammermoor fared better in January, but still was unable to afford major artists for its leading roles.7 In April, the Opera announced an expansion to four opera productions annually beginning with the 1962 season8 despite having raised scarcely seventy-five percent of its $60,000 maintenance fund.9 It was planned to fund the additional production by use of singers participating in a recently announced Ford Foundation program.10 Under the program up to sixty percent of the singers in a production could be drawn from the ranks of those supported by the Ford grant.11

4 Houston Post, October 29, 1961, Houston Now, p. 23.

5 Houston Post, December 1, 1961, Sec. IV, p. 2.

6 Ibid.

7 Houston Post, January 21, 1962, Houston Now, p. 21.

8 Houston Post, March 13, 1962, Sec. I, p. 8.

9 Houston Post, April 29, 1962, Houston Now, p. 31.

10 Houston Post, September 21, 1962, Sec. II, p. 6.

11 Houston Post, May 13, 1962, Houston Now, p. 23.

185

From its birth, the Houston Grand Opera had assumed a mantle of civic and regional responsibility. For some time, it had presented student matinees of its current productions featuring local performers. In 1966, twenty thousand children viewed these special performances.12 In addition, the Association often secured additional dates in neighboring cities. Faust, for example, was also presented in Shreveport, Louisiana; Il Trovatore was trucked to Austin. There was financial and educational merit in both the children’s performances and the outreach program. In a later move, the Association began designing smaller productions to take directly into neighborhood schools.13 In an effort to improve the quality of the visual experience, Rexford Harrower, who designed most of the Houston Grand Opera productions, formed a new company in association with N. G. Fiore of Milan.14 The concept of utilizing a less expensive European labor market seemed sound enough, until a longshoremen’s strike bottled up sets and costumes for a 1963 production of I Pagliacci. With local costumer, Evelyn Norton Anderson, the Houston Foundation for Ballet, and Theatre, Inc. standing by to loan production materials, Harrower counted down the days to the opening. Good fortune smiled, however, and the scenery and costumes arrived just in time for the first performance.15 A major impetus to the sluggish development of the Houston Grand Opera Association was a 1963 grant of $150,000 from the Ford Foundation. In return for a $30,000 annual stipend for five years, the Association was obligated to raise its maintenance goal $15,000 in the third and fourth years of the grant, and $30,000 in the fifth year. Ford had already

12 Houston Post, October 23, 1966, Spotlight, p. 27.

13 Houston Post, March 24, 1963, Houston Now, p. 27.

14 “Houston Progress,” Opera News, February 16, 1963, pp. 33-34.

15 Houston Post, January 17, 1963, Sec. VII, p. 1. 186 contributed $25,000 to the Houston enterprise over the preceding years.16 The new grant provided financial stabilization and allowed additional months for the development of local underwriting. Charles Rosekrans proved to be a highly valuable addition to the Houston Grand Opera staff.17 Though the area of his major responsibility was choral, his ability as a piano accompanist and conductor began to command increasingly greater attention. Houston Chronicle Fine Arts Editor Ann Holmes encouraged Rosekrans to consider formation of a local chamber orchestra following a particularly rewarding summer of his conducting in San Francisco.18 The seed took root, and in February 1964, a Board of Directors chaired by Mrs. Ben Calhoun announced the formation of the Houston Chamber Orchestra.19 Shortly thereafter, Rosekrans announced an April debut for the thirty-two-piece ensemble which reminded old-timers of the Van Hoose Little Symphony and Ernst Hoffmann’s Candlelight Serenades. The orchestra’s premier performance was a satisfying one.20 Houston recognized in Rosekrans a fine new conductor and valuable addition to the remarkable leadership of viable local chamber music organizations. Visually skimpy productions continued to characterize Houston Grand Opera efforts. A 1964 production of Otello, however, starring James McCracken, profited from a $20,000 gift for production purposes, and illustrated the undeniable fact that “grand” opera demanded “grand” funding.21 The production was executed by Rexford Harrower’s Inter-Opera

16 Houston Post, October 16, 1963, Sec. III, p. 3.

17 John Rosenfield, “Texas Gusher,” Opera News, January 5, 1963, p. 34.

18 Houston Chronicle, September 26, 1963, Sec. VI, p. 7.

19 Houston Chronicle, February 11, 1964, Sec. III, p. 5.

20 Houston Post, April 14, 1964, Sec. III, p. 4.

21 Hubert Roussel, “Texas: The Glory that Was Venice,” Musical America, February, 1964, p. 11. 187

Company, which continued to provide the Houston Grand Opera with sets and costumes and to make available packaged productions to other companies. This new concept of cost amortization met with immediate success and attracted considerable national attention.22 In increasingly greater proportion, Houston Grand Opera’s major- domo, Walter Herbert, began to contract first magnitude artists for Houston productions. The 1964-1966 seasons, for example, boasted Jess Thomas, Elinor Ross, Norman Treigle, Cornell MacNeil, Richard Tucker, and Gabriella Tucci. There remained, however, a commitment to local performers who continued to be found on the roster of most productions. Despite better casting and more complete production, critical notices continued to be mixed, ranging from Tosca Divina23 to Dutchman . . . Deadly.24 One reason for the inconsistent quality of the productions was the administrative structure of the Association. Walter Herbert’s fondness for the Mahler tradition of combining management with conducting had begun to reveal its inadequacies. By the 1966 season, the Houston Grand Opera was producing five operas annually with fifteen subscription and other student performances scattered over an eight-month period. Houston, moreover, was sharing Herbert with San Diego. Consequently, there was a growing conviction that the local productions might be better served by a full-time resident general manager.25 The success of Tom Johnson as Manager of the Houston Symphony Orchestra had proven the plausibility of a non-resident musical director coupled with effective local general administration of the organization. The orchestra under Kurtz and Stokowski had risen to a position of national

22 The New York Times, January 23, 1966, Sec. II, p. 11.

23 Houston Post, December 3, 1965, Sec. III, p. 4.

24 Houston Chronicle, January 7, 1966, Sec. VI, p. 6.

25 Houston Post, December 11, 1966, Spotlight, p. 30. 188

prominence. The likelihood for success under both a circuit-riding General Manager and Music Director, however, remained in question. Johnson and the Symphony Society accomplished their greatest coup to date with the appointment of Sir John Barbirolli as Chief Conductor and Musical Advisor of the Houston Symphony Orchestra in 1961. Barbirolli biographer, Charles Reid, captured the moment. America had wooed him for years. American audiences had long been vulnerable to English conductors, especially those with inescapably English traits. If, into the bargain, the conductors were knights, so much the better. That had been amply proved by Beecham and Sargent. Barbirolli’s turn (or rather return) was long overdue.26

Though Sir John had respectfully declined American invitations for years in hopes of bringing his beloved Hallé Orchestra with him, he finally acquiesced to Arthur Judson’s pressures and in 1959 consented to conduct two tours of American orchestras. The second tour had brought him to Houston and had placed him among the front runners for the abdicated Houston baton. “The Grand Alliance,” it was called; and so it was grand from the beginning.27 Sir John and Lady Evelyn came to Houston with the open intention of liking it; they quickly caught the cities pace and set up housekeeping overlooking Hermann Park. Charles Reid, Barbirolli’s friend and biographer, reflected, He and Lady Barbirolli . . . got on in good neighbor fashion with Houstonians of all walks and persuasion. . . . He and Evelyn went to theaters and other people’s concerts; whether they sat in stalls or in boxes was all the same to them. They shopped in the fish market. They shopped in stores. They carried parcels to their motor- car. Houston loved them for this . . . 28

26 Charles Reid, John Barbirolli (New York: Taplinger Publishing Company, 1971), p. 361.

27 Houston Post, October 8, 1961, Houston Now, p. 25).

28 Reid, p. 369. 189

They also made beautiful music. Six months before the opening of the season, Sir John sent ahead marked master scores of the sixty compositions that he would conduct.29 His insistence on uniform bowing and his genius for sound, coupled with an immediate rapport with the orchestra and new six-tiered risers, produced a “revivified, transformed, and uplifted” Houston Symphony Orchestra.30 Though Sir John had confided to friends, “This is just a test season. I’m conducting this time to see how I like it. Then we’ll reconsider.”31 One month after his opening concert in 1961, the Society named him Conductor-in-Chief and Musical Advisor for the 1962-63 season.32 Barbirolli’s contract was based on a master development plan submitted to the Symphony Society’s Executive Committee. Future plans for the Orchestra included a national tour in 1963 and enlargement of the string section with auditions to be conducted by a panel of first chair players from the section and the conductor. Also proposed was the selection of a young American each year as one of the guest conductors and a repertoire based solidly in all compositional periods.33 Sir John found immediate favor with his Houston audience. He established the practice of bringing the house lights up slightly to improve the rapport between audience and performer.34 He proudly presented his Lady as oboe soloist, and glowed when both were voted honorary life memberships in Local 65 of the musicians’ union.35

29 Reid, p. 363.

30 Houston Post, October 24, 1961, Sec. I, p. 8.

31 Reid, p. 364.

32 Houston Post, November 17, 1961, Sec. I, p. 1.

33 Ibid.

34 Houston Post, November 5, 1961, Houston Now, p. 29.

35 Houston Post, November 17, 1961, Sec. I, p. 11. 190

Sir John’s first season was a resounding success. At its end, Barbirolli told his good friend Charles Reid, “The orchestra is splendidly good. Of course, their years with Stokowski certainly gave them a sense of sound . . . Already we have the Hallé sound.”36 Later, to one of his Houston audiences, he asserted, “What this orchestra has produced is a miracle. In no city of the world could an orchestra serve me better than I have been served by the Houston Symphony.”37 In a similar spirit, concertmaster Raphael Fliegel called Sir John “wonderful.” By rising from the ranks of the performer, he fits the musician’s dream for a conductor. He understands problems and knows how to remedy them quickly—no trial and error rehearsing. He strikes a happy balance between objectivity and involvement, thus yielding architecturally correct readings with warmth and beauty. His devotion to work is the best discipline for players. He leads in stamina—no need for ranting and raving. For the first time since I have been in the orchestra (23 years), our conductor has every musician with him all the way.38

Sir John Barbirolli, in a single season, had fashioned Roussel’s third element required for a symphony of greatness, esprit de corps. As if it wished to pay tribute to the soaring plateaus of musical attainment within the city, Houston Endowment, the Jesse Jones foundation, announced in June of 1962 that it wished to give to the City of Houston a new six-million dollar music center to house the Houston Symphony Orchestra and the Houston Grand Opera.39 The new facility was to be built on the site of the 1910 City Auditorium whose chambers had witnessed more than fifty years of Houston musical history.

36 Reid, p. 369.

37 Houston Post, April 28, 1963, Houston Now, p. 23.

38 Houston Post, September 23, 1962, Houston Now, p. 27.

39 Houston Post, June 2, 1962, Sec. I, p. 1.

191

The Houston City Council quickly accepted Houston Endowment’s generous gift and, about the same time, received from the Stanford Research Institute a study dealing with “The Need for Governmental and Cultural Convention Facilities in the Houston Civic Center to 1980.”40 The report prefaced its recommendations with a summary of the state of the arts in Houston. The city has developed a strong performing arts cultural base, illustrated by the number of local organizations devoted to the encouragement and sponsorship of cultural activities and by the level of attendance at these types of events.41

The research specifically revealed demands for a variety of cultural facilities: (1) a new 3,000 seat music center (Jones Hall) (2) a 1500-2200 seat auditorium by the end of the 1970’s (3) a theater in the 500-800 seat range needed immediately (4) an exhibit hall of major dimensions (5) a flat-floor operation in the existing Music Hall42 One of the significant statistics revealed by the research showed that the Music Hall had been booked a total of 223 days in 1960 and 249 in 1961.43 Except for some summer dates, there was simply no means of accommodating the burgeoning calendar of civic attractions with available cultural facilities. Sir John arrived for his second season elated by the prospects for a new hall. Five new string positions had been added to the orchestra’s ranks,44 and an expanded schedule of concerts included performances at

40 Houston Post, June 21, 1962, Sec. IV, p. 2.

41 Stanford Research Institute, The Need for Governmental and Cultural Convention Facilities in the Houston Civic Center to 1980, May, 1962, p. 83.

42 Ibid.

43 Houston Chronicle, February 23, 1962, Sec. I, p. 11.

44 Houston Post, October 30, 1962, Houston Now, p. 27. 192

Kinkaid School’s Blaffer Auditorium and in Clear Lake. Kurt Weinhold of Columbia Artists Management slipped into town in November to hear the orchestra, and several weeks later, Symphony Society President Hirsch announced that arrangements had been finalized for a 1963 East Coast tour climaxed by a performance at Philharmonic Hall in New York City.45 No Texas orchestra had ever taken on the cultural Mecca of the nation, and many Houstonians were not confident of its advisability.46 ******** Early in 1963, wrestling promoter Paul Boesch found himself being displaced by the demolition of the City Auditorium and in competition with other attractions for use of the Coliseum. He therefore urged the City Council to prepare an ordinance that would enable wrestling to be held in the Music Hall when the Coliseum was in use. It was estimated that the facility would be used in this manner about twenty times annually; the cost of remodeling was to be $55,400.47 The City Council approved the recommendation. However, at the next Council meeting, Mrs. JoAnne Bell, a local citizen, appeared before Council to remind the city fathers of their recent refusal to grant a $60,000 increase for the activities of the Houston Symphony Orchestra, the Houston Grand Opera, the Museum of Fine Arts, and the Museum of Natural History. Where, she questioned, was $55,000 going to be found when $60,000 had been unavailable?48 The issue quickly moved from ridiculous to sublime when Miss Ima Hogg flew into the fray with an offer to Mayor Cutrer to contribute in helping to construct a

45 Houston Post, November 15, 1962, Sec. V, p. 1.

46 Houston Post, January 5, 1964, Sec. I, p. 11.

47 Houston Post, January 17, 1963, Sec. I, p. 1.

48 Houston Post, January 17, 1963, Sec. I, p. 1.

193

separate building for wrestling in order to preserve the sloped-floor design of the Music Hall.49 Local newspapers and various cultural organizations assaulted the Council with indignant cries, and at the next Council meeting, Mrs. Bell returned with 5,000 signatures on a petition seeking to preserve the sanctity of the Music Hall. Cutrer saw the futility of the Council action and named the downtown Recreation Center as the alternate site for wrestling.50 Not since 1949 when the City had considered building a multimillion-dollar sports arena instead of a new music center had Houston’s cultural forces been quite so vocal. There was opposition to demolishing the City Auditorium in other quarters. Hubert Roussel kept advocating locating the new Jones Hall one block west of the eventual site.51 The Chronicle’s Ann Holmes supported the site decision. Roussel also doubted the adequacy of a six million-dollar budget after conversations with representatives from acousticians Bolt, Beranek and Newman, and George Izenour, Yale University theater design consultant.52 Houston’s farewell to the City Auditorium was emotion-filled. An audience of two thousand persons heard Marian Anderson sing the hall’s last concert on March 1, 1963.53 The city’s newspapers and media paid appropriate homage to the City Auditorium in capturing much of its colorful history. This second City Auditorium, built in 1910 at a cost of $235,000, replaced the first auditorium which was located at Main and McGowen.54

49 Houston Post, January 16, 1963, Sec. I, p. 6.

50 Houston Post, January 25, 1963, Sec. I, p. 1.

51 Houston Post, July 31, 1962, Sec. XX, p. X.

52 Houston Post, August 16, 1962, Sec. XX, p. X.

53 Houston Chronicle, March 1, 1963, Sec. I, p. 1.

54 Houston Post, January 17, 1963, Sec. I, p. 1. 194

Over the years, this auditorium had collected a memorable history all its own. Caruso had sung there in 1920 to an audience so large that it packed not only the auditorium, its galleries, and halls, but the surrounding sidewalks, as well. Paderewski played Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata there on his last tour, and Josef Hofmann had once been forced to postpone a recital because of the leaking roof. Here Houstonians had first heard Rachmaninoff, Kreisler, Heifetz, Galli-Curci, Schumann-Heink, and Chaliapin. The New York Philharmonic, the French Radio and Philadelphia Orchestras, and the German National, Chicago, and Metropolitan Opera Companies had all graced her stage.55 The once-proud lady had housed Sunday afternoon band concerts, Policeman’s Balls, tennis matches, wrestling, and even for a while, Fire Station No. 2.56 Her halls had viewed the entire Wagner Ring and the famous eight-million-dollar war bond rally starring the Houston Symphony and Morris Siegel’s wrestlers. As her years began to show, however, visiting guests began to tire of her age and inadequacies. The indignity heaped upon the city by the 1950 visits of Toscanini’s NBC Orchestra and the Metropolitan Opera was not easily forgotten. Yet, Houston had nothing of her capacity to offer as an alternative until the Houston Endowment gift. At an open house in June, the city bade the auditorium a quiet farewell. Several of the bronze lanterns that graced the exterior of the building were salvaged by the Houston City Parks Department, were restored, and now adorn the Oscar Holcombe Mall at Houston Baptist University. The Houston Symphony Orchestra’s fiftieth anniversary season was marked by the signing of Sir John to a new three-year contract that established Houston as his base of operations by requiring his services

55 Houston Chronicle, June 3, 1962, Zest, pp. 6-7.

56 Ibid.

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from October to April each year. No limit to the number of concerts was specified, and the Houston Symphony Society assumed the responsibility for all American bookings for Barbirolli.57 In a tribute to the orchestra and its conductor, Time Magazine quoted Sir John’s description of the Houston Symphony as the “most exciting orchestra in the United States,” and added its own comment, “the important thing is that it’s better than Dallas.”58 On March 3, 1964, the Houston Symphony Orchestra under Sir John Barbirolli performed an extraordinary New York debut and, as The New Yorker critic Winthrop Sargeant related, “. . . surprised a good many people, including me, by the brilliance and virtuosity of its playing.”59 He continued: . . . the orchestra, trained by Sir John Barbirolli to hair trigger responsiveness is a phenomenally anxious one— and it shone the other night with a sort of aggressive spit and polish seldom encountered in the older ensembles along the Eastern seaboard . . . The musical numbers made for an unusual evening of listening, and they were all done with astonishing craftsmanship by both the conductor and orchestra.60

The success of the eastern tour surprised even the most fervent skeptics. The orchestra performed for President Lyndon Johnson in Washington, D.C. where it was treated to a White House reception.61 Sharing the President’s box was Houston’s grande dame, Miss Ima Hogg. Then eighty-one, “blue-eyed and strawberry-haired,” Miss Ima basked in

57 Michael Brozen, “Quote-Unquote,” Musical America, July, 1964, p. 30.

58 “Little John in Big Texas,” Time, November 1, 1963, p. 63.

59 Winthrop Sargeant, “Musical Events,” The New Yorker, March 14, 1964, p. 158.

60 Ibid.

61 The New York Times, March 1, 1964, p. 50.

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the glow of the New York concert and was the subject of a New York Times article all her own.62 The reviews of other New York critics were equally as complimentary as Sargeant’s.63 The New York Herald Tribune, in a review entitled “Bravo, Houstonians,” reported: The city of Houston has every reason to be proud of its orchestra . . . Texas knows how to turn out a symphonic ensemble . . . a noble and eloquent performance. It was an evening of triumph all the way. That a city as remote from what we think of as the cultural centers of the universe can enjoy music making such as this points to one thing: that our thinking about cultural centers clearly needs some revision . . . Houston deserves inclusion among these centers.64

Among the most enthusiastic members of the audience were many of Barbirolli’s former New York musicians who made Sir John’s evening all the sweeter. After their fashion, the critics were nearly as cordial as the audience who gave Barbirolli six recalls. These he shared with the orchestra, sometimes acknowledging the applause modestly from afar with waves of his handkerchief. In the end, admirers invaded the platform and ringed him about, clapping and shouting with delight.65

The orchestra’s return to Houston was predictably euphoric. With the Robert E. Lee High School band playing “Dixie,” Mayor Louie Welch presented Barbirolli a key to the city. With a reported tear in his eye, Sir John confessed, “I am very proud, very privileged, very honored. I have returned with my troops, my mission accomplished.”66

62 The New York Times, March 4, 1964, p. 32.

63 “Jay Harrison Covers New York Music Scene,” Musical American, April, 1964, p. 34.

64 Houston Post, March 4, 1964, Sec. IV, p. 6.

65 Reid, p. 371.

66 Houston Post, March 13, 1964, Sec. I, p. 1.

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The national recognition that the tour afforded became a significant factor in contract negotiations for the musicians upon their return. Local 65 of the musicians’ union proposed that a greater proportion of the orchestra’s budget be devoted to salaries in order to maintain a competitive position with other major symphony orchestras. There was an additional problem of fifteen Saturday evening concerts that negated many supplementary employment opportunities for the musicians. The Symphony contract covered a twenty-nine week period.67 At the time, the Houston Symphony Society was carrying a $93,000 deficit. Moreover, the current maintenance fund goal was $80,000, more than had ever been previously raised. The Society dimly viewed the prospects for raising any more funds than were currently being sought. The musicians, on the other hand, pointed out that they were asking only $380,000 in salaries of the $450,000 earned annually through ticket sales.68 The dispute stalemated. The Society refused the musicians’ request to appeal to the public for additional funds. Finally, however, the Society did offer to meet the salary demands for the second and third years of the proposed contract, but to pay the first year’s increases only if the additional money could be raised over and above the maintenance fund goal.69 With an offer to help try to raise the additional monies, the musicians accepted the terms of the new contract.70 Soon thereafter, the musicians visited Mayor Louie Welch to request greater city contributions for the orchestra. The $35,000 that the City of Houston provided compared to $125,000 in Baltimore, $70,000 in

67 Houston Post, April 19, 1964, Sec. I, p. 1.

68 Houston Post, April 28, 1964, Sec. I, p. 1.

69 Houston Chronicle, May 1, 1964, Sec. I, p. 1.

70 Houston Post, May 1, 1964, Sec. I, p. 1.

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San Francisco, $65,000 in Pittsburgh, $60,000 in Indianapolis, $57,000 in Detroit, and $50,000 in Buffalo71. The Houston Symphony Orchestra Society’s Executive Committee also visited the Mayor and City Council to request additional funding. As a result, the City upped its annual ante to $50,000 for the musicians, largely in support of the summer season.72 In November, the $93,000 deficit was eliminated through gifts from the M. D. Anderson Foundation, a second anonymous foundation, and a group of friends of the orchestra. The Society was still $45,000 short of its current maintenance goal, however.73 Dr. A. Clyde Roller was named Associate Conductor of the Houston Symphony Orchestra and Professor of Music at the University of Houston just before the orchestra left the city on its second major tour under Barbirolli. Roller came from the Eastman School of Music where he was Professor of Ensembles and conductor of the Eastman symphony. Much earlier in his career, he had conducted the Amarillo Symphony Orchestra. Roller was to conduct most student concerts, special programs, and the summer series at Miller Theatre.74 The 1965 tour took the orchestra to the Midwest through Chicago to New York City again. The Chicago critics were unanimous in their praise of the concert there. Robert Marsh of the Chicago Sun Times called the ensemble the “finest south of the Chicago-Cleveland axis.” The New York critics were equally generous. The New York Tribune reported, “The Houston Symphony Orchestra, though not one of the largest, is, under Barbirolli, fast becoming one of the most polished.”75

71 Houston Chronicle, May 26, 1964, Sec. III, p. 5.

72 Houston Chronicle, July 6, 1964, Zest, p. 6.

73 Houston Post, November 19, 1964, Sec. IV, p. 1.

74 Houston Post, February 17, 1965, Sec. II, p. 5.

75 Houston Post, March 12, 1965, Sec. I, p. 8.

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Largely as a result of the tours, national recognition of the Houston Symphony Orchestra continued to accumulate. The orchestra received $2.5 million in a mammoth $85 million grant to United States orchestras76 plus and additional $2 million for endowment purposes if matching funds could be raised.77 The orchestra was the recipient of its first annual endowed concert.78 It found itself included in Time Magazine’s list of the nation’s “Elite Eleven” orchestras79 and garnered additional attention from its 1966 tour in Life,80 Musical America,81 and The New Yorker.82 Sir John was generally acknowledged to be a chief reason for the extraordinary performances by the Symphony. Observers were reminded of the opinion, “There are no great orchestras, only great conductors.” Time wrote, The Houston Symphony Orchestra has come a long way from the days it played “Old Black Joe” for encores . . . The secret is John Barbirolli whose solid musicianship . . . compensates mightily for the lack of depth in his players.83

Winthrop Sargeant was more generous to the orchestra itself after the 1966 Carnegie Hall performance.

76 “A Ford in Their Future,” Time, October 29, 1965, p. 71.

77 Houston Chronicle, July 6, 1966, Sec. I, p. 1.

78 Houston Post, March 25, 1965, Sec. V, p. 1.

79 “The Elite Eleven,” Time, April 8, 1966, p. 64.

80 “The Texas Trademark for Flamboyant Flair,” Life, July 8, 1966, p. 38.

81 “Houston Symphony at Carnegie Hall,” High Fidelity-Musical America, June, 1966, p. 115.

82 Winthrop Sargeant “Musical Events,” The New Yorker, April 2, 1966, pp. 169- 170.

83 “The Elite Eleven,” pp. 64-65.

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Sir John’s interpretation of the . . . masterpiece was as compelling as any you are likely to hear nowadays, and his orchestra, reflecting the intimate rapport that only a master conductor can build into such an organization, responded nobly. It is a fine orchestra, and it seems to improve from season to season.84

Nevertheless, it was with great hesitancy that the Symphony Society considered the day that the indefatigable Englishman would no longer command the orchestra. Over the years, Houston had lost several of its cultural giants to the passing of time. No loss had ever been felt quite so forcefully, however, as was the death in December, 1963, of Edna Saunders. One had only to view the cultural calendars of the Saunders’ years to know of this woman’s pervasive influence on the city. She had announced her forty-fifth season in 1962,85 but she had been ill much of that winter.86 “Miss Edna” had been born in 1880 at the corner of Texas and Fannin streets. Her father, John D. Woolford, was a wealthy cotton merchant and mayor of Houston. Following her graduation from Houston High School in 1898, she attended the Stuart School in Washington, D. C. and the Gardner School of New York City,87 becoming an accomplished pianist and singer.88 Mrs. Saunders was an early President of the Woman’s Choral Club where she received her first taste of entrepreneurship by bringing Anna Pavlova to the old Beach’s Auditorium in 1917.89 Several years later, when

84 Winthrop Sargeant, “Musical Events,” The New Yorker, April 2, 1966, p. 169.

85 Houston Post, September 23, 1962, Houston Now, p. 23.

86 Houston Post, September 3, 1963, Sec. III, p. 6.

87 Houston Post, December 22, 1963, Sec. I, p. 1.

88 Houston Chronicle, October 2, 1966, Jones Hall Supplement, p. 59.

89 Houston Post, December 31, 1958, Sec. I, p. 1.

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her marriage failed, she decided to pursue a career of promoting cultural attractions for her hometown.90 In this pursuit, she was peerless. Caruso in 1920 had tried to evade her efforts to book a solo recital by requiring that $12,000 be placed in his name in a Houston bank thirty days before a scheduled concert.91 Undaunted, Mrs. Saunders carried out her instructions and then provided for the great artist an overflow audience of 6,000 at the City Auditorium. On another occasion, Samuel Insull offered Houston the Chicago Opera Company only if Edna Saunders would manage the appearance.92 She had raised nearly $19,000 in advanced sales when Mayor A. E. Amerman closed all amusements due to a flu epidemic. The performances had to be cancelled. A year later, however, the Chicago Opera came to Houston, as promised.93 Edna Saunders had brought a nine-year-old Menuhin to the city and had gotten the Ballet Russe in 1936.94 The sight of her leaving each year to book concerts with her faithful Jesse at the wheel of her Chrysler Imperial was a familiar one to locals. Though she had booked nearly every great artist in the musical world for her Houston audiences, the Metropolitan Opera performances appeared to be the zenith of her blue-ribbon personal list.95 She was the founder, Permanent Vice-President, and sweetheart of the International Concert Managers Association and was long a favorite of her fellow professional impresarios. Upon the occasion of her death, Sol Hurok wired, “Edna Saunders was . . . one of my oldest friends, a fine lady,

90 Houston Chronicle, October 2, 1966, Jones Hall Supplement, p. 60.

91 Houston Chronicle, September 2, 1956, Feature Magazine, p. 3.

92 Houston Chronicle, October 2, 1966, Jones Hall Supplement, p. 60.

93 Houston Post, December 22, 1963, Sec. I, p. 1.

94 Houston Chronicle, October 2, 1966, Jones Hall Supplement, p. 60.

95 Quaintance Eaton, Opera Caravan: Advent of the Met on Tour 1883-1956, (New York: Farrar, Straus, and Cadahy, 1957), p. 167.

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and one who devoted her life to bringing the best in performing arts to the people of Houston.”96 So massive and inclusive had been her role in the musical life of the city, that her death left the city almost completely void of visiting musical attractions. Veazey Rainwater, one of Miss Edna’s associates, formed a Houston Performing Arts Foundation soon after her death. The non-profit foundation was designed both to present various attractions and to establish a new children’s theater in the city. Nothing, however, resulted from its formation.97 In March 1964, another Houstonian, Harris Masterson, who was active nationally as a theater angel, formed a second booking agency, Houston Presents, under Don Bolen’s direction.98 This organization announced two series of attractions for the 1964-65 season. A Music Hall series featured productions of Camelot, Oliver, Pomp and Ceremony, and performances by the New York City Ballet and Ballet Folklorico of Mexico. A Young Artist Series scheduled performances by Menuhin, the Norman Walker Dancers, Marilyn Horne, the First Chamber Dance Quartet, and Vladimir Ashkenazy. Moreover, performances by Van Cliburn and Joan Sutherland were also scheduled.99 In additional promotional activity, attorney Abe Dunn formed the Southwest Concerts agency.100 Despite excellent artists, Houston Presents lost money heavily. Many factors were responsible.101 Inexperience and over-optimism were particularly to blame. Joan Sutherland was booked for two nights with full

96 Houston Post, December 22, 1963, Sec. I, p. 22.

97 “Music for Houston,” Musical America, February, 1964, p. 9.

98 Houston Post, March 29, 1964, ’64, p. 12.

99 Houston Chronicle, August 2, 1964, Zest, p. 3.

100 Houston Post, April 26, 1964, ’64, p. 18.

101 Houston Chronicle, March 3, 1965, Sec. III, p. 2

203 orchestra; the combination of the Christmas season and the presence of cold weather reduced attendance to 2,500 for both nights.102 Capacity could have totaled 6,000. It came as no surprise, therefore, that Harris Masterson withdrew his financial backing from the agency. Bolen tried to carry on as a non-profit enterprise, but rumors persisted that the operation would suspend at the end of the season.103 Attempting to pick up the reins, Nell Harris Stone entered the ranks of the impresarios and announced a 1965 series that featured Liberace, the José Molino Bailes Españoles, and Phyllis .104 The emphasis of her program, however, was very different from the focus Edna Saunders had maintained for so many years. Consequently, the 1965-66 musical season for visiting artists was the most barren Houston had experienced in many years.105 The 1965 dearth prompted civic leader John Jones to propose to the City Council in July, 1966 the establishment of a broadly-based Society for the Performing Arts which would lease the Jones Hall facility for its use. He estimated the $50,000 needed to begin operation could be underwritten by a group of seventy to eighty Houstonians.106 Howard Taubman reported the development to his New York Times readers. It is hard to escape the impression of eagerness and energy for the arts here. At the same time, one feels a sense of hesitancy, as if the city wanted reassurance from some higher outside source. But confidence will come to boldness. That is why it is so urgent that the Jones Hall should not be an end in itself, but an encouragement to new beginnings.107

102 Houston Post, January 17, 1965, Spotlight, p. 17.

103 Houston Post, March 24, 1965, Sec. II, p. 2.

104 Houston Chronicle, June 10, 1965, Sec. VII, p. 5.

105 Houston Post, December 8, 1965, Sec. I, p. 16.

106 Houston Chronicle, July 7, 1966, Sec. I, p. 11.

107 The New York Times, October 8, 1966, p. 18.

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Taubman further reiterated what Hubert Roussel had said for years108— that the advancement of local cultural enterprise was vastly preferable and advisable to its importation.109 The backing of seventy-five Houstonians was secured, and in February 1967, Jones announced the appointment of William McKelvy Martin as SPA Director.110 The fifty-seven-year-old Martin brought to the position a vast background of varied management experience. Most recently, he had served as Vice-President and Secretary of the International Concert Management Association, but had also been Director of the Brooklyn Academy of Music and Manager of both the Pittsburgh and Cleveland Orchestras.111 In May, Martin announced an impressive roster of guests for 1967 that included Montserrat Caballé, Lorin Hollander, Teresa Stratas, Gina Bachauer, Lili Kraus, the American Folk Ballet, Compagnie Nationale De Danses Francaises, Martha Graham, the Yugoslav National Folk Ensemble, Monitas de Plata, and Andres Segovia.112 For Houstonians, it was as if Edna Saunders had never gone. For some time, PACE Management Corporation had produced many of Houston’s largest conventions and exhibitions. In early 1967, the firm augmented its operation into cultural affairs and hired Sidney Schlenker, a former banker, to head this phase of its operation.113 The first attraction booked by the organization was the then active Metropolitan National

108 Houston Post, March 29, 1965, Sec. II, p. 2.

109 The New York Times, October 8, 1966, p. 18.

110 Houston Chronicle, February 19, 1967, Zest, p. 21.

111 Ibid.

112 Houston Chronicle, May 14, 1967, Zest, p. 11.

113 Houston Chronicle, March 16, 1967, Sec. V, p. 5.

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Opera Company. Its Houston performances were generally well received, and it offered The Rape of Lucretia to the city for the first time.114 In April, Schlenker added the Nell Harris operation to the PACE umbrella and expanded his territory to include Dallas, New Orleans, Austin, and San Antonio.115 This PACE/Harris association was short lived, however, and was dissolved in June, 1967 In the years following the death of Edna Saunders, the number of imported performances declined, but local activity mushroomed. One national periodical surveyed the scene in 1963 and asserted: “Musically, the city is alive to the point of exhaustion.”116 New organizations were springing up; established groups were expanding their productivity. In testimony to the claims for Houston as a major cultural center, it could be said that virtually every form of conceivable musical activity could be found in some measure within the city. This level of activity encompassed the associated forms of dance and art, as well. Mrs. Saunders’ later years had witnessed the decline in popularity of the solo performer—once the mainstay of the concert stage in America. Extended concert tours morphed into single performances sandwiched between longer engagements and enabled by jet travel. Solo appearances with orchestras had become more the popular concert medium. Phonograph recordings, television, and jet planes revolutionized the world of classical music performance. More lucrative performance opportunities became available to the solo artist. Travel became easier, and distance became redefined. Media expanded and enhanced the performance venue of the solo artist.

114 Houston Chronicle, April 3, 1967, Sec. III, p. 5.

115 Houston Chronicle, June 21, 1967, Sec. III, p. 5.

116 George Garrett, “Culture Boom in Houston,” Gentlemen’s Quarterly, October, 1963, p. 74.

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In Houston, focus on the development of young musical talent continued to be supported. The Houston Youth Symphony enjoyed senior status among the city’s ensembles. The Orchestra maintained a summer performance schedule at Miller Theatre in addition to its regular schedule of activities during the school year and enjoyed the financial support of the City Parks and Recreation Department. Robert Linder became director of the orchestra in 1962 when founder Howard Webb assumed leadership of the Houston Youth Symphony Chorus.117 Shortly thereafter, Webb submitted a request for a two-year leave of absence in which he cited as reasons lack of cooperation by the Youth Symphony Executive Board, inadequate working facilities, and the illness of his wife.118 Linder served until 1964, when Alfred Vallani was named conductor of the student ensemble.119 The All-City Symphony also enjoyed an excellent, growing reputation. In 1963, the Houston Symphony Society invited the All-City Symphony to play five student concerts during the 1963-64 season.120 In October, 1963 the ensemble was invited to perform at the Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic in Chicago the following December.121 This invitation followed one to appear at the Brussels World’s Fair that the orchestra had reluctantly declined because of finances. For the Chicago trip, the Orchestra set about raising the requisite money. Two albums were

117 Houston Post, May 6, 1962, Houston Now, p. 32.

118 Houston Post, July 12, 1963, Sec. I. p. 16.

119 Houston Post, May 24, 1964, ’64, p. 20.

120 Houston Symphony Society minutes, May 30, 1963.

121 Houston Post, October 6, 1963, ’63, p. 30.

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recorded and marketed; a Houston Post editorial urged community support;122 a November benefit performance was scheduled; and Sir John accepted an invitation to conduct a portion of the Sibelius Symphony No. 2 in order to boost sales.123 By departure time, the money was in sight, and the orchestra made the trip, capturing an honor award as the best large high school orchestra at the clinic.124 It was the sort of news that Houstonians loved to hear. Spurred by the success of its first tour venture, the All-City Orchestra accepted an invitation from officials of the German government and scheduled an unprecedented performance at Markgradfleches Opera House in Bayreuth, home of the famous Bayreuth Wagner Festival. Mayor Louie Welch and General Maurice Hirsch headed an advisory body committed to raising the estimated $60,000 need for the European trip.125 Thus, the city undertook to do for its young people what it had never done for its own Houston Symphony Orchestra. After a frantic six months of benefits, cake sales, car washes, dances, and fashion shows, and with the support of Houston Endowment and countless individuals, $65,000 was raised. The orchestra of 105 musicians left on schedule, July 26, 1965.126 Director Harry Lantz and his group presented concerts in Luxembourg, Frankfurt, and Paris where a recording was also made.127 At Bayreuth, the Houston All-City Symphony Orchestra presented the world premier of Thomas Beversdorf’s Generation with the Torch which was taped for

122 Houston Post, October 27, 1963, Sec. V, p. 4.

123 Houston Post, November 3, 1963, ’63, p. 31.

124 Houston Post, January 28, 1965, Sec. IV, p. 2.

125 Houston Post, January 28, 1965, Sec. IV, p. 2.

126 Houston Post, July 26, 1965, Sec. I, p. 1.

127 Houston Post, July 30, 1965, Sec. I, p. 1.

208 broadcast over Radio Free Europe.128 The orchestra was the first non- professional organization ever granted government permission to perform in the Bayreuth house. Back at home, other programs for young people were flourishing, also. The Young Audiences program begun by Fredell Lack had grown to the point that is comprised the third largest unit of the organization in the United States.129 In 1963, for example, the number of in-school concerts for Houston was increased by thirty, to one hundred, with seven different professional chamber ensembles participating.130 Although Stokowski’s Contemporary Music Society suspended its activities in 1963, other organizations continued to sponsor performances of contemporary music. The Contemporary Arts Museum presented several avant garde music festivals featuring Jazz for Large Orchestra with sixteen voices in 1961,131 and in 1963 Peter Yates, music critic in Los Angeles, and Peter Hewitt, a San Francisco pianist.132 Similarly, the Contemporary Arts Association sponsored the Lasry-Baschet Structures Orchestra in November, 1963, that presented a program performed on metal and glass rods, steel bars, plastic balloons, and sheets. Hubert Rousell predictably placed the result somewhere between vaudeville and serious music, but confessed it was interesting as either.133 The demise of the Contemporary Music Society could be credited to the increased maturity of Houston’s musical life as evidenced by the

128 “Houston All-City Symphony Performs in Europe,” American String Teacher, November 2, 1966, pp. 35-36.

129 Houston Symphony Society minutes, February 14, 1962.

130 Houston Symphony Society minutes, November 14, 1962.

131 Houston Post, September 17, 1961, Houston Now, p. 27.

132 Houston Post, February 10, 1963, Houston Now, p. 24.

133 Houston Post, November 7, 1963, Sec. V, p. 2.

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proliferation of other chamber ensembles that devoted programming to contemporary music. The Contemporary Music Society had simply given birth to a host of ensembles whose success can be credited to the progenitor. New ensembles continued to develop. Trombonist, Ralph Liese’s Houston Symphony Brass Quintet, founded in 1957, began touring under Community Concerts management.134 The Pipers of Houston, organized in 1964, devoted its attention to the performance of music written or arranged for various combinations of recorders and bamboo piper, often with harpsichord or organ continuo.135 The Virtuoso Quartet was also founded in 1964 by University of Houston faculty members Fredell Lack, Wayne Crouse, Shirley Trepel, and Albert Hirsch.136 In October 1966, a Houston chapter of the American Harpsichord Society was formed.137 The new group functioned much like the American Guild of Organists and sponsored concerts both by local musicians and by visiting artists. The Houston Friends of Music, facing a 1966 deficit of $2,500, trimmed its season to four performances, raised its dues to ten dollars annually, and decided to move the site of its activities to a new four- hundred seat auditorium under construction at the University of Houston.138 Choral music was also the object of renewed interest in the city. Wayne Bedford organized a small group of singers who bore his name and concertized variously with the J. S. Bach Society and other chamber

134 Houston Post, November 5, 1961, Houston Now, p. 29.

135 Houston Post, April 26, 1964, ’64, p. 17.

136 Houston Post, September 20, 1964, ’64, p. 23.

137 Houston Chronicle, October 16, 1966, Zest, p. 10.

138 Houston Chronicle, January 29, 1967, Sec. I, p. 15

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ensembles.139 Noble Cain, a nationally recognized composer, moved to Houston in 1962 and organized a Houston Oratorio Society. Cain advanced plans for a five-hundred-voice chorus dedicated to the performance of large, major, choral works.140 On the drama front, Theatre, Inc. boasted a long history of excellent musical productions. In the 1960s, however, various factors depressed the success of its box-office. The opening of the three-thousand-seat Houston Music Theatre in Sharpstown had severely cut into its audience. Despite long runs and full houses, Theatre, Inc. had accumulated a sizeable debt. In addition, its guiding genius, Johnny George, continued to have serious medical programs that affected the stability of the enterprise. The death knell for Theatre, Inc. was sounded in 1966 when a tragic fire consumed the backstage area of the theater, destroying shops, equipment, and an enormous costume wardrobe.141 Despite repeated efforts, Theatre, Inc. was never able to rise from the rubble of that September conflagration. Many of Houston’s finest singers had enjoyed roles and experience with Theatre, Inc. over the years of its flowering. The City of Houston never had played a major role in the development of the city’s musical life. It had, however, long been the brunt of Hubert Roussel’s satire. The City’s chief contribution had been made through its support of the summer symphony series and the various activities of the City Parks and Recreation Department. The most memorable events in the cultural history of city government were those surrounding the city’s abrogation of responsibility for improvement of the City Auditorium, the renovation of the Coliseum and Music Hall, the annual Shrine Circus carnival invasion of the Music Hall parking lots, and the attempted conversion of the Music Hall for wrestling.

139 Houston Post, October 15, 1961, Houston Now, p. 34.

140 Houston Post, October 30, 1962, Houston Now, p. 27.

141 Houston Chronicle, September 26, 1966, Sec. I, p. 1. 211

The administration of Mayor Louie Welch, however, departed from the traditional attitude of cultural complacency and assumed a position of community leadership. After visits by representatives of the musicians’ union and the Houston Symphony Society in 1964, the City increased it contributions to the summer symphony programs at Miller Theatre.142 The City had also cooperated with Houston Endowment by providing the land for Jones Hall and had hired the Stanford Research Institution to do the long-range planning for a civic center. In August, 1964 the Houston City Council established a Municipal Arts Council composed of fifteen citizens whose purpose was to advise the Council on matters relating to the cultural health and physical beauty of the city.143 The action climaxed nearly ten years of effort by various groups of interested citizens to secure the establishment of such a body.144 This new organization officially recognized the efforts of the thirteen-year-old Arts Council of Houston, whose membership was comprised of forty-one representatives from sixteen constituent organizations.145 One of the early objects of attention for the Municipal Arts Council was Miller Theatre in Hermann Park. Although the original structure had been renovated and modified somewhat, its stage severely limited the size of the orchestra that could be accommodated, and its acoustical accoutrements were primitive. In one of her regular pleas for an improved facility, Houston Chronicle Fine Arts Editor Ann Holmes lamented that in order to hear a performance at Miller Theatre, one had to be downwind from the stage.146 Moreover, the Miller Theatre shell was oven-like for

142 Houston Chronicle, June 16, 1964, Sec. I, p. 16.

143 Houston Chronicle, August 20, 1964, Sec. III, p. 10.

144 Houston Chronicle, August 27, 1964, Sec. III, p. 6.

145 Houston Chronicle, December 21, 1966, Sec. VII, p. 8.

146 Houston Chronicle, June 1, 1964, Sec. II, p. 5. 212 summer performances and unprotected from weather which resulted in increased labor costs due to cancelled performances and wasted rehearsals.147 Kenneth Franzheim had done an architectural study for a new theater in Hermann Park as early as 1940. With a growing and obvious need for a more adequate facility, the City Council authorized the preparation of a design for a new Miller Theatre. In March 1966, plans were unveiled for a magnificent new theater, seating for two thousand persons under roof, a sixty by forty-foot air-conditioned stage, theater lighting and curtains, and a variety of ample backstage areas.148 In addition to the new Miller Theatre and Jones Hall downtown, other construction significant to the musical life of the city was occurring. The three-million-dollar Houston Music Theatre in Sharpstown opened in 1966 and provided employment for a pit orchestra of up to twenty musicians. At its opening in May 1966, the theater required a weekly musical budget of $2,632.149 The long-standing and pronounced need for chamber auditoriums was alleviated somewhat by the construction of Hamman Hall on the Rice Campus in the late 50’s and by the 568-seat Agnes Arnold Hall at the University of Houston.150 The shortage of auditoria of this genre could best be illustrated by the history of Houston’s chamber ensembles’ flight from homes to the Prudential Building, to the Playhouse Theatre, to the First Unitarian Church, to the Junior League Building, to both St. Johns and Kinkaid Schools, to college campuses, and elsewhere.

147 Houston Chronicle, July 4, 1965, Zest, p. 6.

148 Houston Chronicle, March 23, 1966, Sec. III, p. 8.

149 Houston Chronicle, May 22, 1966, Zest, p. 26.

150 Houston Chronicle, August 27, 1967, Sec. I, p. 25.

213

Hamman Hall was a gift to Rice University from Mr. and Mrs. George Hamman. Designed for use as a teaching theater, as well, it was nonetheless an impressive addition to the city’s music rooms when built in the late 1950’s. The building housed the Shepherd School of Music and provided a home for the annual series of musical concerts under its aegis.151 Campus use did curtail use of Hamman Hall by the community at large. It is significant to note that Rice University offered no degree in music at this point in its history. This made even more surprising a series of music lectures at Rice funded by an anonymous donor that had brought John Powell in 1932, Nadia Boulanger in 1925, Sir Henry Hadow in 1926, Maurice Ravel in 1928, Arthur Honegger in 1929, George David Birkhoff in 1932, and Harold Morris in 1933.152 Houston composer Arthur Hall headed the Rice University Shepherd School of Music and actively continued to write for chamber ensembles. Late in 1964, the Rice University Symphony Society was organized. Membership initially consisted of some thirty student and faculty musicians.153 A new educational institution was added to the city’s roster in 1963. In early May, Houston Baptist College announced the appointment of its founding music faculty. Named were Symphony concertmaster Ray Fliegel, and symphony members Wayne Crouse, Byron Hester, Raymond Weaver, Richard Pickar, Paul Tucci, James Tankersley, James Austin, Hap Fulgham, David Wuliger, Ralph Liese, and Harry Lantz.154 Shortly thereafter, the College announced the appointment of Dr. Claude Rhea as Chairman of the Division of Fine Arts and R. Paul Green as Professor of

151 Houston Post, September 1, 1963, Houston Now, p. 23.

152 “Music,” Rice University Studies, LVI (1970), p. 27.

153 Houston Post, December 6, 1964, ‘64, p. 2.

154 Houston Post, May 5, 1963, Houston Now, p. 27. 214

Choral Activities.155 Later appointments included David Appleby, Virginia Babikian, Don Looser, Robert Parker, and Lewis Zailer. The University of Houston continued to enjoy it cooperative ventures with the Houston Symphony Orchestra. Dr. A. Clyde Roller had been jointly named to positions at the University and with the Symphony in 1965. The University contributed significantly to the city through the performance of its faculty. Albert Hirsch and Fredell Lack maintained their musical performance marathon. Both performed at Carnegie Hall in 1962.156 Hirsch was elected Musical Director of the J. S. Bach Society in 1963.157 He organized Music for Strings later the same year.158 Fredell Lack, meanwhile, performed with a host of chamber ensembles, concertized, and continued to nurture her new Virtuoso Quartet. The University made a major faculty acquisition in 1963 with the appointment of Shirley Trepel, newly appointed Houston Symphony principal cellist, to the University music faculty.159 University of Houston School of Music Dean Dr. Earl Moore coordinated a Contemporary Music Festival in 1963 that featured the Woodwinds of Houston and a number of University of Houston faculty.160 The University paid tribute to the Houston Symphony Orchestra in the fall with a spectacle worthy of Mrs. John Wesley Graham—one hundred massed bands conducted by Arthur Fiedler.161 Shortly thereafter, the

155 Houston Post, May 15, 1963, Sec. II, p. 5.

156 Houston Post, October 21, 1962, Houston Now, p. 31.

157 Houston Post, March 21, 1963, Sec. IV, p. 1.

158 Houston Post, October 27, 1963, ’63, p. 29.

159 Houston Post, September 17, 1963, Sec. I, p. 8.

160 Houston Post, February 17, 1963, Houston Now, p. 23.

161 Houston Post, September 15, 1963, ’63, p. 28.

215

University cooperated with the Houston Symphony Orchestra on one of Frederick Fennell’s many return visits to Houston since his Summertime Opera days by sponsoring two clinics on recording techniques for area bandsmen.162 Spring that year was notable for a Mozart Festival highlighted by performances of The Impresario.163 In 1967, the University began a series of new ventures. These symposia of new music were funded by the Rockefeller Foundation and featured the Houston Symphony Orchestra on the University of Houston campus in seven open rehearsals, a series of public panel discussions, and a free public concert.164 The first symposium featured works by five Houston composers: Merrills Lewis, Robert Morgan, Michael Horvit, Ned Battista, and Thomas Avinger.165 This series helped answer rather severe criticism aimed at the local colleges by the city’s two major newspaper critics. Both were concerned over the insular nature of the musical environment on the college campus. Few concerts, they stated, were of community interest, and rarely did repertoire deviate from the Bach-Debussy parentheses.166 The University of Houston, it was claimed, spent $45,000 on its marching band in 1967, but offered no series of cultural events for the public because of “lack of funds.”167 Moreover, the critics challenged the excuse by performers that the conventional repertoire of most concerts was due to the press of symphony, opera, and teaching responsibilities.168 It remained, therefore,

162 Houston Post, January 5, 1964, ’64, p. 11.

163 Houston Post, March 29, 1964, ’64, p. 18.

164 Houston Chronicle, November 27, 1966, Zest, p. 26.

165 Houston Chronicle, April 19, 1967, Sec. I, p. 18.

166 Houston Chronicle, February 23, 1964, Zest, p. 8.

167 Houston Post, November 19, 1967, Spotlight, p. 20.

168 Ibid.

216

for the Houston academic community to prove its musical mettle in the eyes of the local critics. The public schools had garnered much attention from the concert tours of the All-City Symphony Orchestra. This ensemble drew student musicians from several school districts, though Harry Lantz, its director, was employed by the Houston Independent School District. The choral field was not neglected. Composer and conductor Noble Cain served as choral consultant for the Houston Public Schools during his Houston tenure.169 The Spring Branch Independent School District was awarded one of the young American composers under the Ford Foundation’s Young Musicians Project. Mr. Herb Bielawa served two terms in the district under Ford sponsorship.170 The plethoric state of Houston’s musical activity was symptomatic of the city’s corpulent cultural development. National periodicals found Houston a flowing fount of interest. The “nation’s most spectacular center of growth”171 was the subject of articles in Newsweek, Time, Gentlemen’s Quarterly, High Fidelity-Musical America, Life, Music Journal, Business Week, and The New Yorker. In an article entitled, “Culture Boom in Houston,” George Garrett reported: Houston is emerging as one of the most exciting cultural centers in the country. Houston is growing, building, and emerging as a cultural power second only to New York. With youth and energy and money inevitably comes the desire to live well and fully. Any viable cultural renaissance requires an army of dedicated people and a sustained enthusiasm. Houston has the people, an energetic and wealthy audience, and it has actors, painters, sculptors, musicians, writers, and poets. . . . The secret is out. There is a cultural boom in

169 Houston Post, November 11, 1962, Houston Now, p. 35.

170 Interview with Mr. Wade Pogue, Music Supervisor, Spring Branch Independent School District, April 21, 1972.

171 “Houston: Boomingest Town in the United States,” Newsweek, February 11, 1962, p. 78.

217

Texas and the . . . wonderfully exciting city of Houston is leading it.172

For many Houstonians, there was no boom and really no secret to be let out. For years, these dedicated individuals had worked arduously—fired by intellect and vision—to plant the seeds for the cultural harvest. For them, the fruition of their dreams was no phenomenon, but rather maturation made possible by the steadfast and diligent nurture of carefully cultivated talents. N. D. Naman was one of these Houstonians. He had helped organize the Houston Philharmonic Ensemble in 1928 and 1929 and had provided the financial backing for Hubert Roussel’s 1940 campaign to establish a summer season of symphony concerts at Miller Theatre. A cotton broker and developer by trade, Naman had also been for many years an angel to the fledgling Houston musical enterprise. Naman’s death in November 1962, removed from the Houston scene one of the city’s most significant musical benefactors. Naman’s collaborator in the 1940 campaign—Hubert Roussel— was the man whose contribution to Houston’s musical development was unique and so monumental that it defied measurement. Roussel’s eloquence, wit, and honesty were surpassed only by his love for the city of Houston. In a way all his own, he had a more profound influence on the cultural destiny of the city than any other single individual in the city’s history. Roussel’s pride in Houston and his personal attitudes are apparent in a High Fidelity—Musical America report that he wrote shortly before his retirement from the Houston Post. It is characteristic of Houston that although its theater system, music and otherwise, is the most substantial and active in the Southwest, it makes little fuss over the fact. Accustomed to general abundance, the city demands to be well entertained and is very

172 George Garrett, “Culture Boom,” p. 66. 218

efficient in providing . . . what is wants . . . Houston has no time for the chi-chi of the ‘cultural center’ pose—or even to care much of what is thought of its own enterprise elsewhere.173

Described by his fellow Post writer George Fuermann as a “brilliant, opinionated, wispish, crotchety jack-of-all-critics,”174 Roussel retired in February 1966 leaving behind a legacy of history from his thirty years of newspaper writings. In addition, his by-lines comprised a remarkable collection of brilliant, witty prose. Roussel’s humor is aptly illustrated by his 1963 description of ballet as a “profusion of boisterous girls and girlsterous boys.”175 Upon his retirement, the Houston Symphony Society honored Roussel with a resolution praising his “excellent, vivid articles and honest criticism and his invaluable support of the Orchestra.”176 Fellow critic, Ann Holmes, penned: Any variations in our point of view—and they weren’t that frequent— came about because of an obstinate, inherent, ineluctable difference in the two people. And for that, viva! The arts, they say, thrive best when the critics disagree. . . I shall miss the exchange of small arms fire so much a part of our flinty game, to say nothing of that provocative viewpoint from the other side of town. . . Farewell, Roussel, and fair be thy hopes.177

Roussel’s retirement marked the climax of Houston’s years of struggle toward musical maturity—just as the opening of Jones Hall heralded the dawn of a period of cultural abundance.

173 Hubert Roussel, “Lively Accompaniment in the Lively Arts, High Fidelity-Musical America, July, 1965, p. 10.

174 George Fuermann, Houston: Land of the Big Rich (Garden City, N. Y.: Doubleday and Company, Inc., 1957), p. 183.

175 Houston Post, February 24, 1963, Houston Now, p. 15.

176 Houston Symphony Society minutes, February 24, 1966.

177 Houston Chronicle, March 22, 1966, Sec. IV, p. 2. 219

SUMMARY The 1961 announcement of Houston as the site of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s Manned Spacecraft Center marked the beginning of a period of explosive music expansion in Houston. The period also included the fiftieth anniversaries of the Tuesday Musical Club and the Houston Symphony Orchestra. The first fifty years of Houston Symphony Orchestra history were climaxed by the appointment of Sir John Barbirolli as Conductor-in-Chief of the Orchestra. It was an appointment that created the most euphoric relationship between management, conductor, orchestra, and audience the orchestra had ever enjoyed. With his consummate artistry and his boundless energy, Barbirolli revivified the ensemble and its following. He strengthened its membership, rewarded it leaders with added responsibility, and commanded new peaks of musical discipline. The maturity and confidence that he engendered in the orchestra ignited long- dormant enthusiasm and culminated in three monumentally successful national tours climaxed by New York performances. Critical acclaim for the orchestra was superlative, surpassing even the most optimistic expectations. Sir John gloried in the acclaim for the orchestra and generously shared the accolades with his “troops.” Barbirolli and his band enjoyed an abundance of national publicity. For the first time in its history, Houston was acknowledged as a major cultural center. The orchestra was the recipient of a $4.5 million Ford Foundation gift for general support and for endowment. It named Dr. A. Clyde Roller to the position of Associate Conductor, fought passionately for sharply increased financial provision for its musicians, and entered the age of mounting deficits. For the first time in its history, the Symphony musicians could see the flickering possibility of full annual employment as members of the Houston Symphony Orchestra. The orchestra’s sister organization, the Houston Grand Opera, enjoyed a less productive period, due chiefly to its youth. Walter Herbert 220 continued to direct all the opera’s activities—on and off stage. The visual desert which characterized most early Houston Grand Opera productions began to abate somewhat with the assistance of local designer Rexford Harrower’s inventive organization. However, budgetary allowances simply did not often allow adequate funding for productions, which excited both the eye and the ear. The Houston Grand Opera continued to fulfill its community commitment by providing a nation-leading program of children’s matinees and by producing smaller scaled works in the schools themselves. Local singers, moreover, were employed whenever possible, and regional performances were regularly scheduled. The addition of Charles Rosekrans to the opera staff helped alleviate the organizational malnutrition that plagued the company and provided a bright new conductor for the flourishing Houston musical enterprise. As it had done for the Houston Symphony Orchestra and the Alley Theatre, the Ford Foundation extended its generosity to the Houston Grand Opera with a $150,000 grant and a new program which made available a stable of young artists supported by the Foundation. Consequently, Houston was able to extend its annual number of productions to four and to enjoy a fuller financial foundation for the five seasons of the grant. The most significant manifestation of the increased funding was a marked improvement in production value, particularly the quality of casting. During the sixties, the City of Houston became a welcomed ally to its cultural organizations. It employed the Stanford Research Institute to survey its convention and cultural space needs and gratefully accepted an offer from Houston Endowment to construct a six-million-dollar music center for the city. The City Council created a Municipal Arts Council, let the contract for construction of a new Miller Theatre in Hermann Park, and managed to sidestep a volatile uprising over renovation of the Music Hall to accommodate wrestling matches. The city fathers increased their annual contribution to the Houston Symphony Orchestra and bestowed honorary 221 citizenship on Sir John Barbirolli following the orchestra’s triumphant 1963 New York concert. The community rallied behind the All-City Symphony Orchestra by raising money for its tours variously to Chicago, Germany, and Mexico. The European tour yielded the first performance in history by a non- professional ensemble in the Markgradfleches Opera House in Bayreuth, scene of the famous Wagner Festival. Typical of the city’s long history of support for its young artists, Houston provided the $65,000 to high school students required, though it had never performed the same service for its professional orchestra. Noble Cain joined the staff of the Houston Independent School District as choral consultant; Herb Bielawa, a Ford Foundation composer- in-resident, was appointed by the Spring Branch Independent School District. Rice University and the University of Houston expanded their programs of music offerings, and Houston Baptist College opened its doors with a major commitment to music, adding yet another department of music to the city’s educational complement. New on the scene also were the Houston Chamber Orchestra, the Pipers of Houston, the Virtuoso Quartet, the American Harpsichord Society, Music for Strings, and the Houston Music Theatre. For all it gains, the city suffered some strategic losses. Death took the angel of musical development, N. D. Naman, and claimed the city’s famed Edna Saunders. The City Auditorium ended her proud history with a concert by Marian Anderson and then fell to make room for the new Jones Hall for the Performing Arts. Theatre, Inc. was destroyed by a tragic, mid-winter fire, and Hubert Roussel, dean of Houston’s cultural news reporting, retired from the Houston Post. Though the city gave up its Auditorium with great reluctance, the excitement over Jones Hall made the act acceptable. Each of the other losses, however, seemed irretrievable.

222

In no other single five-year period had so much ever transpired. New musical developments seemed to propagate in geometric progressions. The city found itself at last in the select fraternity of acknowledged cultural centers. Houston’s musical orientation had moved from state to national to global significance. Yet, as Hubert Roussel often observed, the local result of national recognition was a sense of gratification for a job well done, and not a cause celebre for flag waving. Houston celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of this musical nascence and quietly savored the distinction of its new cultural position.

223

SELECTED CALENDAR OF HOUSTON MUSICAL EVENTS 1961-62 Sept. 16, 1961 Elliot Carter, Walden String Quartet—Contemporary Arts Association, Dominican College 17 Fredell Lack, Albert Hirsch, Marion Davies-Bottler— Jewish Community Center 17 New Art String Quartet—University of St. Thomas 30 Frank Guerrera, Jim Harral—Civic Music Oct. 2 Music Guild, Drusilla Huffmaster—Playhouse Theatre 4 Fredell Lack, Albert Hirsch—University of Houston 11 Gérard Souzay, Dalton Baldwin—Tuesday Musical Club 12 Lyric Art Quartet—Rice University 15 Erno Valasek, Moreland Kortkamp—Jewish Community Center 16-17 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Sir John Barbirolli, conducting 18 Fredell Lack, Albert Hirsch—University of Houston 23-24 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Sydney Harth, Leonard Rose, Sir John Barbirolli, conducting 26 Gerald Souzay, baritone—Tuesday Musical Club 27 First Piano Quartet—Edna Saunders, Music Hall 30-31 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Jacques Abram, Sir John Barbirolli, conducting Nov. 1 Music Guild, Evelyn Rothwell—Rice University 3 Carlos Montoya—University of Houston 5 J. S. Bach Society, Fredell Lack, Evelyn Rothwell 6-7 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Berl Senofsky, Sir John Barbirolli, conducting 8 Lyric Art Quartet—Rice University 10 Beaux Arts Trio—Tuesday Musical Club 12 Roberto Iglesias-Ballet Espanol—Edna Saunders, MH 13-14 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Evelyn Rothwell (Barbirolli), Sir John Barbirolli, conducting 19 Amadeus Quartet—Friends of Music 20-21 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Gina Bachauer, Sir John Barbirolli, conducting 30 Houston Grand Opera, Faust, Walter Herbert, cond. Dec. 2 Houston Grand Opera, Faust, Walter Herbert 3 John Druary, Albert Hirsch—University of Houston 4 Music Guild Quartet 5 Orchestra San Pietro—Civic Music 7 Fine Arts Quartet—Friends of Music Dec 9, 1961 Houston Symphony Orchestra Children’s Concert

224

SELECTED CALENDAR, 1961-62 (continued)

Dec. 11-12, 1961 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Joseph Silverstein, Izler Solomon conducting 15 Bayanihan Review—Edna Saunders, Music Hall 16 Houston Youth Symphony, Howard Webb and Robert Linder—Music Hall 17 J. S. Bach Society—Jewish Community Center 31 Houston Symphony Orchestra—André Kostelanetz, Jan. 8-9, 1962 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Ozan Marsh, André Kostelanetz, conducting 11 Hungarian String Quartet—Friends of Music 14 J. S. Bach Society 15-16 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Yi-Kwei Sze, Ezra Rachlin, conducting 17 Lyric Art Quartet—Rice University 21 Fredell Lack, Albert Hirsch—Jewish Community Center 22 Music Guild 23 Contemporary Music Society, Thomas Scherman, conducting 25-27 Houston Grand Opera, Lucia Di Lammermoor, Walter Herbert conducting 29-30 Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Laszlo Somogyi conducting Feb. 2 Ivan Davis—Civic Music 5 Music Guild, Robert Brownlee 7 Fred Waring—Chi Omega Benefit 9 Vienna on Parade—Edna Saunders, Music Hall 12-13 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Houston Chorale, Sir John Barbirolli, conducting 17 Robert Shaw Chorale—Edna Saunders, Music Hall 19 Julliard Quartet—Friends of Music 19-20 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Phyllis Curtin, Sir John Barbirolli, conducting 22 Woodwinds of Houston, Evelyn Rothwell, Albert Hirsch 26-27 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Hans Richter-Hasser, Sir John Barbirolli, conducting March 1 Woodwinds of Houston 3 Jose Greco—Edna Saunders, Music Hall 4 Toby Blumenthal, Ray Weaver—Jewish Comm. Center 5-6 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Milos Sadlo, Sir John Barbirolli, conducting 8 I Musici—Friends of Music 8 Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo—Edna Saunders, MH 11 Houston Symphony Orchestra on tour in Dallas Mar. 12-13, 1962 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Sir John Barbirolli 225

SELECTED CALENDAR, 1961-62 (continued)

March14, 1962 Boston Pops Orchestra 15 Dancers of Bali—Edna Saunders, Music Hall 17 Houston Youth Symphony 18 New Art String Quartet, Evelyn Rothwell— University of St. Thomas 19-20 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Frances Yeend, Elena Nikolaidi, Sir John Barbirolli, conducting 22 Jeffrey Lerner, Albert Hirsch, Wayne Crouse— University of Houston 22 Drusilla Huffmaster—Rice University 24 Bedford Singers 25 J. S. Bach Society 27 Ronald Turini, pianist—Tuesday Musical Club 29 & 31 Houston Grand Opera, Boris Godunov, Jerome Hines, Walter Herbert conducting April 2 Music Guild, Ray Fliegel, Max Winder, Jean Clayton, Michael Wilkomirski 13 National Ballet of Canada—Edna Saunders, Music Hall 15 Contemporary Arts Museum Experimental Music 19 Marion Davies-Bottler—Rice University 23 Music Guild, Drusilla Huffmaster May 15 Contemporary Music Society 15 Virgil Fox 20 Lyric Art Quartet—Rice University July 18-21, 1962 The Gilbert and Sullivan Society of Houston, Patience, Dr. Merrills Lewis conducting

226

SELECTED CALENDAR OF

HOUSTON MUSICAL EVENTS

1962-63

Sept. 24, 1962 Music Guild 27 National Ballet of Canada—Edna Saunders, MH 28, 29, 30 Houston Grand Opera, Elixir of Love, Cullen Auditorium, Walter Herbert & Charles Rosekrans conducting 30 Leopold La Fosse, Albert Hirsch—Jewish Comm. Center Oct. 1 Albert Hirsch, Fredell Lack—University of Houston 8 Music Guild 14 Lyric Arts Quartet—Rice University 15-16 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Wayne Crouse, Sir John Barbirolli, conducting 18 Berl Senofsky—Civic Music 22-23 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Leonard Pennario, Sir John Barbirolli, conducting 27 Vegh String Quartet—Friends of Music 29-30 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Sid Harth, Sir John Barbirolli, conducting 30 Natalie Bodanya—Dominican College Nov. 2 Grace Bumbry—Texas Southern University 4 J. S. Bach Society 5-6 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Marion Davies-Bottler, Sir John Barbirolli, conducting 6 Wanda Wilkomirska, violinist—Tuesday Musical Club 7 Houston Symphony Orchestra—Kinkaid School 9 Albeneri Trio—Friends of Music 11 New Art String Quartet—University of St. Thomas 12-13 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Sir John Barbirolli conducting 19-20 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Daniel Barenboim, Sir John Barbirolli conducting 21 Obernkirchen Children’s Choir—Civic Music 29 Houston Grand Opera, Il Trovatore, Walter Herbert cond. Dec. 1 Houston Grand Opera, Il Trovatore, Walter Herbert cond. 2 Woodwinds of Houston—Dominican College 3-4 San Antonio Symphony, Alessandro, Sr. conducting 7 E. Power Biggs—American Guild of Organists 8 Houston Symphony Children’s Concert, Capt. Kangaroo 9 James Jolly—Jewish Community Center 11 David Bar-Illan—Civic Music 12 Gina Bachauer—Edna Saunders, Music Hall Dec. 13, 1962 Lyric Art Quartet, Moreland Kortkamp—Rice University 227

SELECTED CALENDAR, 1962-63 (continued)

Dec. 17-18, 1962 Houston Symphony Orchestra, William Masselos, Werner Torkanowsky, conducting, Texas Southern University Orchestra 20 Music Guild 31 Houston Symphony Orchestra, John Browning, André Kostelanetz, conducting Jan. 6, 1963 Woodwinds of Houston 7-8 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Blanche Thebom 9-10 American Ballet Theater—Edna Saunders, Music Hall 9 Elinor Ross, soprano—Tuesday Musical Club 10 Robert Brownlee—University of Houston 12 Jerome Hines—Civic Music 17&19 Houston Grand Opera, Il Tabarro and Pagliacci 19 Houston Youth Symphony and Ballet 21-22 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Ivan Davis, Pierre Monteux, conducting 23 Roberto Iglesias Ballet Espanol—Edna Saunders 25 Robert Merrill—Chi Omega Benefit 27 J. S. Bach Society 31 New York Woodwind Quintet—Friends of Music Feb. 1 Erno Valasek—Rice University 4-5 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Pierre Fournier, Sir John Barbirolli, conducting 9 Sound of Music—Edna Saunders 11-12 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Zino Francescatti, Sir John Barbirolli, conducting ` 13 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Lady Barbirolli, Kinkaid School 18-19 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Clifford Curzon, Sir John Barbirolli, conducting 20 San Francisco Ballet—Civic Music 23 Contemporary Music Society—Rice University 28 Music Guild 28 Alona Trio—Friends of Music 28 Marian Anderson, U. S. Information Agency sponsor, last concert in Houston City Auditorium Mar. 1 Van Cliburn—Edna Saunders, Music Hall 3 Lyric Art Quartet, Lady Barbirolli—Rice University 4-5 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Houston Chorale, University of Houston Chorus, Phyllis Curtin, Maurine Forrester, Lewis, Meredith, Sir John Barbirolli, conducting 6 Houston Symphony Orchestra—Kinkaid School March10, 1963 New Art String Quartet—University of St. Thomas 228

SELECTED CALENDAR, 1962-63 (continued)

Mar. 11-12, 1963 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Drusilla Huffmaster, Sir John Barbirolli, conducting 12 Albert Hirsch, Lady Barbirolli—Rice University 14 Theodore Welman—Dominican College 16 Bernstein Gala—Edna Saunders, Music Hall 17 Lyric Art Quartet—Jewish Community Center 18-19 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Houston Chorale, Sir John Barbirolli, conducting 20 Music Guild, Jeffrey Lerner—Rice University 20 Jose Greco—Edna Saunders, Music Hall 21 Abbey Simon, pianist—Tuesday Musical Club 28 & 30 Houston Grand Opera, Die Meistersinger, Walter Herbert conducting 29 Roberta Peters—Civic Music 31 J. S. Bach Society April 1 Music Guild, Drusilla Huffmaster—Playhouse Theatre 9 Carlos Montoya—University of Houston 19 Lyric Art Quarter—Rice University 22 Music Guild 22-24 My Fair Lady 26 New York String Sextet—Friends of Music May 8 Houston Symphony Orchestra May 20, 1963 Wayne Crouse, Moreland Kortkamp—University of Houston July, 1963 The Gilbert and Sullivan Society of Houston, The Gondoliers, Dr. Merrills Lewis conducting, Cullen Auditorium

229

SELECTED CALENDAR OF

HOUSTON MUSICAL EVENTS

1963-64

Sept. 21, 1963 University of Houston Band Day, Arthur Fiedler conducting 30 Music Guild—St. John’s School Oct. 4, 5, 6 Houston Grand Opera, Barber of Seville, Walter Herbert and Charles Rosekrans conducting 12 Houston Youth Symphony 13 J. S. Bach Society 14 Music Guild, Drusilla Huffmaster, Michael Wilkomirski 18 James Mathis—Civic Music 21-22 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Sir John Barbirolli conducting 24 Ballet Folklorico de Mexico—Edna Saunders 24 Marion Perkins—Rice University 28-29 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Henryk Szeryng, Sir John Barbirolli, conducting 30 Amadeus Quartet—Friends of Music Nov. 1 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Houston Chronicle Dollar Concert 3 Music for Strings—Jewish Community Center 4-5 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Luigino Gorini- Sergio Lorenzi Duo, Sir John Barbirolli, conducting 5 Frederick Swann—American Guild of Organists 6 Structures Sonores French Orchestra—Contemporary Arts Association 10 All-City Symphony Orchestra benefit performance 11-12 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Milos Sadlo, Sir John Barbirolli, conducting 13 Elizabeth Schwarzkopf—Civic Music 15 James Jolly—University of St. Thomas 18-19 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Elinor Ross, Sir John Barbirolli, conducting 20 Houston Symphony Orchestra—Kinkaid School 20 Music Guild, Lady Barbirolli 25-26 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Shirley Trepel, Wayne Crouse, Sir John Barbirolli, conducting Dec. 5, 7 Houston Grand Opera, La Boheme, Walter Herbert conducting 6 Donald Gramm, baritone—Tuesday Musical Club Dec. 7, 1963 Doktor-Menuhin Duo—Friends of Music 230

SELECTED CALENDAR, 1963-64 (continued)

Dec. 9-10, 1963 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Carlos Chavez conducting Dec. 12, 1963 Erno Valasek—Rice University 12 J. S. Bach Society 14 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Children’s Concert, Captain Kangaroo 16-17 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Jorge Bolet, Georges Tzipine conducting Dec. 31, 1963 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Earl Wild, Arthur Fiedler conducting Jan. 6-7, 1964 Houston Symphony Orchestra, James Dick, Frederick Fennell conducting 9 Lyric Art Quartet, Moreland Kortkamp—Rice 13 Salvatore Accardo, violinist—Tuesday Musical Club 16 & 18 Houston Grand Opera, Otello, McCracken, Walter Herbert conducting 19 Jewish Community Center Music Series 20-21 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Charles Munch conducting 22 Fred Waring and the Pennsylvanians 24 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Houston Chronicle Dollar Concert, André Previn conducting 27-28 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Edith Peinemann, Sir John Barbirolli conducting 29 Music Guild—Evelyn Rothwell 30 Julliard Quartet—Friends of Music Feb. 3-4 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Houston Chorale, Rudolph Serkin, Sir John Barbirolli conducting 5 Houston Symphony Orchestra—Kinkaid School 5 Brian Sullivan—Civic Music 6 Lyric Art Quartet, Albert Hirsch—Rice University 8-9 American Ballet Theater—Edna Saunders 10-11 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Leonard Rose, Sir John Barbirolli conducting 12 Music Guild, Ezra Rachlin, Phillip Edley 12 Wiener Solisten—Friends of Music 13 Salvatore Accordo—Tuesday Musical Club 14 Shirley Trepel, Albert Hirsch—Jewish Community Center 15 Houston Symphony Orchestra Special Concert, Arthur Rubinstein, Sir John Barbirolli 17-18 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Hans Richter-Hasser, Sir John Barbirolli conducting Feb. 29, 1964 National Ballet of Canada—Edna Saunders 231

SELECTED CALENDAR, 1963-64 (continued)

March 2, 1964 Marie-Claire Alain—American Guild of Organists 5 Drusilla Huffmaster—Rice University 13 Quartetto Italiano—Friends of Music 16-17 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Gina Bachauer, Sir John Barbirolli, conducting 18 Houston Symphony Orchestra—Kinkaid School 19-20 The Mikado—Rice University 23-24 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Houston Chorale, University of Houston Chorus, Meyer, Lewis, and Bell, Sir John Barbirolli, conducting 26 Fredell Lack, Wayne Crouse, Shirley Trepel—Rice University 26 Andrés Segovia—Civic Music 31 Robert Brownlee—University of Houston April 2-4 Houston Grand Opera, Don Giovanni, Tozzi, Milnes, Walter Herbert conducting 3 Michel Block, pianist—Tuesday Musical Club 8 Herbert & Alfred Teltschik—Dominican College 10 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Houston Chronicle Dollar Concert, Wallenstein conducting 12 Jewish Community Center String Ensemble 12 J. S. Bach Society, Fredell Lack, Virginia Babikian 13 Houston Chamber Music Society 16 Woodwinds of Houston—Rice University 30 Music Guild May 11 Music Guild, Drusilla Huffmaster May 16-17, 1964 Sound and Motion, Houston Foundation for Ballet— Contemporary Arts Association July, 1964 The Gilbert and Sullivan Society of Houston, The Yeomen of the Guard, Dr. Merrills Lewis conducting

Unknown date: Lee Luvisi, pianist—Tuesday Musical Club

232

SELECTED CALENDAR OF

HOUSTON MUSICAL EVENTS

1964-65

Sept. 14, 1964 Music Guild—St. John’s School 22 Houston Chamber Orchestra, Moreland Kortkamp, Albert Hirsch 28 Music Guild, Ezra Rachlin 30 J. S. Bach Society, Legeti, Fredell Lack, Albert Hirsch 30 Virtuoso Quartet Oct. 5-6 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Sir John Barbirolli conducting 12-13 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Leonard Pennario, Sir John Barbirolli conducting 14 Lyric Art Quartet, Lady Barbirolli—Rice University 15 Roger Wagner Chorale—Civic Music 19-20 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Salvatore Accardo, Violinist, Sir John Barbirolli conducting 22 Albert Hirsch, Jeffrey Lerner, Shirley Trepel— University of Houston 23 Van Cliburn—Houston Presents 24 Drolc Quartet—Friends of Music 26-27 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Julius Katchen, Sir John Barbirolli conducting 31 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Houston Chronicle Dollar Concert, Monte Hill Davis, Arthur Fiedler conducting Nov. 2 Catherine Crozier—American Guild of Organists 2 Music Guild 5 & 7 Houston Grand Opera, Madame Butterfly, Walter Herbert conducting 5 Adele Marcus—Dominican College 12 Woodwinds of Houston—Rice University 16-17 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Shirley Trepel, Sir John Barbirolli conducting 18 Robert Brownlee—University of Houston 20-21 American Ballet Theater 22 Don Cossacks—Civitan International Benefit 23-24 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Sir John Barbirolli conducting 30 Music Guild, Michael Wilkomirski, Edley, Drusilla Huffmaster Dec. 3, 5, 1964 Houston Grand Opera, The Masked Ball, Vickers, Ross, Walter Herbert conducting 233

SELECTED CALENDAR, 1964-65 (continued)

Dec. 7-8, 1964 Houston Symphony Orchestra, John Owings, Laszlo Somogyi conducting 11 John Browning—Civic Music 13 J. S. Bach Society 14-15 Houston Symphony Orchestra, André Previn conducting 17 Lyric Art Quartet—Rice University 17 & 19 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Joan Sutherland 31 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Drusilla Huffmaster, André Kostelanetz conducting Jan. 4-5, 1965 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Georges Tzipine conducting 6 Hungarian String Quartet—Friends of Music 10 James Oliver Buswell IV, violinist—Tuesday Musical Club, Cullen Auditorium 10 Fredell Lack, Albert Hirsch—University of Houston 11-12 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Ronald Turini, Georges Tzipine conducting 18-19 Houston Symphony Orchestra, James Mathis, Sir John Barbirolli conducting 20 Houston Chamber Orchestra, Pauline Stark, Fredell Lack—Rice University 23 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Houston Chronicle Dollar Concert, Skitch Henderson conducting 24 All-City Symphony, Harry Lantz, conducting 25-26 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Jean Preston, Sir John Barbirolli conducting 27 Lyric Art Quartet, Lady Barbirolli—Rice University Feb. 4 & 6 Houston Grand Opera, Romeo and Juliet, Walter Herbert 8-9 Houston Symphony Orchestra, John Ogdon, Sir John Barbirolli conducting 12 John Schneider—l’Alliance Francaise 12 Texas Boys Choir—Houston Presents 14 Music Guild, Robert Brownlee 15-16 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Zino Francescatti, Sir John Barbirolli conducting 20 Vegh Quartet—Friends of Music 22 Erick Hawkins Dance Ensemble—Rice University 23 Rosalyn Tureck 24-28 New York City Ballet—Houston Presents Feb. 24, 1965 Jean Preston, John Druary—University of Houston

234

SELECTED CALENDAR, 1964-65 (continued) Mar. 4, 1965 Vladimir Ashkenazy—Houston Presents 5 Julliard Quartet—Friends of Music 7 Rice Symphony Society 9 Pipers of Houston 13 Houston Youth Symphony 18 Eileen Farrell—Civic Music 22-23 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Henryk Szeryng, violinist, Sir John Barbirolli conducting 24 Lili Chookasian—Tuesday Musical Club, Cullen Auditorium 27 Jose Greco—Southwest Concerts 27 New York Brass Quintet—Friends of Music 29 Willard Tressel—Rice University 29-30 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Houston Chorale, University of Houston Chorus, Sir John Barbirolli conducting April 1 Peter Nero—Chi Omega Benefit 8 & 10 Houston Grand Opera, Coq d’Or, Walter Herbert cond. 11 J. S. Bach Society, Frances Junger, Raymond Weaver 12 Music Guild, Raymond Weaver 14 Merce Cunningham Dancers, John Cage, Contemporary Arts Association 15 Lyric Art Quartet—Rice University 22-24 Ballet Folkorico—Houston Presents 30 Houston Chamber Orchestra, Fredell Lack—Rice University May 1 Carlos Montoya—Southwest Concerts 2 Rice Symphony Society May 3, 1965 Music Guild, Drusilla Huffmaster July, 1965 The Gilbert and Sullivan Society of Houston, The Mikado, Dr. Merrills Lewis conducting

235

SELECTED CALENDAR OF

HOUSTON MUSICAL EVENTS

1965-66

Sept. 22, 1965 Music Guild 28 Houston Chamber Orchestra, Nancy Swinford- Blackburn. 30 Lyric Art Quartet—Rice University Oct. 1 Fine Arts Quartet—Friends of Music 7 & 9 Houston Grand Opera, Rigoletto, MacNeil, Walter Herbert conducting 8 Marion Davies, Albert Hirsch 12 Gerre Hancock—American Guild of Organists 13 Albert Hirsch, Jeffrey Lerner, Jean Preston—University of Houston 18-19 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Sir John Barbirolli, conducting 20 Harkness Ballet—Nell Harris 21 Virtuoso Quartet—Fredell Lack, Wayne Crouse, Shirley Trepel, Albert Hirsch—University of Houston 23 Jan Peerce—Civic Music 31 J. S. Bach Society—St. John’s School Nov. 1 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Luigino Gorini-Sergio Lorenzi duo, Sir John Barbirolli conducting 7 Flor Peeters—American Guild of Organists 8-9 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Fredell Lack, Sir John Barbirolli, conducting 9 Music Guild—St. John’s School 11 Quartetto di Roma—Friends of Music 11 Sylvia Marlowe—Rice University 15-16 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Josef Suk, Sir John Barbirolli, conducting 17 Music Guild 22-23 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Kølbjorn Høiseth, Malcolm Smith, Sir John Barbirolli, conducting 26 Royal Winnepeg Ballet—Southwest Concerts 28 J. S. Bach Society, Herff Applewhite, Jean Preston 30 William Warfield—Texas Southern University Dec. 1 John Craig, pianist—Tuesday Musical Club 2 & 4 Houston Grand Opera, Tosca, Walter Herbert conducting 3 Norman Luboff Choir—Chi Omega Benefit 5 Fred Waring—Southwest Concerts Dec. 6-7, 1965 Houston Symphony Orchestra, André Previn conducting 236

SELECTED CALENDAR, 1964-65 (continued)

Dec. 9, 1965 Texas Boys Choir—Civic Music 13-14 Houston Symphony Orchestra, John Browning, André Previn conducting 16 National Ballet of Canada—Southwest Concerts 18 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Houston Chronicle Dollar Concert, André Previn conducting Dec. 31, 1965 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Joela Jones, Arthur Fiedler conducting Jan. 6 & 8,1966 Houston Grand Opera, The Flying Dutchman, Walter Herbert conducting 7 Lyric Art Quartet—Rice University 10-11 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Georges Tzipine conducting 12 Music Guild, Moreland Kortkamp 17 Music Guild—Clear Creek 18 David Craighead—American Guild of Organists 19 Houston Chamber Orchestra—Rice University 22 Jose and Amparo Iturbi—Southwest Concerts 24-25 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Jussi Jalas conducting 26 Jean-Paul Sevilla—Civic Music 27 Interlochen Woodwind Quintet—Friends of Music 27 Koeckert String Quartet—Friends of Music Feb. 3 & 5 Houston Grand Opera, Samson and Delilah, Walter Herbert conducting 7-8 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Gina Bachauer, Sir John Barbirolli conducting 9 Music Guild 10 Woodwinds of Houston—Rice University 12 Jose Greco—Southwest Concerts 14-15 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Edith Peinemann, Sir John Barbirolli conducting 16 La Salle String Quartet—Friends of Music 20 J. S. Bach Society 21-22 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Nikita Magaloff, Sir John Barbirolli conducting 24 Tamás Vásáry, pianist—Tuesday Musical Club 25 Canadian National Dance Ensemble—Southwest Concerts 28 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Hans Richter-Haaser, Sir John Barbirolli conducting Mar. 1 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Hans Richter-Haaser, Sir John Barbirolli conducting Mar. 2, 1966 Music Guild 237

SELECTED CALENDAR, 1965-66 (continued)

Mar. 7-8, 1966 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Evelyn Rothwell, Sir John Barbirolli, conducting 9 Trio de Trieste—Friends of Music 14-15 Eugene Istomin—Rice University 17 Vladimir Ussachevsky lecture—Rice University 19 Teresa Stratas—Civic Music 24 Erick Friedman, violinist—Tuesday Musical Club April 4-5 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Houston Chorale, University of Houston Chorus, Sir John Barbirolli conducting 14-16 Houston Grand Opera, The Gypsy Baron, Walter Herbert conducting 24 Carlos Montoya—Southwest Concerts 24 J. S. Bach Society April 30, 1966 Music Guild July, 1966 The Gilbert and Sullivan Society of Houston, Princess Ida, Dr. Merrills Lewis conducting

238

SELECTED CALENDAR OF

HOUSTON MUSICAL EVENTS

1966-67

Sept. 20, 1966 Houston Chamber Orchestra, West, Charles Rosekrans conducting Oct. 3-4 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Jones Hall Opening, Houston Chorale, Sir John Barbirolli conducting 5, 7, 9 Houston Grand Opera, Aida, first Jones Hall opera performance, Tucci, Tucker, Tozzi, Walter Herbert conducting 6 Lyric Art Quartet—Rice University 8 Virtuoso Quartet—University of Houston 8 Mildred Miller—Civic Music 8 Joffrey Ballet—Jones Hall, first ballet performance 9 Julliard String Quartet—Jones Hall, first chamber performance 10-11 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Claudio Arrau, Sir John Barbirolli, conducting 12 Music Guild 12 Hello Dolly—Jones Hall, first musical theater performance 13 Dr. William Race—Houston Baptist College 16 J. S. Bach Society 16 Houston Municipal Band, South Houston Park, Heritage Park, Ralph Liese conducting 17-18 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Bela Siki, Sir John Barbirolli conducting 17 Robert Anderson—American Guild of Organists 19 Ballet Folklorico—Society for the Performing Arts 20 Jack Coldiron—Houston Baptist College 21 Donald Hoiness, Albert Hirsch, James Tankersley— Rice University 23 Woodwinds of Houston and Symphonic Brass 24-25 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Daniel Barenboim, Sir John Barbirolli conducting 27 Charles Treger, violinist—Tuesday Musical Club 29 Smetena Quartet—Friends of Music 29 Fred Waring—Jones Hall 31 - 1 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Hugo Kolberg, Sir John Barbirolli conducting Nov. 3 Richard Rogers Spectacular—Chi Omega Benefit Nov. 3, 1966 Woodwinds of Houston—Rice University 239

SELECTED CALENDAR, 1966-67 (continued)

Nov. 7-8, 1966 Houston Symphony Orchestra, David Wuliger, tympanist, Sir John Barbirolli, conducting 10 Richard Pickar and David Appleby—Houston Baptist College 10 Nicolai Gedda—Civic Music 11 Robert DeCormier Folk Singers—St. John’s School 12 New York Woodwind Quintet—Friends of Music 13 Soulima Stravinsky—University of Houston 15, 18, 20 Houston Grand Opera, Hansel and Gretel, Walter Herbert conducting 15 Adele Marcus—University of St. Thomas 17 Jerome Rose—University of Houston 22 Houston Symphony Orchestra—Conroe concert 23 Music Guild 28-29 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Wayne Crouse, Ray Fliegel, André Previn, conducting 30 Joan Sutherland—Jones Hall Dec. 1 Lyric Art Quartet—Rice University 1 Woodwinds of Houston—Prudential Auditorium, Contemporary Arts Association 4 Houston Youth Symphony, Robert Linder, conducting 6, 9, 11 Houston Grand Opera, The Magic Flute, Sills, Walter Herbert conducting 6 All-City Symphony—Johnston Junior High School 12 Virtuoso Quartet—University of Houston 13 Virginia Babikian—Houston Baptist College 15 Houston Symphony Orchestra—Prairie View University 19-20 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Houston Chorale, Jean Preston, Frances Junger, John Druary, A. Clyde Roller, conducting 31 Houston Symphony Orchestra, James Dick, Arthur Fiedler conducting Jan. 8, 1967 J. S. Bach Society, Virginia Babikian, Shirley Trepel 9-10 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Gary Graffman, pianist, André Previn conducting 12 Ray Fliegel, David Appleby—Houston Baptist College 17, 20, 24 Houston Grand Opera, La Traviata, Walter Herbert and Charles Rosekrans conducting 19 Lyric Art Quartet, André Previn 22 Jose Greco—Southwest Concerts 22 Kroll String Quartet—Friends of Music 23-24 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Phillipe Entremont, André Previn conducting Jan. 28, 1967 Porgy and Bess—Jones Hall 240

SELECTED CALENDAR, 1966-67 (continued)

Jan. 29, 1967 Houston Youth Symphony, Robert Linder, conducting Music Hall 30-31 Houston Symphony Orchestra, John Ogdon, Sir John Barbirolli, conducting Feb. 1 Houston Chamber Orchestra, Fredell Lack—Rice University 1 Music Guild, Wayne Crouse—Junior League 3 Nicanor Zabaleta—Rice University 3 Norman Luboff—Civic Music 4 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Houston Chronicle Dollar Concert, Helen Quack 6-7 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Albert Hirsch, Sir John Barbirolli, conducting 8 Uto Ughi—Jones Hall, Beacon Series 9 Don Slocomb, Carl Fasshauer, David Appleby— Houston Baptist College 10 Evelyn Rothwell, Albert Hirsch—Rice University 12 Virtuoso Quartet—University of Houston 13-14 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Fou Ts’Ong, Sir John Barbirolli, conducting 16 Marco Abissamra—Houston Baptist College 17 Doris Yarick—Tuesday Musical Club, Cullen Auditorium 17 Harkness Ballet—Jones Hall 19 Wiener Solisten—Cullen Auditorium—Friends of Music 20 Marilyn Mason—University of Houston 24 John Williams—Rice University 26 Fredell Lack, Albert Hirsch, Pauline Stark, John Druary—Jewish Community Center 28 James Schwabacher—Dominican College 28 Royce Reaves—Houston Baptist College 29 Trio Italiano D’Orchestra—Cullen Auditorium— Friends of Music Mar. 4 Lyric Art Quartet—Rice University 5 University of Houston Symphony, A. Clyde Roller, conducting 8 Texas Boys Choir—St. John’s School 11 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Houston Chronicle Dollar Concert, André Previn, conducting 12 Ceseare Siepi—Beacon Series 13-14 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Evelyn Rothwell, Henryk Szeryng, Sir John Barbirolli, conducting 15 Louis and Adel , duo—Civic Music Mar. 17, 1967 Albert Hirsch, Fredell Lack—University of Houston

241

SELECTED CALENDAR, 1966-67 continued

Mar. 20-21, 1967 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Shirley Trepel, University of Houston Choir, Sir John Barbirolli 22 Music Guild, Drusilla Huffmaster—Junior League 27-28 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Clifford Curzon, Richard Pickar, Sir John Barbirolli, conducting 30-31 Metropolitan National Opera Company, Jones Hall April 1-2 Metropolitan National Opera Company, Jones Hall 1 Evelyn Rothwell, Albert Hirsch, Wayne Crouse Shirley Trepel, Albert Meunzer—Rice University 2 Houston Youth Symphony 3-4 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Houston Chorale, Singing Boys of Houston, Florence Kopleff, Sir John Barbirolli, conducting 7-8 All-City Symphony Orchestra 9 J. S. Bach Society—Rice University 11, 14, 16 Houston Grand Opera, Faust, Domingo, Treigle, Fenn, Walter Herbert and Charles Rosekrans conducting 16 Chicago Chamber Ensemble—Southwest Concerts 19 Music Guild 20 Don Cossack Chorus—Nell Harris Associates, Jones Hall 21 Eugene List—Houston Baptist College 26 Witold Malcuzynski May 8 All-City Symphony Orchestra 9 Houston Chamber Orchestra, James Austin, Charles Rosekrans, conducting July 21, 1967 The Gilbert and Sullivan Society of Houston, Pirates of Penzance, Dr. Merrills Lewis conducting

Unknown date: Tong Il Han, pianist—Tuesday Musical Club

242

CHAPTER SIX THE SOUND AND THE FURY 1966-1969

“Sweet Sound of victory: In Risky Acoustical Game, Houston’s new Arts Hall Has Gambled and Won.”1

Jones Hall was stunning. Designed to respond to symphonic, operatic, and chamber demands, the new structure boasted a computerized ceiling that changed the hall’s seating capacity, shape, and acoustical characteristics on command. The soaring lobby was graced by Richard Lippold’s glistening aerial sculpture, Gemini II, and featured cantilevered terraces at all seating levels. The Architectural Record called Jones Hall “the most sophisticated building of its kind anywhere in the world.”2 And to everyone’s delight, it was a resounding visual and acoustical success. At the groundbreaking ceremony in 1964, John Jones had spoken of the Hall as a testimonial to the spirit that had made Houston unique—both in musical variety and excellence.3 On the eve of its formal opening, Hubert Roussel amplified Jones’ observations. Confidence has been a factor in Houston’s musical development. But in Houston, the arts have been robust, ecstatically good humored, and even more, possessed of a sense of rightness in time . . . The growth of art and music have been steady and sure. There has been little that was radical or reform, but there have been enough fanatics to inspire high-minded goals and extravagant energy—an absolute necessity for excellence in art. 4

1 The New York Times, October 5, 1966, Sec. I, p. 42.

2 “For Concerts, Dance, and Drama: Flexible Design,” Architectural Record, February, 1967, p. 116.

3 Houston Post, January 18, 1964, Sec. I, p. 6.

4 Houston Chronicle, October 2, 1966, Jones Hall Supplement, p. 16.

243

Fittingly, the Victorian Green Room of the new hall was named in memory of Edna Saunders. The George A. Fuller Company had successfully sought the Jones Hall construction contract. The company had previously built Philharmonic Hall and the Metropolitan Opera House in Lincoln Center, New York’s Lever House, Harvard’s Loeb Drama Center, and Washington’s Constitution Hall.5 As the late Jesse Jones would have doubtless wished, the first audience to greet the new Hall was composed of civic leaders, the construction workmen, and their families. The All-City Symphony Orchestra played the national anthem and the Shostakovich Festival Holiday Overture; the Houston Chorale sang an original work composed for the occasion. In presenting the building to the city, the Jones family handed Mayor Louie Welch the actual keys to the foyer doors, explaining, “He always wanted things to really work.”6 Jones Hall worked. Its first acoustical test had been a joy. A. Clyde Roller conducted the orchestra in the pit and on stage; Pauline Stark and Glorietta Allison voiced several operatic excerpts; acousticians Bolt, Beranek and Newman popped balloons and fired cap pistols; ceiling designer George Izenour raced from location to location listening to the hall.7 By opening night, the hall was tuned; the public was anxious; and the symphony musicians were exhausted from grueling rehearsal for all of the opening week’s performances. Opening night was a predictably gala evening; even the newspaper vendors on the street were in formal attire. Howard Taubman described the hall’s acoustics as “vibrant, yet mellow,” and the acoustical gamble was considered a victory.8

5 Houston Chronicle, January 12, 1964, Zest, p. 8.

6 Houston Chronicle, October 2, 1966, Sec. I, p. 1.

7 Houston Chronicle, September 4, 1966, Sec. I, p. 10.

8 The New York Times, October 5, 1966, Sec. I, p. 42.

244

On successive nights, the Houston Grand Opera’s Aida with Gabriella Tucci, Richard Tucker, and Georgio Tozzi, the Robert Joffrey Ballet, and the Julliard String Quartet followed Sir John’s opening concert. Izenour’s ceiling worked its magic, and by the week’s end, critics were hailing the new hall as the “finest room constructed for music in this country in the last fifty years.”9 Sir John reveled in the exhilaration of his orchestra’s new home. However, he exercised his option to reduce his Houston commitments and in late October announced he would relinquish his title of Conductor-in- Chief and assume the mantle of Conductor Emeritus. General Maurice Hirsch confided that Barbirolli had notified the Society in 1964 that he “would be obliged to spend less time with us.”10 For many years, the Houston Symphony Society had hoped for a young conductor who would enjoy a long tenure with the orchestra. Dr. Alfred Hertz had first suggested the idea in the 1930’s.11 Sir John had strongly recommended such a move. Therefore, it was with great satisfaction that Barbirolli acknowledged the 1966 announcement of André Previn’s appointment as Conductor-in-Chief of the Houston Symphony Orchestra. “I cannot conceal my pleasure that the choice as my successor is that brilliantly gifted young American.”12 Previn had first appeared with the orchestra at one of the Houston Chronicle Dollar concerts in 1964.13 His second appearance later that year

9 Walter McQuade, “A New Generation of Cultural Centers,” Fortune, September 1, 1968, p. 110.

10 Houston Chronicle, October 23, 1966, Sec. I, p. 1.

11 Houston Post, November 6, 1941, Sec. I, p. 14.

12 The New York Times, October 23, 1966, Sec. I, p. 71.

13 Houston Chronicle, January 12, 1964, Zest, p. 4.

245

was a part of the regular season and received warm critical acclaim.14 His return dates were equally satisfying.15 At the time of his appointment, Previn was thirty-seven—reflective of Houston’s median age of twenty- seven. Though much of his reputation was based on a phenomenally successful Hollywood career, Previn had attended the Berlin and Paris Conservatories and was a conducting student of Pierre Monteux.16 The Houston orchestra had responded enthusiastically to Previn, and he had enjoyed a good box office at his Houston concerts. Of the city’s critics, Ann Holmes was particularly delighted with the Previn appointment and remained a strong ally of the conductor throughout his ultimately rocky Houston tenure.17 The orchestra’s 1967 tour took it to the West Coast. It was Sir John’s last trip with his troops. At his final Houston concert that featured the Mahler Third Symphony, his audience gave him a ten-minute standing ovation. Though his return was assured for the following season, it was difficult for Houstonians to acknowledge the end of such a memorable and productive relationship. No conductor in Houston Symphony history had enjoyed such rapport, such extraordinary musical progress with the orchestra, and such affection. Previn’s arrival was foreshadowed by the orchestra’s second major contract struggle with its management. In May, the musicians rejected the Symphony Society’s offer of a $170 minimum for a forty-week season.18 This proposed annual base salary of $6800 compared with $7215 in

14 Houston Post, December 15, 1964, Sec. III, p. 9.

15 Houston Post, December 8, 1965, Sec. I, p. 16.

16 Houston Chronicle, October 30, 1966, Sec. I, p. 18.

17 Houston Chronicle, January 10, 1967, Sec. II, p. 6.

18 Houston Post, May 16, 1967, Sec. I, p. 4. 246

Minneapolis, $7980 in Pittsburgh, and $9165 in Detroit.19 As in past years, the Society was concerned with the total budget requirements of the orchestra, and the musicians viewed the matter from the perspective of individual salaries paid to the members. On May 25, the Society voted to disband the orchestra if it could not be signed by the management.20 Days passed, and tempers flared. On May 29, General Maurice Hirsch announced, “It is finished; we have no symphony,” after the musicians again refused the Society’s offer of $170 by a vote of fifty-nine to nineteen.21 The next day, Mayor Welch intervened by promising to try to get City Council approval to raise the city’s appropriation for the summer series to $100,000.22 With hope for additional funding, the Society and the musicians agreed on a compromise two-year contract of $170 for a forty- week first season and $185 for a forty-one-week second season.23 André Previn and his wife Dory arrived in September and moved into an apartment near Sir John’s former Houston flat. The fall concert season was rewarding. Single ticket sales were up sharply.24 Previn performed with the Lyric Art Quartet;25 he conducted one of the Chronicle Dollar Concerts;26 and, with Mayor Louie Welch and Symphony Manager Tom Johnson, he was made an honorary member of the professional musicians’

19 Houston Post, May 21, 1967, Spotlight, p. 23.

20 Houston Post, May 25, 1967, Sec. I, p. 1.

21 Houston Chronicle, May 29, 1967, Sec. I, p. 1.

22 Houston Chronicle, May 30, 1967, Sec. I, p. 1.

23 Houston Chronicle, May 31, 1967, Sec. I, p. 1.

24 Houston Chronicle, December 22, 1967, Sec. I, p. 16.

25 Houston Chronicle, October 20, 1967, Sec. I, p. 17.

26 Houston Chronicle, December 17, 1967, Sec. I, p. 12. 247 union local 65.27 General Hirsch expressed his enthusiasm for the new conductor to the Symphony Society. Everyone acclaims and acknowledges the symphony is under masterful guidance with our new young American conductor André Previn. He has made a great impact on Houston through concerts and his evident interest in the community.28

In early January, while Previn was conducting concerts in New York and London, the orchestra management declined an invitation for the orchestra to appear at a Lincoln Center Festival in June.29 Hirsch explained that the trip would entail a $31,000 deficit. With the current maintenance drive short by $100,000 and the Ford Foundation two-million- dollar drive underway, the Society felt it could not consider incurring the additional expense.30 Shortly thereafter, Lincoln Center officials announced that Previn would conduct the Pittsburgh Orchestra at the June festival. After several Houston concerts, Previn returned to London in late February to record five albums and to conduct seven concerts.31 While there, he was named Principal Conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra in addition to his Houston responsibilities.32 Little reaction to the announcement surfaced in Houston at the time. The news, however, planted seeds of doubt regarding Previn’s long-range commitment to Houston. This concern was heightened by a Musical America article that proclaimed, “It becomes clear as Previn talks of London prospects that his

27 Houston Chronicle, October 13, 1967, Sec. I, p. 20.

28 Houston Symphony Society minutes, November 16, 1967.

29 Houston Chronicle, January 11, 1968, Sec. I, p. 1.

30 Houston Symphony Society minutes, February 29, 1968.

31 Houston Chronicle, February 29, 1968, Sec. V, p. 3.

32 Houston Chronicle, March 23, 1968, Sec. I, p. 1. 248 appointment there means something very special to him. ‘Eventually, I’d like to operate out of London,’” he said.33 Later in the spring, Previn conducted the Houston Symphony Orchestra tour of the eastern seaboard. It was not the resounding success of previous tours. The Saturday Review, in reporting on the New York concert, reported: The Houston Philharmonic [sic] did not at its latest visit sound to be as good an orchestra as it did a year ago. This related to no conspicuous change of performing personnel, but rather to the presence on the podium not of Sir John Barbirolli, but of his successor . . . André Previn. A many-faceted man about music, Previn has recently turned to symphonic conductor . . . So far . . . he is more an aspirant to distinction in this career than an exponent of it. His quickness is unmistakable, likewise his musical facility. But . . . he tended to drive more than to lead; and coerce more than command . . . he tends to gravitate toward whatever is more obvious . . . rather than seek out contrasting subtleties . . . 34

Musical America reviewed, “The Houston Symphony played a strange New York program which illustrated a good grasp of circa 1940 works. The orchestra played well.”35 Once back, amid reports of his refusal to play a concert at an eighty- five-seat stage in Westbury, Connecticut, the young Previn swung into four jazz-pops concerts sponsored by Foley’s department store. The concerts sold out.36 Soon thereafter, Previn left for Florida to conduct the London Symphony Orchestra at Daytona, and Houston began its own summer series of symphony concerts on the steps of City Hall while awaiting the completion of the new Miller Theatre in Herman Park.

33 Shirley Fleming, “Musician of the Month: André Previn,” High Fidelity-Musical America, August, 1968, p. MA5.

34 Irving Kolodin, “Music to My Ears,” Saturday Review, May 25, 1968, p. 37.

35 Fleming, pp. MA12-13.

36 Houston Post, May 14, 1968, Sec. I, p. 8. 249

The new Miller Theatre was ready in time for a September inaugural. The structure sheltered 1750 seats and a sixty by forty-five foot air- conditioned stage. The pit was designed to seat seventy players, and the backstage area was distinguished by dressing rooms, sound and lighting equipment storage rooms, air-conditioned instrument lockers, and a formal green room.37 At the opening concert, Mayor Louie Welch conducted the “Stars and Stripes Forever” before an overflow crowd of 10,000 listeners who also heard Fredell Lack with the eighty-two-piece orchestra.38 The Houston Symphony dedicated its first program of the 1968 season to its former conductor, eighty-seven-year-old Paul Berge who celebrated his birthday with the orchestra.39 The fall season was a routine one, musically. Off the podium, however, Previn was a constant source of attention. Cincinnati sent three officials from its orchestra to scout the young conductor’s Houston performances.40 Previn, meanwhile, was making front page local news by escorting actress Mia Farrow around the city.41 RCA Victor had its recording producer, Peter Dellheim, in for a look at the orchestra.42 The Symphony Society was reported to be considering Previn’s request for a sizeable salary increase, the title of Musical Director, and international tour, more personnel—especially assistant principals, and higher musicians’ salaries. Previn also was reported to have requested an “unprecedented” meeting with the Symphony Society’s Executive Committee.43

37 Houston Chronicle, September 1, 1968, Zest, p. 22.

38 Houston Chronicle, September 2, 1968, Sec. VI, p. 6.

39 Houston Chronicle, October 22, 1968, Sec. I, p. 19.

40 Houston Chronicle, December 4, 1968, Sec. I, p. 1.

41 Houston Chronicle, December 3, 1968, Sec. I, p. 1.

42 Ibid.

43 Houston Post, December 5, 1968, Sec. I, p. 18.

250

At its January meeting, the Symphony Society Board of Directors confronted a deficit of $206,000 for the preceding two seasons and faced a funding requirement of $635,000 for 1969-1970. At that time, $381,000 had been raised in the current maintenance fund drive. The Society did name Previn to a two-year contract with the title of Music Director, but at a salary less than requested.44 The Symphony was facing a lag between a 136 percent, ten-year rise in costs, and a thirty-one percent, ten-year rise in maintenance giving.45 General Hirsch approached the Houston City Council with a request to raise the city’s annual contribution to the orchestra to $150,000.46 But, the request fell on deaf ears.47 Carl Cunningham, Roussel’s successor at the Houston Post, chalked up the Society’s financial plight to failure to be aggressive in fund raising, audience building, and publicity.48 It was significant that sixty percent of the 1967 money came from only 141 donors.49 The orchestra’s financial base had simply not kept pace with snowballing costs. Moreover, ticket sales were in a declining spiral. The season sales in 1965 had totaled 4123; in 1967, the second year at Jones Hall, 3615 were sold, in 1968, 3412.50 If financial concerns were not pressing enough for the symphony management, artistic difficulties began to emerge. Previn was becoming increasingly frustrated by local attitudes less visionary than his own. His audiences were hesitant over even modest contemporary programming; the

44 Houston Post, January 9, 1969, Sec. I, p. 1.

45 Houston Symphony Society minutes, January 8, 1969.

46 Houston Chronicle, January 8, 1969, Sec. I, p. 17.

47 Houston Chronicle, February 11, 1969, Sec. II, p. 7.

48 Houston Post, December 8, 1968, Spotlight, p. 32.

49 Houston Post, April 6, 1969, Spotlight, p. 25.

50 Ibid. 251

orchestra management represented a more pragmatic posture than was Previn’s. In early April, he confessed that he was “depressed.” Tours, he said, should be confined to major cities; he decried the insufficient rehearsal time allotted the orchestra on tour. Moreover, he related, RCA had abandoned its interest in the orchestra because of Houston’s “provinciality.”51 Orchestra manager, Tom Johnson, meanwhile, released a report showing the Society was suffering reduced numbers of subscriptions and explained that management was trying to keep its audience intact while building additional financial support. “You can’t jump into the top five [orchestras] overnight.”52 With this prelude, the orchestra left on its 1969 tour. Additional New York rehearsal time was arranged. The concert by the orchestra in Minneapolis received excellent reviews, but Previn failed to conduct a Green Bay, Wisconsin concert and ordered the orchestra to play in street clothes when there was no place to change in Binghamton, New York.53 The New York City reviews were lukewarm.54 Meanwhile, dissatisfaction with Previn was growing in Houston. On Monday, May 6, 1969, General Hirsch announced that André Previn had been relieved of his responsibilities with the orchestra. He cited the Green Bay incident, Previn’s distaste for tours, his London Symphony Orchestra obligations, and declining box office as reasons.55 Other antagonizing forces were doubtless the contemporary music programmed, Previn’s difficulties with the orchestra management, the distasteful

51 Houston Chronicle, April 1, 1969, Sec. I, p. 9.

52 Houston Chronicle, April 4, 1969, Sec. II, p. 12.

53 Houston Chronicle, May 11, 1969, Zest, p. 15.

54 Houston Chronicle, May 1, 1969, Sec VI, p. 6.

55 Houston Post, May 6, 1969, Sec. I, p. 1. 252

publicity involving Mia Farrow, and the conductor’s failure consistently to publicize his affiliation with the Houston orchestra.56 Previn greeted the news with apparent shock and cited management domination of artists and repertoire as the basic source of friction.57 Amid charges and counter charges, the symphony musicians called a special meeting to air the controversy.58 The musicians questioned the reasons for the dismissal, the manner in which it was handled, and decried the “stagnation” of the orchestra under guest conductors.59 Hirsch proposed, “We should close down the symphony. It is too difficult to raise the money.”60 The next day, however, Hirsch suddenly announced that a new conductor for the 1969 season would soon be named. Much of the controversy centered in the relationship between André Previn and Orchestra Manager Tom Johnson. Johnson bore the responsibility for the financial stability of the enterprise. Audience appeal, therefore, was a significant consideration to him. In this regard, Johnson considered the program more important than the conductors. “The woods are full of conductors,” he claimed.61 A conductor eventually “loses his novelty with the audience and is apt to have a six or seven-year tenure.”62 Previn’s programming, Johnson went on, had contained “boring and ponderous” works.63 This was in stark contrast to Stokowski’s view, “There are no great orchestras, only great conductors.”

56 Houston Chronicle, May 6, 1969, Sec. I, p. 1.

57 Houston Chronicle, May 7, 1969, Sec. I, p. 1.

58 Houston Chronicle, May 9, 1969, Sec. I, p. 1.

59 Houston Post, May 10, 1969, Sec. I, p. 1.

60 Houston Chronicle, May 9, 1969, Sec. I, p. 1.

61 Houston Chronicle, May 7, 1969, Sec. I, p. 1.

62 Houston Chronicle, May 11, 1969, Zest, p. 15.

63 Ibid.

253

As a complicating factor to the dissension already rife, the time had come for contract negotiation with the orchestra. The musicians requested clarification from the Symphony Society who—if anyone—was empowered to negotiate for the Society. The musicians further urged consideration of their rights to participate in the selection of a new conductor and of new players.64 Amid all the fray, André Previn returned to Houston to fulfill his commitment for another brace of Foley’s jazz-pops concerts. Previn’s tempestuous ways had worked against him. In a letter from Maurice Hirsch to Previn’s manager, additional problems became known. Among these were the booking of the London Symphony Orchestra under Previn into New York and Washington, thus eliminating the Houston Symphony Orchestra from these cities, his late arrival in March which caused him to miss two rehearsals, his requests that he be released from regional pre-season concert responsibilities, his actions in Green Bay and Binghamton, and his “crude criticism” of cities on tour as “toilet towns.”65 Pickets paraded at the Foley’s concerts. Petitions were signed.66 At one concert’s end, Previn showed his audience a Mickey Mouse watch—bought, he said, to remember the Houston Symphony Orchestra management by.67 The Symphony Society finance committee, meanwhile, voted to recommend cancellation of the coming season if the musicians did not accept the proposed contract within four days. The orchestra was asking for a fifty-two-week season.68 Ultimately, the twenty member Society Executive Committee voted to guarantee the summer concert series for the three years of the contract and offered base scales of $200 for forty-three

64 Houston Chronicle, May 13, 1969, Sec. II, p. 7.

65 Houston Chronicle, July 2, 1969, Sec. II, p. 6.

66 Houston Chronicle, May 20, 1969, Sec. IV, p. 5.

67 Houston Post, May 20, 1969, Sec. I, p. 8.

68 Houston Chronicle, May 21, 1969, Sec. IV, p. 5.

254

weeks in the first year, $210 for forty-five weeks in the second year, and $220 for forty-seven weeks in the third year.69 The musicians refused the forty-three-week provision. They charged that the Society was again refusing to negotiate and was issuing another ultimatum.70 Mayor Welch offered to arbitrate. General Hirsch refused to negotiate saying, “There are no more plums.”71 Furthermore, Hirsch reminded the musicians that they had not been covered by insurance since the previous week. The musicians held out, however, as unofficial talks continued. Houston, they reminded the public, was sixth in size in the nation, but fifteenth in gross annual pay to its symphony musicians.72 The contract had expired May 23. On June 4, both sides were still stalemated. Attorney Charles Saunders tried negotiating a two-year contract of $200 for forty-three weeks and then $210 for forty-five weeks in the second year. However, the orchestra members reiterated their demand for a fifty-two week season by 1971. The entire Symphony Society Board met again, as did the musicians. And on June 5, the press reported that both had agreed to the Saunders’ two-year contract plan.73 By summer, the multitude of controversies surrounding the orchestra had left all parties vulnerable to the slightest aggravation. Mayor Welch opened the summer season by conducting the national anthem at Miller Theatre.74 The summer programs were undistinguished, and the local

69 Houston Post, May 24, 1969, Sec. I, p. 1.

70 Ibid.

71 Houston Chronicle, May 27, 1969, Sec. II, p. 8.

72 Houston Chronicle, May 30, 1969, Sec. II, p. 8.

73 Houston Post, June 5, 1969, Sec. I, p. 1.

74 Houston Post, June 6, 1969, Sec. II, p. 2.

255

press criticized the absence of serious music from the repertoire, lamenting the orchestra’s lack of artistic leadership.75 The Previn tenure in Houston left the orchestra, its management, and its audience in a state of distrust. The Houston Symphony’s “conductor- crisis-rondo”76 had taken its toll in credibility and support. The history of management and musical leadership was not good. Ernst Hoffmann’s dismissal caused a Hugh Roy Cullen-Joseph Smith rift; Efrem Kurtz suffered the indignity of a lame duck season; Ferenc Fricsay never came back from Christmas; and Stokowski left Houston a year early. Although much anti-management sentiment was voiced in the months immediately following Previn’s dismissal, community blame gradually settled on the Symphony Society itself. The decision to fire André Previn, it was discovered, had been made by General Hirsch, Max Levine, Tom Johnson, and Gus Wortham—“a practical size committee,” said Wortham.77 Though the Executive Committee later concurred in the decision, symphony musicians and many others questioned the logic of the Finance Committee having the authority to take such action. Hirsch’s often-repeated threats to disband the orchestra also seemed to many to represent a peculiar posture for the President of the Symphony Society to assume. On the other hand, it was learned later that Previn had held his contract without signing it for two months. He had been imprudent in much of his behavior and had made many unreasonable financial demands. Carl Cunningham summarized the era by observing that Previn was not yet mature enough to administer wisely or to offer deeply musical interpretation; at the same time, the Symphony Society, he said, was not young, flexible, or ambitious enough to respond to good new proposals.78

75 Houston Post, July 6, 1969, Spotlight, p. 24.

76 Houston Chronicle, May 11, 1969, Zest, p. 15.

77 Houston Chronicle, July 2, 1969, Sec. II, p. 6.

78 Houston Post, February 22, 1970, Spotlight, p. 26. 256

Cunningham maintained that the Previn era had shown the Society to suffer from a dated organizational structure based on secrecy and exclusivity.79 To its credit, the Society reorganized its structure in 1970 and elected new officers. The Society changed its by-laws to make its books open to all Board members; it created an advisory council of all past presidents and Board Chairmen; it reduced the membership of the Executive Committee to a more manageable size and established a Musical Affairs Committee.80 In June, 1969, Antonio de Almeida was appointed Principal Guest Conductor for the 1969 season. General Hirsch announced that he was selected because he was a “tall, masculine, handsome man with a fine conducting reputation.”81 Almeida, however, was not known in Houston. A battery of six conductors was scheduled to conduct the 1969-70 season.82 Almeida’s opening concerts in Houston were unimpressive.83 Carl Cunningham suggested that the former nuclear chemist would have been better simply as one of the six guests rather than Principal Guest Conductor.84 Ann Holmes shared Cunningham’s reservations.85 General Hirsch replied that the orchestra’s programs were planned for the audiences, “not for the edification of the city’s two music critics.”86

79 Carl Cunningham, “Uproar: Previn and Afterwards,” High Fidelity-Musical America, April, 1970, p. 29.

80 Houston Chronicle, February 27, 1970, Sec. II, p. 5.

81 Houston Chronicle, June 8, 1969, Zest, p. 15.

82 Houston Chronicle, June 15, 1969, Zest, p. 22.

83 Houston Chronicle, September 23, 1969, Sec I, p. 11; September 29, 1969, Sec. I, p. 18.

84 Houston Post, October 26, 1969, Spotlight, p. 33.

85 Houston Chronicle, December 28, 1969, Zest, pp. 12-13.

86 Houston Chronicle, October 5, 1969, Zest, p. 11.

257

Sir John Barbirolli had enjoyed great success in his concerts with the orchestra each year in his capacity as Conductor Emeritus. He celebrated his seventieth birthday in Houston in December, but a bout with the flu precluded his return for the January 1970 concerts.87 However, highlights of the year were provided by Lawrence Foster, Hans Schmidt-Isserstedt, and a new Chavez work commissioned by Miss Hogg.88 The spring tour of the orchestra was conducted by Hans Schweiger and featured soloists Gary Graffman and Yong Uck Kim.89 The Symphony Society announced that increased costs made it likely that this would be the orchestra’s last tour.90 Harold Schonberg gave the New York performance by the orchestra a fine review. This is a first class orchestra in every respect. It exhibits the American style at its best—that combination of power, brilliance, neatness, and cohesive ensemble . . . everything on the program was played with utmost precision.91

Eighty-year-old General Maurice Hirsch was feted at a banquet in May honoring his fourteen-year tenure with the Symphony Society.92 He was named President Emeritus. General Hirsch paid special tribute to Gus Wortham, Miss Hogg, and William Stamps Farish for their devotion to the solvency of the orchestra throughout its history.93 Dr. Charles Jones, President of Humble Oil and Refining Company, was elected his successor. Despite sharply increased maintenance fund results under Max Levine’s

87 Reid, p. 407.

88 Houston Chronicle, March 22, 1970, Zest, p. 14.

89 Houston Chronicle, April 1, 1970, Sec. II, p. 2.

90 Houston Post, March 29, 1970, Spotlight, p. 34.

91 Houston Chronicle, April 23, 1970, Sec. II, p. 2.

92 Houston Chronicle, May 11, 1970, Sec. I, p. 11.

93 Houston Symphony Society minutes, June 11, 1970. 258

leadership, the Society was saddled with a deficit of $304,000 in June 1970.94 In June, the Symphony Society banded with the Alley Theatre and the Society for the Performing Arts to employ a subscription sales expert to advise the orchestra management on its sales campaigns.95 By August, subscription sales were up one thousand tickets to 4,258.96 More progressive management policy was impressively evident. Houston was shocked in July by the sudden death of its beloved Sir John Barbirolli.97 Though his health had been failing, death came suddenly amid a normal-for-Barbirolli period of intense activity.98 Lawrence Foster was secured to fill six of the eight Barbirolli concerts scheduled in Houston, and memorial concerts were planned. Andre Vandernoot, Georg Semkov, and Lawrence Foster conducted the 1970-71 season. As a result of the reorganization of the Symphony Society management, the orchestra was asked to poll its members in December and express its preference for Permanent Conductor. The musicians indicated a special interest in Lawrence Foster;99 one week later, Foster was appointed to the position.100 He had borne the Permanent Guest Conductor title during the 1970 season for the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra of London. However, his Conductor-in-Chief title in Houston assumed a gradual shift of operations to the Bayou City.101

94 Houston Chronicle, June 12, 1970, Sec. VIII, p. 1.

95 Houston Post, June 26, 1970, Sec. I, p. 17.

96 Houston Chronicle, August 14, 1970, Sec. I, p. 2.

97 Houston Chronicle, July 29, 1970, Sec. I, p. 1.

98 Reid, pp. 423-424.

99 Houston Post, December 6, 1970, Sec. I, p. 1.

100 Houston Post, December 13, 1970, Sec. I, p.1.

101 Houston Chronicle, December 17, 1970, Sec. I, p. 1. 259

Financial reports made to the Symphony Society Board of Directors in January 1971 were the most optimistic in years. Max Levine reported $601,000 had been raised for the maintenance fund representing ninety percent of the goal. Fifty thousand dollars were received from the National Endowment for Arts and Humanities for student concerts.102 Ticket sales were reported up ninety-six percent, from 3,258 to 6,386.103 In March, Lawrence Foster signed a three-year contract naming him Conductor-in-Chief of the orchestra in the first year and Music Director for the second and third years of the contract.104 The young American conductor was to conduct eleven weeks in 1971 and fifteen weeks in 1972 with the possibility of a national tour considered for 1973.105 For the first time in many months, new optimism permeated the activities of the orchestra. Former conductor, Efrem Kurtz, returned to conduct his “baby orchestra” in March.106 New contract negotiations were on a more professional level and were conducted privately. The orchestra received its first annual salary in history, with a 7.5% raise guaranteed for the second year.107 The Society met its July 1st Ford Foundation deadline by completing its two million dollar endowment drive thus assuring the Ford Foundation matching provision.108 The corporate leadership model of Society President, Dr. Charles Jones, began to manifest itself.

102 Houston Symphony Society minutes, January 8, 1971.

103 Houston Symphony Society minutes, March 2, 1971.

104 Houston Post, March 11, 1971, Sec. A, p. 14.

105 Houston Chronicle, March 11, 1971, Sec. III, p. 11.

106 Houston Post, March 16, 1971, Sec. B, p. 6.

107 Houston Chronicle, June 7, 1971, Sec. I, p. 12.

108 Houston Chronicle, July 1, 1971, Sec. III, p. 4.

260

Robert Shaw conducted a “sublime” Missa Solemnes in June with Virginia Babikian;109 and in a wonderfully surprising move, Lawrence Foster personally took command of the summer series, revitalized the musical programming at Miller Theatre, conducted the orchestra himself, and scheduled a number of exceptionally fine soloists.110 After the most divisive chapter of its history, the Houston Symphony seemed back on the path to harmonious and productive achievement. SUMMARY The opening of Jones Hall marked the attainment of musical maturity for the city of Houston. The new hall was both a visual and aural delight. It was termed “the most sophisticated building of its kind anywhere in the world” and “the finest room constructed for music in this country in the last fifty years.” Sir John Barbirolli was faithful to his commitment to bring the Houston Symphony Orchestra into its new home, but expressed his desire to be relieved of the major burden of leadership responsibility thereafter. Accordingly, he was named Conductor Emeritus, and the popular André Previn was named Conductor-in-Chief of the orchestra. Previn’s tenure with the orchestra was tempestuous. Though it began well, his relationship with the orchestra management deteriorated dramatically. Previn’s personal conduct first alienated the affection of the Symphony Society. By a series of actions, the conductor placed the Symphony management in awkward and often embarrassing predicaments. Beyond this, mixed musical notices on tour and declining audience response at home contributed to a growing mutual disenchantment. In his first Houston concerts, Previn had drawn crowds of over 12,000 listeners; in his last Houston appearance, his audience numbered about 1,000. In

109 Houston Post, June 6, 1971, Sec. A, p. 7.

110 Houston Post, June 6, 1971, Spotlight, p. 23. 261

May 1969, André Previn was released from his Houston Symphony Orchestra responsibilities. Antonio de Almeida, a conductor unknown to Houston audiences, was quickly named principal guest conductor for the next season. Almeida, however, was lackluster, and as a result of the season of six guest conductors, artistic leadership of the orchestra was at its lowest ebb in several seasons. Personnel difficulties further complicated the orchestra’s activity. Heated contract disputes occurred in 1967, 1969, and 1971. For the first time in its history, the orchestra aggressively sought sharply increased contract provisions; the Symphony Society, caught short by the action, found itself unable to foresee the means for raising the increased monies required by the musicians’ demands. The chain of events revealed an outdated Symphony Society structure, dependent for its financial base on a relatively few individuals who also made major policy decisions. Broad-based community support had never been successfully sought. The result was an exclusive governing hierarchy whose actions were neither fully explained nor totally understood by the public. Mounting financial pressures and community misunderstanding forced a major reorganization of the Houston Symphony Society in 1970. Newly elected President Dr. Charles Jones and Max Levine initiated a concerted new drive to broaden the financial base of the orchestra’s support and to build a significantly increased subscription audience. Under the new Society leadership, a new tone of professional relations with the musicians characterized the activities of the Symphony Society. A Musical Affairs Committee was appointed. Indicative of the new wind which freshened the relationship between the musicians and the Symphony Society, the orchestra was asked to survey its membership in December, 1970 in order to make a recommendation for the position of Permanent Conductor. In accord with the results of the preference poll, the 262

Society subsequently appointed the young American conductor Lawrence Foster. Houston lost its beloved Sir John Barbirolli in 1970. No conductor in Houston history had received the universal endorsement that Barbirolli enjoyed. His days in Houston were the most productive, pleasant, and significant the orchestra had ever experienced. Furthermore, his work had climaxed decades of struggle toward fulfillment of the dream of maturity that had motivated the city’s musical leadership for so many years. Signs of the newfound maturity were evident in personnel stability, professional relations, national recognition, and community pride. After months of discord and strife, the orchestra enjoyed a competitive annual salary, a distinguished new hall, a talented new conductor, broadly based community support, and the prospects for a harmonious and productive future under a new concept of professional management. Meanwhile, the embryonic Houston Grand Opera and the Houston Ballet were establishing their organizational roots.

263

SELECTED CALENDAR OF HOUSTON MUSICAL EVENTS 1967-68

Sept. 10, 1967 Maurice Duruflé—First Methodist Church 24 Houston Chamber Orchestra Oct. 1 Virtuoso Quartet—University of Houston 2 Houston Symphony Orchestra, André Previn conducting 9-10 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Leonard Pennario, André Previn conducting 11 Music Guild 13 University of Houston Symphony 15 J. S. Bach Society 16-17 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Julius Katchen, André Previn conducting 19 Lyric Art Quartet, André Previn—Rice University 21 Montserrat Caballe—Society for the Performing Arts 22 Amadeus Quartet—Friends of Music 22 Houston Youth Symphony and Ballet, Robert Linder conducting—Music Hall 24, 27, 29 Houston Grand Opera, Carmen, Domingo, Walter Herbert and Charles Rosekrans conducting 26 J. S. Bach Society 28 Carlos Montoya—Southwest Concerts Nov. 2 Abbot Lee Ruskin, pianist—Tuesday Musical Club 6-7 Houston Symphony Orchestra, John Browning, André Previn conducting 9 Fredell Lack, Moreland Kortkamp—University of Houston 10 & 12 Carmina Burana—Society for the Performing Arts 13-14 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Itzhak Perlman, André Previn conducting 15 Victoria de los Angeles—Civic Music 15 Music Guild 16 Nancy Tatum—Civic Music 19 New Orleans Symphony Orchestra—Texas Southern 20-21 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Rudolf Firkusny, Scott Carpenter, André Previn conducting 22 Alma String Trio—Friends of Music 25 Manitas de Plata—Society for the Performing Arts 27-28 Houston Symphony Orchestra—Gary Graffman, André Previn conducting Nov. 29, 1967 John Druary—University of Houston 264

SELECTED CALENDAR, 1967-68 continued

Nov. 29, 1967 José Moliñas Dancers—Nell Harris 30 Lyric Art Quartet, André Previn—Rice University Dec. 5, 8, 10 Houston Grand Opera, The Young Lord, Walter Herbert 6 Allegri Quartet—Dominican College 9 Lorin Hollander—Society for the Performing Arts 12 St. Thomas Singers 15-16 Houston Ballet Foundation, Giselle 16 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Houston Chronicle Dollar Concert, André Previn conducting 18-19 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Jean Preston, André Previn conducting Dec. 31, 1967 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Imamura, Arthur Fiedler conducting Jan. 2, 1968 David Appleby—Houston Baptist College 7 J. S. Bach Society 9, 12, 14 Houston Grand Opera, Manon Lescaut, Sherrill Milnes, Walter Herbert and Charles Rosekrans conducting 11 Contemporary Chamber Ensemble—Rice University 15-16 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Ernest Ansermet conducting 20 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Houston Chronicle Dollar Concert, Eugene List 22-23 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Ruggiero Ricci, A. Clyde Roller conducting 24 Isaac Stern—Civic Music 24 Spiro Malas, baritone—Tuesday Musical Club 26 Maria and Michael Wilkomirski—Rice University 27 Vienna Boys Choir 29-30 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Charles Munch conducting Feb. 6, 9, 11 Houston Grand Opera, Falstaff, Herbert conducting 6 Ruth Jackson—Houston Baptist College 10 American Folk Ballet—Society for the Performing Arts 12 Byron Janis—Civic Music 12 Jeffrey Lerner—University of Houston 16 French National Dance Company—Society for the Performing Arts 16 Drusilla Huffmaster—Rice University 19-20 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Sir John Barbirolli conducting 25 Houston Chamber Orchestra—Rice University Feb.26-27, 1968 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Gorini and Lorenzi

265

SELECTED CALENDAR, 1967-68 continued

March 1, 1968 Van Cliburn—Society for the Performing Arts 1, Woodwinds of Houston—Rice University 4-5 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Pauline Stark, Sir John Barbirolli conducting 8 Virtuoso Quartet—University of Houston Mar. 9, 1968 Krsmanovich Chorus—Civic Music 11-12 Houston Symphony Orchestra, John Corigliano, Sir John Barbirolli conducting 14 Lili Kraus—Society for the Performing Arts 16 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Houston Chronicle Dollar Concert, Percy Faith conducting 16 Harkness Ballet—Society for the Performing Arts 17 Prague Quartet—Friends of Music 18-19 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Hans Richter-Haaser, Sir John Barbirolli conducting 21 Andres Segovia—Society for the Performing Arts 21 Lyric Art Quartet—Rich University 22 William Walker—Civic Music 24 Yong Uck Kim, violinist—Tuesday Musical Club 25-26 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Houston Chorale, University of Houston Chorus, Sir John Barbirolli conducting 28 Jacques Abram—Houston Baptist College 31 J. S. Bach Society April 2, 5, 7 Houston Grand Opera, Madame Butterfly, Walter Herbert and Charles Rosekrans conducting 3 Niggemann Chamber Ensemble—Rice University 3 John Paul—Houston Baptist College 6 Yugoslav National Folk Ensemble 10 Music Guild, Virginia Babikian 11 Virtuoso Quartet 15-16 Houston Symphony Orchestra, André Previn conducting 18 Sonata de Camera—Rice University 19 University of Houston Symphony Orchestra 21 All-City Symphony and Chorus 22 Gina Bachauer—Society for the Performing Arts 28 Threepenny Opera—University of St. Thomas 29 Teresa Stratas—Society for the Performing Arts May 5 Houston Youth Symphony, Robert Linder conducting 12 Houston Chamber Orchestra, Charles Rosekrans— Rice University May 13-14, 1968 Houston Symphony Orchestra—Foley’s Pop Concerts

266

SELECTED CALENDAR, 1967-68 continued

May 16-17,1968 Houston Symphony Orchestra—Foley’s Pop Concerts 16 Lyric Art Quartet, André Previn—Rice University May 19, 1968 Robert Joffrey Ballet May 22, 1968 Music Guild July, 1968 The Gilbert and Sullivan Society of Houston, Trial by Jury and H. M. S. Pinafore, Dr. Merrills Lewis conducting Summer, 1968 Theatre Under The Stars, Bells are Ringing, Miller Outdoor Theatre.

267

SELECTED CALENDAR OF

HOUSTON MUSICAL EVENTS

1968-69

Sept. 19, 1968 Ravi Shankar—Southwest Concerts 19 Music Guild, Virginia Babikian, David Appleby 21 Houston Symphony Orchestra in San Antonio 22 Houston Chamber Orchestra 30 Houston Symphony Orchestra, André Previn conducting Oct. 1 Houston Symphony Orchestra, André Previn conducting 3 Fredell Lack, Albert Hirsch—University of Houston 4 Contemporary Chamber Ensemble—Rice University 5 Regis Pasquier, mezzo-soprano—Tuesday Musical Club 7-8 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Mischa Dichter, André Previn conducting 9 Music Guild—Junior League 9 John Druary, Jeffrey Lerner, Albert Hirsch, James Tankersley—University of Houston 13 University of Houston Symphony 14-15 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Stephen Bishop, André Previn conducting 18 Obernkirchen Children’s Choir—Society for the Performing Arts 20 Woodwinds of Houston 21-22 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Judith Raskin, André Previn conducting 23 Richard Purvis—St. John the Divine Church 24 Virgil Fox—First Methodist Church 25 Theodore Bikel—Society for the Performing Arts 28 Metropolitan Ensemble—Texas Southern University 29 Detlef Kraus—University of Houston 29 Houston Grand Opera, La Boheme, Teresa Stratas, Walter Herbert and Charles Rosekrans conducting 31 Houston Harpsichord Society Nov. 1, 3 Houston Grand Opera, La Boheme, Walter Herbert and Charles Rosekrans conducting 5 Regis Pasquier, violinist—Tuesday Musical Club 7 Igor Oistrakh—Society for the Performing Arts 8 Woodwinds of Houston 10 Concentus Musicus—Friends of Music 10 University of Houston Symphony Orchestra Nov. 11-12, 1968 Houston Symphony Orchestra, John Williams, André Previn conducting 268

SELECTED CALENDAR, 1968-69 continued

Nov. 13, 1968 Music Guild 14 Itzhak Perlman—Civic Music 18-19 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Houston Chorale, André Previn conducting 20 Enrico Macias—Society for the Performing Arts 23 Houston Symphony Orchestra Houston Chronicle Dollar Concert, Skitch Henderson conducting 24 Histoire de Soldat—University of Houston 25-26 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Vladimir Ashkenazy, André Previn conducting 30 Hugh Masekela—Southwest Concerts 30 David Amram—Texas Southern University Dec. 2-3 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Pinchas Zukerman, André Previn conducting 4 Lyric Arts Quartet, André Previn—Civic Music 5 David Appleby—Houston Baptist College 8 Organ and Orchestra—Rice University 9 Robert Jones—University of Houston 12 Virtuoso Quartet—University of Houston 10, 13, 15 Houston Grand Opera, Salome, Herbert conducting Dec. 31, 1968 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Ralph Votapek, Arthur Fiedler conducting Jan. 7, 10, 12 Houston Grand Opera, Barber of Seville, Sherrill Milnes, Walter Herbert and Charles Rosekrans conducting Jan. 8, 1969 Joy Davidson, mezzo-soprano—Tuesday Musical Club 9 Lewis Zailer—Houston Baptist College 10 Gabor Rejto—Rice University 14 Marianne Blok—University of St. Thomas 15 Music Guild 15 National Ballet—Civic Music 19 Brahms Quartet—Friends of Music 20-21 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Wayne Crouse, Sir William Walton conducting 23 Janet Baker—Civic Music 24 Houston Harpsichord Society—University of St. Thomas 25 Houston Symphony Orchestra Houston Chronicle Dollar Concert, Morton Gould conducting 27-28 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Morton Gould conducting 29 Michelangelo de Firenze—Texas Southern University 31 Pennsylvania Ballet Jan. 31, 1969 Lyric Art Quartet—Rice University

269

SELECTED CALENDAR, 1968-69 continued

Feb. 1, 1969 Susan Starr, pianist—Tuesday Musical Club 2 Vienna Boys Choir—Southwest Concerts Feb. 4, 7, 9 Houston Grand Opera, Don Carlo, Domingo, Walter Herbert conducting Feb. 7, 1969 Nicanor Zabaleta—Rice University 8 University of Houston Symphony Orchestra 11 Susan Starr—Tuesday Musical Club, Junior League 12 Woodwinds of Houston 13 Lyric Art Quartet—Rice University 15 Borodin Quartet—Friends of Music 17-18 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Jacqueline du Pré, Daniel Barenboim conducting 19 Julian Bream—Society for the Performing Arts 21 Edgar Martin—University of St. Thomas 22 Carlos Montoya—Southwest Concerts 24-25 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Carlos Chavez conducting 26 Royal Winnepeg Ballet—Society for the Performing Arts 26 New Music Symposium—University of Houston 27 Leonard Shure—Houston Baptist College 28 Claudio Arrau—Civic Music Mar. 1 Houston Symphony Orchestra Houston Chronicle Dollar Concert, Percy Faith conducting 2 Virtuoso Quartet—University of Houston 3-4 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Richard Pickar, Aaron Copland conducting 6 Caballe and Marti—Society for the Performing Arts 7 Robert Merrill—Civic Music 8 Jose Greco—Southwest Concerts 9 Houston Chamber Orchestra, Drusilla Huffmaster, Beatrice Rose, Charles Rosekrans conducting 10-11 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Gina Bachauer, A. Clyde Roller conducting 11 Dallas Symphony Orchestra—Texas Southern University 15 Danzi Woodwind Quintet—Friends of Music 16 Lyric Art Quartet, Evelyn Rothwell 17-18 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Barbirolli conducting 20 Lyric Art Quartet—Rice University 23 Andres Segovia—Society for the Performing Arts 24-25 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Houston Symphony Chorale, Sir John Barbirolli conducting 26 University of Houston Symphony Orchestra 28 Arthur Rubinstein—Society for the Performing Arts Mar. 30, 1969 Contemporary Chamber Ensemble—Rice University 270

SELECTED CALENDAR, 1968-69 continued

Mar. 31-1, 1969 Houston Symphony Orchestra, John Ogdon, Brenda Lucas, André Previn conducting April 7-8, 1969 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Shirley Trepel, André Previn conducting 9 Thomas Pierson—Rice University 21 Die Kluge, Karl Orff—University of St. Thomas May 4 Virtuoso Quartet—University of Houston 6, 9, 11 Houston Grand Opera, Don Quixote, Walter Herbert and Charles Rosekrans conducting 8 Houston Baptist College Singers—Music Hall 11 University of Houston Symphony Orchestra 14 Music Guild 15 Lyric Art Quartet—Rice University 18 University of Houston Symphony Orchestra and Concert Choir 19-20, 22-23 Foley’s Spring Festival, André Previn 21 Albert Hirsch, Jan Cole—Rice University 24 Coastal String Quartet—Jewish Community Center 25 Houston Chamber Orchestra, Dido and Aeneas, Jean Preston, Herff Applewhite, Charles Rosekrans conducting 29 Houston Ballet Company June 27 Royal Ballet, Fonteyn and Nureyev July, 1969 The Gilbert and Sullivan Society of Houston, Iolanthe, Dr. Merrills Lewis conducting Summer, 1969 Theatre Under The Stars, The Boy Friend, Miller Outdoor Theatre. Theatre Under The Stars, Carnival, Outdoor Theatre.

271

SELECTED CALENDAR OF HOUSTON MUSICAL EVENTS 1969-70

Sept. 11, 1969 Music Guild 14 Karl Hochreiter—Rice University 16 Kiyoka Miyagi—Rice University 17 Jan Cole and Klaus Kratzenstein—Rice University 22-23 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Antonio de Almeida conducting 24 Lyric Art Quartet—Rice University 28, 29, 30 Houston Symphony Orchestra, John Browning, Antonio de Almeida conducting Oct. 5 Houston Chamber Orchestra, Birgit Finnila, Paul Tucci, Charles Rosekrans conducting 5 Allegro Ballet and Houston Youth Symphony Orchestra 6-7 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Erick Friedman, Antonio de Almeida conducting 8 Roger Wagner Chorale—Civic Music 9 University of Houston Symphony Orchestra 10 Earl Wrightson and Lois Hunt—Society for the Performing Arts 11 Royal Philharmonic Orchestra—Southwest Concerts 12 Fredell Lack, Albert Hirsch—University of Houston 13-14 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Tatum, A. Clyde Roller 18 Houston Symphony Orchestra Houston Chronicle Dollar Concert 21, 24, 26 Houston Grand Opera, Turandot, Elinor Ross, Walter Herbert conducting 21 Woodwinds of Houston 22 Music Guild 23 Woodwinds of Houston—Rice University 28 Charles Bressler, tenor—Tuesday Musical Club--JL 30 Houston Ballet—Society for the Performing Arts Nov. 1 New York Brass Quintet—Friends of Music 2, 3, 4 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Rudolf Firkusny, Antonio de Almeida conducting 2 Rice Baroque Ensemble 3 Rice Brass Quintet 4 Rice Chamber Ensemble 6 Mantovani Orchestra—Society for the Performing Arts 6 University of Houston Symphony Orchestra 7 Contemporary Chamber Ensemble—Rice University Nov. 9, 1969 Fredell Lack, Albert Hirsch—University of Houston

272

SELECTED CALENDAR, 1969-70 (continued)

Nov. 10-12, 1969 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Veronica Tyler, Antonio de Almeida conducting Nov. 12, 1969 Music Guild 13 Theodore Uppman—Civic Music 14 Van Cliburn—Society for the Performing Arts 15 Man of La Mancha—Southwest Concerts 16 Virtuoso Quartet 17-18 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Barry Tuckwell, Antonio de Almeida conducting 17 New Orleans Philharmonic 20 Fred Waring—Society for the Performing Arts 21 Houston Festival Chorus, Herff Applewhite—Jones Hall 23-25 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Lili Kraus, Barbirolli 23 Houston Youth Symphony 23 Hungarian String Quartet—Rice University 26 Lyric Art Quartet—Rice University 30-Dec. 2 Houston Symphony Orchestra, University of Houston Chorus, Houston Chorale, Wayne Crouse, Sir John Barbirolli conducting Dec. 1 University of Houston String Festival 4 Witold Malcuzynski—Society for the Performing Arts 6 University of Houston Symphony Orchestra 7 Rice Chamber Orchestra 7 Fredell Lack, Albert Hirsch, Beethoven Commemorative Concert—University of Houston 8 Collegium Musicum—University of St. Thomas 8 New Music Ensemble, Jeffrey Lerner 9, 12, 14 Houston Grand Opera, Rigoletto, Walter Herbert cond. 19 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Singing Boys of Houston, A. Clyde Roller conducting Dec. 31, 1969 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Doppman, Arthur Fiedler conducting Jan. 4, 1970 Fredell Lack—University of Houston 6, 9, 11 Houston Grand Opera, Cavalleria Rusticana, Gianni Schicci, Charles Rosekrans conducting 7 Music Guild, Mary Elizabeth Lee 8 James Dick—Society for the Performing Arts 10 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Houston Chronicle 15 James Debost—Rice University 17 Contemporary Chamber Players Jan.18-20, 1970 Houston Symphony, Hans Schmidt-Isserstedt Conducting

273

SELECTED CALENDAR, 1969-70 continued

Jan. 18, 1970 Rice Baroque Ensemble 22 Contemporary Chamber Ensemble—Rice University 24 Julliard String Quartet—Friends of Music 25 Houston Youth Symphony 25-27 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Zino Francescatti, Sixten Ehrling conducting 28 Regina Crespin—Civic Music 30 Houston Ballet—Society for the Performing Arts Feb. 1, 2, 3 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Hans Richter-Haaser, Julius Rudel conducting 1 Arizona Boys Choir—Society for the Performing Arts 4 University of St. Thomas Singers, Herff Applewhite 4 Allegri Quartet—Texas Southern University 8-10 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Houston Symphony Chorale, University of Houston Concert Choir, Sixten Ehrling conducting 11 Houston Harpsichord Society 13 Rice Baroque Ensemble 17, 20, 22 Houston Grand Opera, Ballad of Baby Doe, Charles Rosekrans conducting 18 Drolc Quartet—Friends of Music 19 American Ballet Theater—Society for the Performing Arts 21 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Houston Chronicle Dollar Concert, Percy Faith conducting 24 Janos Starker—Civic Music 29-30 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Itzhak Perlman, Hans Schweiger conducting April 6 Lisa and Evangelos Assimakopoulos—First Unitarian 7 Franco Gulli & Enrica Gavallo—Tuesday Musical Club 26 Albert Hirsch, Fredell Lack—Museum of Fine Arts 27-28 Foley’s Concert, Houston Symphony Orchestra, Beethoven Ninth Symphony, Rice Chorale, University of Houston Chorus, A. Clyde Roller conducting—Rice Gym May 3 Virtuoso Quartet—University of Houston 4 Collegium Musicum—University of St. Thomas 5, 8, 10 Houston Grand Opera, Tales of Hoffman, Beverly Sills, Norman Treigle, Walter Herbert conducting 6 Music Guild 6 Threepenny Opera—University of Houston 10 Houston Harpsichord Society—University of Houston May 10, 1970 University of Houston Symphony Orchestra

274

SELECTED CALENDAR, 1969-70 continued

May 13, 1970 Lyric Art Quartet 17 Houston Chamber Orchestra, Fredell Lack, Leonard Shure, Charles Rosekrans conducting 18-19, 21-22 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Foley’s, Peter Nero 20 Rice Chamber Concert, Jan Cole 20 Christ Church Cathedral, Houston Symphony Orchestra Chamber Ensemble, Beethoven Mass in C 28 Houston Symphony Orchestra for Tenth Cancer Congress, A. Clyde Roller conducting 31 Community Chorus, Coralie Wood conducting June 2-6 Theatre Under The Stars, Kismet, Miller Outdoor Theatre 7 Houston Symphony Orchestra opening 1970 summer concert 7 Houston Youth Symphony, Garden Center 7 Municipal Band July 17-18 The Gilbert and Sullivan Society of Houston, The Mikado, Dr. Merrills Lewis conducting 21-25 Theatre Under The Stars, Once Upon a Mattress 30 Houston Grand Opera, The Wanderer Aug. 2, 1970 Houston Grand Opera, The Wanderer

Undated concert: Harold Enns, baritone—Tuesday Musical Club

275

SELECTED CALENDAR OF

HOUSTON MUSICAL EVENTS

1970-71

Sept. 7, 1970 Promenade Band—Miller Theatre 14-15 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Andre Vandernoot conducting 16 Lyric Art Quartet—Rice University 20, 21, 22 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Leonard Pennario, Andre Vandernoot conducting 25 Rice Chamber Concert 25 Edward Villella and Patricia McBride—Civic Music 25 University of Houston Symphony Orchestra 26 Houston Symphony Orchestra Chronicle Dollar Concert, Carmen Dragon conducting 27 Contemporary Chamber Ensemble—University of St. Thomas 27 French Chamber Music—Fine Arts 28-29 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Anna Moffo, Andre Vandernoot conducting Oct. 2 Alexander Slobodyanik—Society for the Performing Arts 6, 9, 11 Houston Grand Opera, Fidelio, Walter Herbert cond. 7 Music Guild, Drusilla Huffmaster 9 Zsigmondy-Nesses—Rice University 11 Fredell Lack, Albert Hirsch—University of Houston 11 Houston Municipal Band 14 Sabicas—Civic Music 16 Arno Schoenstedt 17 Carolos Montoya—Southwest Concerts 19-20 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Mischa Dichter, Lawrence Foster conducting 20 Kathleen Thomerson, Mildred Armstrong—American Guild of Organists 23 University of Houston Orchestra 24 Janacek String Quartet—Friends of Music 25-27 Houston Symphony Orchestra, John Ogdon, Lawrence Foster conducting 28 Rice Chamber Orchestra 30 Caterina Micieli—Rice University Nov. 2 University of St. Thomas Singers 3 Houston Symphony Orchestra Houston Chronicle Dollar Concert, Percy Faith conducting Nov. 4, 1970 All-City Orchestra, Ed Trongone conducting

276

SELECTED CALENDAR, 1970-71 continued

Nov. 5, 1970 Contemporary Chamber Ensemble—University of St. Thomas 8 Russian Chamber Music—Society for the Performing Arts 9 Jeffrey Lerner, Albert Hirsch—University of Houston 10,13,15 Houston Grand Opera, Die Fledermaus, Charles Rosekrans conducting 11 Judith Linder, Houston Harpsichord Society— Houston Baptist College 11 Jacques Loussier—University of Houston 15 University of Houston Symphony 16 Charlotte Tull—Rice University 17 Malcolm Frager, pianist—Tuesday Musical Club 17 Gillian Wier—American Guild of Organists 18 Virtuoso Quartet—University of Houston 19 Martha Graham—Society for the Performing Arts 20 Don Cossack Chorus—Rice University 21 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Foley’s—Henry Mancini 22 Baroque Chamber Music—Museum of Fine Arts 22 Jazz Ensemble—Texas Southern University 22 Houston Chamber Orchestra, Jon Enloe, Wayne Crouse—Rice University 23-24 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Viktor Tretyakov, Georg Semkov conducting 29-31 Houston Symphony Orchestra, James Dick, Georg Semkov conducting 30 Klaus-Christhart Kratzenstein—Rice University Dec. 1 Woodwinds of Houston 4 Rice Chamber Orchestra 6 Beatrice Rose—University of Houston 6 Brahm’s Requiem—Houston Baptist College 7-8 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Weissenberg, Antonio de Almeida conducting 9 Lyric Art Quartet—Rice University 9 Rice Chapel Choir 9 Music Guild—Houston Musica Antiqua 11 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Foley’s, Victor Borge 12 Theater on the Balustrade—Society for the Performing Arts 13 Karel Paukert-Rice University 13-15 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Henryk Szeryng, Antonio de Almeida conducting Dec. 31, 1970 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Drusilla Huffmaster, Arthur Fiedler conducting 277

SELECTED CALENDAR, 1970-71 continued

Jan. 5, 1971 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Foley’s, First Edition 7 Marilyn Horne—Civic Music 12, 15, 17 Houston Grand Opera, I Pagliacci, The Moon, McCracken, Walter Herbert and Charles Rosekrans 12 Baroque Ensemble—Rice University 14-15 Merrill Ellis—Rice University Jan. 17 Martha Schlanme—Jewish Community Center 18 New Music Ensemble—University of Houston 19 Anastasios Vrenios, tenor—Tuesday Musical Club 20 Music Guild 21 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Foley’s, Lynn Kellog 22 Woodwinds of Houston 23 New York Pro Musica—Civic Music 24 University of Houston Symphony 24 Virtuoso Quartet—University of Houston 25-26 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Nelson Freire, Hans Schmidt-Isserstedt conducting 28 Fredell Lack, Albert Hirsch 31 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Mary Costa, Antonio de Almeida conducting Feb. 1-2 Houston Symphony Orchestra 4 Contemporary Chamber Ensemble 5 American Ballet Theater—Society for the Performing Arts 6 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Foley’s, Chet Atkins 7 Albert Hirsch, Jean Preston, John Druary—Temple Emanuel 8-9 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Szymon Goldberg, Antonio de Almeida conducting 16, 19, 21 Houston Grand Opera, Aida, Walter Herbert conducting 17 Lyric Art Quartet—Rice University 18 Andres Segovia—Society for the Performing Arts 19 Juan Mercadal—Rice University 21 Houston Baptist College Singers—Music Hall 23 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Foley’s, Ray Charles 24 University of Houston Symphony 26 Tel Aviv String Quartet—Friends of Music 27 Artur Rubinstein—Society for Performing Arts 27-28 Marriage of Figaro—Houston Baptist College 28, 1-2 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Houston Chorale, University of Houston Choir, Lawrence Foster conducting, Barbirolli Memorial Concerts Mar. 5-6, 1971 Symposium of New Music, Carlisle Floyd

278

SELECTED CALENDAR, 1970-71 continued

Mar. 7-9, 1971 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Gina Bachauer, Lawrence Foster conducting Mar. 8, 1971 Ann Fraubieter—University of Houston 10 Rene Heredia—University of Houston 13 Houston Symphony Orchestra Houston Chronicle Dollar Concert, John Green, Coliseum 14 Houston Chamber Quartet, Fernando Valenti-- Rice University 15-16 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Kerstin Meyer, Efrem Kurtz conducting 17 Baroque Ensemble—Rice University 18 Jack Roberts—Houston Baptist College 18 University of Houston Opera Workshop 18 Gold and Fizdale—Rice University 19 William Matthews—University of St. Thomas 21-23 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Houston Chorale, Maurice Handford conducting 21 Lorin Hollander—Civic Music 23 Houston Youth Symphony and Ballet 26 Houston Ballet—Society for the Performing Arts 27 Alma Trio—Friends of Music 29 Theater Men, Virginia Babikian conducting—Houston Baptist College 30 Houston Grand Opera, Lucia di Lammermoor, Sills, Charles Rosekrans conducting 31 Rice Chamber Orchestra 31 Virtuoso Quartet April 1 Rice University Chorale, Contemporary Chamber Ensemble—University of St. Thomas 2 Marion Perkins—Rice University 2 Dallas Arts Quartet, Music Guild 2, 4 Houston Grand Opera, Lucia di Lammermoor, Rosekrans 6 Stuttgart Bach Collegium—Society for the Performing Arts 7 Musica Antiqua—Rice University 9 University of Houston Symphony 12-13 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Houston Chorale 14 Lyric Art Quartet—Rice University 16-18 National Association of University Composers 16 University of Houston Chorus 18-20 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Yong Uck Kim, Lawrence Foster conducting April 23, 1971 Byron Hester, Marilou Kratzenstein—Rice University 279

SELECTED CALENDAR, 1970-71 continued

April 25, 1971 Baroque Chamber Ensemble—Museum of Fine Arts 26-27 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Joyce Arce, Lawrence Foster conducting 30 William Read—Houston Harpsichord Society May 4 Collegium Musicum—University of St. Thomas 5 Music Guild, Drusilla Huffmaster 6 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Foley’s, Modern Jazz Quartet 9 Cole and Lee—University of St. Thomas 9, 10, 11 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Eugene Istomin, A. Clyde Roller conducting 11 Houston Civic Symphony—Houston Baptist College 14 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Foley’s, Al Hirt 15 Borodin String Quartet—Friends of Music 16 String Sextets—Museum of Fine Arts 17-18 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Houston Chorale, Orfeo, A. Clyde Roller conducting 19 All-City Orchestra 20 Houston Civic Symphony 22 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Foley’s, John Hartford 23 Houston Chamber Orchestra 29 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Foley’s, King Sisters June 5 Houston Symphony Orchestra, Virginia Babikian, Robert Shaw conducting 6 Houston Symphony Orchestra Summer 1971 Season opens July 23-31, 1971 Theatre Under The Stars, Gypsy, Miller Outdoor Theatre July, 1971 The Gilbert and Sullivan Society of Houston, The Gondoliers, Dr. Merrills Lewis conducting Summer, 1971 Theatre Under The Stars, Can-Can, Miller Outdoor Theatre

280

CHAPTER SEVEN

THE FULLNESS OF TIME

1966-1972

The Houston Grand Opera made its Jones Hall debut with a production of Aida starring Gabriella Tucci, Richard Tucker, and Georgio Tozzi.1 It was hoped that the new hall would stimulate a much higher caliber of production than previously had characterized Houston Grand Opera seasons. Though some of its problems were doubtless due to the newness of Jones Hall, Aida was called “visually undistinguished” by Musical America critic Robert Marsh. In addition to frequent technical problems, the music and stage direction lacked imagination and intensity.2 Two months later, The Mage Flute was labeled a “disaster.”3 The sets were reportedly “bizarre and splotchy,” movement was unmotivated, lighting was poor, and tempos were, for a change, slow.4 The Houston Grand Opera suffered from many of the same financial problems as the Houston Symphony Orchestra. In 1966, $50,000 in maintenance gifts came from fewer than one hundred donations.5 No broadly based, financial structure supported the local company. Moreover, attempts to limit administrative and organizational expenditures dictated overtaxed personnel and artistic inbreeding. In spite of the fact that the Association boasted the largest student program in the nation and the

1 Houston Chronicle, October 6, 1966, Sec. V, p. 2.

2 Robert Marsh, “Houston Report: A Grand Slam Play,” High Fidelity-Musical America, December, 1966, pp. 20-21.

3 Houston Chronicle, December 7, 1966, Sec. II, p. 3.

4 “Report: United States,” Opera News, January 28, 1967, p. 30.

5 Houston Chronicle, March 22, 1967, Sec. II, p. 6.

281

nation’s fourth largest audience, it could claim little widespread community and corporate support.6 Vocally, the Houston operas were of acceptable quality. Leading roles were assumed by ranking artists. Yet, the finest local voices were continually used to good effect as both soloists and chorus members. Chorus members were paid up to one hundred dollars per opera.7 The quality of the visual experience—stage direction, costumes, sets, and lighting—was often inferior, however. Cooperative ventures with San Diego where Walter Herbert also reigned were beneficial. A 1967 production of The Young Lord featured Claramae Turner, Elaine Malbin, and Betty Allen and was an artistic success.8 Though Houston audiences were not completely enthusiastic,9 the production received outstanding national attention and netted for the Houston Grand Opera its first accolades in many months.10 The measures to which Maestro Herbert was forced to resort because of financial exigencies were well illustrated in a 1968 production of Manon that starred Sherrill Milnes. In order to save orchestra costs, Herbert cut all curtain calls but the final one, eliminated one intermission, and moved a Prelude from Act III to Act IV—all to save seven hundred dollars in musicians’ overtime.11 It was common practice for overtures and whole operas to suffer from faster tempos solely in order to avoid overtime.12

6 Houston Post, March 12, 1967, Spotlight, p. 19.

7 Houston Chronicle, September 24, 1967, Zest, p. 11.

8 “Report: United States,” Opera News, January 13, 1968, p. 28.

9 Houston Chronicle, January 14, 1968, Sec. I, p. 9.

10 John Ardain, “Houston,” Opera, April, 1968, p. 294.

11 Houston Post, February 25, 1968, Spotlight, p. 27.

12 Houston Post, October 30, 1968, Sec. III, p. 4.

282

In September 1968, Walter Herbert announced he was moving his administrative headquarters to San Diego for the 1969-70 season. He had been commuting between Houston and the West Coast for three years. San Diego had reportedly offered him a salary of $32,000 with sizeable annual raises guaranteed and additional compensation for regional performances.13 It was Herbert’s plan to conduct two more seasons in Houston. Herbert had built a solid, if harried, organization in Houston. Audiences averaged between ninety-five and ninety-seven percent of seating capacity for performances.14 He was commended for operating within his prescribed budget. Yet, this solvency had legislated artistically uninspired productions. Ticket sales in Houston provided nearly sixty percent of budget requirements, compared to a national average of forty percent.15 In the twenty percent differential lay the maintenance dollar that Houston was not yet acquiring which were the funds so sorely needed for production value. However, one person was hard pressed to stimulate both the artistic and financial affairs of the venture, especially when he was also responsible for the same matters in San Diego. In fairness to Walter Herbert, it should be said that the Houston Grand Opera Association Board was adamant in its vow to operate in the black. Association President Lloyd Fadrique, speaking to the Houston Chamber of Commerce Cultural Affairs Committee, reiterated his determination to operate on a balanced budget “as long as I am President.”16 Carl Cunningham had strongly challenged

13 Houston Post, September 11, 1968, Sec. II, p. 7.

14 Houston Post, October 27, 1968, Spotlight, p. 28.

15 Houston Post, March 12, 1967, Spotlight, p. 19.

16 Houston Chronicle, December 5, 1969, Sec. I, p. 15.

283

the advisability of the “unschooled amateur laymen” of the Opera Association making artistic decisions.17 Ann Holmes agreed. “The Houston Grand Opera has been too protected from the wear of money seeking . . . and hence has become lazy.” Artistically, she continued, the company sorely needed a manager and a separate musical director. Moreover, the stimulation of new conductors, preferably those specializing in the works of a particular composer or period, was long overdue.18 Though Charles Rosekrans and Walter Herbert both conducted away from Houston, too, no other conductor ever occupied the Houston Grand Opera podium.19 The Houston Grand Opera’s enormously successful performances for children were an object of justifiable pride. In 1970, twelve student performances were given for a Jones Hall audience of 36,000—a national record. Children paid one dollar each plus bus fare. Patrons were asked to pay for the tickets of those children who could not present the nominal admission. Walter Herbert had been known to pay for a bus himself to bring children from disadvantaged neighborhoods. The matinees usually featured local singers in leading roles under the direction of audience favorite, Charles Rosekrans. These performances plus the Opera in the Schools project cost the Association some $96,000 annually.20 In the spring of 1970, in the midst of the most concerted maintenance fund drive in Houston Grand Opera history, Maestro Herbert’s administrative assistant, Anne Mead, resigned under fire from the Board. Rumors persisted of Board “interference” in artistic decisions.21 Herbert

17 Houston Post, October 14, 1968, Sec. I, p. 17.

18 Houston Chronicle, January 18, 1970, Zest, p. 11.

19 Houston Chronicle, March 14, 1971, Zest, p. 19.

20 Houston Chronicle, February 1, 1970, Zest, p. 11.

21 Houston Post, May 23, 1970, Sec. II, p. 11.

284

briefly delayed signing his contract in protest. Lending credence to the internal artistic struggle rumors, Association President Lloyd Fadrique declared flatly, “We’re not going to have any Greeks up there walking around in abstract scenery.”22 On June 4, 1970, Fadrique was moved to Chairman of the Houston Grand Opera Board, and Ben Love and Joe Foy were named new President and Vice-President of the Association.23 Walter Herbert released Frank Young from his staff in June, shortly before an announcement was made that a major personnel shuffle was planned.24 Following the Mead departure, Beth Crouch served as bookkeeper, Director of Publicity, and secretary.25 Fadrique announced plans to restructure the organization with an artistic director and an administrative assistant who would also be a resident conductor.26 Presumably, Rosekrans was to get Mead’s job plus conducting responsibilities. Cunningham and Holmes both pleaded for a General Manager and an Artistic Director.27 Homes maintained that no conductor should be manager; it thus made the conductor responsible to the Board, rather than to the General Manager.28 In August 1970, David Gockley was named Business Manager of the Houston Grand Opera. The twenty-seven-year-old Gockley came from a position as Assistant to the Managing Director of Lincoln Center. A graduate of Brown University, Gockley received his Master of Business Administration degree from Columbia University and had served as General

22 Houston Post, May 24, 1970, Spotlight, p. 25.

23 Houston Chronicle, June 4, 1970, Sec. I, p. 20.

24 Houston Chronicle, June 11, 1970, Sec. V, p. 5.

25 Ibid.

26 Houston Chronicle, June 28, 1970, Zest, p. 11.

27 Houston Post, May 31, 1970, Spotlight, p. 16.

28 Houston Chronicle, June 28, 1970, Zest, p. 11.

285

Assistant to John Crosby at the Santa Fe Opera Company. He was married to the leading soprano of the New York City Center Opera Company, Patricia Wise.29 The appointment of Gockley raised local hopes for qualitative improvement.30 “Grand” is the important word in our title, he said. “We must move into all corners of the community in order to grow.”31 Evidence of the fresh spirit in the opera management greeted the public several months later when the 1971 maintenance drive opened under the banner, “Carmen and Her Friends Need 200 Grand.”32 In April, the Opera Board acknowledged its apparent pleasure with Gockley’s performance by naming him Associate Director to Walter Herbert for the Maestro’s final season in Houston. Charles Rosekrans was advanced to Musical Director.33 Late in 1970, Carl Cunningham described the recent history of the Houston Grand Opera. He bemoaned that the Opera had enjoyed neither growth nor increased activity. The quality of singing had hovered around the mediocre level, and productions had been characterized by inept staging and lighting, leaden conducting, and “something borrowed, something blue” costuming. “Opera as total music theater is unknown . . .” in Houston.34 What was needed, Cunningham maintained, was freedom from the Rexford Harrower treadmill, more emphasis on creative stage direction, rehearsal time, and a new dimension of inspired musical direction.35 Ann Holmes added that the old formula of a financially safe

29 Houston Chronicle, August 17, 1970, Sec. I, p. 17.

30 Houston Chronicle, August 21, 1970, Sec. VII, p. 2.

31 Houston Chronicle, November 13, 1970, Sec. III, p. 7.

32 Houston Chronicle, February 28, 1971, Zest, p. 23.

33 Houston Chronicle, April 8, 1971, Sec. III, p. 5.

34 Houston Post, December 27, 1970, Spotlight, p. 24.

35 Houston Post, February 28, 1971, Spotlight, p. 29.

286

and boring production was, she warned, dangerous for the future of opera in Houston. Both often suggested that the examples of Chicago’s Carol Fox, Dallas’ Laurence Kelly, and Seattle’s Glynn Ross were worthy, if not imperative, of emulation.36 The financial efforts of the Houston Grand Opera met with greater success in 1970. Mr. and Mrs. Harris Masterson gave $10,000 to initiate a fund for underwriting a special production of Beethoven’s Fidelio.37 The Association, meanwhile, was seeking a maintenance goal of $158,000. In the previous year, the opera received twenty-two gifts of $500 to $1,000, twenty-two gifts of $1,000 to $3,000, and only five gifts over $3,000. Only half the maintenance dollars had been given by businesses and foundations, and a deficit of approximately $20,000 was anticipated.38 Several of David Gockley’s most creative ideas were strangled by the failure of the Houston City Council to release funds in time for seasons at the new Miller Theatre. In its opening season, Frank Young had staged a spirited production of Bells Are Ringing for the Miller Theatre at a cost of only $4400.39 A Miller Theatre Advisory Council had been formed to secure matching grants for summer seasons at the new facility. The City Council approved its customary $100,000 for the 1969 summer orchestra series, but vetoed a request for $50,000 to fund a series of musicals, jazz concerts, Shakespearean productions, and youth programs at Miller Theatre. Unable to secure a grant that could be matched, the million-dollar facility and its staff sat idle.40

36 Houston Chronicle, March 14, 1970, Zest, p. 19.

37 Houston Chronicle, March 26, 1970, Sec. II, p. 1.

38 Houston Post, March 15, 1970, Sec. B, p. 13.

39 Houston Chronicle, September 26, 1968, Sec. II, p. 2.

40 Houston Chronicle, February 11, 1969, Sec. II, p. 7.

287

The next summer, Frank Young secured a $12,500 grant from the Humphreys Foundation,41 matched it locally, and presented productions of The Boy Friend and Carnival which were even more successful than the previous summer’s Bells Are Ringing.42 Sixty thousand Houstonians saw the free Miller Theatre performances.43 In February 1970, thirty organizations and the Miller Theatre Advisory Council again requested a seed grant of $75,000 from the Houston City Council for an April to September 1970 season of attractions.44 Frank Young formed the organization Music Under the Stars and planned three free summer musicals for Miller Theatre audiences.45 His plans for Kismet boasted a cast of sixty-five singers and a twenty-two-piece orchestra.46 In late May, the City of Houston finally scraped together $30,000 from budget under-runs to give to the Miller Theatre Advisory Council. No money was budgeted for non-symphony Miller Theatre productions.47 In May, the Opera Association announced a production of The Wanderer for Miller Theatre in July. Heralding a promising new policy of cooperative effort, the entire production, including lead singers and stage director, was being imported from the Minneapolis City Center Opera Company.48 The $10,000 cost of the production was financed by a Texas Fine Arts Commission grant and the City of Houston. Seven local singers

41 Houston Chronicle, April 30, 1969, Sec. I, p. 15.

42 Houston Post, July 27, 1969, Spotlight, p. 2.

43 Houston Chronicle, May 24, 1970, Zest, p. 14.

44 Houston Chronicle, February 11, 1970, Sec. III, p. 11.

45 Houston Chronicle, January 27, 1970, Sec. I, p. 8.

46 Houston Chronicle, May 24, 1970, Zest, p. 14.

47 Houston Chronicle, May 31, 1970, Zest, p. 13.

48 Houston Chronicle, May 31, 1970, Zest, p. 14.

288

and five instrumentalists were employed.49 The same organizational concept distinguished a 1971 production of Lucia di Lammermoor with Beverly Sills. The cooperative production was directed by Metropolitan Opera Stage Director, Nathaniel Merrill, and was produced in Houston, Tulsa, New Orleans, Pittsburgh, Seattle, Philadelphia, and Kansas City.50 Though the Miller Theatre Advisory Council did manage to match the funds, money was lost in the delay. The Houston Grand Opera forfeited $4,500 from the Corbett Foundation because of an elapsed deadline. Frank Young, who had been released from the Houston Grand Opera staff by Walter Herbert in June 1970, did manage to receive $3,000 from the Texas Fine Arts Commission and $15,000 from the Humphreys Foundation. The Houston Grand Opera’s The Wanderer and Young’s Kismet were extraordinary successes.51 Once Upon a Mattress followed shortly thereafter with an equally fine production.52 Not since Theatre, Inc. days had the city cooperated so enthusiastically to present musicals for its residents. Over 106,000 persons viewed the two summer musicals at Miller Theatre. Plans for the Grand Opera’s Carmen had to be postponed, however, because of financial shortages. In November 1970, the Jewish Community Center and the Texas Fine Arts Commission gave Frank Young $4,000 for 1971 Music Under the Stars productions.53 Local cultural leaders pleaded with Houston City Council to fund the Miller Theatre season a year ahead in order that bookings and other arrangements could be finalized in sufficient time to facilitate outstanding productions. However, Council was unresponsive. In January

49 Houston Chronicle, May 14, 1970, Sec. III, p. 7.

50 Houston Chronicle, March 23, 1971, Sec. I, p. 11.

51 Houston Chronicle, July 31, 1970, Sec. III, p. 1; June 3, 1970, Sec. VII, p. 5.

52 Houston Chronicle, July 22, 1970, Sec. I, p. 24.

53 Houston Chronicle, November 25, 1970, Sec. II, p. 8.

289

1971, the Pearl Brewing Company appropriated $42,500 for Theatre Under The Stars.54 With some $20,000 raised from other sources, the Pearl gift comprised nearly half the $125,000 Frank Young needed for his 1971 season.55 The Miller Theatre Advisory Council requested $97,250 from the City of Houston to fund fifty-eight performances by seventeen organizations. Included in the request was $62,500 for Theatre Under the Starts, $15,000 for the Houston Grand Opera, and $10,000 for the Houston Shakespeare Society. The entire request was equal, said Ann Holmes, to the cost of paving twelve feet of a four-lane street.56 In May, the City Council refused to accept the Mayor’s proposed budget, leaving all the organizations in limbo. David Gockley appeared before City Council late in May to urge the appropriation of funds at the last minute for the Houston Grand Opera production of The Threepenny Opera. When no response was forthcoming from Council by June, Gockley reluctantly cancelled the summer production. Other organizations similarly were forced to abandon their efforts.57 Theatre Under The Stars was able to produce Can-Can with money already in hand. The summer symphony season also began at Miller Theatre. Finally, in late June, the City Council gave the Miller Theatre Advisory Council $30,000 as an “indication of their intention” to appropriate funds. The Advisory Council granted $3,000 to the patiently- waiting Shakespeare Society for its August production of Midsummer Night’s Dream and also provided Frank Young the $27,000 he needed to

54 Houston Chronicle, January 19, 1971, Sec. I, p. 13.

55 Ibid.

56 Houston Chronicle, May 25, 1971, Sec. III, p. 7.

57 Houston Chronicle, May 30, 1971, Zest, p. 16.

290

finance a production of Gypsy.58 Meanwhile, the Municipal Band, which was usually housed at Miller Theatre, became frustrated with scheduling problems and set up its stands in the heart of the Civic Center. Flanked by Jones Hall and the Alley Theatre, Ralph Liese conducted the forty-five-piece ensemble under the shade of a billowing orange parachute in a series of noontime weekday concerts. Large round tables were set up on the plaza; concession stands sold drinks and sandwiches; and lunchtime office workers congregated for the weekly happening. The concerts were provided by a $16,000 Parks and Recreation Department grant matched by the Music Performance Trust Fund.59 While the City Council debated the new budget and delayed funding Miller Theatre events, other city agencies were aggressively pursuing several promising new programs. Corporate support of the arts in Houston enjoyed a long and significant history. Following the lead of a 1965 Sakowitz Festival of the Arts, the Houston Chamber of Commerce had assumed the Festival coordination and expanded the month-long program to the point that it involved some seventy-five organizations and seventy events.60 The Cultural Affairs Committee of the Chamber was elevated to full committee status in January 1968 in response to the growing range of its responsibilities.61 Chair, Lawrence Marcus, pointed to the ascension of Houston to major cultural rank as the prime reason for the committee’s new position.62 The new committee filled a void left by the defunct Houston

58 Houston Chronicle, June 23, 1971, Sec. VI, p. 12.

59 Houston Chronicle, June 11, 1970, Sec. V, p. 5.

60 Houston Chronicle, September 19, 1967, Sec. I, p. 8.

61 Houston Chronicle, January 28, 1968, Sec. I, p. 19.

62 Ibid.

291

City Arts Council but sought to broaden its activities and influence in many totally new directions. The Committee made several major contributions to the cultural fabric of Houston. As the Houston Arts Council had never done, the Cultural Affairs Committee became an avenue of communication for the diverse elements that were represented in its membership. Moreover, the Committee assumed several projects of major importance and pervasive influence. The Houston Arts Festival became the Spotlight on the Arts and expanded from seventy events to over one hundred events.63 The Committee produced an elaborate booklet entitled, Houston and the Arts: A Marriage of Convenience that Became a Love Affair. The lavishly illustrated volume chronicled all the major cultural organizations and events of the city and was designed as a national promotional piece. In an effort to compile and disseminate meaningful data on the economic and social impact of the arts in the community, the Committee prepared an extensive 1969 report on the state of the arts in Houston. Among other things, the report revealed a 1969 expenditure of $2,195,535 for non-profit musical activities. Attendance totaled 572,715. Some 9,894 individual, 1,247 business firms, and 108 foundation donations were reported. The three largest musical organizations reported gifts as follows:

Individual Business Foundation HGO 66.66% 33.33% 0.00 HSO 40.00% 30.00% 30.00% SPA 71.17% 1.22% 27.57% 64

63 Houston Chamber of Commerce Cultural Affairs Committee Annual Reports, 1968 and 1969.

64 Economic and Social Impact of the Civic Arts in Houston, Houston: Houston Chamber of Commerce, 1969. 292

Plans were made to prepare an expanded report in 1972 that would include commercial enterprises and educational activities. “Houston thinks art is good business,” local clothing magnate Robert Sakowitz explained in a Newsweek interview.65 One of the oldest programs of corporate support in the city was claimed by Foley Brothers Department Store. In the 1930s, the department store had presented Grand Opera Etchings in its Town Hall facility featuring local talent. Over the years, Foley’s had also hired many Houston Symphony musicians to provide employment during the summer months. In more recent times, the store had loaned the expertise of its management to a variety of cultural enterprises. Foley’s won a Business Committee for the Arts award in 1968 and pioneered in the establishment of the largest retail ticket department in the nation grossing $2.5 million in 1969. In addition, Foley’s directly sponsored a May series of Spring Fever Concerts by the Houston Symphony Orchestra that were held in Jones Hall in order to encourage a new audience and to extend the season for the musicians.66 In 1970, Foley’s expanded its role as entrepreneur and sponsored a series of twelve Sounds of the 70’s concerts by the Houston Symphony Orchestra throughout the season. For some twenty years, the Houston Symphony Society had sponsored an annual student audition. Instituted by Ima Hogg, the audition offered a small cash award and a performance opportunity with the orchestra.67 In 1968, Pennzoil United announced its first Annual Young Artists Competition. Prizes of $1500, $1000, and $500 were offered plus a Houston Symphony appearance for the first-place winner. The panel of judges included Gary Graffman, Sidney Harth, Roy Harris, and Vladimir

65 “Debut in Houston,” Newsweek, October 17, 1966, p. 108.

66 Houston Chronicle, June 29, 1969, Zest, p. 23.

67 Houston Post, October 22, 1967, Spotlight, p. 25.

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Ashkenazy.68 Forty-six international contestants entered the competition. Despite the success of the event, Pennzoil dropped its sponsorship in 1970 in order to contribute more significantly to the maintenance fund of the orchestra.69 The Society for the Performing Arts, meanwhile, suffered a staggering $86,606 deficit in its first season. Attendance for many events was shockingly low; Van Cliburn drew an audience of only 2,416; 455 heard Lili Kraus; 685 attended the recital by Montserrat Caballé. For some reason, the SPA had an elitist-connoisseur image in the community that discouraged the development of a general audience.70 In 1968, therefore, the Society sought to deepen its roots. A three-hundred-member group of colleagues was formed; Houstonian Jim Bernhard was named Assistant Manager.71 Several problems seemed to be plaguing the new organization. The death of Edna Saunders removed from the local scene an individual who had a virtual monopoly on imported attractions. Furthermore, her expertise, based on an intimate knowledge of the city developed over many years, was irretrievable. Following her death, several entrepreneurs had tried and failed so that both New York agents and the Houston public became skeptical and pessimistic.72 Southwest Concerts head Art Squires claimed the SPA was paying too much for its artists. “They lose when they sign,” he asserted.73 These factors plus the general demise of the recital era were major factors in the operation of the Society’s first year.

68 Houston Chronicle, September 5, 1968, Sec. VI, p. 3.

69 Houston Symphony Society minutes, June 11, 1970.

70 Houston Post, May 12, 1968, Spotlight, p. 27.

71 Houston Post, September 18, 1968, Sec. I, p. 18.

72 Houston Chronicle, September 22, 1968, Zest, p. 25.

73 Houston Chronicle, September 25, 1968, Sec. II, p. 11.

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The operating deficit was cut to $25,000 for the second year of operation. However, only six of the fifteen scheduled events enjoyed an attendance greater than 1,000.74 By 1970, the organization had an accumulated deficit of $143,000, due mainly to losses incurred on popular attractions.75 The Society for the Performing Arts, therefore, wisely decided to specialize in a lesser number of quality presentations.76 Jim Bernhard was named new manager of SPA in April 1970 following the departure of Martin. Among the changes announced for SPA were a wider reliance on the general public, lower priced tickets, increased dialog with patrons, and decentralization of events.77 Bernhard’s first season of eleven quality productions was limited to serious artists and avoided competition with local commercial booking agencies.78 In July 1970, the SPA undertook it first maintenance drive for $85,000.79 Among the other entrepreneurs, Southwest Concerts joined with Neiman-Marcus in sponsoring a twenty-two-program season of mixed attractions opening with the Vienna Boys Choir. Nell Harris, on the other hand, sustained great losses on the 1967-68 season and, in February, cancelled all but one remaining event.80 Chamber music continued to prosper. Richard Pickar’s Contemporary Chamber Players were formed in 1967.81 Dedicated to adventurous new music scored for unconventional small musical units,

74 Houston Chronicle, March 21, 1969, Sec. VI, p. 1.

75 Houston Chronicle, February 27, 1970, Sec. II, p. 5.

76 Houston Chronicle, February 27, 1970, Sec. II, p. 5.

77 Houston Chronicle, April 5, 1970, Zest, p. 17.

78 Houston Chronicle, April 25, 1970, Zest, p. 15.

79 Houston Chronicle, July 13, 1970, Sec. I, p. 12.

80 Houston Chronicle, February 25, 1968, Sec. I, p. 13.

81 Houston Post, December 28, 1967, Sec. IV, p. 2.

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the group performed several concerts annually with the support of the Music Performance Trust Fund. In 1970, the Music Guild sponsored concerts by Jan Cole’s Musica Antiqua, a new organization that devoted its attention to pre-Baroque works.82 By 1970, Houston claimed at least one chamber organization devoted to virtually every phase of activity, with the notable exception of small choral ensembles. Given the traditional measure of chamber music as the most accurate indication of a city’s musical development, Houston had reason to be proud of its activity. The city had come a long way from the Music Guild’s timorous first effort in 1948.83 Yet, repertoire remained conservative; performance quality varied widely; and audiences in many cases were small and hostile to forays into the unfamiliar.84 During this period, the Music Guild moved to the new Junior League Building and then moved again into homes; the Virtuoso Quartet signed with New York’s Herbert Barrett Agency;85 The J. S. Bach Society dissolved;86 and the Jewish Community Center constructed a superb new 325-seat theater to house its concert series.87 The mainstay of the city’s choral activity had long been Al Urbach’s Chorale. In the spring of 1967, the Symphony cellist announced his intention to resign from both the Orchestra and Chorale and move to Colorado. At its May meeting, the Symphony Society Board of Directors presented Urbach a special resolution commemorating his twenty years in Houston, his service as Personnel Manager and Operational Manager of the

82 Houston Chronicle, December 10, 1970, Sec. VI, p. 1.

83 Houston Post, May 14, 1967, Spotlight, p. 25.

84 Houston Post, December 27, 1970, Spotlight, p. 25.

85 Houston Chronicle, June 18, 1967, Sec. I, p. 24.

86 Houston Chronicle, December 29, 1968, Zest, p. 11.

87 Houston Chronicle, January 31, 1969, Sec. III, p. 8.

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Orchestra, his founding of the Houston Chorale, and his “legacy of loyalty and infallible musicianship.”88 Urbach moved with his family to Grand Junction, Colorado where he lived until his death in 1998. Dr. Clyde Roller was named new director of the Chorale in late April 1967;89 however, Associate Chorale Conductor Wayne Bedford assumed the responsibility for the Chorale in 1968.90 In November, the Chorale was reorganized and renamed the Houston Symphony Chorale.91 Under the new organization, the Chorale functioned under a salaried director, four professional section leaders, a salaried accompanist, and the administrative structure of the Orchestra. At the first rehearsal of the Chorale in 1946, Houston Youth Symphony conductor, Howard Webb, personally had set up the chairs at the old Houston Conservatory of Music. During the intervening years, the Chorale had often displaced the three fire trucks at Station No. 2 in order to warm up before a Music Hall performance.92 By the occasion of its silver anniversary, Howard Webb was the only remaining charter member of the Chorale.93 Bedford died shortly after assuming leadership of the ensemble and was replaced by Donald Strong, director of the Rice University Singers. The other object of Webb’s attention, the Houston Youth Symphony, marked its twenty-fifth year in 1972. Most recently under the baton of Robert Linder, the ensemble celebrated its silver anniversary by honoring Alley Theatre head Nina Vance as “Cultural Leader of the Year” at a black

88 Houston Symphony Society Board minutes, May 24, 1967.

89 Houston Chronicle, April 30, 1967, Zest, p. 23.

90 Houston Chronicle, November 1, 1968, Sec. I, p. 12.

91 Houston Symphony Society Board minutes, November 21, 1968.

92 Houston Chronicle, December 15, 1968, Zest, p. 15.

93 Houston Chronicle, November 9, 1971, Sec. IV, p. 3.

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tie fund-raising dinner.94 The All-City Symphony, meanwhile, continued its traveling ways with a 1967 trip to Mexico95 and a 1969 tour of England and Wales.96 Upon returning from the British Isles, conductor Harry Lantz announced his resignation and his appointment to the music faculty of the University of Wisconsin.97 Elsewhere in the city, the University of St. Thomas Singers was actively performing a broad spectrum of stimulating repertoire under the direction of Herff Applewhite. In 1966, Menotti’s The Unicorn, the Gorgon and the Manticore was staged with great success.98 In 1969, Applewhite organized the Houston Festival Choir, similar in character to the chorus that Noble Cain had formed during his Houston tenure.99 When Applewhite was granted a leave of absence for the 1970-71 academic year, the Houston Post critic Carl Cunningham was named head of the St. Thomas music faculty. Aaron Copland headed the 1969 University of Houston New Music Symposium that was now sponsored by the University itself.100 Attendance and public support of the 1970 event, however, was at an all-time low.101 In May 1970, Dr. Earl Moore retired as Chairman of the University of Houston Department of Music and was succeeded by Dr. Robert Briggs,

94 Houston Chamber of Commerce Cultural Affairs Committee minutes, February 3, 1972.

95 Houston Post, May 29, 1967, Spotlight, p. 23.

96 Houston Chronicle, June 15, 1969, Zest, p. 22.

97 Houston Chronicle, July 24, 1969, Sec. V, p. 3.

98 Houston Post, October 31, 1966, Sec. I, p. 18.

99 Houston Chronicle, July 3, 1969, Sec. II, p. 5.

100 Houston Chronicle, January 20, 1969, Sec. II, p. 4.

101 Houston Chronicle, March 13, 1970, Sec. III, p. 7.

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then Secretary of the National Association of Schools of Music.102 The University inaugurated a Texas High School String Festival in 1971103 and later in the same year hosted the sixth annual Conference of the American Society of University Composers.104 Under construction was a new $5.2 million fine arts building designed to house the forty-one faculty members and three hundred sixty students of the Music Department.105 Texas Southern University opened its new $600,000 Music Building in 1970. Dr. Jack Bradley, former Denver Symphony violinist, headed the fifteen TSU music faculty members.106 The University continued to enhance the musical activity of the Houston academic community sponsoring appearances by the New Orleans and Dallas Symphony Orchestras and by promoting a series of events designed to recognize and stimulate creative musical achievement in the black community. The music department at newly-founded Houston Baptist College showed evidence of growing maturity during this period, especially in vocal and choral music. Known for its widely-recognized concert choir, the College drew favorable attention with the creation of a Community Opera Company. Directed by two well-known artists, Dr. William Guthrie and Virginia Babikian, the company presented a “fresh and lively” production of The Marriage of Figaro in 1971107 and an outstanding production of Robert Ward’s The Crucible in 1972 with the composer present.108 Plans were announced for a commissioned work by Ward to celebrate the College’s

102 Houston Chronicle, May 21, 1970, Sec. I, p. 21.

103 Houston Post, January 25, 1971, Sec. C, p. 4.

104 Houston Post, April 11, 1971, Spotlight, p. 26.

105 Houston Chronicle, June 13, 1971, Zest, p. 15.

106 Houston Post, November 22, 1970, Spotlight, p. 29.

107 Houston Post, February 20, 1971, Sec. A, p. 11.

108 Houston Post, February 19, 1972, Sec. A, p. 19.

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tenth anniversary in 1973. In 1969, Robert Linder, former conductor of the Houston Youth Symphony, joined the College faculty and also assumed the position of conductor of the Houston Civic Symphony which the College supported.109 In 1972, the Houston Baptist College Chorus, the Rice Chorale, and the Houston Symphony Chorale joined the Houston Symphony Orchestra in a memorable performance of Prokofiev’s Alexander Nevsky replete with film excerpts from the Eisenstein motion picture.110 Rice University hosted an active schedule of chamber recitals. Rice had received a sizeable grant for music from Mrs. Sallie Shepherd Perkins in 1950; it was the recipient of an additional $4.5 million bequest in 1968.111 But, it was not until the presidency of Dr. Norman Hackerman that an attempt was made to establish a School of Music as a degree- granting entity on the Rice campus. Overtures were made to famed conductor Robert Shaw who, at the time, had resigned as conductor of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. Rice’s interest became apparent when Shaw delivered an address on the campus as a part of the President’s Lectureship Series. President Hackerman acknowledged discussions were being held.112 The presence of Miss Ima Hogg and several Houston Symphony Orchestra officials at the lecture prompted speculation of a possible joint appointment by the Orchestra and the University and created doubt about Clyde Roller’s future with the Houston orchestra. Shaw subsequently was re-employed by the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, but Clyde Roller resigned his Houston Symphony position in April 1972, making way for the appointment of a new assistant conductor, Lawrence Foster.113

109 Houston Chronicle, September 10, 1967, Spotlight, p. 21.

110 Houston Symphony Orchestra programs, April 10, 1972.

111 Houston Post, November 24, 1968, Spotlight, p. 28.

112 Houston Chronicle, February 25, 1972, Sec. IV, p. 12.

113 Houston Chronicle, November 2, 1969, Spotlight, p. 27. 300

The Houston Independent School District, like most urban districts, was increasingly troubled by financial problems. In 1969, the School Board sliced music instruction from the primary grades and reduced the number of elementary music teachers from 111 to 66. Tuition support was also dropped from the junior high school instrumental program.114 Subsequent attempts by school volunteer organizations to fill the void left in the elementary school programs were inadequate for existing needs. However, the Young Audiences program begun in 1957 by Fredell Lack, Mrs. Charles Bybee, and Mrs. Hilton Hearn continued to grow. In 1971, two hundred programs in the schools enjoyed an average attendance of three hundred students. The $130 cost of each forty-five-minute program was jointly borne by the school and Young Audiences. The organization’s funds were garnered from many sources, chief of which were the Music Performance Trust Fund, the Texas Fine Arts Association, and the National Endowment for the Arts. Some thirty-seven professional musicians staffed the nine ensembles participating in the 1971 program.115 Another successful music education program was the Houston Grand Opera Guild’s Opera in the Schools begun in 1960. By 1972, the Guild had produced 207 performances in 176 schools before a combined audience of 107,200 students. The operas produced included -Bastienne, La Serva Padrona, The Telephone, The Night Bell, and scenes from Ballad of Baby and La Boheme.116 Houston had long maintained a commitment to its young, aspiring musicians. Ray Fliegel, Fredell Lack, Drusilla Huffmaster, Jacques Abram, Herbert and Alfred Teltschik, and many other performers bore evidence of this support. The Houston Youth Symphony and All-City Orchestra were additional beneficiaries of the city’s dedication to the nurture of developing

114 Houston Post, November 2, 1969, Spotlight, p. 27.

115 Houston Chronicle, January 17, 1971, Texas Magazine, p. 6.

116 Houston Chronicle, October 31, 1971, Sec. VIII, p. 9. 301

talent. For several years, the idea of a special school for talented young creative artists had been promoted. In 1969, Lamar High School drama teacher Ruth Denney and conductor Harry Lantz gave detailed proposals for such a high school to officials of the Houston Independent School District.117 With the coming of a new school superintendent receptive to the idea, the dream took flight. Superintendent George Garver and Mrs. Denny presented their plans for a High School for the Performing and Visual Arts to the Chamber of Commerce in April 1971.118 By fall, the school—one of only four in the nation—enrolled its first students in classes in drama, music, dance, graphic arts, film, and media.119 Some 270 teenagers were selected from 1200 applicants for the first class. Students participated in regular academic classes daily and then were part of an extended-day professional program each afternoon. The faculty of fifteen was selected from three hundred applicants and was regularly supplemented by professional groups or individuals and college instructors from the Houston community. Student reaction to the new school was wildly enthusiastic. “Going to this school makes you want to flunk high school ten times so that you can keep coming back.”120 One student comment seemed a particularly incisive description of the Houston musical environment in general. “Wow! Like it’s a big pot of rainbows all melting together.”121 For all those who had helped shape the cultural destiny of the city, the 1972 musical moment indeed seemed full of rainbows.

117 Houston Chronicle, May 13, 1969, Sec. II, p. 8.

118 Houston Post, April 2, 1971, Sec. A, p. 17.

119 Houston Post, September 25, 1971, Sec. A, p. 13.

120 Houston Chronicle, October 17, 1971, Texas Magazine, p. 13.

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SUMMARY The advent of the 1970’s found the Houston Grand Opera Association struggling to achieve consistent artistic distinction in the face of an insufficient financial base and administrative myopia. Walter Herbert’s announced intention to move to San Diego resulted in the appointment of David Gockley as Associate Director and Charles Rosekrans as Music Director of the Houston Grand Opera. Under new leadership, the Opera Association mounted an aggressive development campaign and extended its pervasiveness with new community endeavors. The new Miller Theatre housed a bevy of variously-sponsored attractions. Frank Young created Theatre Under The Stars and secured funding from a number of foundations and business sources for his summer season of musicals. The Houston City Council, however, refused to support non-symphony activity in its new Hermann Park Theatre through budgeted monies. Therefore, for the first several years of Miller’s existence, City financing was scraped together from end-of-the-year budget under-runs and was given far too late in the season to permit effective planning and execution of a summer season of events. The Houston Chamber of Commerce created a Cultural Affairs Committee in 1968 which performed a catalytic function in establishing a series of cooperative ventures by Houston’s cultural and business communities. The Committee also provided the first effective forum for the exchange of both ideas and information concerning the arts in Houston. The founding of the Society for the Performing Arts was followed by immediate and extensive financial losses. Under the direction of a new manager, Jim Bernhard, however, the Society refined its focus and concentrated on a more limited season of selective attractions. Furthermore, the SPA conducted its first general maintenance drive in 1970 seeking broadly based community support.

121 Ibid. 303

During this period, Houston’s fraternity of music ensembles added the Contemporary Chamber Players, Musica Antiqua, and the Houston Festival Chorus to its membership and acknowledged the creation of the Houston Symphony Chorale from Al Urbach’s former Houston Chorale. Musical enterprise in the colleges and schools of the city flourished. The Young Audiences and Opera in the Schools programs enjoyed immense popularity and permeated all segments of the local school society. Houston’s long tradition of community commitment to its young people was best evidenced in 1971 by the establishment of a High School for the Performing and Visual Arts. Mindful of the notable careers of the many musical artists whose professional acclaim followed early training in the Houston public schools, the High School sought to stimulate creative development of talent in the performing arts. It represented only the fourth such institution in the nation. The support of the city for the All-City Symphony, the Houston Youth Symphony, the High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, and a host of other ensembles and activities for young people was an additional manifestation of Houston’s cultural conviction that ultimate stability and gain was best derived from the stimulation and nurture of local resources. Complementing the public school music emphasis were the music departments of Houston colleges and universities including the University of Houston, Texas Southern University, Houston Baptist College, Rice University, and the University of St. Thomas. Particularly noteworthy to the city was the body of chamber music performed in collegiate concert halls reflecting the relative absence of smaller, civic performance facilities.

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CHAPTER EIGHT

THE HEART OF THE MATTER: A SUMMARY 1931-1971

A concert performance is never insulated from the milieu in which it has its being. It cannot function without a set of congenial circumstances—a social soil—which permits its existence and determines its content. The sources of economic support, the traditional cultural values, the expectation of the audiences, the pedagogical institutions which propagate the art, the political climate, the technology which produces the instrument, the lure of competitive alternative pleasures are only a few of the miscellany of factors that mold the system into a reflection of ourselves.1

The biography of musical Houston reveals a variety of forces that shaped its destiny at the many twists of its historical road. A number of beneficent factors flowed from the character of the city itself. Houston enjoyed virtually every major economic stimuli the twentieth century had to offer—cotton, lumber, rice, cattle, construction, shipping, oil, petro- chemicals, outer space, finance, and computing. The city’s building boom alone was able to carry it successfully through the early days of the depression. To its credit, Houston rarely flaunted its bounty; however, a solid civic confidence emerged that stemmed from the prosperity the city enjoyed in the course of its history. This economic vitality was additionally stimulated by a post-World War II population explosion that catapulted Houston to fifth in size among American’s cities by 1971. The city’s mammoth industrial complex spawned of World War II converted its post-war energies to civilian applications with little effort and gathered around itself legions of supplementary enterprise. The establishment of the Manned Spacecraft Center in Houston in the early 1960’s swelled an already corpulent

1 John Mueller, The American Symphony Orchestra (Bloomington, Indiana: Indiana University Press, 1951), p. 3.

305 community of scholars and added yet another major source of population to the region. In the early 1970’s, a number of international firms began moving corporate headquarters to Houston. Shell Oil Corporation spent twenty- five million dollars to move the office force of its New York City headquarters to Houston, setting an example that others would follow in the later twentieth century as Houston moved to the fourth largest city in the nation. Construction giant M. W. Kellog followed suit, as did a host of other industrial firms. The impact of these economic and urban developments on the cultural life of Houston was the development of a cosmopolitan, highly-educated, professional populace whose median age was not quite thirty years. These were residents accustomed to a viable, bustling central city core characterized by cultural opportunities of all kinds. As a result of these corporate moves, cultural Houston enjoyed not only a larger audience, but also one with an enormous range of tastes and experience. However, the 8 to 5 character of downtown Houston and the lack of central city housing were among the first attributes to be challenged by new corporate transfers. In The Culture Consumers Alvin Toffler suggested three pre- conditions for a “cultural explosion”: education, leisure, and money.2 This contention was supported by a study by Baumol and Bowen of the economic state of the performing arts in America. Their findings showed the typical United States audience in the 1960’s represented an extremely narrow segment of society, was remarkably consistent from city to city and from art form to art form, and was typically composed of persons with a median age of thirty years, sixty percent of whom were professionals.3 More than fifty percent were products of graduate education, and the

2 Alvin Toffler, The Culture Consumers (New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1964), p. 46.

3 William Baumol and William Bowen, Performing Arts: The Economic Dilemma (New York: The Twentieth Century Fund, 1966, p. 96.

306 overall median income of the group in 1965 was $11,000.4 Toffler’s pre- conditions were explicitly met in Houston, a city remarkable for its youth, its relative wealth, and its educational level. The legacy of an established cultured citizenry also was instrumental in the propagation of Houston’s musical development. This heritage may be observed not only in the activities of numerous individuals but also in the activity of the Tuesday Musical Club, the Museum of Fine Arts, the Junior League, Friends of Music, the Contemporary Arts Association, and a variety of other sponsoring entities. Support of cultural activities was considered a matter of civic responsibility. In his book Houston: the Bayou City, David McComb observed that the grass roots of Houston’s generous philanthropy lay in its “southern heritage, in the expansive opportunistic nature of the area, and in its strong business orientation.”5 Columnist George Fuermann added: . . . the more civilized of the old Houston settlers got the first great fortunes in Texas. They gave heavily to cultural as well as civic enterprises out of their natural instincts, and by so doing, they made it fashionable. The newer crew . . . may not realize it, but their pattern of generous giving is undoubtedly influenced by that of the older, respected, and respectable set.6

Raul Askew credited the philanthropy of the Ford Foundation in the 1960’s to “the strength of Houston’s civic purpose,” resulting from this early conviction of community responsibility for matters artistic.7 Famed scholar Dr. William Arrowsmith observed: Culture [in Texas] is in the name of civic zeal, reputation or

4 Ibid. p. 84.

5 David McComb, Houston: The Bayou City (Austin: The University of Texas Press, 1969), p. 206.

6 George Fuermann, Houston: Land of the Big Rich (Garden City, New York: Doubleday and Company, 1951), p. 42.

7 Houston Chronicle, December 27, 1962, Sec. II, p. 8.

307 image. What Dallas and Houston want, they will have . . . The arts and humanities in Texas flourish . . . because it is a part of public and civic policy to make them go.8

It is significant that no Boston Higginson or Cleveland Severance was ever required to finance the Houston musical enterprise totally. Houston’s support of its musical activity through broadly based participation served as a major source of strength in the city’s cultural development. There also developed in Houston a confidence, stemming from a community sense of responsibility, which continues to permeate its activity. Much of this confidence was financially rooted. Much of it, however, was pure spirit. This is yet another indication of Houston’s heritage as a city of Western independence rather than just of Southern gentility. Larry McMurtry observed: One of the most appealing things about Houston is its civic confidence . . . It never occurs to Houstonians that anyone would ever want to put them down; they assume you’ll think they’re wonderful, and as a consequence, you often do. . . Houston definitely feels itself a winner.9

Hubert Roussel often commented that Houston’s confidence caused the city of “make little fuss” over its accomplishments outside its own perimeters.10 Houston frequently determined its own goals and went confidently about achieving them. This attitude, however, had both positive and negative effects. For many years, the city suffered needless publicity poverty, simply because Houston saw no real need to trumpet its merits abroad. On the other hand, when it knew it had a fine product, the city did not hesitate to place

8 David Nevin, The Texans (New York: William Morrow and Company, Inc., 1968,) p. 188.

9 Larry McMurtry, “Big H is for Houston,” Holiday, April 1968, p. 80.

10 Hubert Roussel, “Lively Accompaniment in the Lively Arts,” High Fidelity- Musical America, July, 1965, p. 10.

308 its orchestra before the New York critics or to send a group of its high school instrumentalists to the home of the Wagner Festival in Bayreuth. John Mueller, in his analysis of the American symphony orchestra, credited much of the zeal of some cities to their desire “to crash the company of the cultivated East.” Though it is true that the inclusion of Houston among the nation’s major cultural centers was welcomed, it was a recognition that was not fervently sought. This is amply illustrated by the numerous references in the 1960’s to the emergence of cultural Houston from beneath its self-imposed cloak. Gentlemen’s Quarterly observed, “The secret is out . . . There is a cultural boom in Texas and the . . . wonderfully exciting city of Houston is leading it.”11 Another characteristic that fostered the development of the musical arts during this period of time was its competitive spirit with the city of Dallas. Antal Dorati’s Dallas Symphony Orchestra appointment doubtless hastened Ernst Hoffmann’s demise on the Houston podium. The 1951 decision of the Metropolitan Opera to drop Houston from its national tour and retain Dallas severely wounded the pride of many Houstonians, though one never heard it admitted. This decision may have been fortuitous, however, for it was a precipitating force in the establishment of the Houston Grand Opera Association several years later. Hubert Roussel and John Rosenfield, representing the Houston Post and The Dallas Morning News respectively, were brilliant spokesmen for the two cities. Their intersectional potshots kept alive a cultural contest for many years—for the benefit of both cities. In the decade of

11 George Garrett, “Cultural Boom in Houston,” Gentlemen’s Quarterly, October, 1963, p. 78.

309 the sixties, however, Houston’s symphony orchestra pulled far ahead of its sister city, and its opera company seemed little inclined to emulate the brief-but-brilliant seasons of its North Texas neighbor. Consequently, competitive spirit between the two cities morphed into a healthier emulation model that included other American cultural capitals as well. There was a second, subtler influence exerted by Dallas. Dallas’ merchandising profession had long dominated the personality of the city. With every major cultural event, national publicity was planned, sought, and encouraged. The retail giant, Neiman Marcus, once placed an ad trumpeting the appearance of the acclaimed soprano Maria Callas with the Dallas Civic Opera. “We extend our deep sympathy to the City of New York whose Metropolitan Opera Company apparently finds itself incapable of coping with a power and genius of this dimension.”12 The extraordinary Neiman-Marcus “International Fortnights” of this period typified Dallas’ civic merchandizing-publicity model. Yet, this attitude was attributed to a basic civic insecurity.13 John Rosenfield called Dallas’ constant need for reassurance a “characteristic of a frontier society where emphasis is by necessity on creation . . . and where doers are heroes.”14 In its zeal not to do anything that might be construed imitative of Dallas, however, Houston contained its successes far too tightly to be in its best interest. Despite the pleas of local critics, Houston suffered a needlessly slow emergence as a recognized major cultural center because of its reluctance to publicize its accomplishments. Houston’s central business district was vibrant, expanding, and robust though ringed by scores of suburban developments and characterized by an 8 to 5 operational model. Houston was historically an

12 John Bainbridge, The Super Americans (New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1961), p. 16.

13 McMurtry, p. 80.

14 John Bainbridge, p. 321.

310 automobile city, reluctant to adopt mass transportation and to abandon the freedom of personal mobility independence. The central-city location of the Civic Center affirmed the geographical distribution of the ticket-buying public but also the relative ease of travel from all sections of the city. Cultural progress was not stymied by a geographical decentralization of facility location or by difficulty of travel within the city. The center-city housing of most cultural events, therefore, helped maintain an active audience drawn from all sections of the region. The decision to build Jones Hall and the Alley Theatre in what became known as the “Theater District” paved the way for the ultimate location of Wortham Center, the Hobby Center, the George Brown Convention Center, and downtown housing for professional sports in baseball, basketball, and soccer. By the end of the twentieth century, downtown Houston was experiencing a new era of robust activity that provided major support for the musical arts. Supplementing these influences of the city itself was a chain of actions designed to foster Houston’s musical development. There was a firm and basic commitment to local talent. The fact that Houston was far south of the east-west cultural axis forced the city to be independent. In this respect, it shared a common characteristic with other Southern cities. Though touring artists were readily available, the long-range hopes for musical achievement rested in a corps of resident musicians. This was very different from the shared resources model adopted by Chicago, St. Louis, Cleveland, Boston, Philadelphia, and New York in a railroad- dominated era of growth in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. Houston’s nearest cultural neighbors, New Orleans, Dallas, and San Antonio were simply too distant to offer promise for commuting personnel. This fact forced dependence on local resources as the only practical means of musical development. The principal sources of musical employment in the 1930’s were local churches, public schools, hotel and theater orchestras, supper clubs,

311 and radio bands. As years passed, teaching opportunities and Houston Symphony Orchestra membership gradually supplanted many of these earlier instrumental positions; choral and vocal work, however, continued to be propagated chiefly by churches and schools. In time, growth of the Houston Symphony Orchestra became the greatest single factor in the development of the musical life of the city. The Orchestra had been born in the midst of a depression that marked the end of most vaudeville and movie theater, radio, and hotel orchestras. By 1940, few local bands remained. The growth of the Houston Symphony, however, provided a means for many Houston musicians to remain in the city and offered a new performance opportunity to many local instrumental teachers. Each of the Symphony’s conductors since Hoffmann was important in bringing a sizeable complement of new performers to Houston. With each change of regime, an improved orchestra greeted the Houston audience. Many of the key musicians made Houston their permanent home and became productive members of the musical community. With the achievement of a fifty-two-week contract in 1971, the Orchestra members could rely on a competitive annual wage solely from Houston Symphony membership for the first time in history. This placed the orchestra in the ranks of only a few other American ensembles and created exceptionally attractive terms for recruiting the finest musical artists for its membership. The city wisely devoted it early attention to the development of a strong orchestra as its chief priority. By directing its energies toward a fundamental organization, Houston was able to imbue the Orchestra with financial solidarity and civic commitment. The wisdom of this model was well illustrated in 1970 by the tragic floundering of Atlanta’s cultural corps, resulting from the simultaneous emergence of several organizations and the concomitant competition for financial support. Because of its strength, the Houston Symphony was able to provide musical stability for

312 the newly founded Houston Grand Opera and to feed the vociferous Houston appetite for chamber music without jeopardizing its own financial base. Ironically, many of the orchestra’s progeny ultimately enjoyed more secure financial health than the parent organization. A strong and often controversial Symphony management was at the heart of the Orchestra’s growth. The history of the Houston Symphony Orchestra reveals many decisions in which financial rather than artistic considerations prevailed. The title of Musical Director, for example, was rarely granted by the Society in the early twentieth century, and prestigious conductors were moved on and off the Houston podium in reflection of attitudes prevalent in the Society’s powerful Executive Committee. Yet, the Orchestra grew, prospered, and reached musical maturity under Barbirolli. The Houston Symphony Society boasts a history of leadership by the city’s most prominent figures. Most illustrious among these Houstonians was Miss Ima Hogg, the Orchestra’s founder, chief architect, and most stalwart supporter. Her dream for an orchestra, her organization of the Symphony Society women, her years as President of the Society, and her loyal concert attendance—even at age ninety, set Miss Hogg as one of the most remarkable cultural leaders in the United States, a distinction freely acknowledged by the nation’s leading musical observers.15 Miss Hogg was vitally aware of the importance of powerful civic leaders to the ultimate success of the cultural venture. During her years as President of the Symphony Society, she secured the active participation of Gus Wortham, Hugh Roy Cullen, and others. Consonant with Frank St. Leger’s early realization of the importance of civic leadership to the symphony enterprise, the Society sought and encouraged the participation of Houston’s strongest business and financial leaders.

15 Toffler, p. 170.

313 Robert Marsh, in his biography of the Cleveland Orchestra, delineated three typical periods in the social history of the American symphony orchestra. In the first period, the orchestra is traditionally supported by a very small group of persons or even by a single individual. The second period is typically one in which the orchestra’s deficit is met by a relatively small group of social and economic peers. In the third period, the orchestra’s financial base is provided by all major elements of the community.16 The path of the Houston Symphony Orchestra followed this pattern. After World War II, dependence of increasingly more diversified financial support became necessary. This evolution to broader bases of support was accompanied by the necessity for reorganization of governing bodies, as well. Robert Marsh maintained that culture “. . . in effect is maintained by the philanthropy of the audience it serves.”17 As the audience becomes more diversified, authority must make similar adjustments. Toffler observed a national trend in cultural governance. Because of progressive taxation, higher costs, and competition for the cultural dollar, “. . . there are now few angels who can or will pick up the tab.”18 Culture in America, he contended, had begun to derive support from the new rich, business, the community, and the old guard. Consequently, Toffler reported that a younger, new, comfort class was rapidly assuming control of cultural organizations. In Houston, this metamorphosis was brought painfully to light during the spring of 1969 when the Houston Symphony Society faced musicians’ contract demands and a public credibility gap rising from the dismissal of André Previn. Frustration and futility

16 Robert C. Marsh, The Cleveland Orchestra (Cleveland: World Publishing Co., 1967), pp. 125-127.

17 Marsh, p. 126.

18 Toffler, p. 61.

314 characterized the public comments of the Society’s Executive Committee. Reorganization of the entire Symphony Society structure was the ultimate result of the spring’s events. The election of Dr. Charles Jones as President of the Houston Symphony Society officially marked the beginning of Marsh’s third period in Houston. The acknowledgement of a widely-based audience was realized locally by an expanding calendar and an ever-more-varied complement of concert types. The early experiments with Ernst Hoffmann’s “Music for Everybody” season, the Candlelight Concerts, the Serenades, and the free Henke-Pillot series culminated in the 1970’s with Foley’s Sounds of the Seventies series, the Houston Chronicle Dollar Concerts, convention performances, and the Miller Theatre programs, in addition to the regular subscription performances. Houston Symphony programming had long recognized it audience. With the reorganization of the Symphony Society, its governance recognized its audience also. One of the most significant benefits resulting from Houston’s sense of civic responsibility for the cultural life of the city was the spirit of cooperation and support afforded the musical life of the city by its business community. In the 1930’s, early evidences of this commitment were apparent: Foley Brothers Grand Opera Etchings, printing of the Symphony programs by Sweeney’s Jewelers, loan of instruments by local music stores, and the Houston Chamber of Commerce sponsorship of the German Grand Opera Company. Throughout the history of Houston were numerous other examples of sponsorship and cooperation: Texas Gulf Sulphur and Jesse Jones sponsorship of the Symphony radio programs, the Henke-Pillot series of free concerts, the Pennzoil Young Artists competition, the Houston Chronicle Dollar concerts, Foley’s Sounds of the Seventies, the Chamber of Commerce Festival of the Arts, the Neiman- Marcus Spotlight Series of Events, and the Pearl Brewing Company support of Theatre Under The Stars. In a 1969 Houston Chamber of Commerce survey of financial support for the arts in Houston, both the

315 Houston Symphony Orchestra and the Houston Grand Opera credited the business community with approximately one-third of their direct economic support.19 Philanthropic foundation support of the musical arts in Houston also was exceptional. Through the many gifts of the Farish, Anderson, Brown, Humphreys, and Moody Foundations, the six-million-dollar Houston Endowment gift for Jones Hall, and the multimillion dollar Ford Foundation grants to the Houston Symphony Orchestra, the Houston Grand Opera, and the Alley Theatre, Houston had been able to meet the several financial crises in its history and to make monumental strides, on other occasions, toward the ultimate goals of stability and maturity. The Houston business community made equally significant contributions to the city’s musical development through the involvement of its top executives in cultural leadership and advisory positions. The business acumen of these countless individuals was a major factor in the very survival of many arts organizations and the growth and development of virtually all. Even another significant element in the music development of Houston was a basic commitment to the nurture of emerging local musical talent. Numerous organizations were founded to support and encourage young musicians: the Houston Conservatory, the Junior Symphony, the first All-City High School Orchestra in 1934 and the second in 1956, the Houston Youth Symphony, and the Houston Symphonette. The public schools and the City of Houston supported extensive cooperative programs of choral, instrumental, theater, and dance ensembles, culminating in the establishment of the nation’s fourth High School for the Performing and Visual Arts in 1971.

19 “Economic and Social Impact of the Civic Arts in Houston,” Houston: Houston Chamber of Commerce, 1969.

316

Fredell Lack founded and developed the third largest Young Audiences program in the nation; the Houston Symphony Orchestra opened its first rehearsals to children, established a program of children’s concerts, and presented the city’s finest young talent in guest performances with the orchestra; the Houston Grand Opera mounted and maintained the largest program of children’s performances in the nation, and provided Opera in the Schools through the sponsorship of its vibrant Guild. The fruits of this investment yielded a sizeable complement of resident performing artists, a generation of musically-experienced adults, and a continuation of the civic commitment to the developing musical life of the city. Historic evidences of widespread avocational musical participation can be observed in the number and success of such organizations as Theatre, Inc., the Houston Gilbert and Sullivan Society, the Civic Symphony, the Houston Chorale, and Theatre Under The Stars. The role of the City of Houston historically was not as great as local government in other cities. However, Houston’s government was significant in some selected areas of activity20. For many years, the City’s chief participation was seen in the activity of its Parks and Recreation Department. Under Parks' sponsorship were the annual Tree of Light festivals, the Boys Chorus and Community Chorus, the summer Symphony concerts in Hermann Park, Junior Civic Chorus, the Houston Youth Symphony organizations, and the Municipal Band.21 Mayor Louie Welch played a more prominent role than any other previous mayor as an advocate for the cultural arts in general. Welch formed a Municipal Arts

20 Rockefeller Brothers Fund, Inc., The Performing Arts: Problems and Prospects (New York: McGraw-Hill, Publishers, 1965), p. 114.

21 “City Parks and Recreation Annual Reports,” City of Houston, 1937-1962.

317 Council, and under his administration, the new Miller Theatre and Jones Hall were built. Houston’s City Councils, however, had been ineffective cultural agents. Many Councils, as a matter of record, were strongly anti-cultural. History has shown Houston’s government more willing to erect edifices than to fund programs. Miller Theatre stands as testimony to this position. The City of Houston, however, could boast of a long record of direct support to the summer Symphony concerts and of an active Parks and Recreation musical program. The importance of adequate housing for the orderly progress of the musical enterprise was demonstrated on several occasions in Houston’s history. As early as 1950, the inadequacies of the Houston City Auditorium were painfully exposed before the eyes of the nation by the visits of the Metropolitan Opera and the NBC Symphony Orchestra. At the same time, the city’s Music Hall was inadequate for the scale of opera, too large for chamber music, and acoustically handicapped for symphony concerts. Theodore Thomas was one of the first conductors to stress the necessity of a permanent performance home in the development of a major orchestra.22 Chicago had its Orchestra Hall; Cleveland treasured its Severance Hall; Boston had Symphony Hall. With the construction of Houston’s Jones Hall, however, all the civic requirements for a hall of great flexibility were met. The burgeoning subscription rosters of those organizations using Jones Hall during its first several seasons attested to the importance of beauty and comfort as well as utility. In addition, the city was fortunate to have access to a number of excellent smaller auditoria, many of which were college and school facilities. With the completion of the new Miller Theatre in Hermann Park, the city lacked only the 800-1,000 seat facility recommended by the Stanford Research Institute to complete its complement of suggested cultural facilities.

22 March, p. 34.

318 Other factors in Houston’s musical development were due neither to the inherent character of the city itself nor were the result of conscious design. The Rockefeller Foundation report, The Performing Arts, noted: It is characteristic of the performing arts that outstanding success can almost always be traced to some gifted, inspired, and driving individual. Organizations can provide no substitute for this individual effort.23

Houston was fortunate in the number and fervor of its gifted, inspired, and driving individuals. Colonel Samuel Rosenbaum, a member of the Philadelphia Orchestra Board, once stated, “Give me six women, a bag of cookies, and a box of tea, and you will have a symphony orchestra.”24 Houston’s music history reveals a surprising number of women who occupied important positions of musical, managerial, and business responsibility. Among Houston’s significant women were Miss Ima Hogg, Edna Saunders, Josephine Boudreaux, Johnny George, Mrs. John Wesley Graham, Ina Gillespie Grotte, Ann Holmes, Drusilla Huffmaster, Fredell Lack, Mrs. Louis Lobit, Virginia Plunkett, and Shirley Trepel. Although much of the success of various endeavors was due to the unique personality of a single individual, there were a number of persons in specific positions that strongly affected Houston’s musical development at critical points in its history. These positions included church musicians, music teachers, newspaper critics, entrepreneurs, business managers, financial angels, musicians—amateur and professional, city and union officials, composers and conductors, public school teachers, and organization volunteers and officers. Among the Houstonians whose dynamic leadership emanated from these offices were Wayne Bedford, Jim Bernhard, Josephine Boudreaux, Mrs. Charles Bybee, Hugh Roy Cullen, Carl Cunningham, Frances Deering, Mrs. Ray Dudley, Ray Fliegel, David

23 The Performing Arts, Rockefeller Brothers Fund, Inc, p. 19.

24 Toffler, p. 146.

319 Gockley, Ina Gillespie Grotte, Walter Herbert, Albert Hirsch, Maurice Hirsch, Ima Hogg, Ann Holmes, Hu Huffmaster, Tom Johnson, Jesse Jones, John T. Jones, Fredell Lack, Harry Lantz, Merrills Lewis, Robert Linder, Mrs. Louis Lobit, Mrs. John Wesley Graham, Mozart Hammond, Dr. Earl Moore, N. D. Naman, Dr. A. Clyde Roller, Charles Rosekrans, Hubert Roussel, Edna Saunders, Herbert and Alfred Teltschik, Al Urbach. Ellison Van Hoose, Howard Webb, Gus Wortham and many others. History shows a 1963 media reference to cultural Houston’s “. . . army of dedicated people” to be no exaggeration.25 The role of Houston’s colleges and universities was strategic. Not only did they provide employment for performing artists, these institutions also supported most of the Houston complement of resident composers and conductors. Furthermore, much of the city’s annual concert offering was sponsored by its colleges, particularly in the field of chamber music. The University of Houston provided the most significant contribution during this period. The University not only employed many of the city’s resident musicians, but it also cooperated with the Houston Symphony Orchestra in the joint appointment of Dr. A. Clyde Roller and in co-sponsoring enrichment events such as the Symposia of New Music. The University maintained an extremely active performing faculty and attracted a number of core musicians to the city as residents. Finally, the University produced the largest number of music majors of any higher educational institution in the city, including many if not most of the city’s music educators in the public schools. Rice University, through its Shepherd School of Music, was a sleeping giant during this era. The Shepherd School endowment

25 Garrett, p. 26.

320 supported an extensive annual concert series on campus. The virtual absence of a music faculty or music degree offering focused Rice’s attention on the support of local musicians admixed with some imported artists. Charles Rosekrans’ Houston Chamber Orchestra made its home at Rice as did the Lyric Art Quartet. The University’s Hamman Hall was arguably the city’s best setting for chamber music and was home for the Shepherd School concerts. Other educational institutions also made valuable contributions. Houston Baptist University, the University of St. Thomas, and San Jacinto Junior College supported active music programs. With the exception of Rice University, it is significant that the contributions of the local colleges focused on both student and faculty performance. Both Toffler and the Rockefeller report acknowledged the role of colleges in civic musical development. Through artists-in-residence, performance facilities, sponsorship, and production, higher education made possible much of the musical progress the city enjoyed. Without the town-gown cooperative ventures that accompanied Houston’s development, it would have been difficult for the city to support so large a body of professional musicians. Houston’s musical history would have been significantly altered. Houston was fortunate to enjoy viable musical activity in all forms of compositional endeavor—orchestral, choral, chamber, opera, and dance. This unusual breadth of performance bore testimony to the Houston audience and the quality of the city’s musical leadership. The Music Journal noted in 1966: Houston with a population of 1.3 million supports three major museums, three year-round theaters, four ballet organizations, seven chamber groups, and six major schools of higher education.26

26 “Houston,” Music Journal, March, 1966, p. 122.

321 The Gentlemen’s Quarterly observed: Vance is at the Alley; Sweeney’s in the gallery; and Barbirolli’s on the podium. What more could a town ask for? . . . Houston has the people, an energetic and wealthy audience, and it has actors, painters, sculptors, musicians, writers, and poets . . . Some day when New York is one vast musical comedy . . . we may jet to Houston to see a play, hear a concert, or visit a museum. Houstonians are working toward that with . . . gusto.27

The benefits of this verdant cultural milieu were the mutual stimulation of all of the arts and a climate conducive to musical prosperity. The musical biography of the city of Houston reveals an evolution characterized by commitment, wisdom, determination, and good fortune. Though many of the factors in the city’s musical development were influences beyond the bounds of control or manipulation, Houston did exhibit extraordinary collective judgment in structuring its priorities and in maintaining an unflagging allegiance to them. Perhaps the most amazing aspect of the city’s cultural history from 1931-1971 was the meteoric rate at which the musical arts in Houston hurtled through time toward maturity. It is difficult to realize that only thirty-five scant years separated Uriel Nespoli’s first Houston orchestra rehearsal amid the cotton bales of the M and M Building from the Houston Symphony Orchestra’s inaugural performance at Jones Hall under the baton of Sir John Barbirolli. The tribulations of primitive musical culture which many American cities faced in the nineteenth century were twentieth-century experiences for Houston. Few Houstonians who saw it will forget Swan Lake’s mechanical swan placidly swimming the Music Hall stage backwards, or the out-of-position Faust set afire by flash powder intended for an entering Mephistopheles.28 Yet, these early efforts were greeted with the same

27 Garrett, p. 66.

28 Bainbridge, p. 320.

322 receptivity that prompted John Rosenfield to write, “It is better for a community to have a try at artistic expression than to have none at all.”29 Houston persevered and succeeded as a community of citizens. By the 1970’s, Houston was taking on international stature as a city that left regionalism in the dust. Houston’s standards for itself in 1970 were self-imposed and qualitative rather than competitive—a Houston hallmark from its early history. Lon Tinkle summarized this emergence of Houston during the booming 1960’s in his forward to the 1972 re- issuance of John Bainbridge’s classic, The Super Americans. In 1971, Fortune magazine devoted an issue to Houston. In stating that Houston is the place where everyone is going, Fortune was not speaking alone of astronauts and men of science, not of international “celebrities” (such as the Duke of Windsor) seeking out the services of such famous men of medicine as Dr. Michael DeBakey and Dr. Denton Cooley. Fortune was speaking of the massive business relocations in the warm Gulf Coast climate, the transfer of populations of industries and corporations to a city that claimed only a million inhabitants in the Fifties but which by the beginning of the Seventies had become the nation’s fifth largest city, its second port in volume of freighter business, and its first in petroleum and petrochemical industries. . . But Houston was, of course, or rather is, something else. . . It is the first really grand metropolis in the Southwest. . . Houston is now a metropolis of considerable culture, with perhaps the finest symphony orchestra in the whole Southwest (whose resident conductors have included Stokowski and André Previn), the finest theater installation in the region—Nina Vance’s Alley Theatre—and no doubt the finest art museum, bracketing both the modern and traditional, the Houston Museum of Fine Arts. . . Houston has emerged as a center of international renown and importance.30

For the period 1931-1971, Houston’s record of faith and diligence should serve as an encouragement to all cities that follow her path.

29 Bainbridge, p. 320.

30 Bainbridge, 1972, p. xii.

323

324

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Britton, Allen P. “Music in Early American Public Education: A Historical Critique.” Basic Concepts in Music Education. Chicago: National Society for the Study of Education, 1958, pp. 195-211.

Brozen, Michael. “Quote—Unquote.” Musical America, July, 1964, p. 30.

Bruch, Gene. “Two From Texas.” High Fidelity-Musical America, May, 1965, p. 119.

“Bulletin Board.” Music Educator’s Journal, September, 1966, p. 10.

“Business and the Arts.” Esquire, January, 1972, pp. 6, 192.

“Class of Budding Batoneers.” Life Magazine, July 26, 1954, pp. 64-65.

Colvig, David. “Houston.” Symphony, November, 1950, p. 15.

______. “Houston.” Symphony, November, 1954, p. 4.

______. “Kurtz Re-engaged.” Symphony, February, 1951, p. 15.

______. “Successful Houston Tour.” Symphony, April, 1950, p. 7.

______. “Three-Year Contracts for Houston Symphony,” Symphony, March, 1952, p. 3.

“Conductor Honored by Record Company.” Musical America, November 1, 1953, p. 18.

Cunningham, Carl. “Previn Takes Command.” High Fidelity-Musical America, February, 1968, p. 27.

______. “Uproar: Previn and Afterwards.” High Fidelity-Musical America, April, 1970, pp. 25, 29.

Davis, Ronald. “Stars Over Texas.” Opera News, November 14, 1964, pp. 12-15.

“Debut in Houston.” Newsweek, October 17, 1966, p. 108.

Deering, Francis. “Survey of Houston Music.” Musical America, February, 1950, p. 366.

334

“Dorati’s Texas Band.” Newsweek, January 7, 1946, pp. 68-69.

Downbeat, September 7, 1951, p. 13; February 22, 1952, p. 16. [Photographs of Ed Gerlach and band.]

“A Dramatic Theater for Houston.” Fortune, October, 1965, pp. 167-168.

“Efrem Kurtz to Houston.” Variety, April 14, 1948, p. 6.

“The Elite Eleven.” Time, April 8, 1966, pp. 64-65.

“Empress of the Symphony.” Time, February 7, 1955, pp. 38-40.

“Ernst Hoffman Arrives.” Houston, September, 1936, p. 19.

“Expansion of Symphony Orchestras Continues.” International Musician, February, 1938, p. 1.

Fleming, Shirley. “Musician of the Month: Andre Previn.” High Fidelity-Musical America, August, 1968, p. MA5.

“For Concerts, Dance, and Drama: Flexible Design.” Architectural Record, February, 1967, pp. 116-121.

“A Ford in Their Future.” Time. October 29, 1965, p. 71.

Franklin, Lillian. “Southwest Music Triumph: Houston Symphony Orchestra.” Christian Science Monitor Magazine, May 20, 1950, p. 12.

“Fricsay Resigns.” Violins, March, 1955, pp. 72-73.

Funk, Floyd. “Houston.” Musical Courier, May, 1961, p. 46.

______. “Houston Orchestral Schedule Rearranged.” Musical Courier, February, 1961, p. 22.

______. “Nation’s Music: Houston.” Music Magazine, February, 1962, p. 62.

______. “Sir John Barbirolli Debuts with Symphony.” Music Magazine, November, 1961, p. 62.

Gallegly, Joseph. “The Renaissance of the Galveston Theater: 1867-1868.” Southwestern Historical Quarterly, LXII (April, 1959), pp. 442-456.

335

Gannon, Theodore F. “A New Business Comes to Houston.” Houston, October, 1938, p. 26.

Garrett, George. “Culture Boom in Houston.” Gentlemen’s Quarterly, October, 1963, pp. 66-78.

“The Gold and Silver Waltz: Two Anniversaries.” Musical America, October, 1963, p. 14.

Goth, Trudy. “The National Scene: Houston.” Musical Courier, March 15, 1957, p. 17.

“Guion’s Texas.” Newsweek, February 18, 1952, p. 90.

Holmes, Ann. “Houston.” Opera News, February 4, 1961, p. 33.

______. “Houston’s Troubles.” Opera News, March 5, 1960, p. 26.

______. “Reports: United States—Houston.” Opera News, January 13, 1968, p. 28.

______. “Two in Houston.” Opera News, March 7, 1964, p. 32.

Houston, July, 1944, pp. 5-7, 8-11, 14-15.

“Houston.” Musical Courier, October, 1958, p. 12.

“Houston.” Opera, June, 1957, p. 360; March, 1958, p. 165.

“Houston.” Violins, July, 1954, p. 175.

“Houston All-City Symphony Performs in Europe.” American String Teacher, November 2, 1966, pp. 35-36.

“Houston, Bold and Beautiful.” Plymouth Traveler, December, 1964, p. 4.

“Houston: Bloomingest Town in the United States.” Newsweek, February 11, 1962, pp. 78-80.

“The Houston Conservatory.” Southwestern Musician, October, 1950, p. 3.

The Houston Gargoyle, October 6, 1929, p. 17. [Foley’s advertisement.]

336

“Houston Grand Opera Granted Charter.” Musical America, September, 1955, p. 31.

“Houston Hires Fricsay.” Symphony, December, 1953, p. 3.

“Houston Hires Stokowski.” Violins, May 1955, p. 121.

“Houston is Where They’re Moving.” Fortune, February, 1971, pp. 91-92, 95.

“Houston Looks Forward to Barbirolli Coming.” Musical Courier, December, 1960, p. 33.

“Houston to Premier Three New Works.” Musical Courier, November 1, 1956, pp. 11-12.

“Houston Progress.” Opera News, February 16, 1963, pp. 33-34.

“Houston Season Opens.” Symphony, October, 1952, p. 11.

“Houston in Spotlight at Chicago Fair.” Houston, June, 1933, p. 37.

“Houston Symphony at Carnegie Hall.” High Fidelity-Musical America, June, 1966, p. 115.

“Houston Symphony Lists Artists.” Musical America, December 1, 1957, p. 10.

“Houston Symphony Tours.” Symphony, January, 1953, p. 7.

“Houston Symphony Will Increase Concerts.” Musical Courier, March1, 1949, p. 11.

“Houston Symphony’s Efrem Kurtz.” Southwestern Musician, December, 1949, p. 23.

“Houston, Texas: What It’s Like to be New.” Business Week, January 24, 1953, pp. 74-84.

“Houston University Will Give Church Music Degree.” Diapason, October 1, 1950, p. 34.

“Houston Youth Symphony.” Violins and Violinists, January, 1957, p. 31.

“Houston’s Culture Gets a New Glow.” Business Week, October 8, 1966, pp. 151-152. 337

“I Hereby Resolve.” Houston News Weekly, January 3, 1928, p. 16.

“Importance of Culture.” Houston, October, 1933, p. 15.

International Musician, LVI (February, 1958), p. 45. [Photograph of the Houston Symphony Brass Ensemble.]

______, LXVI (October, 1967), p. 6. [Photograph of Andre Previn and the Houston Symphony Orchestra.]

“Jay Harrison Covers New York Music Scene.” Musical America, April, 1964, p. 34.

Johnson, H. Earle. “The Need for Research in the History of American Music.” Journal of Research in Music Education, VI (Spring, 1958), pp. 43-61.

Jones, Stuart. “Houston, Prairie Dynamo.” The National Geographic Magazine, September, 1967, pp. 338-377.

Kolodin, Irving. “Music to my Ears.” Saturday Review, May 25, 1968, p. 37.

“Kurtz of Houston.” Newsweek, April 19, 1948, pp. 86-87.

Lambro, Phillip. “Houston.” Musical Courier, November 1, 1955, p. 26.

“Leopold Stokowski Inks Contract with Capitol.” Billboard, September 8, 1956, p. 22.

“Little John in Big Texas.” Time, November 1, 1963, p. 63.

McMurtry, Larry. “Big H is for Houston.” Holiday, April, 1968, pp. 54-58, 80, 83-84.

McQuade, Walter. “A New Generation of Cultural Centers.” Fortune, September 1, 1968, pp. 110-114.

Marsh, Robert. “Houston Report: A Grand Slam Play.” High Fidelity-Musical America, December, 1966, pp. 20-21.

______. “Opera in the Lone Star State.” High Fidelity-Musical America, June, 1966, pp. 121-122.

Mayer, Martin. “Managing Orchestras is a Fine Art, Too.” Fortune, September, 1968, p. 105. 338

“More Prosperity for Symphony.” Houston, June, 1936, p. 22.

Morris, Harold. “Contemporary American Music.” Rice University Studies, XXI (1933).

Mullen, Joe. “Cause of Good News.” Houston, May, 1933, p. 20.

“Music for Houston.” Musical America, February, 1964, p. 9.

“Music Hall Dedicated by Women’s Federation.” Houston, May, 1938, p. 36.

“Music: Houston Symphony Goes Hollywood in Opening Concert.” Newsweek, November 21, 1936, p. 24.

“Music in American Society.” Music Educator’s Journal, November, 1967, no pagination.

“Nation’s Music: Houston.” Musical Courier, July, 1961, p. 25.

Newmann, Alfred R. “Ayes of Texas: Houston Heroines.” Opera News, April 1, 1957, p. 26.

______. “Houston’s Own Opera.” Opera News, March 26, 1956, p. 32-33.

______. “Strauss in Houston.” Opera News, May 4, 1959, p. 6.

Nevin, David. “A People Out for Stars, Not Peanuts.” Life Magazine, July 1, 1966, pp. 55-60.

“The New Number One City in the Southwest.” Business Week, June 12, 1971, pp. 82-84, 86.

Oates, Stephen B. “NASA’s Manned Spacecraft Center at Houston, Texas.” Southwestern Historical Quarterly, LXVII (January, 1964), pp. 350-375.

“Orchestra Officers Named.” Houston, July, 1933, pp. 21-22.

“Plans Announced for Coliseum.” Houston, April, 1936, p. 6.

“Pop Concert.” Houston, November, 1937, p. 24.

Potts, Joseph E. “The Houston Symphony Orchestra.” The Strad, LXXIX (November, 1968), pp. 269, 271, 273.

339

Reisner, Edward H. “The History of Education as a Source of Fundamental Assumptions.” Educational Administration and Supervision, September, 1928, pp. 378-384.

“Report: United States.” Opera News, January 13, 1968-December 14, 1968.

Rice, William. “Houston Stirred by Fricsay Controversy.” Musical America, January 15, 1955, p. 11.

Rosenfield, John. “Texas and Oklahoma Have Five Symphonies.” Musical America, February, 1957, pp. 18-20.

______. “Texas Gusher.” Opera News, January 5, 1963, p. 34.

______. “Texas with Trimmings.” Theater Arts, January, 1961, p. 23.

______. “The Resident Arts.” Southwestern Review, XXIX, No. 3 (1944), p. ii; XXXII (1947), pp. ii, 379; XXXIV (1949), pp. 10, 16; XXXVIII (1953), pp. iii, 258; XL, No. 3 (1955), p. viii; XLIII, No. 2 (1958), p. viii; XLIV, No. 2 (1959), p. vi; XLVI, No. 3 (1961), p. vi.

“Rosenkavalier Delights Houston Audience.” Musical America, March, 1959, p. 51.

Rouse, Mary Elizabeth. “Houston and Harmony.” The Houston Gargoyle, December 1, 1929, p. 25.

Roussel, Dewey. “City’s Cultural Life Enriched by This Body.” Houston, October, 1934, p. 26.

Roussel, Hubert. “Lively Accompaniment in the Lively Arts.” High Fidelity- Musical America, July, 1965, p. 10.

______. “Texas—the Glory That Was Venice.” Musical America, February, 1964, p. 11.

______. “Texas: Thriving Season.” Musical America, December, 1964, p. 77.

“San Antonio Makes Music.” Newsweek, March 5, 1945, pp. 88-90.

Sargeant, Winthrop. “Musical Events.” The New Yorker, March 14, 1964, p. 158; April 2, 1966, pp. 169-170.

Saxe, Serge. “Houston.” Opera, April, 1960, p. 271; June, 1961, p. 39. 340

“Shell’s Twenty-five Million Dollar Trip to Houston.” Business Week, September 19, 1970, pp. 68-70.

Stoddard, Hope. “As Orchestra Members See It.” International Musician, September, 1949, pp. 11-12.

______. “As the Conductor Sees It.” International Musician, September, 1949, pp. 10-11.

“Stokowski Accepts Houston Post.” Musical America, March, 1955, p. 8.

“Stokowski Gets Houston Post.” Violins, May, 1955, p. 121.

“Stokowski to Conduct Houston Symphony.” Musical America, May, 1955, p. 6.

“Stokowski to Quit Houston at End of Next Season.” Musical Courier, May, 1960, p. 7.

“Stoky Hypoing Houston Symphony Take—Advance and Single Sales Zoom.” Variety, December 21, 1955, p. 40.

“Stoky Plans Opera, Ballet and Drama with Houston Symphony; 450G Budget.” Variety, September 7, 1955, p. 51.

“The Symphony, Civicly Important.” Houston, March, 1940, p. 19.

“Symphony Concerts in Houston Parks.” Recreation, December, 1943, pp. 506, 523.

“Symphony Orchestra Plans Final Concert.” Houston, April, 1933, p. 26.

“Symphony Orchestra Visits Texas Cities.” Houston, February, 1939, p. 48.

“Symphony Plans for Year.” Houston, May, 1937, p. 37.

“Symphony Season Opens.” Houston, September, 1933, p 21.

“Symphony Serving Houston.” Houston, February, 1939, p. 21.

341

“The Texas Trademark for the Flamboyant Flair.” Life Magazine, July 8, 1966, pp. 34-46.

“Twelve Guests Conduct the 1947-48 Houston Symphony Season.” The Strad, November, 1968, pp. 269-271.

“Unabated Excitement of Texas.” Life Magazine, July 1, 1966, pp. 36-42.

“University of Houston Spring Music Festival.” Southwestern Musician, XX (May, 1954), p. 7.

West, Ruth, “Lyres and Easels.” Houston Gargoyle, October 13, 1929, p. 26; November 17, 1929, p. 22; November 10, 1929, p. 26.

Newspapers

Austin American, March 3, 1939.

Boston Evening Transcript, November 9, 1937.

Chicago Tribune, August 24, 1933.

Dallas Times Herald, February 23, 1936; November 7, 1937.

Houston Chronicle, February 1, 1931-January 1, 1972.

The Houston Post, October 23, 1932-January 1, 1972.

The Houston Post-Dispatch, February 2, 1930; March 7, 1930; April 27, 1930; May 4, 1930; May 25, 1930; October 1, 1930; October 5, 1930; November 12, 1930; November 16, 1930.

Houston Press, July 26, 1935; November 5, 1925; July 2, 1936; November 3, 1938; November 11, 1938.

The New York Times, February 9, 1936; May 16, 1937; June 5, 1938; June 23, 1946; March 18, 1947; June 8, 1947; April 4, 1948; January 2, 1949; May 15, 1949; May 14, 1950; January 26, 1951; January 18, 1954; January 17, 1955; March 3, 1955; December11, 1955; April 14, 1960; December 14, 1963; March 1, 1964; March 4, 1964; May 3, 1964; October 22, 1965; October 23, 1965; January 23, 1966; January 26, 1966; April 12, 1966; April 13, 1966; July 7, 1966; October 4, 1966;

342

October 5, 1966; October 8, 1966; October 23, 1966; July 26, 1967; October 4, 1967.

Other Published Materials

Houston Chamber of Commerce. Houston and the Arts; a Marriage of Convenience that Became a Love Affair. Houston Chamber of Commerce, 1970.

______. Houston: City of Tomorrow. Houston Chamber of Commerce, 1971.

Houston Symphony Orchestra Programs. Houston Symphony Society, 1931- 1971.

“Music,” Rice University Studies Index, LVI (1970), p. 27.

Rice University Studies. The Rice University, 1923-1970.

Siegel, Stanley and Tinsley, James A. The Story of Houston. Houston: J. F. Hyer, no date. [Prospectus of a forthcoming book.] Houston Public Library.

Society for the Performing Arts Magazine. Houston: Showbill, Inc., 1970-71.

Theater and the Performing Arts Magazine. Houston: John C. Tyler, 1971.

Tuesday Musical Club Yearbooks, 1914-1970.

Unpublished Materials

Theses

Broucek, Jack Wolf. “Eighteenth Century Music in Savannah, Georgia.” Unpublished EdD dissertation, Florida State University, 1962.

Bruner, Robert Russell. “A History of Music in Cedar Rapids, Iowa before 1900.” Unpublished PhD dissertation, State University of Iowa, 1964.

Crews, Emma Katherine. “History of Music in Knoxville, Tennessee, 1791- 1910.” Unpublished EdD dissertation, Florida State University, 1961.

343

Dahlenburg, William J. “Music in the Culture of Miami: 1920-1966.” Unpublished PhD dissertation, Florida State University, 1967.

Mahan, Katherine Hines. “History of Music in Columbus, Georgia, 1828- 1928.” Unpublished PhD dissertation, Florida State University, 1967.

Marquis, Robert Lincoln, Jr. “The Development of the Symphony Orchestra in Texas.” Unpublished Master’s thesis, University of Texas, 1934.

Pugh, Don. “Music in Frontier Houston, 1836-1876.” Unpublished PhD dissertation, University of Texas, 1970.

Stoutamire, Albert L. “A History of Music in Richmond, Virginia from 1742- 1865.” Unpublished EdD dissertation, Florida State University, 1960.

Sumney, Patricia Ruth. “History of Music Activities in Greenville, South Carolina, 1880-1900.” Unpublished Master’s thesis, Florida State University, 1960.

Williams, George Moffet. “A History of Music in Jacksonville, Florida from 1822-1922.” Unpublished PdD dissertation, Florida State University, 1961.

Winter, Elizabeth Harrell “Music in Texas Since 1920.” Unpublished Master’s thesis, Sul Ross State College, 1940.

Other Unpublished Materials

Boddeker, Jean. “Harris County and City of Houston, Texas, 1967.” List of all publications printed by various city and county offices. Houston Public Library.

“Economic and Social Impact of the Civic Arts in Houston.” Houston: Houston Chamber of Commerce, 1969.

Hogg, Ima. “The Houston Symphony Society: The Outstanding Wartime Program, July 30, 1965.” Details of the 1942-43 season. Rare Book Collection. University of Houston Library.

______. Scrapbook of the Houston Symphony Orchestra News Clippings, December 11, 1934-April 7, 1938. Rare Book Collection. University of Houston Library.

344

Houston Chamber of Commerce Cultural Affairs Committee Annual Reports, 1968, 1969.

Houston Chamber of Commerce Cultural Affairs Committee Minutes, February 2, 1972.

Houston Symphony Orchestra Scrapbooks, 1934-1968.

Houston Symphony Society Minutes, 1943-1970.

Looscan, Adele. Scrapbooks. Texas Room. The Houston Public Library, Houston, Texas. Vols. 1-3.

Stanford Research Institute. “The Need for Governmental and Cultural Convention Facilities in the Houston Civic Center to 1980.” Stanford University, May, 1961.

345

346

Music In Houston Annotated Index Last Name First Name Pages Notes Abissamra Marco 241 Brazilian pianist in Cliburn competition in 1966. Abram Jacques 8-9, 12, 27, 29, 31, 1915-1998. Lufkin, Texas born piano prodigy 37, 68, 70, 72, 74, and concert artist; student of Ira Gershwin; 76-77, 116, 119, faculty Royal Conservatory of Music 128, 184, 224, 266, Toronto. Julliard Diploma with Distinction. 301 Abravanel Maurice 79, 128 1903-1993; Greek/American conductor, Utah Symphony; Abravanel Hall in Salt Lake City. Accardo Salvatore 231, 233 1941- . Italian violinist: Paganini specialist

Agnes Arnold Hall 213 Opened in late 1950's on University of Houston campus Aida 8-9, 11, 13, 16-17, Verdi opera 31, 60, 148, 172, 239, 245, 278, 281

Akin Nita 175 1901-1989. Organ recitalist; faculty Midwest University Alain Marie-Claire 232 1926-2013. Renowned French organist Albanese Licia 79, 169 1913- . Metropolitan Opera soprano 1940- 66; NBC Toscanini; San Francisco Opera; Sondheim Follies Albeneri Trio 227 Founded by Alexander Schneider in 1940s.

Alberghetti Anna Maria 121 1936- . Italian born Broadway and film soprano Albrecht Theodore 2ff 1945- . Fine arts writer and Texas music historian Albuquerque Symphony 151 1932-2011. Albuquerque Civic Symphony originally to New Mexico Symphony Orchestra at its demise. Alessandro, Sr. Victor 7, 9, 11, 18, 29, 1883-1871. Houston ISD Director of 157, 227 Instrumental Music; Founder Houston Philharmonic Ensemble; Houston Jr. College orchestra. Alessandro, Jr. Victor 18, 27, 40, 126, 1915-1976. Waco born, Houston reared; 170 Eastman graduate; conductor of San Antonio Symphony from 1951. Alexander Nevsky 300 1938 historical film by Sergei Eisenstein

347 Music In Houston Annotated Index All-City High School Band, Houston 18, 27, 32, 153, organized by Cedric Seaver in 1933. Orchestra, and Chorus 157, 160-161, 164, 175-176, 180, 182, 207-208, 217, 222, 230, 234, 240, 242, 244, 266, 276, 280, 298, 301, 304, 316

Allegri Quartet 265, 274 British ensemble founded in 1953. Allegro 117 1947 Rogers & Hammerstein musical Allegro Ballet Houston's 272 Founded in 1981 Allen Betty 282 1927-2009. Mezzo-soprano; favorite of Bernstein. Alley Theatre 62, 66, 102, 151, Houston premier resident theater company 221, 259, 291, 297, founded by Nina Vance in 1947. 311, 316, 322-323

Allied Arts Association Houston 103, 115, 151 Formed in 1952 by Houston graphic and (Council) visual arts museums and organizations. Allison Glorietta 244 Houston soprano Alloo Modeste 24, 26, 34 1882-1974; Boston and Cincinnati Symphony trombonist; Director of Bands, University of California Berkeley and University of Miami, Florida.

Alma String Trio 264, 279 Est. 1942 by Menuhin Alona Trio 228 Altschuler Modeste 2 1873-1963. Cellist, composer, conductor of Russian Symphony Orchestra of New York

Amadeus Quartet 224, 230, 264 1947-1987 Amahl and the Night 102, 128, 130, 169 Menotti opera Visitors Amarillo Symphony 199 Founded in 1924; Clyde Roller was early director. Amaya Carmen 169 1913-1963. Spanish Flamenco dancer American (National) Ballet 34, 68, 119, 121, Founded in 1937 by Ruth Page. 1980-1989, Company (formerly Ballet 127, 129-130, 166- Mikhail Baryshnikov was artistic director. Theater) 167, 172, 182, 228, 231, 233, 274, 278 American Composers' 141, 167 Founded in 1937 as an alternative American Alliance non-profit music publisher. American Conservatory of 56 Est. 1886, Chicago Music American Folk Ballet 205, 265 Founded in 1962 by Texan Burch Mann

348 Music In Houston Annotated Index American Guild of Organists 77-80, 86, 116- Founded in 1896 as professional 119, 122, 124, 126, organization for American academic, church, 129, 150, 169, 174- and concert organists. 175, 210, 227, 230, 232-233, 236-237, 239, 276-277

American Harpsichord 210, 222 Society American Institute of 103 Dates from 1857. The professional Architects architects' society in the United States. American Music Festival 98 American Savoyards 127 1948-1967; touring repertory theater company specializing in Gilbert and Sullivan

American String Teacher 209ff Magazine Amerman A. E. 202 Mayor of City of Houston 1918-1921 Amram David 269 1930-- . Conductor, performer, composer of film and stage Anderson Marian 37, 58, 67-70, 72- 1902-1993; African-American contralto 73, 75, 77, 79, 117, favorite of Edna Saunders' audiences. 194, 222, 228 Kennedy Center Honoree.

Anderson Robert 239 1934-2009. American organist; faculty SMU 1960-1997. Anderson Evelyn Norton 186 Houston-based theater costumer

Angelique 146, 171 1926 opera by Ibert Annie Get your Gun 117, 180 1946 Irving Berlin musical Ansermet Ernest 129 1883-1969. Conductor, L'Orchestre de la Suisse Romande Antek Samuel 131 Died 1958. NBC Symphony violinist; New Jersey Symphony conductor 1947-1958.

Antonio and Rosario 77 1928-1952. Flamenco dancers. Anything Goes 167 1934 Broadway musical Apothecary The 183 1768 opera buffa by Franz Joseph Haydn

Appleby David 215, 240-241, 265, 1925- . Brazilian born American Pianist; 268-269 faculty Houston Baptist University, Eastern Illinois University, and Interlochen Arts Academy.

349 Music In Houston Annotated Index Applewhite Herff 182, 236, 271, 273- 1931-1997. Houston choral conductor; 274, 298 University of St. Thomas Singers and Houston Festival Chorus, 1969. News making cult leader and mass suicide 1997.

Arce Joyce 280 c. 1945-- . American pianist Architectural Record 243 Leading journal for residential architecture.

Arizona Boys Choir 274 Formed in Tucson in 1945. Armistead Jack 92, 123 Pianist; faculty University of Houston Armstrong Mildred 276 Organist; faculty Texas Tech Arrau Claudio 73-74, 79, 123, 1903-1991; Chilean/American pianist of 20th 130, 172, 181, 239 century renown.

Arrowsmith William 307 1924-1992; American classics scholar Art League of Houston 103 Founded in 1948; incorporated in 1953. Arts Council of Houston 212 Formed by sixteen constituent organizations in 1964. Ashkenazy Vladimir 203, 235, 269, 294 1937- ; Soviet-born pianist/conductor.

Assimakopoulos Lisa and 274 1940- ; Greek classic guitar duo; faculty Evangelos Athenaeum Conservatory Astoria Strings and Trio 175 Atkins Chet 278 1924-2001; Country Western singer, guitarist Atlanta Symphony 300, 312 Origins to 1923; founded in 1947 under Orchestra current name. Atwater Kent Radio Contest 9 1926-1934; Atwater Kent Hour on NBC and CBS radio. Atwater Kent was a radio manufacturer. Aue Margaret 133, 166, 172 Music Guild (1955) and Houston Symphony cellist. Extensive later career in film and pop recording orchestras.

August Jan 93 1904-1976. Pianist and xylophonist with Paul Whiteman and Ferde Grofe. Multiple recordings. Auric Georges 88 1899-1983. French composer; member Les Six Austin James 214, 242 1937- ; Eastman Wind Ensemble; principal trumpet (1960-1977) with Houston Symphony (1960-2009). Faculty University of Houston. Austin Symphony 151 Founded in 1911. Austin, Texas 17, 42, 106, 186, Capital of the State of Texas 206

350 Music In Houston Annotated Index Autori Franco 14, 31 1903-1990; Conductor Dallas, Buffalo, Tulsa, New York Philharmonic, Asst to Toscanini at NBC. Autori Paola Lawn 32 Opera debut 1928. Died 1946. American born Soprano; wife of conductor Franco Autori. Auturo Toscanini in Texas: 89ff Book by Dorman Winfrey. the 1950 NBC tour Avinger Tom 216, 320 1929-2000; Houston choral and instrumental composer; Asst Conductor Houston Symphony Chorale. Ayars Ann 129 1920-1995; Hollywood films 1941-43; Leading lyric soprano of the New York City Opera in the 1950s Azuma Kabuki Theater 167 S. Hurok, with the cooperation of H.I.H. Prince Takamatsu and the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs presents "The Azuma Kabuki Dancers and Musicians" with Kikunojo Onoe,

Babikian Virginia 107, 113, 136, 142, 1925-1997. Houston soprano; Stokowski 167, 215, 232, 240, Carmina recording, Director Houston 261, 266, 268, 279- Symphony Chorale, Houston Baptist 280, 299 University and Rice faculty

Baccaloni Salvatore 74 1900-1969; Italian bass often called the greatest buffo artist of the 20th century

Bach Society Houston J. S. 108, 130-131,134, Founded 1954; dissolved in 1968. 143, 160,166, 167, 169-70, 172-73, 175-76, 178- 79,181-83, 210, 215, 224-240, 242, 264-266, 296 Bachauer Gina 130, 170, 205, 224, 1913-1976. Greek pianist; student of 227, 232, 237 Rachmaninoff; called "greatest woman pianist of 20th century" Badura-Skoda Paul 126, 129, 184 1927- 2019. Austrian pianist. Period instruments Baggiore Attilio 69 1897-1963. Italian tenor and protégé of diva Luisa Tetrazzini Bainbridge John 310ff, 322ff, 323 Author The Super Americans Baker Janet 269 1933- . English mezzo-soprano Baker, Botts 35 Houston law firm founded in 1874. Baker, Jr. Rex 62, 152 1920-2004. Houston attorney; Houston Civic Music co-founder. Ballad of Baby Doe 274, 301 1956 opera by Douglas Moore

351 Music In Houston Annotated Index Ballet Basques des Biarritz 170 French Basque folk ballet troupe

Ballet Espanol 131, 224, 228 Roberto Iglesias (1920-1998) Spanish flamenco dance troupe Ballet Folklorico de Mexico 203, 230, 239 Founded by Amalia Hernández in 1952

Ballet Katchetovsky 68 Katchetovsky School of Dancing Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo 32, 34, 37, 52, 55, Revived in 1932 by Colonel Wassily de Basil 67-71, 73-77, 79, from its Diaghilev roots. Taken over by 81, 84, 86, 116, Sergei Denham in 1938. Produced a litany 118, 121, 123, 131, of famed ballet stars including Cyd Charisse, 133, 167, 170, Alicia Markova, Marc Platt, and Maria 176, 179, 182, 202, Tallchief. Went bankrupt in 1968. Known 225 for its Russian dance traditions.

Ballet Theater 119, 127, 130, 166 See American Ballet Theater

Ballon Ellen 167 1898-1969; Canadian concert pianist; White House performer; favorite of Rubinstein

Baltimore, Maryland 198 Bambi Lynn & Rod 175 1920-1992 (Alexander); American Alexander television/theater/Broadway dance duo; Sid Caesar's Your Show of Shows Bampton Rose 72, 74, 86, 118 1910-2007; Metropolitan Opera (1932-1950) dramatic soprano Banke Lois 176 American pianist and teacher Bannermann Lois 74 American solo harpist; White House performer (1938) for FDR Barber of Seville 230, 269 Rossini opera. Barbirolli Sir John 83, 93, 156-158, 1899-1970; Houston Symphony Conductor 179, 189-191, 196- 1961-1967; Halle Orchestra Manchester 197, 199-201, 208, England 1943-1971;New York Philharmonic 220, 222, 224-242, 1936-43. 245-247, 249, 258- 259, 261, 263, 265, 266, 270, 273, 278, 313, 322

Bardas Stefan 179 1914-2008; Austro-American pianist; faculty Northwestern University, North Texas University, concert artist. Barenboim Daniel 227, 239, 270 1942- . "Legendary" Israeli Argentinean- born pianist & conductor.

352 Music In Houston Annotated Index Barera Orlando 82 1907-1971. Italian-born violinist. Houston Symphony Asst. Conductor 1948-1949; El Paso Symphony 1952-1971.

Bar-Illan David 227 1930-2003. Israeli-born pianist Barnstein (Barnston) Henry 11 Houston Congregation Beth Israel rabbi later changed his name to Barnston . Local cultural leader. Barrère Little Symphony 30 Flautist Georges Barrère founded in 1915

Barrett Agency Herbert 296 1910-2007. American concert and public relations manager. New York booking agency Barrymore Colt Ethel 91, 1912-1977. Stage and screen actress of legendary family Bartered Bride 113 1866 Smetena opera Bartlett Henry Leigh 142, 170, 173 1894-1978. Houston doctor, early Houston Symphony violinist, collector of massive Beethoven library given ultimately to Rice University Bartlett (Ethel) and husband 69, 75 1896-1978. British duo-pianists; colleagues Robertson (Rae) of Barbirolli, Benjamin Britten, Peter Pears.

Bashara Ellis 48 1908-1960. Houston wrestler; conducted Houston Symphony in wartime fundraiser. Named Purple Flash.

Bastien-Bastienne 301 1768 Mozart operetta Battista Joseph 116 1918-1968. Virtuoso pianist; Julliard and Indiana faculties. Untimely death. Battista Ned 216 Houston Symphony trumpeter 1961-1981. Founded Houston Pops Orchestra (1971), dance bands, Houston Ballet Orchestra.

Bauer Harold 71 1873-1951. Piano student of Paderewski; concert artist/ teacher University of Miami

Baylor a cappella choir 38, 68 Baylor University, Waco, Texas Baylor College of Medicine 101 Houston, Texas

Bayreuth, Germany 208, 222, 309 Home of Wagner Festival Beach's Auditorium 201 Early 20th century Houston venue; home of Edna Saunders' Pavlova appearance in 1917.

Beard Norman 10 Early President Houston Chamber of Commerce (1931) Beaumont, Texas 38, 118

353 Music In Houston Annotated Index Beautiful Galatea The 146, 171 1863 von Suppe opera. Beaux Arts Trio 224 Founded 1955 at Berkshire Music Festival. Menahem Pressler pianist et al

Beck Carl 15 1850-1920. 19th century German trained conductor of San Antonio's Beethoven Männerchor and Mendelssohn Chorus in 1884; first performance of Wagner in Texas in 1885 in Houston Saengerfest. Energetic and progressive leader.

Bedford R. Wayne 210, 226, 297, 320 d. 1969. Austin College faculty; Houston (Bedford Singers) choral conductor; Houston Symphony Chorale 1958-1969. Beecham Sir Thomas 52, 87, 93, 112, 1879-1961. Conductor Royal Philharmonic 118, 131, 164, 167, Orchestra, England 176, 189 Beethoven Ludwig 117, 195, 273-275

Bell Joanne 193-194 Houston arts advocate, 1963. Bellaire High School 157 Houston ISD Bells Are Ringing 287-288 1956 Broadway musical Bennett George 134, 166 Houston Symphony Orchestra and Lyric Art Quartet violinist Benzell Mimi 123, 178 1922-1970; Metropolitan Opera soprano; Broadway, film, light opera, television

Berge Paul 3, 250 1881-1970. Conductor Houston Symphony 1916-1918 (dissolved until 1931)

Berlin Dance Theater 166 Berlin, Germany 101-102 Bernasconi Francesca "Kiki" 176 1944- . Neapolitan piano prodigy debuted in USA in 1957. Bernhard Jim 294-295, 303, 320 1938- . Manager of Society for the Performing Arts Bernstein Leonard 61, 79, 122, 229 1918-1990. American composer West Side Story , etc. Conductor New York Philharmonic. Kennedy Center Honoree.

Beta Sigma Phi 108 International women's friendship sorority founded in 1931. Beversdorf, Jr. Thomas 208 1924-1981. Texas-born composer for Generation with the Torch . Faculty Indiana University. Houston Symphony trombonist.

354 Music In Houston Annotated Index Bible Frances 144, 172, 180 1919-2001. American mezzo-soprano; Rice University faculty Bielawa Herb 217, 222 1930- . Ford Foundation composer in Spring Branch ISD, organist, harpsichordist. Faculty San Francisco State University

Biggs E. Power 79, 122, 126, 150, 1906-1977. Famed British-born organ 169, 227 recitalist and recording artist. Bikel Theodore 268, 1924- . American actor stage and screen.

Billboard Magazine 143ff Premier music news journal founded in 1894 to post announcements on a billboard.

Bing Edward 54, 71, 74, 92, 319 Houston opera baritone; co-founder of Houston Grand Opera Birkhoff George David 214 1884-1944; preeminent American mathematician. Bishop-Kovacevich Stephen 268 1940- . American-born English pianist and conductor. Bjorling Jussi 116-117, 124, 173 1911-1960. Swedish tenor; Metropolitan, Royal Opera House, LaScala.

Bland William 155 1907-1993. Houston businessman and arts leader; Houston Grand Opera President

Blitz Julien 3, 5, 15, 31 1885-1951. Cellist; First Conductor, Houston Symphony; 1913-1922 conductor San Antonio Symphony; faculty and chair, Texas Tech. Dir. Houston Treble Clef Club. Cellist.

Block Michel 232 1937-2003. He was Belgian born pianist; faculty Indiana University. Blok Marianne 269 Panamanian born Dutch coloratura soprano

Bloomington, Indiana 63 Blossom Time 19 1916 Broadway musical based on the melodies of Franz Schubert Blumenthal Toby 225 Chicago born Texas resident pianist and teacher. B'Nai B'rith 108 Jewish community service organization Bodanya Natalie 227 1908-2007. Metropolitan opera soprano.

Boesch Paul 193 1912-1989. Houston wrestler and promoter at City Auditorium Bogin Abba 122 1925- . Pianist for New York Philharmonic; Broadway and symphony conductor

355 Music In Houston Annotated Index Bogy Erroll F. 1ff Author of Houston in Brief Bolen Don 203-204 1926-1992. Houston stage designer and producer (Houston Music Theatre). Bolet Jorge 121, 184, 231 1914-1990. Cuban born pianist; Curtis Institute; film, concerts, recordings Bolt, Beranek and Newman 194, 244 Firm originally of acousticians and architectural designers. Bonelli Richard 36, 67 1894-1990. American operatic baritone.

Boner Dr. C. P. 105 University of Texas physics faculty; applied acoustical engineering. Bonney (Dubonnet) Maurice 135, 143, 146, 151, 1923-2006. Associate Conductor Houston 166-168, 170-173 Symphony Orchestra 1955.

Boris Godunov 226, 1873 Mussorgsky opera Borodin Quartet 270, 280 Founded in 1945. Originally Moscow Conservatory Quartet Boston Commonwealth 35 WPA orchestra founded in 1934 by Ernst Orchestra Hoffmann before coming to Houston Symphony Boston Evening Transcript 37, 40 1830-1941; daily afternoon newspaper.

Boston Pops Orchestra 127, 226 Founded in 1885. Boston Symphony 6, 101-102, 311, Founded in 1881. One of USA's "Big Five" Orchestra 318 orchestras. Boston, Massachusetts 35-36, 63-64, 308,

Boswell Sisters 19 1905-1988. American popular music, radio, big band vocal trio. Boudreaux Josephine 4, 9, 29-30, 32, 41, 1898-1993. Concertmaster of the 319, 320 reconstituted 1931 Houston Symphony; Europe trained; teacher of Fredell Lack. Houston Symphony Archives: Her correspondence contains letters from Grace Keller, Maurice Hewitt, Blanche Foley, William Reher, Lucien Capet, Jeno de Hubay, Mary Fuller, Huberta Garwood, and to Vincent d'Indy. The letter from William Reher notes the inability to raise money in 1921 to reestablish the Houston Symphony.

Boulanger Nadia 214 1887-1979. Famed Paris teacher of composition; conductor. Bourne Harry 20 Houston Symphony business manager 1934

356 Music In Houston Annotated Index Boys Choir of Houston 106, 136 Founded in 1962 as the Singing Boys of Youth Symphony Texas by Howard Webb; unofficial arm of Houston Symphony and Chorus; recorded Carmina with Stokowski Bradley Jack 173, 299 1919-2000. Chair, Texas Southern University Department of Music. First black member of an American orchestra.

Brahms Quartet 269 Brailowsky Alexander 74, 116, 126 1896-1976. Ukranian/French pianist. Chopin specialist. Bream Julian 270 1933- . English classical guitarist and lutenist. Brenizer Lester 33 1890-1954; Founder of University of Texas Light Opera Company; teacher of singing; St. David's church Austin choral director

Bressler Charles 272 1926-1966. Tenor. Founding member of the New York Pro Musica. Brice Fannie 19 1892-1951. Broadway, Ziegfeld star Brief History of First Houston 10ff S. C. Red, author Presbyterian Church Brigadoon 120 1947 Lerner Loewe musical Briggs Robert 298 University of Houston Chair, Department of Music in 1970. Brown Mrs. Herman 152 Margarett, wife of Herman Brown, was a major donor to the fine arts in Houston

Brown Dorothy 136 Contralto soloist with Houston Symphony on Carmina Burana with Stokowski

Brown Foundation, Inc. 316 Herman and George Brown, Brown and Root. Philanthropy in the arts and in education. Brown University 285 Providence, R. I. Browning John 179, 228, 234, 237, 1933-2003; pianist. 264, 272 Brownlee John 82, 85, 91 Brownlee Robert 154, 178, 182, 225, c 1930- . Cleveland born pianist, Oberlin 228, 232-234 graduate, faculty University of Houston.

Bruce Carol 91 1919-2007; Broadway singer, actress Brusilow Nathan 127 Houston Symphony clarinetist and faculty University of Houston

357 Music In Houston Annotated Index Brusilow Anshel 130 1928- . Philadelphia Orchestra concertmaster; Dallas Symphony Orchestra conductor; faculty North Texas University

Brusilow Albert 121 1928- . American violinist; Philadelphia Orchestra. Concerts, recitals.

Bryan, Texas 42 Brydon Gloria 175 c. 1925- . Dallas contralto; married to Turquette organist Russell Brydon. Budapest String Quartet 159, 167, 182 1917-1967; formed by four friends whose opera orchestras were victims of World War I. Budapest, Hungary 102 Buffalo, New York 199 Bumbry Grace 227 1937- . Metropolitan opera mezzo; Kennedy Center honoree Burke Paul 33, 51 Pre-1945 Houston Symphony cellist Business Manager position 35, 37, 39, 52-53, with Houston Symphony 65, 82, 188 (see also Tom Johnson)

Business Week Magazine 217

Buswell James 234 Violinist; faculty New England Conservatory of Music, Indiana Univ. Buketoff Igor 80 1915-2001. American conductor; Julliard choral program. Faculty University of Houston, conductor Texas Chamber Orchestra 1980-81 Bybee Faith (Mrs. 108, 301, 320 1900-1996. Houston philanthropist and Charles) collector Caballé Montserrat 205, 264, 294 1933- . Spanish operatic bel canto soprano.

Caballé and Marti Montserrat 270 Mother-daughter recitalists Cain Noble 55-56, 128-129, 1896-1977. American composer, choral 211, 217, 222, 298 conductor. Faculty Northwestern University; NBC Radio. Calhoun Mrs. Ben 187 Past-president, Houston Symphony League

Call Me Madame 181 1950 Irving Berlin musical Callas Maria 6, 149, 310 1923-1977. La Divina . Bel canto soprano and consummate dramatic artist

Calloway Cab 19 1907-1994; Harlem jazz singer and band leader Camelot 203 1960 Broadway musical

358 Music In Houston Annotated Index Can -Can 290 1953 Broadway musical Canadian National Ballet 176, 180, 226-227, Founded 1951 by Celia Franca. Premier (National Ballet of Canada) 231, 237 Canadian ballet organization.

Capitol Records 143, 145, 150, 151 Founded in 1942 by composer Johnny Mercer. Famed Hollywood building. Caplan Arnold 18, 27, 33 1916-1997; Houston violin prodigy; Julliard graduate; Metropolitan Opera Orchestra.

Captain Kangaroo 175, 179, 181 1927-2004. Bob Keeshan, children's television host. CBS program ran from 1955- 1984. Carle Frankie 93 American popular music pianist. Carmen 146, 155, 171, 179, 1875 Bizet opera. 264, 286, 289

Carmen Jones 77 1943 Broadway musical based on Bizet. Carmina Burana 136, 142, 150, 154, 1935 Carl Orff composition. 167, 264 Carnegie Hall 215 1891- . Historic New York performance venue. Carnival 288 1961 Broadway musical Carousel 116 1945 Rogers & Hammerstein musical Carpenter Scott 264 1925- ; American original seven astronaut.

Carso Joseph 25 English horn; St. Louis Symphony. Carson Mary Houston opera singer. Milan debut 1910. 1913 New Century Opera Company, NYC.

Carter Elliot 224 1908-2012. American composer Carter Music Company J. W. 7, 92, 101, 114 Est. 1906. Houston Knabe & Steinway piano dealer; 250 seat performance hall.

Caruso Enrico 54, 195, 202 1873-1921. Famed Italian tenor Casadesus Robert 49, 70, 75-77, 79, 1899-1972. French pianist; wife Gaby; 118, 166 daughter Jean. Casadesus Jean 117 1927-1972. Pianist son of Robert and Gaby.

Casalla Alfred 34 1882-1947. Pianist. Formed Trio Italiano in 1930. Cassidy Claudia 87, 88, 106 1899-1996. Chicago Tribune arts critic otherwise known as "Acid Cassidy." Cassily Richard 155 1927-1998; Metropolitan opera Wagnerian tenor. Cavalleria Rusticana 16, 31, 273 1890 Mascagni opera in one act. CBS 39 Est. 1928. Columbia Broadcasting System

359 Music In Houston Annotated Index Chabay (Csabay) Leslie (László) 124 1907-1989; Hungarian born tenor. Chaliapin Feodor 195 1873-1938. Russian basso Chamber of Commerce Houston 6, 10, 19, 27, 43, 48, 139, 283, 291, 292ff, 298ff, 302- 303, 315, 316ff Champion Marge and 130 1919-1980 (Gower). Husband and wife Gower Broadway, movie dancers and choreographers. Channing Carol 123 1921- . Tony winning Broadway actor Chapman Betty Trapp 6ff, 16ff Houston historian and author Charles Ray 278 1930-2004. American pop music pianist/singer Chavez Carlos 54, 57, 61, 77, 79, 1899-1978. Mexican composer and 231, 258, 270 conductor Cherkassky Shura 54, 77, 1909-1995. Russian born American pianist.

Chi Omega 108, 178, 183, 225, Women's fraternity 228, 235, 236, 239

Chicago (Civic) Opera 2, 5, 14, 15, 33, 54, 1922-1931. Housed in Auditorium Theater 195, 202 until 1928 which Civic Opera House was completed. Chicago Chamber Ensemble 242

Chicago Lyric Opera (est. 17 Resident of Civic Opera House of Chicago. 1954) Preeminent company. Chicago Opera Ballet Ruth Page's 170, 173, 180 1954-1969; directed Chicago Lyric Opera ballet corps and toured as Ruth Page's Chicago Opera Ballet corps Chicago Symphony 87, 318 Founded in 1891 by conductor Theodor Orchestra Thomas. Concerts initially at Auditorium Theater. Chicago Tribune 87, 88, 114 Founded 1847. Touted as "World's Greatest Newspaper" leading to radio/TV call letters "WGN." Chicago World's Fair 17, 31, 148 1933; scene of Houston production of Aida.

Chicago, Illinois 31, 199, 207, 222, 31 Children's Concerts Houston 21, 22, 33, 39, 46, (Student) Symphony 68-73, 79, 86, 96, Orch. 130, 151, 224, 227, 231 Chocolate Soldier 76, 120 1908 Oscar Straus operetta

360 Music In Houston Annotated Index Chookasian Lili 184, 235 1921-2012. American born Metropolitan Opera contralto. Yale faculty.

Christ Church Cathedral 39, 45, 69, 70, 78, Founded in 1839. Houston performance 183, 275 venue Christian Science Monitor 81ff News service established in 1908 by Mary Baker Eddy. Cincinnati Conservatory of 24 Founded in 1867. Music Cincinnati Symphony 39, 76, 117, 124, Founded in 1895. Orchestra 250 Cinderella 144, 170 1817 Rossini opera. (La Cenerentola) City Auditorium Houston 6, 8-9, 14, 17, 21, Opened in 1910 to replace the Winnie Davis 29,31, 40-41, 45, Auditorium. On site of current location of 59, 62, 67-70, 77- Houston's Jones Hall; host to Metropolitan 79, 88-90, 93-94, Opera, Houston Symphony, touring concert 97-98, 100, 104- artists and ensembles, and professional 105, 107, 110, 113, wrestling. 116-119, 121-124, 126, 128-129, 131, 139, 150, 191-195, 202, 211, 222, 228 (last concert), 318

City Council Houston 40, 192, 193, 194, 199, 204, 212, 213, 221, 247, 251, 287- 91, 303, 318

City Federation of Women's Houston 38 Clubs City of Houston 46, 49, 53, 61,104, 191, 197-8, 211, 212, 221, 316-318

Civic Center (Committee) Houston 105, 114, 291, 311

361 Music In Houston Annotated Index Civic Music Association 62, 63, 66, 79, 81, Founded in 1947. 2316 seats sold in five 86, 116, 117-119, days. Season sales only; no single tickets; no 121-123, 126-131, reserved seating; low prices; minimal 166-167, 169-170, marketing. 172-173, 175-176, 178-183, 185, 224- 225, 227-241, 264- 266, 269-270, 272- 274, 276, 278-279

Civic Opera Company Houston 8, 31, 148 Founded 1930 by Mrs. John Wesley Graham; Nespoli first conductor. Produced Aida at Chicago 1933 World's Fair.

Civic Symphony Houston 280, 300, 317 Houston's oldest community orchestra founded in 1967. Clayton Jean 226 Member of Music Guild quartet Clear Lake, Texas 184, 193 Cleveland Orchestra 82, 86, 308, 311, Founded in 1918. One of America's "Top 314, 318 Five" orchestras. Cliburn Van 150, 152, 164, 167, 1934-2013 . Texas pianist; HSO at age 12; 175, 183, 203, 228, Moscow Tchaikovsky competition. Founder 233, 266, 273, 294 of International Cliburn Competition. Kennedy Center Honors 2001.

Cloud of Witnesses 8ff History of First Methodist Church, Houston

Coastal String Quartet 271 Coci Claire 124 1912-1978. American organist ; faculty Oberlin and Westminster Choir College Colantoni Amelio 49 1900-1960. Former director of New Orleans Opera Association employed by Houston Symphony in 1944. Coldiron Jack H. 239 Lyric baritone; faculty Baylor University Cole Jan 271-272, 275, 296 Founder of Musica Antiqua Coliseum Houston 26, 39-40, 90, 104-Opened in 1937. Local venue adjacent to 105, 118, 193, 211 Music Hall. Seating capacity of 9200 in arena setting. Replaced by Hobby Center.

College Night Concerts 38-39 Begun in 1937 by Houston Symphony in (Houston Symphony) concert with Texas collegiate ensembles.

Collegium Musicum 273-274, 280 University of St. Thomas choral ensemble

362 Music In Houston Annotated Index Collins Richard 153 Founded New Art String Quartet in 1959 of Houston Symphony players with Jerry Horner, viola, and Irwin Kinkon (Steven Gorish), cello. Collins Margot 153 New Art String Quartet (See Richard Collins)

Collins Eddie 18 Houston manager for Interstate Theater chain in 1934. Columbia Artists 37, 193 Founded in 1930 by William Paley and Management Arthur Judson Columbia Concerts Corp. 58 See "Columbia Artists Management" Columbia Opera Company 75

Columbia Records 86-87, 100, 114 Founded in 1888 from American Graphophone Company. Oldest brand name in recording industry. Columbia University 285 Colvig David 88ff, 97ff, 134 1919-2005. Houston Symphony flutist 1948- 1986. Como Perry 19 1912-2001. American pop singer. Compagnie Nationale de 205 Troupe dedicated to native dances of Danses Francaises France. Houston appearance in 1967. Concentus Musicus 268 Founded in 1953. Baroque ensemble originally from Vienna Philharmonic Concertgebouw Orchestra 183 Founded in 1888. of Amsterdam Concertmaster Houston 7, 18, 41, 51, 55- Symphony 56, 60, 68 Conley Eugene 138 1908-1981. Metropolitan Opera tenor. Faculty North Texas University. Connally Thelma 116 Houston pianist Conner Kay 91 Conner Nadine 166 1907-2003. Metropolitan Opera soprano

Consul The 154, 178 Menotti opera premiered in 1950. Contemporary Arts Museum Houston 98, 103, 158, 179, Museum founded in 1948. & Association 182, 209, 226, 232, 235, 240, 307

Contemporary Chamber 265, 268, 270, 272- Created in 1961 by bassoonist Arthur Ensemble 274, 276-279 Weisberg; Houston Symphony, NBC Symphony Contemporary Chamber Houston 295, 304 Founded by Richard Pickar in 1967 Players

363 Music In Houston Annotated Index Contemporary Music Houston 152-154, 157, 164, Founded by Leopold Stokowski in 1958. Society 176, 179, 183, 209- 210, 225-226, 228

Cook Maxine (Mrs. 62 1914-2008. Founder Houston Civic Music Cecil) Association. Cooley Denton 323 1920- . Houston heart surgeon Copland Aaron 82, 270, 298 1900-1990. "Dean" of American composers. Populist/vernacular compositions evocative of America. Coq d'Or 235 1909 opera The Golden Cockrell by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov Corbett Foundation 289 Cincinnati based foundation Corelli Franco 131 1921-2003. Metropolitan opera spinto tenor. Corigliano John 266 1938- . Violinist; concertmaster New York Philharmonic Costa Mary 278 1930- . American soprano, opera, film, television Cowell Henry 135 1897-1965. American composer. Craig John 236 Tenor with the 1966 Metropolitan Opera National Company. Craighead David 118, 237 1924-2012. Noted American organist. Crampton Studios 29, 31 1931 Houston vocal studio. Crespin Régine 274 1927-2007. French born Metropolitan Opera soprano. Crooks Richard 72, 74 1900-1972. Metropolitan Opera tenor; Voice of Firestone radio host 1928-1945.

Crosby John 286 1926-2002. Founder and Director of Santa Fe Opera Company Crouch Beth 285 Houston Grand Opera staff member; Editor Houston Grand Opera Magazine 1972.

Crouse Wayne 134, 152, 166, 182, 1924-2000. Houston Symphony principal 210, 214, 226- viola (1951-1983) and Lyric Art Quartet 227, 229-230, 232, violist. Faculty Rice and University of 236, 240-242, 269, Oklahoma. 273, 277

Crowder Louis 184 1907-1998. American pianist; Northwestern (1941-1969) and University of Connecticut faculties Crozier Catherine 150, 233 1914-2003. Organist, teacher, author Crucible The 299 Robert Ward opera premiered in 1961.

364 Music In Houston Annotated Index Cullen Hugh Roy 45-49, 52-53, 58, 1881-1957. Houston philanthropist; Cullen 61, 63, 65, 83, 97, Foundation 101, 137, 139, 146, 164, 256, 313, 320

Cullen Auditorium-- 47, 94-95, 107, University of Houston campus University of Houston 121, 123, 124, 126- 131, 159, 167, 169- 170, 172, 174-175, 177-180, 182-183, 227, 234-235, 241

Cullen Foundation The 61 Founded by Roy and Lillie Cullen Cultural Affairs Committee 283, 291-292, Replaced Municipal Arts Council in 1968. 298ff, 303 Cunningham Carl 251, 256-257, 283, Houston Post classic music and dance critic. 285-286, 298, 320 Annotator of Houston Symphony Program Notes. Author. Cunningham Davis 144 1916-1984; American tenor specializing in oratorio and 20th century opera Cunningham Dancers Merce 235 1919-2009. American avant-garde dancer & choreographer Curtin Phyllis 175, 225, 228 1921- . American soprano, dedicated recitalist. Curtis Institute of Music 8 Opened in Philadelphia in 1924. Curtis String Quartet 72 1930-1981; members of Curtis Institute of Music faculty. Curzon Clifford 116, 118, 122, 127, 1907-1982. English pianist. Pupil of Wanda 228, 242 Landowska and Nadia Boulanger.

Cutrer Mayor Lewis 193 1904-1981; Houston mayor 1957-63. Dale Esther 30 1885-1961. Soprano; Tuesday Music Club guest. Television actress Dallas Arts Quartet 279 Dallas Civic Opera 185, 310 Founded in 1957 by Lawrence Kelly. Dallas Morning News 85, 140, 149 Founded in 1885. Dallas Symphony Orchestra 41, 52, 79, 84, 85, Founded in 1900. 92, 116, 225, 270, 299, 309, 310 Dallas Times Herald 12, 26ff, 37 Founded in 1888. Dallas, Texas 25, 36, 41, 50, 52, 65, 93, 114, 149, 154, 196, 206, 225, 308-311 Damn Yankees 150, 173, 174 1955 Broadway musical Dancers of Bali 226

365 Music In Houston Annotated Index Danco Suzanne 122 1911-2000. Belgian mezzo-soprano Danilova Alexandra 178 1903-1997. Russian-born prima ballerina

Danzi Woodwind Quintet 270 Founded by Frans Vester in 1958; all first chairs of the Amsterdam Concertgebouw Orchestra; named for composer Franz Danzi. Frans Vester, Flute; Jan Spronk, Oboe; Piet Honingh, Clarinet; Brian Pollard, Bassoon; Adriaan van Woudenberg, Horn.

Davidson Joy 269 Mezzo-soprano; Broadway star as Maria Callas in "Master Class" and Kathryn Hepburn in "Tea at Five." Davies Marion 92, 117-118, 124, 1924-2012. Houston Symphony cellist, Lyric 127-128, 130, 134, Art Quartet, later Dallas Symphony 166, 224, 226-227, Orchestra. One of first women to be named 236 Principal cellist of major American symphony orchestra. Davis Ivan 225, 228 1932- . Texas born pianist; student of Silvio Scionti and Horowitz. Faculty University of Miami, Florida. Davis Monte Hill 73, 124, 129,233 1932- ; Nacogdoches, Texas pianist; student of Silvio Scionti. Davis Paul 25 French hornist; member Wichita, Kansas orchestra Dawson Joseph Moody 56 Houston violin teacher of Ray Fliegel and others. 1662 Amati instrument. de Almeida Antonio 257, 262, 272-273, 1928-1997. French Principal Guest 277-278 Conductor Houston Symphony 1969-1971. de Basil Wasily 55, 81 1888-1951. Russian ballet impresario. Founder of Ballet Russes de Monte-Carlo in 1931-32. de Firenze Orchestra Michelangelo 269 Italian chamber ensemble outgrowth of Societa Cameristica Italiana quartet. de Groote Lucien 172 1927-2012. Houston Symphony Cellist 1957- 1960. Named conductor of Charleston Symphony in 1963. de la Bruchollerie Monique 129 1915-1972; Parisian born pianist de los Angeles Victoria 129, 264 1923-2005. Spanish dramatic soprano. Disabled in a 1966 auto accident. de Stefano Giuseppe 117 1921-2008. Italian tenor; successor to Gigli; romantic involvement with Callas.

DeBakey Michael 323 1908-2008. Famed Houston heart surgeon and medical pioneer. Debost James 273

366 Music In Houston Annotated Index Decisive Years For Houston 139ff Houston history by Marvin Hurley, CEO of Houston Chamber of Commerce DeCornier Folk Singers Robert 240 1962-1987. Founded by Robert DeCormier, conductor, faculty Julliard. Multiple recordings. Deering Francis R. 53, 58, 82, 86ff, 1911-1997. One time business manager 320 Loew's State theater and Houston Symphony; Manager of City of Houston Civic Center Department (Department of Public Buildings) for 15 years, serving under three mayors . Del Monaco Mario 100 1915-1982. Metropolitan Opera tenor who refused to sing again in City Auditorium because of poor conditions. del Pozo Marimi 116 1928-2014. Spanish coloratura soprano. Dellheim Peter 250 RCA recording producer Della Casa Lisa 167 1919- ; Swiss born lyric soprano. Metropolitan Opera, Vienna, Covent Garden. DeMille Agnes 72, 128 1905-1993. American dancer/choreographer of original Oklahoma on Broadway Denney Ruth 302 1914-2007. Founder of Houston High School for the Performing and Visual Arts.

Desert Song 76, 80, 82 1926 Sigmund Romberg operetta di Maria-Petris Jolanda 80 Born 1916 in Pola, Italy. Soprano. Career in 1930s in Italy. Toured USA in 1948. Tuesday Musical Club artist. Diapason Magazine The 92ff Pipe organ journal Dichter Mischa 268, 276 1945- . American Chinese born Polish pianist. Dick James 231, 240, 273, 277 1940- . Texas born pianist ; Round Top Festival Dickey James 153 University of Houston oboist, later 30 years with U. S. Marine Band; faculty Shenandoah University Dictators of the Baton 134 David Ewen's book on conductors Dido and Aeneas 271 1688 opera by Henry Purcell. Die Fledermaus 82, 123, 179, 277 1874 Johann Strauss II operetta Die Kluge 271 Karl Orff opera premiered in 1943. Die Meistersinger 229 1868 Wagner opera Die Walk üre 130, 154, 178 1870 opera by Wagner; second in Ring cycle

367 Music In Houston Annotated Index Diehl Anton 2 1867-1952. Founder of Anton Diehl Conservatory of Music; 1913 Houston Symphony violinist; Church of the Annunciation; Diehl Orchestra (See Thomas F. Ward: Teacher of Frederick Delius by Don Gillespie for extensive Diehl biography)

Diller, Phyllis 204 1917-2012. American comedienne. Dinwoodey Annette 134, 145 1906-2007. American radio and concert contralto and centenarian. Dismanovich Chorus Bronho 181 Dixon Donald 55 Domingo Plácido 242, 264, 270 1941- . Spanish tenor, conductor. Metropolitan opera. Kennedy Center Honoree. Dominican College 98, 129, 179, 224, 1945-1975. Founded by Dominican Sisters 227, 229, 232-233, of St. Dominic of the congregation of the 241, 265 Sacred Heart. Houston Catholic liberal arts college. Dominquez Milla 73 Mexican soprano soloist. Wife of Mexican Vice Consul in Chicago (1931) Don Carlo 270 1866 Verdi opera Don Cossack Chorus 31, 33, 69, 72-77, Russian male chorus, Serge Jaroff conductor, 79, 169, 181, 233, founded in 1912. Toured extensive 242, 277 international schedule. Don Giovanni 232 1787 opera by Mozart Don Pasquale 176 1842 opera by Donizetti Don Quixote 271 1904 opera by Massenet Doppman William 273 1934- . American pianist, composer Dorati Antal 52, 81, 84-85, 114, 1906-1988. Hungarian-born American 131, 173, 309 conductor: Dallas, Minneapolis, National, BBC, Detroit orchestras Dorfman Herman 126 1916-1997. Houston Symphony principal horn; San Francisco Symphony 1958-1967.

Dorfman Anita 121 Pianist; recorded with Toscanini 1939. Doty William 77 1907-1994. Dean College of Fine Arts, University of Texas Austin Douglas Robert 117 Dow Dorothy 123 1920-2005. Houston born dramatic soprano; extensive European career; faculty Rutgers. Died in Galveston. Downbeat Magazine 95ff 1934. American magazine dedicated to jazz, blues, "and beyond" Downes Olin 96 1886-1955; New York Times music critic Downy Morton 19 1901-1985; American singer named "The Irish Nightingale."

368 Music In Houston Annotated Index Dragonette Jessica 69 1900-1980. India-born, American radio vocalist; "Princess of Song." Drolc Quartet Eduard 233, 274 Violinist Herr Drolc (d. 1973) and members of the Berlin Philharmonic. Druary John 154, 178-179, 182, 1920-2008. New York City Opera tenor; 224, 234, 240-241, University of Houston faculty. Soloist First 264, 268, 278 Presbyterian Church and Temple Emanuel. du Pré Jacqueline 270 1945-1987; British cellist felled by Multiple Sclerosis. Duchin Eddy 93 1909-1951. American pop piano and club entertainer; subject of biographical film.

Dudley Mrs. Ray 65, 320 1894-1986. Houston cultural benefactress, daughter of First Baptist Church pastor.

Duerler, aka Case Evelyn 31 1906-2006. San Antonio movie singer and USO entertainer in World War II. Dumas Elva Kalb 31, 39, 74 1901-2004; Houston operatic soprano and cultural icon. Dunbar Clarence 13ff 1907-1997. Houston historian; author of Peckham Houston 1836-1936. Dundas Elizabeth M. 37 Houston Symphony Business and Publicity Manager in 1937. Dunlap Rhodes 30 Houston pianist; Rice Institute '31 Dunn Abe 203 Co-Founder Southwest Concerts Agency

Duo Doktor-Menuhin 230 1917-1989. Paul Doktor was a Julliard faculty violist with Yalta Menuhin, pianist.

Dupré Marcel 77 1886-1971. French organist, composer at St. Sulpice, Paris 1934-1971. Duruflé Maurice 264 1902-1986. French organist, composer Eastman School of Music 18, 199 Established in 1921 at the University of Rochester. Eaton Quaintance 55ff, 202ff 1902-1992. Author, opera authority. She was a writer for Musical America . Eddy Nelson 67, 69, 79, 86, 118, 1901-1967. American baritone and film 124 actor. Edley Phillip 231, 233 Philip Edley, 1st double bass, Houston Symphony on March 4, 1971

369 Music In Houston Annotated Index Eger's Players Chamber Joseph 173 1920- . Principal French Horn, New York Ensemble Philharmonic. Violin, cello, horn, piano. Later conductor. Subject of The Career and Legacy of Hornist Joseph Eger: His Solo Career, Recordings, and Arrangements by Kathleen S. Pritchett.

Ehrling Sixten 274 1918-2005. Swedish Conductor of Royal Swedish Opera and Detroit Symphony.

Elektra 173 1909 Richard Strauss opera Elgin Daisy 30, 33 Houston-born soprano debuted in 1930. Papers at University of Texas Briscoe Center.

Elijah 129 1846 Mendelssohn oratorio Elixir of Love 227 1832 opera by Donizetti Ellington Field 45 Built in 1917, Houston military and commercial air field. Adjacent to NASA's Houston Johnson Space Center. Elliott Card 30 Rice student '34, pianist. Ellis Merrill 278 1916-1981; founded the electronic music program at North Texas State University.

Elman Mischa 32, 69, 179, 182 1891-1967. Russian violist. Enesco George(s) 61, 79 1881-1955; Romanian violinist and composer. Enloe Jon 277 1943- . Houston opera baritone; 175+ performances with Houston Grand Opera

Entremont Philippe 172, 184, 240 1934- ; French pianist and conductor European Tour, Houston 108-109 Part of Ferenc Fricsay's proposed five year Symphony development plan for the Houston Symphony Everest Records 156 Founded in 1958 primarily to record in stereo. Ewen David 134 1907-1985; prolific author on music Fabian William H. 62 Houston attorney; founder Civic Music Association Fadrique Lloyd 283, 285 Houston Grand Opera Association President 1969. Faith Percy 266, 270. 274, 276 1908-1976. Canadian-American conductor/ arranger/ recording artist. Popularized "easy listening" music. Falstaff 265 1893 Verdi opera Farish (Fund) William Stamps 258, 316 1881-1942. Houston founder of Humble Oil; philanthropist; Symphony underwriter.

370 Music In Houston Annotated Index Farrell Eileen 130, 170, 172, 1920-2002. Metropolitan Opera soprano; 180, 183-184, 235 Indiana University faculty Farrow Mia 250, 253 1945- . Hollywood actress and paramour of conductor Andre Previn. Fasshauer Carl 241 1925-2009. Houston Symphony cellist and manager until 1969. Fauré Gabriel 88 1845-1924. French composer, pianist, organist, and teacher. Faust 31, 32, 148, 185- 1859 opera by Gounod. 186, 224, 242, 322

Fenn Jean 242 1930- . American lyric soprano; Metropolitan Opera 1953-1970. Fennell Frederick 79, 85, 91, 141, 1914-2004. Conductor, Eastman School of 153, 175, 183, 215, Music Wind Ensemble. Successor to Sousa. 231 Frequent Houston conductor. Ferguson Gov. Pa 17 1871-1944. Texas Governor. Ferrante & Teicher 175 Duo-pianists performing together from 1947 to 1989. Julliard faculty. Ferras Christian 179 1933-1982. French violinist Ferrin Richard 153 Director of University of Houston Symphonette, 1959. Fidelio 276, 287 1805 Beethoven opera Fiedler Arthur 215, 230-231, 233, 1894-1979. Conductor Boston Pops 237, 240, 265, 269, Orchestra; violinist, pianist, organist, and 273, 277 percussionist.

Filar Maryan 124 1917-2012. He was Polish Jewish pianist. Survived 7 World War II concentration camps. Pupil of Walter Gieseking.

Fine Arts Quartet 224, 236 Founded in 1946 originally by members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Finnila Birgit 272 1931- . Swedish contralto recitalist Fiore N. G. 186 Milan collaborator with Houston Grand Opera. Fiorello 181 1959 Broadway musical Firkusny Rudolf 75, 80, 119, 121, 1912-1994. Moravian (Czech) born pianist; 131, 166, 181,184, fled Nazis; teacher at Julliard, Aspen, 264, 272 Tanglewood. Taught Carlisle Floyd.

First Chamber Dance 203 1961-1979 troupe composed of former New Quartet York City Ballet dancers under direction of Charles Bennett. First Methodist Church Houston's 8, 148, 264, 268 Houston performance venue First Piano Quartet 79, 117, 124, 129, 1941-1972. Reorganized in 1962 as Original 224 Piano Quartet .

371 Music In Houston Annotated Index First Presbyterian Church Houston's 10 Houston performance venue

First Unitarian Church Houston's 134, 166-167, 169- Houston performance venue 170, 172-173, 181, 213, 274 Fisk Jubilee Singers 33 Organized in 1871 at Fisk University, Nashville. Flagstad Kirsten 37, 68, 121, 124 1895-1962. Norwegian Wagnerian soprano. Metropolitan Opera. Fleisher Leon 131 1928- . American pianist; student of Artur Schnabel. Fliegel Raphael 5, 7, 12, 18, 27, 31, 1919-2005. Houston born violinist ; Houston 54-56, 60, 82, 92, Symphony concertmaster for 25 years. 116, 124, 127, 133, 157, 166, 172, 191, 214, 226, 240, 301, 320

Floyd Carlisle 278 1926- . American opera composer. Faculties Florida State University and University of Houston. Flying Dutchman The 188 1843 Wagner opera. Flynn Charlotte 37 Houston Symphony Business Manager 1937.

Foley Blanche 3 1880-1963. Houston pianist and soprano was the first soloist to sing with the Houston Symphony in 1913. Father was Wm. Foley whose house was built in 1904 on Texas Avenue now Annunciation Church. She never married and died in the house at age 83.

Foley Brothers Department 4-5, 9, 16, 27, 29, Founded in 1900 by Pat and James Foley. Store 114, 249, 254, 266- The store was a major supporter of the arts 267, 271, 274-275, in Houston providing a venue for 277-278, 280, 293, performance, sponsorship of events, and 315 personnel for board memberships.

Fonteyn Margot 271 1919-1991. Prima ballerina; partner of Nureyev Ford Foundation 151, 164, 185-186, Founded in 1936 by Edsel Ford. By 1947, it 200, 217, 220-222, became the largest philanthropy in the 248, 260, 307, 316 world. Major Houston supporter of the Alley Theatre and the Houston Symphony.

Forrester Maureen 228, 1930-2010. Canadian contralto. New York City and Metropolitan operas.

372 Music In Houston Annotated Index Fortune 245ff, 323 Founded in 1930 by William Luce as a global business magazine. Foster Sidney 116 1917-1977. American pianist; Baroque focus. Faculty Indiana University. Foster Lawrence 258-261, 263, 276, 1941- . Conductor Houston Symphony; 278-280, 300 Monte Carlo, Lusanne, and Jerusalem orchestras. Foster Marcellus 107 1870-1942. Founder of Houston Chronicle in 1901. See: http://marcellusfoster.blogspot.com/ Fou Ts'ong 241 1934- . Chinese pianist based in London.

Four Piano Ensemble 121 Managed by Sol Hurok, founded by pianist Stephen Kovach who arranged all music for the ensemble. Fournier Pierre 228 1906-1986. Paris-born cellist; teacher of Julian Lloyd Webber. Fox Virgil 119, 129, 150, 226, 1912-1980. Organist at Riverside Church, 268 New York City 1946-1965; known for his flamboyant "heavy organ" concerts

Fox Carol 287 1926-1981. named Director of Chicago Lyric Opera at age 28. Foy Joe 285 Houston Grand Opera President 1971-1973

Frager Malcolm 277 1935-1991. American pianist noted for helping retrieve manuscripts after World War II. Died at age 56. Francescatti Zino 73, 76-77, 99, 119, 1902-1991. French virtuoso violinist; Hart 126, 167, 170, 178, Stradivarius (1727). 228, 234, 274

Franco Gulli and Enrica 274 Husband (1926-2001) and wife violinist and Gavallo-Gulli pianist. Gulli Stradivari of 1716. Francois Samson 118 1924-1970. French pianist playboy. Heart attack at 46 on stage. Subsequently died.

Frankfurt, Germany 208 Franklin Dancers Frederic 127 1914- . Slovenska-Franklin Dancers and founder of National Ballet of Washington, D. C. Order of the British Empire.

Fransee Quartet 30 Vaclav and Margaret and children Vera and Gabriel. Weekly KXYZ program. Czech/Slovak immigrants; Vera was with the Houston Symphony 1930-48. Church musicians.

373 Music In Houston Annotated Index Frantz Dalies 34, !84 1908-1965. Pianist; student of Schnabel; University of Texas faculty; teacher of James Dick. Franzheim Kenneth 213 1890-1959. Houston architect for Miller Theatre Fraubieter Ann 279 Houston organist from 1965. Freccia Massimo 80 1906-2004. Conductor; assistant to Toscanini; New Orleans Symphony 1944- 1952. Fredericks Walter 130 Early 20th century American tenor; opera, oratorio, sacred music concerts. Freire Nelson 278 1944- . Brazilian classical pianist. French National Dance 265 Troupe of 32 singers and dancers performing Company French country dances; toured U. S. first in 1967. French National Orchestra 116 1891-1968. Charles Munch, Alsatian conductor of Houston Symphony in 1948. Boston Symphony Orchestra. French Radio Orchestra 195 Founded in 1934 by Radio France. Fricsay Ferenc 101-102, 107-111, 1914-1963. Controversial Hungarian 128, 130, 256 conductor of Houston Symphony in 1954; died in 1963 at 48. Friedman Erick 238, 272 1939-2004. American born violinist. Faculty Southern Methodist University and Yale schools of music. Friends of Music Houston 159, 164, 181-182, Founded in 1959 as purveyor of concerts 210, 224-225, 227- and recitals at lowest cost. Single price 241, 264, 266, 268- tickets, no reserved seats, word of mouth 270, 272, 274, 276, advertising. 278-280, 307

Froman Jay 145 Bass baritone; Music Director Theatre, Inc. 1961; soloist with Houston Symphony recording Fuermann George M. 1ff, 48ff, 99, 140ff, 1918-2001. Houston author and journalist; 219, 307 Houston: Land of the Big Rich

Fujiwara Opera Company 169 Tokyo's premier opera company founded in 1934. Fulgham Hap 214 Houston Symphony percussionist; faculty Houston Baptist University; teacher of many professional musicians

Fuller Mary 23 Among the founders of Girls' Musical Club and Houston Symphony. Houston pianist. Friend of Miss Hogg. Fuller Construction Co. George A. 244

374 Music In Houston Annotated Index Gadski Johanna 6 1872-1932. Prussian born soprano specializing in Wagnerian roles Galanffy Louis and Adel 241 Hungarian refugee pianists; faculty Mary Hardin Baylor and Central Texas colleges

Galli-Curci Amelita 5, 195 1882-1963. Italian operatic soprano. Gallo Joseph 41, 51, 68 1938 Houston Symphony concertmaster; founder Houston Quartet

Galveston, Texas 1, 38, 42, 124 Gammons E. B. 39, 68 Christ Church Cathedral choirmaster and director of Houston Symphony Chorus; in 1938 Harvard '31 helped design Harvard's Appleton Chapel organ.

Gannon Theodore F. 39 1938 Houston Symphony business manager.

Garden Mary Elizabeth 5 1874-1967. Scottish operatic soprano called the "Sarah Bernhardt of opera." Gardner Guy 136, 144 Houston baritone most noted for Carmina performance with Stokowski. Gardner School 201 New York private school; Edna Saunders

Gargoyle The Houston 4-5, 20-21 1928-1932; Houston magazine reflecting style and content of The New Yorker . Dewey Roussel was a contributor.

Garland Judy 182 1922-1969. American stage and film entertainer and singer. Garrett George 206ff, 217, 218ff, Gentlemen's Quarterly arts writer 309ff, 321ff, 322ff

Garrett Daniel 8 1869-1932. U. S. House of Representatives from the 8th District of Texas.

Garver George 302 Superintendant of Houston ISD, faculty Arizona State University; mayor Georgetown, Texas Gedda Nicolai 240 1925- . Swedish opera tenor Gentlemen Prefer Blondes 123 1949 Broadway musical

Gentlemen's Quarterly 206ff, 217, 309, Men's style and fashion magazine. 322 George Johnny 21, 211, 319 Founder of Houston's Theatre, Inc. George R. Brown 311 Opened in Houston in 1987. Conventional Center

375 Music In Houston Annotated Index Gerlach Ed 95 1920- ; Houston dance band leader; former Glenn Miller Orchestra manager

German Grand Opera Co 6, 195, 315 German Opera Company starring Johanna Gadski and managed by Sol Hurok which toured the United States in the late 1920s.

Gershwin George 44 1898-1937. American pianist and composer.

Gianni Schicchi 150, 273 1917 Puccini opera Giannini Dusolina 67 1902-1986. American Soprano. Metropolitan Opera 1935-1942. Gibbons Fred 77 Houston Symphony guest performer. Gibson Virginia 91 1928- . American dancer, singer and actress of film, television and musical theatre. Giesberg Robert I. 59ff Houston opera historian. Gieseking Walter 30, 170, 184 1895-1956. German pianist and composer. Blacklisted in USA until 1947 as Nazi sympathizer. Gigli Beniamino 5, 29, 30 1890-1957. Italian operatic tenor; most famous of his generation. Gilbert Ellis 155 Stage manager for Metropolitan opera; business manager for Houston Grand Opera.

Gilbert Richard 87 CEO of Columbia Masterworks records. Gilbert Billy 91 1894-1971; American comedian and actor

Gilbert & Sullivan Society of 97, 99, 107, 115, Founded in 1952. Houston 125, 127, 131, 143, 147, 150, 168, 171, 174, 177, 180, 183, 226, 229, 232, 235, 238, 242, 267, 271, 275, 280, 317

Gillespie C. B. 20, 1872-1929. First managing editor of Houston Chronicle Gillespie-Grotte Ina 10, 20, 21, 23, 25, Influential Houston newspaper arts critic; 319 Houston Grand Opera volunteer; Pres, Tuesday Musical Club. Gillis Don 82 1912-1978; American composer; producer for NBC Symphony with Toscanini.

376 Music In Houston Annotated Index Girard Harry 11, 13, 30 In 1931 Harry P. Girard, a composer, conductor and voice teacher, was hired to conduct and direct a production of Il Trovatore for the Houston Civic Opera Association. Father of prominent Houston physician Dr. Louis Girard. Girl Crazy 80, 82 1930 Gershwin musical. Girls Music Club Houston 4-5, 184 1916-1920. Predecessor of Tuesday Musical Club of Houston. Giselle 265 1841 Ballet by Adolf Adam Glatz Herta 126 1910-2006. Austrian/American soprano. Salzburg, Metropolitan Opera; faculty USC, Manhattan School of Music. Gliere Reinhold 145, 147 1875-1956; Russian composer Gockley David 285-287, 290, 303, 1943- . Santa Fe Opera. CEO Houston and 320 San Francisco Opera companies. Gold (Arthur) and Fizdale 127, 131, 279 1917-1990 (Gold) 1920-1995 (Fizdale) Duo- (Robert) pianists. Recordings and concerts. Goldberg Szymon 86, 118, 166, 278 1909-1993. Polish born American violinist; concertmaster of Berlin Philharmonic forced to flee Nazi oppression; conductor; faculty Julliard, Curtis, and Manhattan Schools.

Goldovsky Opera Company Boris 130, 146, 172 Touring 1946-1984; alumni Sherrill Milnes, Phyllis Curtain, & Rosiland Elias.

Goldsand Robert 73 1911-1991. Austrian pianist; faculty Cincinnati Conservatory. Golschmann Vladimir 123, 159, 179, 182 1893-1972. French conductor of St. Louis Symphony 1931-1958. Gondoliers The 97, 143, 168, 229, 1889 Gilbert and Sullivan operetta 280 Good News 120 1927 DeSylva-Brown Broadway hit and film

Goodman Benny 79 1909-1986. Noted American jazz clarinetist and band leader. Gordon String Quartet Jacques 76, 1897-1948. Russian born concertmaster of Chicago Symphony; chairman of violin, Eastman School of Music. Quartet formed in 1921. Gorin Igor 72 1904-1982. Austrian-born American baritone. Extensive radio, film, concert career. Faculty University of Arizona.

Gorini Luigino 230, 236, 265 1914-1989. Italian pianist/ composer; half of piano duo with Sergio Lorenzi

377 Music In Houston Annotated Index Gorisch Stephen 134, 153 Houston Symphony cellist; New Art String Quartet Gorish Eunice 105 Houston Symphony violinist Gorodnitsky Sascha 32 1905-1986. Russian born pianist. Julliard faculty 1932-1986. Gosland Robert 73 Vienna pianist. Fled Nazis in 1940. Faculty Manhattan School of Music. Gould Glenn 175, 182 1932-1982. Famed eccentric pianist and Bach exponent. Known for his exceptionally clean playing Gould Morton 79, 269 1913-1996. American conductor/ composer/arranger. Pulitzer prize winner

Graf Herbert 149 1904-1973; Metropolitan Opera producer 1936-1960. Graffman Gary 240, 258, 264, 293 1928- ; American classical pianist.

Graham Mrs. John 8-11, 15-17, 24, First Methodist choir director; voice teacher; Wesley 148, 164, 215, 319 Chicago World's Fair opera producer; radio (Norma) "Ma" presenter; Nash House in Westmoreland. American Hat Company. Noted for four diamonds weighing 20 carats.

Graham Dancers Martha 77, 117, 205, 277 1894-1991. Famed American dancer and choreographer. Grainger Percy 74, 75 Australian composer/pianist of folk music dedication Gramm Donald 230 1927-1983. American born Metropolitan Opera bass-baritone. Died from heart attack at age 56. Graudan Nikolai and 86, 119, 124 Husband cellist (1896-1964) and wife pianist. Joanna German Jewish cellist. Forced out of Berlin Philharmonic; fled to England; played with Beecham in Royal Philharmonic. She was piano pupil of Arthur Schnabel.

Gray Charles H. 97 1921-2008. Co-founder Houston Music Theatre; later acted on TV's Rawhide and film. Extensive television career. Great Waltz 117 1934 musical of Moss Hart book based on Strauss melodies. Greco José 126, 131, 170, 173, 1918-2000. Italian-born American flamenco 179, 182, 225, 229, dancer and choreographer. Famed dance 235, 237, 240, 270 company founded in 1949.

378 Music In Houston Annotated Index Green R. Paul 214 1921-1981. Professor of Choral Activities, Houston Baptist University, Southwestern Seminary, conductor Baptist Hour Choir.

Green John 279 1908-1989; American pop composer and conductor. Greenberg Louis 25 Dallas Symphony Orchestra oboist. In 1936, supplemented Houston Symphony personnel. Greene Betty 91 1898- ? Broadway actress 1946-1950. Griller String Quartet Sidney 128 1928-1963. British ensemble in residence at Berkley 1949-1961. Sidney Griller 1911- 1993. Grimes Lewis Howard 8ff 1915-1989. Perkins School of Theology. Author of history of Houston's First Methodist Church Grumaiux Arthur 124 1921-1986. Belgian violinist and concert artist. 30+ recordings. Grunewald Mrs. Lucy 1, 10, 135 Co-founder Houston Philharmonic Society in 1872. Music pioneer family. Guerrera Frank 166, 224 1923-2007. American Metropolitan Opera lyric baritone 1948-1976. Guizar Tito 75, 116 1908-1999; Mexican singer and actor. Gulda Friedrich 167 1930-2000. Austrian classical pianist later jazz. Gunn Ralph 152 1908-1976; Houston landscape architect for Harris Masterson et al Gunn Mrs. Ralph 156 Founder of Houston Grand Opera Guild; president Houston Symphony League; prominent civic leader. Gutekunst Kathryn 99, 154 1901-1984. Houston opera contralto and actress Guthrie William 145, 168, 299 Houston baritone; Houston Grand Opera; faculty Houston Baptist University.

Gutierrez Jesus 15 Houston Symphony bass player. Father of three Houston Symphony players in 1932: Fred, violin; Joe, clarinet; Patricio, French horn and piano. Guys and Dolls 124, 128, 179 1950 Broadway musical Gypsy 280, 291 1959 Broadway musical Gypsy Baron The 238 1885 operetta by Johann Strauss II H.M.S. Pinafore 180, 267 1878 Gilbert and Sullivan operetta Hackerman Norman 300 1912-2007. Chemist. President of University of Texas and Rice University Hadow Sir Henry 214 1859-1937. British music scholar

379 Music In Houston Annotated Index Hall Arthur E. 80, 98, 115, 151, 1901-1978. Rice University composer 152, 214 Hallé Orchestra 189 Founded in 1857 in Manchester, England. John Barbirolli conductor. Hamman George 214 Hamman Foundation; Hamman Hall at Rice.

Hamman Hall 154, 172-173, 176, Built in 1958 on the Rice campus 179-181, 183, 213- 214, 321 Hammond Dr. Clarence 106 Founder of Houston Conservatory of Music in 1917 Hammond Mozart 91, 107, 319 Died 1981. Houston musician named for the concerto his father was performing the night of his birth. Director of Houston Conservatory for 50 years.

Hancock Gerre 236 1934-2012. Organist/recitalist; faculty University of Texas Austin. Handbook of Texas Online 2ff Texas State Historical Society digital source. Various authors. Handford Maurice 279 1929-1986. British horn player; Associate Conductor of Halle Orchestra.

Hannikainen Tauno 61, 79 1896-1968. Finnish cellist and conductor.

Hansel and Gretel 47, 240 1893 operetta by Humperdinck. Harkness Ballet 236, 241, 266 1964-1975; starred Judith Jamison Harral Jim 224 Harrell Mack 75 1909-1960. Greenville, Texas baritone. Metropolitan Opera, Chicago Lyric, San Francisco; faculty, Julliard School. Harris Phil 19 1904-1995. American singer, song writer, comedian. Harris Roy 82, 293 1898-1979. American ideological composer.

Harris Stone Nell 204-6, 212, 236, Houston arts manager "Nell Harris Presents" 295 following Edna Saunders. Harrower Rexford 186-7, 221, 286 British scenic supplier for Houston Grand Opera; author. Hartford John 280 1937-1901. American folk, bluegrass and country singer/composer. Harth Sidney 224, 227, 293 1925-2011. American Violinist and conductor. Concertmaster New York Philharmonic and Chicago orchestras. Hartmann Howard 136 Houston operatic baritone; father of Lisa Hartman Black

380 Music In Houston Annotated Index Hatfield Lansing 72 1910-1954. Metropolitan Opera (1941- 1945) bass-baritone. Broadway 1937-1945. USO entertainer in South Pacific. Died at age 44. Hawkins Dance Ensemble Erick 234 1909-1994. American modern-dance (Frederick) choreographer and dancer; former Balanchine American Ballet & Martha Graham (wife) Dance Company Hayes Roland 29, 33, 75 1887-1977. Internationally acclaimed lyric tenor; son of former slave parents.

Hearn Thelma (Mrs. 301 1913-2000. Civic leader. Past president of Hilton) Houston Music Teachers Association, Young Audiences, Houston Gilbert & Sullivan. Foley's SAVVY Award in 1983.

Heaton Simon Nancy 134 Houston Symphony violinist. Wife of Houston Symphony percussionist James Simon. Heidt Winifred 62 New York City Opera mezzo-soprano. Heifetz Jascha 2, 31, 49, 67, 75, 1901-1987. Lithuanian virtuoso violinist; 122-123, 195 one of the 20th century's finest.

Hello Dolly 239 1964. First Broadway musical produced for inauguration of Jones Hall in 1966. Hindu Ballet 68 Henderson Skitch 170, 172, 234, 269 1918-2005. Conductor. Founder of New York Pops Concerts in 1983. Tonight Show band leader for Johnny Carson.

Hendl Walter 61, 79 1917-2007. American pianist, composer, and conductor Henke and Pillot Food 84, 86, 107, 114, Houston retail food store chain founded in Stores 116-118, 121-124, 1872. Acquired by Kroger in 1955. Name 128-129, 315 retired in 1966. Henkel Joseph 92 University of Houston music faculty 1950.

Henriot Nicole 79, 123, 126, 131, 1925-2001. French concert pianist. 182

381 Music In Houston Annotated Index Herbert Walter 132, 138, 142, 146, 1898-1975. American impresario. Founding 150, 154-155, 163, Director/Conductor, New Orleans Opera 167, 169-173, 176, 1943, Houston Grand Opera 1955, and San 178-179, 181-182, Diego Opera in 1965. World contract bridge 188, 220, 224-227, champion. 229-240, 242, 282- 286, 289, 303, 320

Heredia Rene 279 Famed American Flamenco guitarist in 20th century. Hermann Bernard 166-167 1911-1975. American film composer, conductor. Hermann Park 43, 47, 54, 61, 70, Houston's central municipal park housing 90, 107, 189, 211, museums and zoo built in 1920s. 213, 221, 303, 317- 318 Hertz Alfred 24, 25-26, 34, 139, 1872-1942. German conductor; 245 Metropolitan Opera, San Francisco Symphony Orchestra (1915-1930). Hess Dame Myra 31 1890-1965. London born pianist. Performed noontime London concerts during WWII blitz. Hester Byron 130, 153, 214, 279 1925-1995. Houston Symphony flutist 1953- 1990. Faculty University of Houston 1954- 1994. Hewitt Peter 209 San Francisco pianist Hickenlooper Lucy 135 1880-1948. Pianist, AKA Olga Samaroff; first self-produced female recitalist at Carnegie Hall; married Leopold Stokowski. Julliard faculty. High School for the Houston's 302, 304, 316 Only one of four in America at the time of its Performing and Visual Arts founding in 1971.

Hilsberg Alexander 127 1900-1961. Concertmaster Philadelphia Orchestra; conductor New Orleans Symphony 1952-1961. Hines Jerome 86, 118, 226, 228 1921-2003. Metropolitan Opera basso 1946- 1987. Hines Rev. John 45 Pastor of Christ Church Cathedral; fund raiser for World War II bond campaign Hinkle Jean 145 Houston soprano and teacher; soloist with Houston Symphony under Stokowski.

382 Music In Houston Annotated Index Hirsch General 147, 152, 156, 193, 1890-1983. President, Houston Symphony Maurice 208, 245, 247-248, Society 1956-1970. 251-258, 320

Hirsch Albert 99, 103, 115, 124, 1915-2003. American piano accompanist; 126-127, 130, Music Guild pianist; Faculty University of 133, 166-167, 170, Houston; Lyric Arts Quartet. 172, 175, 178-179, 181-182, 210, 215, 224-227, 229, 231, 233-234, 236, 239, 241-242, 268, 271- 274, 276-278, 320

Hirt Al 280 1922-1999. New Orleans jazz trumpet icon.

Hobby Center 311 Opened in 2002, home to Theatre Under The Stars, Broadway musicals, and chamber music performances. Hochreiter Karl 272 1933- ; German conductor and Bach specialist Hodge Leslie 34 1913-1988; Australian pianist Hoffmann Ernst 26, 35-39, 43-45, 1899-1955. Conductor Houston Symphony 48, 51-54, 56-58, 1936-1947; faculty Indiana University 60, 63-65, 67-78, 80, 83-85, 137, 149, 164, 187, 256, 309, 312, 315

Hoffmann Annemarie 57, 63, 137 c. 1900-1955. Beloved wife of Ernst "Mimi" (Mrs. Hoffmann, conductor of Houston Symphony Ernst) Orchestra and symphony volunteer

Hofheinz Mayor Roy 104-105 1912-1982. Flamboyant developer; Astrodome; Houston Mayor 1953-55. Hofmann Josef 32, 34, 195 1876-1957; Polish-American virtuoso pianist.

Hogan Beatrice 74 Houston Symphony 1943 soloist Hogg Ima 3, 17, 23, 53, 58, 1882-1975. Grande Dame and Founder of 65, 83, 90, 109, Houston Symphony and Houston 111-112, 137, 139, philanthropy. Hogg Foundation. Daughter of 144, 152, 184, Governor James Stephen Hogg. 193, 196, 258, 293, 300, 313, 319, 320

383 Music In Houston Annotated Index Hoggard Lara 127 1915-2007. Conductor of Fred Waring's Pennsylvanians 1948-1951, choral clinician, faculty Universities of Oklahoma and North Carolina. Hohner Accordion and 182 1960's famed touring musicians sponsored Harmonica Orchestra by the Hohner company Hoiness Donald 239 1921-2005. Faculty St. Olaf College, professor of voice. Hoiseth Kolbjorn 1932-1999. Norwegian Wagnerian tenor. Metropolitan Opera et al. Holcombe Oscar 90, 97, 104, 195 1888-1968. Mayor of City of Houston for eleven non-consecutive terms. Hollander Lorin 205, 265, 279 1944- . American pianist Hollywood Ballet 34 Edna Saunders presentation in 1935 Holmes Ann 103-105, 110, 132, 1922-2009. Houston Chronicle Fine Arts 154, 155ff, 160, Editor 1948-1988. 187, 194, 212, 219, 246, 257, 284-286, 290, 319

Honegger Arthur 214 1892-1955. Swiss composer; member Les Six Hopkins Robert 32 Early 20th century Baylor professor of voice and choral conductor Horne Marilyn 203, 278 1934- ; American mezzo soprano. Kennedy Center Honoree. Horner Jerry 153 Violist with New Art String Quartet Horowitz Vladimir 45, 67, 71, 118, 1903-1989; Russian born legendary 124 American virtuoso pianist Horvit Michael 216 1932- . University of Houston faculty emeritus; symphonic composer. Student of Copland, Foss, Piston. Houston 1836-1936 13ff City history by Clarence Peckham Dunbar

Houston and the Arts 292 1969 publication of the Houston Arts Council

Houston Arts Festival 292 Houston Ballet (Houston 133, 144, 164, 176, Founded in 1955 to provide Houston with a Foundation for Ballet) 179, 186, 232, 263, resident professional ballet company of 265 international renown. Houston Baptist College 195, 214, 222,239- Opened in 1963. Name changed to (University) 242, 265-266, 269- University in 1972. 271, 277-280, 299, 300, 304, 321

384 Music In Houston Annotated Index Houston Chamber of 139, 283, 291, Commerce 292ff, 298ff, 302- 303, 315, 316ff Houston Chamber Orchestra 187, 222, 233-237, Formed in 1964, Charles Rosekrans 239, 241, 242, 264- conductor, Mrs. Ben Calhoun, Chair Board of 266, 268, 270-272, Directors. 275, 277, 280, 321

Houston Choral Club 2 Founded in 1885 to perform light opera Houston Chorale 55, 58, 66, 78, 80, Founded in 1946 by Al Urbach; renamed 81, 87, 96, 112, Houston Symphony Chorus in 1986. 116-119, 121-124, 126-131, 136, 166- 167, 169-173, 175- 176, 179-183, 225, 228-229, 231- 232, 235, 238-240, 242, 244, 266, 269- 270, 273-274, 278- 280, 296, 297, 300, 304, 317

385 Music In Houston Annotated Index Houston Chronicle 3, 7ff, 9ff, 10, 11ff- Houston newspaper founded in 1901 by 19ff, 20, 21ff-24ff, Marcellus E. Foster. 25, 36ff, 37ff, 48ff, 51ff, 52ff, 55ff, 60ff, 87ff, 89ff, 93ff, 103, 104ff, 106ff, 109ff, 110, 132, 135ff, 160- 161, 184ff, 187ff, 188ff, 192ff, 194ff, 195ff, 198ff-206ff, 210ff, 211ff, 212ff, 213ff, 216ff, 219ff, 230-234, 237, 241, 243ff-244ff, 245, 246ff, 247, 248ff, 250ff-260ff, 265- 266, 269-270, 272- 274, 276, 279, 281ff-291ff, 293ff- 302ff, 307ff, 315

Houston Civic Opera 8, 9, 14, 16, 30, 31 Organized in 1930 by Mrs. John Wesley Company Graham; Chicago World's Fair performance of Aida (with elephants. ) Houston Composers Guild 97 Founded in 1953 on strength of Efrem Kurtz years Houston Conservatory of 41, 55, 91, 106, Founded in 1917 by Clarence and Ora Music 107, 297, 316 Hammond. Houston Endowment 155, 191, 192, 195, Founded in 1937 by Jesse and Mary Gibbs 208, 212, 221, 316 Jones to perpetuate their role of philanthropy. Houston Fair and Exposition 148 Early 20th century event held on Harrisburg Avenue Houston Festival Chorus 273, 298, 304 University of St. Thomas sponsored ensemble; Herff Applewhite, conductor

Houston Glee Club 29 Founded by Ellison Van Hoose in 1920's

386 Music In Houston Annotated Index Houston Grand Opera 20, 133, 138, 142, Founded in 1955 by Maestro Walter Herbert 144-146, 148-150, and cultural leaders Mrs. Louis G. Lobit, 154-157, 160, 162- Edward Bing, and Charles Cockrell. 163, 167, 170-173, 175-176, 178-179, 181-188, 191, 193, 220-221, 224-240, 242, 245, 263-266, 268-274, 276-279, 281-290, 301, 303, 309, 313, 316-317

Houston Grand Opera: A 59ff Robert Giesberg's 1981 brief history. History Houston Harpsichord 268, 269, 274, 277, Founded in mid-1960's. Renamed Houston Society 280 Early Music Houston High School 201 1825-1926. At Austin, Caroline, Rusk, and Capitol. Became Sam Houston High School

Houston in Brief 1ff 1932 history by Eroll F. Bogy. Houston Junior College 18, 24 1927-1934; predecessor of University of Houston. Houston Junior Symphony 11, 12, 27, 157, Formed in 1930's by Walter Welschoff. 316 Houston Little Theatre 21, 97, 99, 122 Chartered in 1925. Productions at Scottish Rite Cathedral. Later directed by Johnny George on Chelsea Blvd. Illustrious history of former players. Houston Magazine 17ff, 19ff, 35ff, Houston Chamber of Commerce magazine 39ff, 49, 316ff suspended publication in 1986. Later reinstated. Houston Municipal Band 29, 146, 150, 164, Founded originally in 1912. Played for 171, 174, 239, 275, opening of Rice Institute in 1912. 276, 291, 317 Reorganized in 1956 under leadership of Bert Sloan. Houston Music Teachers' 86, 101, 119, 124, Founded in 1941 Association 144 Houston Music Theatre 97, 99, 115, 211, Organized in 1952 by Charles Gray and 213, 222 Andor Toth following demise of Houston Little Theatre. Summer series in Chelsea Street theater. Houston News Weekly 8ff A 1928 publication. Houston Oratorio Society 211 Organized in 1962 by composer/conductor Noble Cain

387 Music In Houston Annotated Index Houston Performing Arts 203 Formed in 1964 by Veasey Rainwater to Foundation present touring performing artists after death of Edna Saunders Houston Philharmonic 7, 9, 11, 15, 29, 45, Organized in 1930 by Victor Alessandro, Sr. Ensemble 218 with 35 teachers and advanced students

Houston Philharmonic 1, 10, 135 Established in 1872 by Lucy Grunewald Society Houston Post The 3ff-9ff, 12ff, 14ff- 1880-1995. Established by Gail Borden 18ff, 20ff, 21ff, Johnson. 25ff, 26ff, 36ff- 40ff, 41, 42ff, 43- 44, 45ff-49ff, 50ff, 52ff, 53ff-54ff, 56ff- 63ff, 81ff-87ff, 89ff, 90, 91ff-99ff, 100, 101ff, 102ff, 103, 104ff, 105, 106ff-108ff, 110, 112ff, 132ff-134ff, 135, 136ff-161ff, 184ff-194ff, 197ff- 205ff, 207ff, 208, 209ff-211ff, 214ff- 217ff, 218, 219ff, 222, 243ff, 245ff- 247ff, 249ff-250ff, 251, 252ff, 253ff- 261ff, 282ff-288ff, 293ff-296ff, 298, 299ff-302ff

Houston Presents 203, 233-235 Formed in 1964 by Harris Masterson under direction of Don Bolen Houston Press 20, 22ff, 25ff, 35ff, 1911-1964. Sold to Houston Chronicle . 103 Houston Public Library 18, 31, 32 Founded as the Houston Lyceum in 1854.

Houston Shakespeare 287, 290 Organized in 1971 to gain support for a Society summer series at Miller Theatre leading to the Shakespeare Festival begun in 1975.

Houston String Quartet 41, 69 Organized in 1939 by Joseph Gallo from Houston Symphony musicians.

388 Music In Houston Annotated Index Houston Symphonette 92, 119, 316 Organized in 1950 by Sidney J. Palmer; composed of high school musicians. Houston Symphonic Club 9 Organized in 1930 by Walter Welschoff.

Houston Symphony Brass 210 Founded in 1957 by Houston Symphony Quintet trombonist Ralph Liese; toured under Community Concerts management. Houston Symphony Club 2 Thirty-two piece ensemble led from 1899 to 1909 by Professor E. Lindenberg formed to stimulate interest in professional orchestra.(Hogg, pp. 161-2)

Houston Symphony 3-5, 7, 9, 11-12, 14- Founded in 1913. Disbanded in 1918. Orchestra 17, 19-27, 29-102, Reformed in 1930-31 under Uriel Nespoli. 104-119, 121-124, 126-131, 133-139, 142-163, 166-167, 169-173, 175-176, 178-184, 188-191, 193, 195-200, 208, 212, 215-216, 218- 221, 224-242, 245- 281, 290, 293, 300, 304, 310, 312- 318, 320, 322-323

Houston Symphony 12ff, 36ff Programs Houston Symphony 13ff, 14ff, 15ff, Scrapbooks 26ff, 35ff Houston Symphony Society 2, 4, 9-12, 14, 16- Houston Symphony Orchestra Association (Assoc) incl. minutes 17, 19, 22-26, 35- originally. Became Houston Symphony 36, 38-43, 46-50, Society in 1936. Became Houston 52-54, 57-58, 60, Symphony League which was formed in 97-98, 101-103, 1978. 107-112, 132, 134- 135, 137, 139, 143, 147, 154ff, 155- 157, 161ff, 189- 190, 193, 196, 198- 199, 201, 207, 209ff, 212, 219, 245-248, 250-252, 254-263, 293, 294ff, 296, 300, 313-315

389 Music In Houston Annotated Index Houston Women 16ff 2000; author Betty Trapp Chapman. Houston Youth Symphony 56, 58, 61, 66, 81, Founded in 1946. and Ballet 86-87, 92, 100, 106-107, 113-114, 118, 122-124, 129, 136, 141, 143, 145, 164, 166, 169, 171-173, 176, 178- 183, 207, 225, 226, 228, 230, 235, 240-242, 264, 266, 272-275, 279, 297, 300-301, 304, 316, 317

Houston, Texas 1, 52, 81-93, 95, 97- 101, 103, 106, 112- 115, 138-139, 184- 185, 187, 189-197, 201-207, 209, 211, 213, 216-220, 222- 223, 243, 246, 252, 255, 283, 286-287, 291-294, 296, 299, 301-311, 316, 318- 323

Houston, the Feast Years 1ff, 1962; author George Fuermann. Houston: A History and 13ff 1942 WPA produced history of the city of Guide Houston. Houston: Land of The Big 48ff, 99ff George Fuermann's 1951 Houston history. Rich Houston: The Bayou City 2ff 1969; author David McComb. Hovhaness Alan 135 1911-2000. American composer. Huehn Julius 77 1904-1991. Bass baritone. WWII bomber pilot. Chair Voice Department Eastman School of Music.

390 Music In Houston Annotated Index Huffmaster (Peterson- Drusilla 12, 27, 30-32, 69, 1917-2011; Houston piano prodigy; 1961- Anderson) 71, 75, 117, 122, 1988 Southwestern University faculty. 124, 127, 134, 152, Inherited Ima Hogg's Steinway piano. 161, 169, 172-173, Steinway Artist. 175, 178, 180-182, 224, 226, 229-230, 232, 234-235, 242, 265, 270, 276-277, 280, 301, 319

Huffmaster Hu Taylor 67, 319 1877-1941. Renowned organist in Galveston and Houston. Director of Woman's Choral Club. Father of Drusilla.

Hughes Edwin and 29 Husband and wife pianists. Edwin (1884- Jewel Bethany 1965)

Humphreys Foundation, Inc. 288-289, 316 Texas philanthropy organization for the arts established in 1969 in Liberty, Texas

Hungarian String Quartet 159, 181, 225, 234 1935-1972; established in Budapest.

Hunt Lois 272 1924-2009. American lyric soprano; Metropolitan Opera; career with baritone Earl Wrightson until 1993. Hunter Chorale Ralph 176 1921-2002; American choral conductor; career with Toscanini and NBC Symphony; faculty Hunter College New York City.

Hurley Marvin 139 Author of Houston, The Decisive Years ; CEO Houston Chamber of Commerce. Hurok Sol 6, 202 1888-1974. Famed New York impresario; agent for Rubinstein, Cliburn, Marian Anderson, Pavlova. etc. Friend of Edna Saunders. Iglesias Espagnol Ballet Roberto 224, 228 1920-1998 I Musici 225 Rome chamber orchestra founded in 1951.

I Pagliacci 186, 228, 278 1892 Leoncavallo opera. Ibert Jacques 146, 171 1890-1962; French composer. Il Tabarro 228 1918 Puccini one-act opera premiered by the Metropolitan Opera. Il Trovatore 13, 30, 75, 128, 1853 Verdi opera. 186, 227 Ilitsch Daniza 60 1914-1965. Viennese born soprano. Imamura Hiro 265 Concert pianist; Fiedler favorite.

391 Music In Houston Annotated Index Impresario The 141, 167 1786 Mozart's one-act comic singspiel. Indiana University 15, 63, 83, 137 Recognized for its internationally famous School of Music, especially in opera.

Indianapolis, Indiana 199 Insull Samuel 55, 202 1859-1938. Chicago businessman; responsible for building Chicago Lyric Opera House. Interlochen Woodwind 237 Interlochen Arts Academy Quintet International Association of 202, 205 1948- ? The former ISPA. ACUACAA split off Concert Managers to become "arts presenters."

International Musician 90ff, 95ff Official journal of the American Federation of Musicians. Interstate Theaters 18, 116-117, 124, Movie theater chain formed in 1905 by Karl 126-127 Hoblitzelle. Iolanthe 147, 171, 271 1882 Gilbert and Sullivan operetta Irene 120 1919 Broadway musical Irving Berlin 45 1888-1989. Russian-born, American song writer. Israel Philharmonic 122 Founded in 1936 by Bronislaw Huberman. Orchestra Istomin Eugene 116, 179, 238, 280 1925-2003. American piano prodigy; trio with Isaac Stern and Leonard Rose; Grammy winner Iturbi José 30, 37, 60, 68, 70, 1895-1980; Spanish conductor, 73-75, 78, 122, harpsichordist, and pianist. Films. 126, 170, 181, 237

Iturbi Amparo 122, 237 1898-1969; sister of José Iturbi; pianist. Ives (Music Grant for Charles 151 Composition) Izenour George 194, 244, 245 1912-2007. Yale University theater design and technology pioneer. Jackson Ruth 265 Houston pianist and organist. Faculty Houston Baptist University. Jagel Frederick 138 1897-1992; American tenor with the Metropolitan Opera. Jalas Jussi 237 1908-1985; Finnish conductor/composer.

Janacek String Quartet 276 Czech ensemble founded in 1947. Janis Byron 119, 170, 173, 265 1928- . American born pianist. Student of Vladimir Horowitz. Jaycees Houston 108 Junior Chamber of Commerce Jean Virginia 74, 76

392 Music In Houston Annotated Index Jenkins Walter R. 30, 31 Choir Director, Houston's First Methodist Church; soloist for Billy Sunday ; Rotary International national convention musician 1931-1966. Jepson Helen 73, 76 1904-1997; American lyric soprano. Metropolitan Opera 1935-41; films. Jewish Community Center 98, 103, 115, 122, Houston performance venue 126-127, 129-131, 143, 166-167, 169- 170, 172-173, 175- 176, 178-179, 181- 183, 224-225, 227, 229-232, 241, 271, 278, 289, 296

Joffrey Ballet Robert 239, 245, 267 Established 1956 in Chicago. Featured in Jones Hall inaugural week festivities in 1966.

Johannesen Grant 130, 176 1921-2005. American concert pianist. John Barbirolli 189ff, 190ff, 191ff, 1971 Charles Reid biography of Barbirroli. 197ff Johnson Thor 117 1913-1975. Conductor, Cincinnati Symphony, Northwestern University, Interlochen Arts Academy Johnson Tom 82, 85, 102, 109- 1913-1996; Manager of Houston Symphony 111, 115, 188-189, 1948-1974. Close confidant of Ima Hogg. 247, 252-253, 256, 320 Johnson Lyndon B. 196 36th President of the United States 1963- 1969. Johnston Barnes Marguerite 6ff 1917-2005. Joined Houston Post in 1947. Houston historian, author, writer.

Jolly James 227, 230 Jolson Al 30 1886-1950; American singer and actor. Jonas Maryla 77, 79 1911-1959. Polish concert pianist; student of Paderewski. Fled Nazis via Brazil. Died at age 48. Jones Charles 258, 260, 262, 315, 1912-1991. Houston Symphony Society 320 President; Humble Oil and Refining Co. President 1964-1970. Jones Joela 237 Rudolf Serkin Chair in Piano, Cleveland Orchestra Jones Jesse 13, 55, 89, 100, 1874-1956. U. S. Secretary of Commerce; 114, 142-143, 146, Founder, Houston Endowment (donor Jones 155, 191, 244, 315, Hall). 320

393 Music In Houston Annotated Index Jones John 204, 205, 320 Nephew of Jesse Jones; president of Houston Endowment 1956-1966. Jones Robert J. 269 Died 2002. Organist, faculty University of Houston. Jones Hall for the Jesse H. 191-192, 194, Home of Houston Symphony, Ballet, Society Performing Arts 201ff, 202ff, 204, for the Performing Arts, and Houston Grand 212-213, 219, 222, Opera at its opening in 1966. Gift of 239-245, 251, 261, Houston Endowment and the City of 264-281, 291, 293, Houston. Architects Caudill Rowlett Scott; 311, 316, 318, 322 won the 1967 American Institute of Architects Honor Award.

Jooss European Ballet Kurt 68 1901-1979. Founder of dance theater movement. Jordan Irene 181 1919- ; Metropolitan Opera dramatic coloratura Soprano; Faculty Northwestern University. Judson Arthur 58, 98, 189 1881-1975; artists' manager including New York Philharmonic and Philadelphia Orchestra. Julliard School of Music 18 Founded in 1905 as Institute for Musical Art by Frank Damrosch. Julliard String Quartet 225, 231, 235, 239, Formed in 1946 by Robert Mann. Jones Hall 245, 274 Dedication Week participants in 1966.

Junger (Langford) Mary Frances 144, 147, 154, 235, 1926-2012. Houston mezzo-soprano; 240 Theatre, Inc.; Houston Grand Opera 1957- 1970; faculty Houston Baptist University.

Junior League of Houston 27, 29, 69, 142, Founded in 1925. Has provided 213, 241, 242, 268, performance venue over the course of its 307 history. Kallir Lillian 181 1931-2004. Austrian pianist known for her "elegant" Mozart performances. Fled Nazis.

Kane Edward 67 Tenor with New York City Opera. Kansas City Philharmonic 38, 82, 85 1933-1982. Kansas City Symphony reformed Orchestra in 1982 by Crosby Kemper, Jr. Kapell William 59, 76, 77, 79 1922-1953. Brilliant American pianist; killed in plane crash at age 31. Katchen Julius 233, 264 1926-1969. American pianist

394 Music In Houston Annotated Index Katims Milton 130, 131, 167 1909-2006; violinist and conductor. 1976- 1985 Katims served as Artistic Director of the University of Houston School of Music adding such notable musicians as Carlisle Floyd, Elena Nikolaidi, and Abbey Simon to the faculty.

Kellog Lynn 278 1944- . Broadway singer in original "Hair"

Kellog M. W. 306 Global British contractor Kelly Lawrence 287 1928-1974. Co-founder of the Chicago Lyric Opera and General Manager of Dallas Civic Opera Company Kenton Stan 119 1911-1979. American jazz pianist, composer, arranger Kerr Muriel 71 1911-1963. Canadian born pianist. Khachaturian Aram 136 1903-1978. Soviet composer. Kilenyi Edward 184 1910-2000. American born pianist; teacher of Gershwin; Florida State University faculty.

King and I The 143, 168 1951 Broadway musical King Sisters 280 1940s big band singers, films. Kinkaid School The 193, 213, 227, 228, Houston private K-12 school 230, 231 Kirby Theater 15 1927-1970. One of a triumvirate of downtown Houston movie palaces. Kirk Florence 60 1909-1999; Metropolitan Opera soprano; toured with Wagner Opera Company.

Kirkham Dr. H. L. 36 1930s plastic surgeon and Houston Symphony member Kirsten Dorothy 60, 123 1910-1992; Metropolitan Opera 1945-79; films; radio with Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, Nelson Eddy, and Perry Como Kismet 275, 288, 289 1953 Broadway musical Kiss Me Kate 88, 124, 17 1948 Broadway musical Knitzer Joseph 67 1914- . Concertmaster Cleveland Orchestra; faculty Northwestern and Eastman. Koeckert String Quartet 237 First desks of Bavarian Radio Orchestra Koepke Paul 92 1918- ; band composer/arranger; faculty University of Houston Kolberg Hugo 239 1898-1979. Polish violin prodigy Kopleff Florence 242 1924-2012. American contralto of Robert Shaw Chorale fame; recordings Korean War 91 1950-1953.

395 Music In Houston Annotated Index Kortkamp-Roller Moreland 158, 167, 182, 224, 1916- . University of Houston, Houston 227, 229, 231, 233, Symphony Pianist. Married to conductor 237, 264 Clyde Roller

Kostelanetz André 123, 166, 169, 170, 1901-1980. Conductor arranger of light 172, 175, 179, 181, classical and easy listening music. 225, 228, 234 Recordings.

Kovack (Nora) and 169 1930- ; Hungarian defectors in cold war; Robovsky (Ishtvan) ballet duo in Bolshoi style; husband and wife

KPRC Radio 37, 63, 77 Houston NBC affiliate established in 1925.

Kratzenstein Klaus-Christhart 277 1931-1998; Organist and teacher; Rice University chapel organist Kraus Detlef 268 1919-2008. German pianist; Brahms specialist Kraus Lili 205, 266, 273, 294 1903-1986. Hungarian-born pianist. Faculty Texas Christian University 1967-1983.

Krehm Ida 123 1912-1998. Canadian born pianist. Kreisler Fritz 2, 31, 32, 34, 76, 1875-1962. Brilliant violinist of Viennese 195 style; owned Stradivari, Guareni, and Bergonzi instruments. Kroll String Quartet William 240 1944-1969; violinist Krsmanovich Chorus 266 Yugoslavian ensemble formed 1884 Kruger and Kroll Ballet 54 KTRH Radio 55 Pioneer Houston radio station originated in 1929. Kubelik Jan & Raphael 67 1914-1996 Raphael; Czech conductor. Jan, father, 1880-1949, violinist. Kurtz Efrem 37, 54, 57-58, 61, 1900-1995. Russian born conductor; Ballet 77, 79, 81-87, 90, Russe, Kansas City, Houston Symphony 93, 95-96, 98-102, Orchestra 1948-1954, films. Returned as 105-106, 113-114, guest in 1971. 116-119, 121-124, 126-129, 188, 256, 260, 279

Kurtz Edmund 79, 124 1908-2004. Russian cellist KXYZ Radio 16 Houston radio station established in 1930.

La Boheme 75, 131, 173, 230, 1896 Puccini opera. 268, 301 La Fosse Leopold 227 1928-2003. Violinist; faculty University of Iowa and University of Texas. La Salle String Quartet 237 1946-1987; set of Amati instruments

396 Music In Houston Annotated Index La Serva Padrona 301 1733 opera by Pergolesi La Traviata 75, 123, 170, 240 1853 Opera by Verdi Lack Fredell 18, 27, 32, 54, 73, 1922- ; Houston violin prodigy; faculty 76-77, 94, 98, 103, University of Houston; Lyric Art Quartet 108, 115, 119, 126- 131, 134, 140, 144, 152, 158, 166, 169, 172, 175, 178, 181- 182, 209, 215, 224- 225, 227, 232-236, 241, 250, 264, 268, 272-276, 278, 301, 317, 319-320

Lack I. A. 94 Houston engineer and corporate founder; father of Fredell Lack. Lamar High School 166 1937 Houston ISD school. Auditorium Lamar Hotel 9 1927-1983. A Jesse Jones property at Main and Lamar famed for being the site of many destiny-determining decisions shaping Houston history in Suite 8-F.

LaMonaca Caesar 153 1924-2012. Houston Symphony principal horn 1952-1975, President Houston Musician's union, and founder of Woodwinds of Houston est. 1958. Langlais Jean 129 1907-1991. Blind, French organ recitalist and composer. Lanier Junior High School Sidney 7 1926. Houston ISD named for poet Sidney Lanier. Lantz Harry 153, 157, 160, 208, Died 1996. Conductor, All City Orchestra; 214, 217, 234, 298, faculty, University of Wisconsin 302, 320

Lasry-Baschet Structures 209 Larry and Bernard Baschet/sculptor and Orchestra engineer born 1917 and 1920; inventors of experimental musical instruments. Jacques Lasry composer. Laszlo Ervin 117 1932- . Hungarian piano prodigy; scientist; philosopher; twice nominated for Nobel Prize; author of 80 books

Lateiner Jacob 118 1928-2010. Cuban-American pianist; student of Schoenberg; Julliard faculty

397 Music In Houston Annotated Index Lee Alabama Bill 45 1911-1998; All American tackle University of Alabama 1934; Houston wrestler and fund raiser for World War II bonds

Lee Mary Elizabeth 273 Music Guild performer in 1969

Leinsdorf Erich 129, 159, 176, 183 1912-1993. Music Director, Boston Symphony known for exacting standards and acerbic personality. L'Enfance du Christ 169 1854 Berlioz oratorio Lerner Jeffrey 153, 179, 182, 226, Principal clarinet with the Houston 229, 233, 236, 265, Symphony Orchestra, Houston Grand Opera, 268, 273, 277 , 320 Houston Ballet, Woodwinds of Houston; faculty University of Houston. Les Petits Chanteurs a la 178 Founded Paris 1907; "Little Singers of the Croix de Bois Wooden Cross." Boys choir. Levant Oscar 47, 49, 74, 75 1906-1972. Flamboyant, eccentric concert pianist of concert and film Levine Max 256, 258, 260, 262 1902-1991. Foleys President. Houston Symphony Society Finance Chair 1970-71.

Lewis H. Merrills 96, 102, 115, 131, 1908-1979? Music Director, Houston Gilbert 168, 171, 174, 177, and Sullivan; University of Houston chair of 180, 183, 216, 267, music; conductor 271, 275, 280, 320

Lewis Brenda 138 1921- . American soprano with New York City and Metropolitan Operas Lewis William 183 b. 1931. Metropolitan Opera tenor. Faculty University of Texas. L'Histoire du Soldat 145, 269 1918 Stravinsky work. Liberace 128, 204 1919-1987. American pianist and entertainer; television, concerts, Las Vegas.

Liese Ralph 169,210, 214, 239, Died 1997. Houston Symphony trombonist, 291 Houston Symphony Personnel Director; Houston Municipal Band. Faculty Houston Baptist University.

Life Magazine 89, 107, 200 Limon Ballet José 123 1908-1972. Mexican pioneer in modern dance and choreography Lincoln Center New York's 244, 248, 285 First facilities opened in 1962. Performance venues for New York Philharmonic and Metropolitan Opera.

398 Music In Houston Annotated Index Linder Robert 207, 225, 240- c1937- . Conductor: Houston Youth 241, 264, 266, 297, Symphony, Civic Symphony, Gilbert and 300, 320 Sullivan; Dean of Music, Houston Baptist University Linder Schneider Judith 277 Houston harpsichordist and arranger. Living and performing in Germany at the time of her death c. 2009. Lipkin Seymour 116, 131 1927-2015. American pianist; Julliard faculty

Lippold Richard 243 1915-2002. American sculptor using wire as a medium; Jones Hall lobby aerial sculpture.

List Eugene 79, 166, 172, 242, 1918-1985. American concert pianist, 265 student of Olga Samaroff, Lloyd Hermon F. 137 Died 1969. Houston architect of Astrodome, etc. Lloyd David 129 1912-1969; Welsh tenor of opera, oratorio, and concert renown. Lobit Mrs. Louis G. 108, 132, 133, 139, One of founders of Houston Grand Opera in 142, 152, 319, 320 1955.

Loewenguth Quartet Alfred 70 1911-1983. French violinist; quartet active 1929-1970s; multiple recordings. Loew's State Theater 5, 53 1927- 1972 Downtown Houston film palace. 2519 seats. 1022 Main Street. Furnished with French antiques from the New York City Vanderbilt townhouse.

Logengrin 59 1850 Wagner opera. London George 122, 128, 167 1920-1985. Canadian bass baritone; Metropolitan Opera. Partner of Mario Lanza and Frances Yeend in Bel Canto Trio.

London Daily Telegraph 134 Founded in 1855. London Festival Ballet 130 Founded in 1950 by Ballet Russes dancers Alicia Markova and Anton Dolin. Named changed to English National Ballet.

London String Quartet 121 Founded in 1908 London Symphony 248, 249, 252, 254 Founded in 1904. Performs Barbican Center. Orchestra Recorded over 200 movie soundtracks.

London Times 134 Established 1785. Name dates from 1788.

London, England 59, 248-249

399 Music In Houston Annotated Index Longson Bill 48 1906-1982; World Heavyweight Champion wrestler and Houston Symphony fund raiser.

Looser Don 215 1939- . Vice President for Academic Affairs, Houston Baptist University. Pianist. Author of this work. Lorenzi Sergio 230, 236, 265 1914-1989. Piano duo with Gino Gorini. Los Angeles Philharmonic 38, 82 Established in 1919.

Los Angeles, California 91 Loussier Jacques 277 1934- . French composer, pianist, and jazz musicians. Love Ben 285 1925-2006. Houston Grand Opera President, Houston banker, and philanthropist.

Lowenthal Raymond 123 1923-1988. San Antonio-born pianist. Leader of a "Romantic Revival" movement.

Lowry McNeil 151 1913-1993. President of the Ford Foundation. Lube Joe 36 Houston Symphony and dance band trumpeter with Joe Kennedy 's "white territory band" c. 1935. Recordings; jazz.

Luboff Choir Norman 236, 241 1917-1987. Toured annually 1963-1987; 75 recordings, publisher, arranger, radio

Luboschutz (Pierre) & 62, 79 1891-1971, 1905-1989. Russian born Nemenoff (Genia) husband and wife piano duo. Victor recording artists. He accompanied Efrem Zimbalist, Piatigorsky, and Sergei Koussevitzky recitals. Lucas-Ogdon Brenda 271 c.1935- . 20th century British pianist; wife of pianist John Ogdon Lucia de Lammermoor 185, 225, 279, 289 1835 Donizetti opera.

Lull Barbara 31, 32, 71 Violinist. Performed in Houston concert with Ravel in 1928. Daughter of Southern Pacific Railway executive officer. ( See amusing Houston Post 1928 review.)

Lurie Schaffner Miriam Follader 39 1917-2001. Houston pianist whose performance opened the new Music Hall in 1954. Luvisi Lee 235 1937- . Pianist. Faculty Curtis Institute. Student of Rudolf Serkin. Luxembourg 208

400 Music In Houston Annotated Index Lympany Dame Moura 118, 121 1916-2005; English concert pianist Lyric Art Quartet 133, 141, 144, 163, Formed in 1955 by Fredell Lack with George 166-167, 169, 172- Bennett, Wayne Crouse, and Marion Davies. 173, 175-176, 179- 181, 183, 224-229, 231, 233-237, 239- 241, 247, 264-267, 269-273, 275-279, 321

Lyric Outdoor Theatre of 91, 94, 113, 119- Established in 1949 by Vivien Altfeld; Houston 120 performed at Jeppeson Stadium at University of Houston. Seminal early Houston theater. M and M Building 9, 10, 322 1930 Merchants and Manufacturers Building designed on model of Chicago Trade Mart; home to early Houston Symphony rehearsals; now home to University of Houston Downtown. Built above original Allen's Landing site.

M. D. Anderson Auditorium 130 1954 original building in Texas Medical Center, Houston M. D. Anderson Foundation 155, 199, 316 Established in 1936 by M. D. Anderson with $300,000. Received additional $19 million in 1939. Macias Enrico 269 1938- . Algerian born pop/folk singer MacNeil Cornell 236, 188 1922-2011. Operatic baritone; 642 performances with the Metropolitan Opera.

Madame Butterfly 8, 16, 31, 36, 60, 1904 Puccini opera 67, 130, 133, 138, 167, 176, 233, 266

Madeira Jean 172 1918-1972. American born Metropolitan Opera mezzo-soprano. Wagner/Strauss.

Madrigal Singers Virginia 142 Houston choral ensemble in 1950's. Babikian's Magaloff Nikita 237 1912-1992. Russian pianist; Chopin aficionado Magic Flute The 240, 281 1791 Mozart opera Magnes Frances 118 1919-2010. American concert violinist. Mahler Gustav 134, 188, 246 1860-1911. Late Romantic Austrian composer and conductor. Mainzer Joan 123 Minnesota Orchestra principal harpist

401 Music In Houston Annotated Index Majestic Theater 3, 5, 11, 17 1923-1971. Movie palace at 904 Rusk. First Houston building with air conditioning. Italian Renaissance style. 2500 seats.

Malas Spiro 265 1933- . Metropolitan Opera bass baritone

Malbin Elaine 282 1932- . American soprano. Opera, Broadway, concerts. Malcuzynski Witold 126, 131, 170, 242, 1914-1977. Distinguished Polish pianist; 273 Chopin specialist. Man of La Mancha 273 1965 Broadway musical Manhattan Opera Company 29 Founded in 1906 by Oscar Hammerstein I

Manhattan String Quartet 31, 37, 68, 184 Founded c. 1970.

Manitas de Plata 264 1921- . Flamenco guitarist and recording artist. Manned Spacecraft Center 184, 220, 305 1963- National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Houston headquarters for manned space exploration.

Manners Lucille 47, 73-74 Cities Service Hour on radio beginning in 1937; soprano concert artist. Manning Irene 77 1912-2004. Actress/singer for twelve films. Glenn Miller Orchestra. Manon Lescaut 176, 265, 282 1893 Puccini opera. Mantovani Orchestra Annuncio Paolo 169, 272 1905-1980. Cascading strings arrangements. Fifty record albums. Marais and Miranda 121 1905-1978. Balladeers Josef and Miranda Marais. South African music. Marcus Herbert 41 1878-1950; one of founders of Neiman Marcus Marcus Adele 233, 240 1906-1995; American pianist and teacher of pianists; faculty Julliard. Marcus Lawrence 291 1917-2001. Youngest of Neiman Marcus brothers Mariemma Ballet Espana 118 1917-2008; Spanish dancer; ballet troupe established in 1955. Markova Dancers Alicia 76 1910-2004; English ballerina and choreographer; with Ballet Russes; founder American Ballet and British Ballet.

Marlowe Sylvia 236 1908-1981; American harpsichordist; 1957 founded Harpsichord Music Society

Marriage of Figaro 299 1786 Mozart opera.

402 Music In Houston Annotated Index Marsh Ozan 225 1920-1992; Pianist; popular symphony soloist(200 with Boston Pops); faculty Indiana University Marsh Robert 199, 281, 314, 315 1924-2002; Music Critic, Chicago Sun Times

Marshall Mrs. Whitfield 133 One of founders of Houston Ballet Foundation in 1955 Marshall Lois 173 1924-1997; Canadian born soprano. Martha 29, 113, 150, 173 1844 opera by Friedrich von Flotow Martin Edgar 270 Martin Mary 176 1913-1990. Texas-born Broadway star, South Pacific, Sound of Music. Kennedy Center Honoree. Martin William 205, 295, 320 1907-1987. Director of Houston's Society McKelvy for the Performing Arts Martini Nino 68-69, 76 1905-1976. Italian operatic tenor Martzy Johanna 175, 179 1924-1979. Hungarian violin prodigy Masekela Hugh 269 1939- . South African trumpeter/ singer

Masked Ball 233 1859 Verdi opera Mason Marilyn 241 Organist and recitalist; faculty University of Michigan Masselos William 228 1920-1992; American pianist and major symphony soloist. Masterson III Harris 203-204, 287, 320 1914-1997; Houston philanthropist. Founder of "Houston Presents." Mathis James 230, 234 1933- . Dallas born pianist. Student of Rosina Lhevinne at Julliard. Matthews William 279 Maynor Dorothy 73, 74, 78, 123 1910-1966. American soprano; founder Harlem School of the Arts. First African American on Board of Metropolitan Opera.

McCarthy Glenn 93 1907-1988. Oil wildcatter and tycoon. Builder of Houston's Shamrock Hotel. McClean Mrs. Harry 13 Houston pianist and organist, 1932 of First Presbyterian Church membership. McComb David 2ff, 13ff, 307 Author of Houston: the Bayou City McCormack John 2, 31 1884-1945. American naturalized Irish famed tenor, concert and recording artist. Named Papal Count by Pius XI. McCracken James 187, 231, 278 1926-1988. Metropolitan opera dramatic tenor. McDonald Jeanette 122 1903-1965. Soprano film partner of Nelson Eddy, concerts, radio, television.

403 Music In Houston Annotated Index McFerrin Robert 178 1921-2006. Operatic baritone; first black male to sing with Metropolitan Opera (in 1955). McLeod Robert 55 McMurtry Larry 308, 310ff 1936- . Texas born novelist. McQuade Walter 245ff 1922-1994. American writer and architecture critic. Mead Anne 284-285, 320 1908-2007. Houston Grand Opera Executive Assistant and Director of Rothko Chapel.

Medium The 99 1947 Menotti opera. Mefo Hall 106 4520 Fannin; Houston Conservatory of Music. Built in 1926. Melchior Lauritz 49, 58, 70, 78, 86, 1890-1973. Danish/American Wagnerian 116, 119, 126 tenor; concerts; movies. Melton James 75, 77, 80, 86, 119 1904-1961. American tenor; Metropolitan Opera, radio, television, recordings.

Menotti Gian Carlo 141, 154, 166, 298 1911-2007. Italian composer of operas. Founded Spoleto Festival. Menuhin Yehudi 30, 33, 45, 52, 54, 1916-1999. American born British violin 71, 74, 86, 118, prodigy and concert artist. 121, 128, 173, 202- 203, 230 Mercadal Juan 278 1925- . 20th century Cuban guitarist. Merrill Robert 60, 122, 228, 270 1917-2004. Metropolitan Opera baritone-- 769 performances; films, recordings. Married to Roberta Peters. Merrill Nathan 289 1927-2008. Metropolitan Opera Stage Director 1956-1985. Merriman Nan 122, 129 1920-2012. American mezzo soprano. Student of Lotte Lehmann. Toscanini favorite. Merry Widow The 60, 78, 120 1905 Franz Lehár operetta Messiah 71, 72 1741 Handel oratorio. Metropolitan Opera 205-206, 242 Established in 1965 as a touring ensemble National Company composed of 25 singers, 32 dancers/choristers, and 45 orchestra members. Risë Stevens director. Disbanded after three years.

404 Music In Houston Annotated Index Metropolitan Opera 10, 15-16, 41, 50, Founded in 1883 with the construction of 52, 55, 59, 62, 78, the first house at Broadway and 39th. 86, 89, 97, 100, Senior American company. Toured 106, 113-115, 119, nationally from 1898 to 1986. Housed in 122, 124, 127, 131, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. 142, 146, 149, 154- 155, 159, 168, 171, 173, 176, 195, 202, 289, 309, 310, 318

Metropolitan Theater 5, 15, 17, 19, 24, 1926-1973. Downtown Houston's most 31, 117, 124, 127 elaborate movie theater in Egyptian style. 2293 seats. 1018 Main Street. Meunzer Albert 242 1924-2012. Houston Symphony violinist, Houston Ballet, Houston Grand Opera. Member Wayne King dance band and NBC Orchestra. Mexico City 61 Meyer Leopold 62 1892-1982; retail merchant (Meyer Brothers), medical fund-raiser, cultural leader--Houston Symphony, Civic Music.

Meyer Kerstin 279 1928- . Swedish mezzo soprano. Michelangeli Arturo 86, 116, 118 1920-1955. Italian concert pianist. Micieli Robinson Caterina 276 d 2002. Soprano; Roger Wagner Chorale. Married to tenor Richard Robinson.

Midsummer Night's Dream 290 Shakespeare play dating from 1590-1596.

Mikado The 31, 99, 127, 150, 1885 Gilbert and Sullivan operetta 174, 232, 235, 275

Milan, Italy 186 Milanov Zinka 176 1906-1989. Croatian-born Metropolitan Opera spinto soprano. Mildner Poldi 62 1915- . Austrian-born pianist. Milford House 108 Houston performing arts venue Miller Frank 88 1912-1986. Principal cellist with NBC Symphony and Chicago Symphony. Miller Mildred 179, 239 1924- . Metropolitan mezzo soprano 1951- 1974.

405 Music In Houston Annotated Index Miller Theatre 17, 31, 43-44, 54, Houston's Herman Park outdoor 61, 70-72, 74-76, performance venue. Original structure 1922. 78, 80, 86, 90, 92, Hill added with soil from Fannin Street 107, 113-114, 143, construction. New facility built in 1968. 146, 171, 176, 180, 183, 199, 207, 212- 213, 218, 221, 249- 250, 255, 261, 276, 280, 287-291, 303, 315, 318

Mills Brothers 19 Black pop music quartet of radio, recording and television fame 1930s-1960.

Milnes Sherrill 232, 265, 269, 282 1935-- . Metropolitan Opera baritone 1965-1997. Verdi specialist. Milstein Nathan 62, 69, 79, 123, 1904-1992. Russian-born virtuoso violinist. 173, 179 Bach and Romantic specialist. Minneapolis City Center 288 Founded in 1963 as a "progressive" Opera Company alternative opera company. Minneapolis Symphony 3-4, 71-72, 75, Founded in 1903. Named changed in 1968 Orchestra 131, 173, 247 to Minnesota Orchestra. Mirovich Alfred 77 1884-1959 . Russian-born pianist Mischakoff Mischa 89 1895-1981. Principal violinist of New York, Philadelphia, and Chicago Symphonies. Faculty Juilliard. Owned four Stradivari violins. Missouri Pacific Railroad 143 Early beginnings reorganized in 1872 as the Missouri Pacific Railroad. Mitchell Howard 182 1910-1988. Conductor of National Symphony 1950-1969. Mitchell Biancolli Jeanne 123 1924-1994. American born violinist. Mitropoulos Dimitri 72, 75, 85, 87, 119, 1896-1960. Conductor, New York 146, 164, 171 Philharmonic, Metropolitan Opera Company. Miyagi Kiyoko 272 20th century Japanese Koto performer. Modern Jazz Quartet 280 Established in 1952. Recorded and performed until 1993 with various membership. Moiseiwitsch Benno 122, 128, 131, 169 1890-1963. Ukranian pianist prodigy. Member Order British Empire for WWII.

Molieri Gaetano 117 1924-2011. Violist with Philadelphia Orchestra for more than 30 years. Molina Carlos 56 1899-1982. Puerto Rican Latin band conductor of film and recording fame.

406 Music In Houston Annotated Index Molina Bailes Españoles Jose 204, 265 Leading Flamenco dancer with Jose Greco . Then founded troupe in 1962. Monitas de Plata 205 1921- . French flamenco guitarist. Monnier Madeleine 33 c. 1910 - . Early 20th century Parisian cellist. Married to violinist Adolfo Betti in 1936. Monteux Pierre 58, 78, 170, 228, 1875-1964. French American conductor of 246 Boston, San Francisco, and London symphonies. Metropolitan Opera 1917- 1919. Montoya Carlos 178, 181, 224, 229, 1903-1993. Spanish born Flamenco 235, 238, 264, 270, guitarist of recital and recording fame. 276 Moody Dan 6 1893-1966. 30th governor State of Texas

Moody Foundation 316 Chartered by W. L. Moody, Jr. in 1942. Galveston family endowment benefiting educational and cultural entities.

Moore Earl 215, 298, 320 1891-1988. Chairman, University of Houston Department of Music 1960-1970.

Moore Grace 49, 68, 75 1898-1947. American operatic soprano. Broadway, film, Metropolitan Opera. Mordkin Ballet (American Mikhail 68 Founded in 1926; became American Ballet Ballet) Theater in 1957. Morgan Robert 216 Musicologist and composer; Faculty University of Houston, Yale University Morini Erica 75, 77, 116, 121, 1904-1995. Austrian violinist. Her stolen 124, 127, 166 Stradivarius was never recovered.

Morris Harold 214 1890-1964; Texas born pianist, composer, educator. Most Happy Fella 177-178 1956 Broadway musical Mueller Marouisa 31 Houston Symphony soloist, 1933. Mueller Carl 55 1892-1982. American organist and composer. Faculty Union Theological Seminary. Mueller John 305ff, 309 Author of The American Symphony Orchestra Mullen Dr. Joseph 11, 17, 23, 83 1857-1948. President Houston Symphony Aloysius Society 1931-1934; Houston's first ear, nose and throat specialist.

Munch Charles 61, 79, 116, 231, 1891-1968. Alsatian conductor and violinist. 265 Music Director of Boston Symphony 1949- 1962.

407 Music In Houston Annotated Index Municipal Arts Council of 212, 221, 292 Formed in 1964 to advise the Houston City Houston Council. Munsel Patrice 75, 121 1925- . American coloratura soprano; Youngest star of her time at the Metropolitan Opera Company; musical comedy and television performances. Museum of Fine Arts 4, 9, 27, 87, 103, Opened in 1924, internationally known, Houston 161, 178, 180, 193, largest collection of any museum in the 307, 323 Southwest. Famed for architecture of its campus. Museum of Natural History Houston 193 Established in 1909.

Music for Strings 215, 222, 230 Formed by Albert Hirsh in 1963. Music Guild Quartet 62, 66, 81, 87, 94- Formed in 1947 by Franklin Washburn. 95, 100, 103, 108, Performed in 1950s at Playhouse Theatre in 117, 121-125, 127- the round on South Main. Reorganized in 131, 133, 143-144, 1955 under Ray Fliegel's leadership. 164, 166-167, 169- 170, 172-173, 175- 176, 178-183, 224- 242, 264, 266-269, 271-274, 276-280, 296 Music Hall (MH) 26, 38-42, 46, 54, 1937-1998. Home of Houston Symphony 68-72, 74, 76-77, during Stokowski era. Adjacent to Houston 79-80, 90, 92-94, Coliseum. Replaced by Hobby Center which 104-105, 107-110, opened in 2003. 113-114, 116-119, 121-124, 126-129, 131, 136, 138, 144- 145, 147, 154, 160, 166-167, 169-170, 172-173, 175-176, 178-183, 192-194, 203, 211, 221, 224- 229, 241, 264, 271, 278, 297, 318, 322

Music in Texas 1ff, 135ff Lota Spell's history from 1936. Music Journal 217, 321 1946-1987. Published in New York to promote American music. Music Man 181 1957 Tony Award winning Broadway musical by Meredith Willson.

408 Music In Houston Annotated Index Music Performance Trust 140, 144, 151, 291, Created in 1948 with royalties from LP Fund 296, 301 recordings to underwrite performance opportunities for professional musicians.

Music Under The Stars 288-289 1980. Original name of Theatre Under The Stars Musica Antiqua 277, 296, 304 Pre-baroque chamber ensemble founded by flutist Jan Cole, faculty Sam Houston State University in 1966. Musical America 86ff, 101ff, 111, Magazine founded in 1898 to cover drama, 133ff, 187ff, 196ff, music, and the arts. 197ff, 200, 203ff, 217, 218, 219ff, 248-249, 257ff, 281ff, 308ff

Musical Courier 85ff, 135, 144ff, American music trade publication begun in 145ff 1880. Musicians' Union Local 65 Houston 5, 10, 15, 140, 144, Chartered in 1897. 148-149, 151, 164, 190, 198, 212, 246- 247, 254-255, 262

My Fair Lady 178, 229 1956 Broadway musical Naman N. D. 11, 45, 65, 218, Died 1962. Houston cotton and real estate 222, 320 broker. Underwriter for the Houston Philharmonic Ensemble in 1928-29 and first Miller Theatre concerts in 1940.

Naples, Italy 149 National Aeronautics Space 184, 220 Established in 1958. Manned Spacecraft Administration Center based at Clear Lake opened in 1963. Name changed to Johnson Spacecraft Center in 1973. National Association of 153, 299 Accrediting body for post-secondary schools Schools of Music of music. National Ballet of Canada 183, 226-227, 231, Established in 1951; Canada's premier dance 237 company. National Endowment for the 260, 301 Established in 1965 as an independent Arts and Humanities agency of the U. S. federal government.

National Federation of 154 Founded in 1898, chartered by the U. S. Music Clubs Congress; is the only music organization member of the United Nations.

409 Music In Houston Annotated Index National Gallery of Art 98 Created in 1937 by U. S. Congress to accept first gift of collection of Andrew Mellon.

National Male Quartet 116 c. 1910+ Radio and concert touring professional quartet managed by Charles Horner Agency. Recordings archived at University of Iowa. National Symphony 182 Founded in 1931 in Washington D. C. Orchestra Became a part of Kennedy Center in 1971.

National Symphony 173 Origins back to 1881. Renamed National Orchestra of Mexico Symphony Orchestra in 1949. Naughty Marietta 75, 117 1910 Victor Herbert operetta NBC Radio, Television, 46, 57, 64, 74, 77, The Toscanini orchestra 1937-1954. The Symphony, and Opera 82, 88-89, 119, NBC Opera Theatre, 1949-1964, was created 135, 166, 172, 195, to televise new and established works. 318 Amahl and the Night Visitors was its most famous product.

Neiman Marcus 41, 295, 310, 315 Dallas-based luxury specialized retail store founded in 1907. Nelson Paul 157 1929-2008. American composer of all genres except opera. Student of Walter Piston and Randall Thompson. Nero Peter 235, 275 1934- . American pianist; Julliard graduate; pop and jazz concert performer, recordings, composer, films, Grammy Awards.

Nespoli Uriel 8-12, 14-16, 23, 1884-1973. Naples-born conductor. 26, 29-31, 40, 148- Maestro of reconstituted Houston 149, 322 Symphony in 1931. Neveu Ginette 116 1919-1949. French violinist killed in plane crash clutching her Stradivarius. Nevin David 308 Author of The Texans New Art String Quartet 153, 164, 178, 182, Formed in 1959. Members of Houston 224, 226-228 Symphony: Richard and Margot Collins, violins; Jerry Horner, Viola; Irwin Klinkon, cello. New Moon The 76, 119 1927 Sigmund Romberg operetta New Music Ensemble 273, 278 1959 Houston ensemble formed by Jeffrey Lerner, New Music Symposium Houston 270, 278, 298 1969. University of Houston sponsorship

New Orleans Opera House 132 Formed in 1943. Association

410 Music In Houston Annotated Index New Orleans Symphony 264, 273, 299, 311 1936-1991. Declared bankruptcy. Reformed as Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra, a musician owned collaborative.

New Orleans, Louisiana 41-42, 49, 206 New York Brass Quintet 235, 272 Established 1954-1985 by Robert Nagel and Harvey Philips encouraged by Young Audiences, Inc. Toured and recorded internationally. New York City Ballet 203, 234 Formed after WWII with roots back to 1933. George Balanchine and Jerome Robbins choreographers. Maria Tallchief prima ballerina. New York City Center Opera 75, 79, 286 Formed in 1943 at City Center on 55th. Moved to Lincoln Center in 1966. Julius Rudel and Beverly Sills among Directors. Left Lincoln Center in 2011 for financial exigency reasons. New York Herald Tribune 197, 199 1924-1966. Descendants include International Herald Tribune and New York Magazine New York Philharmonic 2, 58, 82, 98, 134, Organized in 1842, it is oldest extant 195 American orchestra. New York Pro Musica 278 1952-1974. Medieval and Renaissance vocal and instrumental ensemble; concerts, tours, recordings. Noah Greenberg, founder.

New York String Sextet 229 Founded by Julliard faculty member Paul Doktor(1917-1989) in March, 1960 with New York debut. Dedicated to performance of music for five and six instruments.

New York Times The 57, 83ff, 84ff, 89ff, Founded and continuously published since 102ff, 112ff, 114, 1851. 108 Pulitzer Prizes. 188ff, 196ff, 197, 204, 205ff, 243ff, 244ff, 245ff

New York Woodwind 140 Performing in the 1950s. Concerts, tours, Ensemble recordings. New York Woodwind 228, 240 In residence at Julliard since c 2000. Quintet Descended from New York Woodwind Ensemble.

411 Music In Houston Annotated Index New York, New York 5, 17, 21-24, 58, 81, 106, 149-150, 155, 193, 196-197, 199, 201, 220, 222, 244, 248-252, 254, 258, 306, 309, 311, 322

Newmann Dr. Alfred R. 152 Founding Chancellor of the University of Houston Clear Lake, 1972-1982. Newsweek 36, 50, 52, 57, 81ff, 96, 217, 293 Nigemann Chamber Hans-Ulrich 266 Stuttgart baroque ensemble. Houston Ensemble performance 1968. Nikolaidi Elena 86, 118, 184, 226 1909-2002; Greek born mezzo-soprano. Metropolitan Opera, Florida State University, University of Houston faculties

Nilsson Birgit 181 1918-2005. Swedish powerful, clear dramatic soprano. The Wagnerian soprano of her time. Norfleet Trio 29 1923- ; Helen, Catherine, and Leeper Norfleet piano trio. Summer camp for girls at Peterborough, New Hampshire. Norman Walker Dancers 203 Born 1934. Dancers established 1961. North Texas State College 72, 74, 76-77, 127

Novaes Guiomar 72, 126, 178 1895-1979. Brazilian born pianist. She was considered one of the century's finest pianists. Nureyev Rudolf 271 1938-1993. Premier Russian ballet star of 20th century. Obernkirchen Children's 170, 182, 227, 268 Established in 1949 by Edith Moller. Choir Composed originally of orphans. Famous recording of "The Happy Wanderer." World renowned. Of Thee I Sing 31 1931 Broadway musical. Ogdon John 234, 241, 271, 276 1937-1989. English pianist/composer suffering in later years from manic depression. Oistrakh Igor 268 1931- . Ukranian violinist Oklahoma 60, 116 Milepost 1943 Rogers & Hammerstein Broadway musical. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 154

412 Music In Houston Annotated Index Oklahoma Symphony 41 1938-1988. Achieved fame on Mutual Radio Orchestra Network under conductors Victor Alessandro and Guy Fraser Harrison.

Old Maid and The Thief The 141, 167 1939 Menotti opera. Old World Trio 14, 30 1920's ensemble: Anton Rovinsky, piano; Josef Emonts, Viola da Gamba; Maximilian Rose, Viol d'Amour. Premiered Charles Ives in New York City in 1928.

Olevsky Julian 175 1926-1985. German born violinist; faculty at University of Massachusetts, Amherst.

Olheim Helen 71 1905-1992. Metropolitan Opera Mezzo from 1935-1944. Julliard faculty. Oliver 203 1960 West End and Broadway musical Once Upon a Mattress 275, 289 1959 Broadway musical One Touch of Venus 120 1943 Kurt Weill musical Opera 282ff Magazine founded in 1950 in Great Brittain

Opera Caravan: Advent of 55ff, 202ff Author Quaintance Eaton. the Met on Tour Opera in the Schools 284, 301, 304, 317 A program of opera literacy in the public schools including Houston. Opera News 144ff, 155ff, 186ff, National magazine founded in 1936 by the 187ff, 281ff, 282ff Metropolitan Opera Guild.

Orchestra San Pietro 224 Naples-based chamber orchestra; conductor, Renato Ruotolo. Recordings.

Orfeo ed Euridice 280 1762 Gluck opera. Orff Carl 136, 150 1895-1982. German composer best known for Carmina Burana . Pioneered method for teaching music to children. Ormandy Eugene 76, 80, 121, 129 1899-1985, Hungarian-born violinist and conductor of Philadelphia Orchestra 1936- 1980. Otello 187, 231 1887 Verdi opera. Owings John 234 Piano faculty Texas Christian University PACE Management 205-206 Formed in 1966 by Allen Becker and others. Corporation Paderewski Ignance 2, 29, 69, 195 1860-1941. Famed Polish pianist, composer, and Prime Minister. Paganini Quartet 79, 116, 184 Formed in 1946 by first violin Henri Temianka. All four Stradivari instruments used once owned by Paganini

413 Music In Houston Annotated Index Pagilughi Lina 70 1907-1960. American born coloratura soprano. Pajama Game 170 1954 Broadway musical Palace Theater 11, 15, 29 807 Texas Avenue. Built as the Majestic in 1910; renamed as the Palace in 1923. Closed in 1946 and was demolished.

Palmer Sidney J. 92 Houston composer; founder of Houston Symphonette in 1950. Paris Instrumental Quintet 33 Founded in 1922 and became the Pierre Jamet Quintet in 1945:harp, flute, 3 strings. Dissolved in 1958. Jamet on harp faculty at Paris National Conservatory. 20th century works. Paris, France 208 Parker Robert 215 Professor of Musicology, Houston Baptist College, University of Miami, Florida; jazz trumpet and arranger. Parker Mrs. E. B. 2, 6 First President of Houston Symphony Orchestra Association, 1913. Officer of first Tuesday Morning Musical Club, 1908.

Parks and Recreation City of Houston 7, 9, 27, 47, 53-54, Created in 1916 as the Department of Public 60, 82, 113-114, Parks to oversee Sam Houston Park (now 195, 207, 211, 291, home of Heritage Society homes) and 317-318 Hermann Park. Parsifal 59, 137 1882 Wagner opera. Pasquier Régis 268 1945- . French violinist. Plays 1734 Guarnerius. Paris Conservatory faculty. Patience 226 Gilbert and Sullivan operetta Paukert Karel 277 1935- . Czech born American organist. Paul John 266 Pavlova Anna 6, 201 1881-1931. Russian ballerina of the Imperial Russian Ballet and the Ballet Russe.

Pearl Brewing Company 290, 315 Underwriter for Theatre Under The Stars

Pease James 129 1916-1967. American bass-baritone with New York City Opera. Peck Elementary School Lora B. 140 Houston ISD school site for pioneering Young Audiences programs for students.

Peer Gynt 131 Grieg orchestral suite written in 1875. Peerce Jan 75, 127, 131, 172, 1904-1984. American born Metropolitan 236 Opera tenor; Broadway. Peeters Flor 169, 236 1903-1986. Belgian organist and composer.

414 Music In Houston Annotated Index Peinemann Edith 231, 237 1937- . German violinist. Pennario Leonard 122, 166, 172, 176, 1924-2008. American concert pianist. More 178, 184, 227, 233, than 60 recordings. Master Tournament 264, 276 bridge. Los Angeles based.

Pennsylvania Ballet 269 Formed in 1963 in Philadelphia. Pennzoil United 293, 294, 315 Sponsor of first Houston Symphony Young Artists Competition People's Symphony of 37 Extant in 1930's from which Ernst Hoffmann Boston came to Houston. Performing Arts: the 306ff, 307ff, 319ff Authors William Baumon, William Bowen Economic Dilemma Perkins Marion 230, 279 1927-2004. American pianist. Faculty Ball State and James Mason universities.

Perkins Sallie Shepherd 141, 300 Donor of funds for Shepherd School of Music at Rice University. Perlman Itzhak 264, 269, 274 1945- . Israeli-born violinist, faculty Julliard School of Music. Peters Roberta 130, 229 1930- . American coloratura soprano; Metropolitan Opera company for 35 years.

Petros Jolanda di 80 1916-1987. Italian born. Citizen of Finland. Maria Phenix Dairy 9 Est. 1914. First Houston dairy to pasteurize milk and produce homogenized milk. Sold to Foremost Dairy in 1952. Home of 1930s Houston orchestra rehearsals.

Philadelphia Orchestra 53, 76, 80, 129, Founded in 1900. One of the "Top Five" 134, 195, 311, 319 orchestras in America. Stokowski conducted 1912-1938; Eugene Ormandy 1938-1980.

Philharmonic Hall New York's 193, 244 Avery Fisher Hall in Lincoln Center opened in 1962. Piatigorsky Gregor 68-69, 131, 169 1903-1976. Ukranian born cellist. Faculty Curtis Institute and University of Southern California. Once called "the greatest string player of all time." Piazza Marguerite 91 1921-2012. New Orleans born soprano. New York City Opera; Metropolitan Opera; "Your Show of Shows" NBC Television, 1950- 54. Entertainer, philanthropist.

Pick Bernard 116 Organist; leading authority on the hymns of Martin Luther.

415 Music In Houston Annotated Index Pickar Richard 214, 240, 242, 270, 1932- . Longtime Houston Symphony 295, 320 Principal Clarinetist. Pierson Thomas 178, 271 1948- . Composer, conductor, arranger, film scores, musician, lecturer.

Pinza Ezio 58, 62, 74, 77, 79 1892-1957. Metropolitan opera basso, Broadway, film. Pipers of Houston 210, 222, 235 Organized in 1964 for recorder and bamboo piper ensemble performance. Pirates of Penzance 131, 183, 242 1879 Gilbert and Sullivan operetta premiered in the United States. Pittsburgh Symphony 58, 77, 199, 205, 1895-1910. Victor Herbert conductor. Orchestra 247, 248 Reconstituted 1926 to present. Plain and Fancy 169 1955 Broadway musical Playhouse Theatre 94, 123-124, 127- A Houston theater in the round on South 128, 130-131, 154, Main originally built in 1951 which later 172, 175, 178-179, became a popular venue for chamber music 181, 183, 213, 224, concerts and recitals. First permanent 229 building in the United States so designed.

Plunkett Virginia 54, 60, 66, 82, 85, Founder of the Summertime Light Opera 91, 117, 319 Company in 1946. Poepting Noel 25 Contra bassonist from the St. Louis Orchestra hired to supplement the Houston Symphony under Hertz in 1936.

Pogue Wade 217ff 1925-2012; Spring Branch ISD Music Supervisor; Deputy Supt. Of Houston Community College. Pons Lily 31, 58, 72, 78 1898-1976. American coloratura soprano. Metropolitan Opera 1931-1960. Films, television, recitals until 1973.

Pops Concerts, Houston 67-68, 73-75, 79, Pops concerts were begun in January, 1937. Symphony 86, 96, 107, 116- 119, 121-124, 128- 131, 166-167 Porgy and Bess 74, 240 1935 Gershwin opera Posselt Ruth 75 1914-2007. American concert violinist. Faculty Florida State University. Powell John Henry 214 1882-1963. American pianist and composer. Rice appearance in 1932. Powers Percival Dorotha 116 American violinist married to Arthur Percival. Played Stradivarius bought from Fritz Kreisler.

416 Music In Houston Annotated Index Prague Quartet 266 1920-1955. Prague based. One of the most important chamber ensembles of the interwar period. Prairie View University 240 Founded in 1878 for African American students. Pressler Menahem 79 1923- ; German born American pianist; founder of Beaux Arts Trio. Fled Nazis via Israel. Preston Jean 234, 236, 240, 265, 1925- . Mezzo- soprano. Recitals, 271, 278 concerts, recordings. 20th century music.

Previn André 93, 169, 231, 234, 1929- . Controversial conductor Houston 236-237, 240-241, Symphony; Hollywood films; jazz and 245-254, 256-257, recording pianist. Four Academy Awards 261-262, 264-269, and ten Grammys. One of the 20th 271, 314, 323, century's most versatile musicians. Kennedy Center Honoree.

Primrose William 74, 80, 116, 1904-1982. Scottish violist; Order British Empire; star in Hollywood Walk of Fame. Guarneri instrument. Princess Ida 238 1884 Gilbert and Sullivan operetta Prokofiev Sergei 87 1891-1953. Russian composer, pianist, and conductor. Prudential Building 213, 240 1952-2012. Houston performance venue

Public Schools--all districts Houston 27, 140, 151, 153, HISD established in 1920 replacing the 186, 197, 201, 208, Harrisburg School District. 217, 222, 301-302, 304, 316 Purvis Richard 117, 268 1913-1994. Organist; composer of 200+ works for organ. Quack Helen 241 1948- . Vietnamese born Assistant Conductor of the New York Philharmonic.

Quartararo Florence 116 1922-1994. American born Metropolitan opera soprano (1947-1951). Married and retired in 1951. Discovered as "Florence Alba" on Bing Crosby radio programs.

Quartetto di Roma 236 Originally formed in 1921. Reformed in 1960 and in 1995: piano, violin, viola, and cello. Quartetto Italiano 159, 182 1945-1980. Global tours and noted recordings of catalogs of composer's works.

417 Music In Houston Annotated Index Queen Theater 15 Opened in 1913 on Main Street at Texas Avenue. 753 seats. Houston movie theater with stage facilities and Pilcher pipe organ.

Rabin Michael 131 1936-1972. American violinist. Died at 36 due to a fall. Race William 239 1923-1999. Pianist; Chair of Keyboard Dept., University of Texas, Austin. Rachlin Ezra 151, 172, 175-176, 1915-1995. Hollywood born pianist and 178-183, 225, 231, conductor of Austin Symphony, Fort Worth 233 Symphony, and Houston summer symphony. Rachmaninoff Sergi 31, 45, 67, 71, 195 1873-1943. Russian composer/pianist. Naturalized US citizen. Personal and performing relationship with Horowitz. Radio broadcasts 37, 46-47, 49-50, Regular, commercially licensed radio 55, 57, 63-64, 77, broadcasting began in the United States in 83, 86, 95-96, 100 1920. Rainwater Veazey 203 Colleague of Edna Saunders who formed Houston Performing Arts Foundation after her death. Ralf Torsten 77 1901-1954. Swedish Wagnerian tenor. Rape of Lucretia 205 1946 opera by Benjamin Britten. Raskin Judith 268 1928-1984. American lyric soprano. Metropolitan opera career. Ravel Maurice 214 1875-1937. French impressionistic composer. RCA Victor Records 52, 250, 252 Radio Corporation of America purchased the Victor Talking Machine Company in 1929; RCA Victor emerged. Read William 280 Harpsichordist. Julliard graduate. New York debut in 1963. Studied with Fernando Valenti. Reaves Royce 241 20th century American basso. Red S. C. 10ff Author of history of Houston First Presbyterian Church. Houston ISD elementary school carries his name. Red Pony The 82 1948 Copland film score. Reid Charles 189-191 Sir John Barbirolli biographer Reiner Fritz 58, 77 1888-1963. Hungarian born conductor of the Chicago Symphony. Reiter Max 84 1905-1950. Italian born conductor of the San Antonio Symphony. Rejto Gabor 269 1916-1987. Hungarian cellist. Founder of Alma Trio (1942-1976). Reluctant Empire The 140ff 1957. George Fuermann's perspectives on Texas.

418 Music In Houston Annotated Index Remington Janet 116, 118 Principal harpist with Houston Symphony in 1948, later Pittsburgh Symphony.

Renardy Ossy 118 1920-1953. Viennese violinist; killed at age 33 in auto crash. Requiem Verdi 80, 112, 122, 131 1874 setting for soloists, choir, and orchestra. Requiem Brahms 277 Full work premiered in 1869. Non-liturgical sacred work. Resnik Regina 149, 166 1922- . American mezzo-soprano. Metropolitan opera career. Rhea Claude 214 1927-1990. Chairman Fine Arts, Houston Baptist University; President, Palm Beach Atlantic College. Ricci Ruggiero 172, 265 1918-2012. Concert violinist famous for his performances of Paganini works. Rice Robert 5 1929 head of Houston Musicians Local. Rice William E. 111, 115, 128 1921-1987. Houston born composer. Faculty Indiana and Rice universities. Rice Hotel 55 Historic Houston hotel on historic Texas site at Main Street and Texas Avenue. Jesse Jones built current building in 1913.

Rice Institute (University) 38, 68, 73, 88, 131, Opened in 1912. No music instruction 141-142, 151, 154, program during much of its history. Home 164, 170, 172-173, ultimately to the Shepherd School of Music. 176, 178-183, 213- 214, 222, 224-242, 264-279, 297, 300, 304, 320-321

Rice Symphony Society 214, 235 Organized in 1964: faculty and students Richter Karl 179 1926-1981. Organist St. Thomas Church Leipzig. Composer and conductor. Richter-Hasser Hans 178, 184, 225, 231, 1912-1980. German pianist specializing in 237 Classical Era composers Rignold Hugo 128 1905-1976. English conductor of Royal Ballet and City of Birmingham orchestra.

Rigoletto 16, 175, 236, 273 1851 Verdi opera. Rio Rita 120 1927 Ziegfeld musical and later film. Risley C. G. 10, 29 1931 President Houston Musicians Local

Rita 150 1860 Donizetti opera. River Oaks Elementary Houston ISD 140 Houston ISD school opened in 1929. School

419 Music In Houston Annotated Index Robbins John 171 Conductor of the Houston Municipal Band, 1957. Robbins Tomfohrde Betty Ruth 75, 80, 134 1922- . Houston pianist; faculty University of Houston. Robert E. Lee High School Houston ISD 197 Houston ISD school opened in 1962.

Roberts Mrs. Herbert 23 Charter member Thursday Morning Musical Club, accompanist Women's Choral Club, the Houston Symphony Executive Committee, and cultural leader.

Roberts Jack 279 1932-2004. Professor of piano at North Texas State University. Rockefeller Brothers Fund 317, 321 Created in 1940 by the sons of John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Rockefeller Foundation 216, 317ff, 319, Chartered in 1913 by John D. Rockefeller. 321 Roehl Elmer 25 Visiting bassoonist from St. Louis Symphony in 1936 under Hertz . Roggen Ted 77, 167 1918- . Houston arts impresario in 1950s and 1960s. Roller A. Clyde 199, 215, 220, 240- 1914-2005. Associate Conductor, Houston 241, 244, 265, Symphony Orchestra; oboist, University of 270, 272-275, 280, Houston and Interlochen faculties. 297, 300, 320

Romberg Sigmund 73, 117, 119 1887-1951. Hungarian-born composer of operettas. Romeo and Juliet 234 1867 Charles Gounod opera. Rosand Aaron 182 1927- 2019. American violinist; in 2009 sold his Guarneri violin for $10M Rose Leonard 224, 231 1918-1984. American born cellist NBC Symphony, New York Philharmonic Rose Beatrice 270, 277 Harpist with Houston Symphony. Faculty at Schroeder University of Houston. Rose Billy 68 1899-1966. New York impresario and song writer, married to Fanny Brice, Hippodrome shows. Rose Jerome 240 1938- . American born pianist. Rose Louise 92 c 1915-2005. Acclaimed soprano. Wife of Andor Toth for 58 years. Rose Marie 19, 117 1924 Rudolf Friml operetta.

420 Music In Houston Annotated Index Rosekrans Charles 150, 154, 163, 187, 1934-2009. Associate Conductor, Houston 221, 227, 230, 239- Grand Opera. Founder Houston Chamber 240, 242, 264-266, Orchestra. Conductor ballet, Theatre Under 268-275, 277-279, The Stars, regional opera companies, and 284-286, 303, 320, recordings. Took his own life at 75. 321

Rosenfield John 50-51, 65, 84-85, 1900-1966. Dallas Morning News Fine Arts 114, 149, 309-310, Critic 323 Rosenkavalier Der 176 1911 Comic opera by Richard Straus. Ross Glynn 287 1914-2005. Director of Seattle Opera Company 1963-83, Arizona Opera 1983- 1998. Ross Elinor 188, 228, 230, 233, 1932-2020 . American dramatic soprano. 272 LaScala and Metropolitan opera careers.

Rothberg Elizabeth 4 1894-1976. American spinto soprano. Rothwell Lady Evelyn 189-190, 224-226, 1911-2008. English born Oboist; Mrs. John Barbirolli 228-231, 233-234, Barbirolli. 238, 241-242, 270

Rounseville Robert 129 1914-1974. American opera and Broadway tenor. Premiered The Rake's Progress with Schwarzkopf and Tourel, film of Carousel , premier of Candide with Barbara Cook.

Rouse Mary Elizabeth 4 Arts writer for the Houston Gargoyle magazine 1930's. Roussel Hubert 13-14, 20-21, 23, 1897-1980. Houston arts critic and writer. Detavame 25-26, 35, 40, 42- Houston Press and Houston Post . Retired in 44, 46, 49-51, 56- 1966. Author of history of the Houston 57, 61-62, 63ff, 65, Symphony, 1971. About Roussel, it was 84, 89-90, 98-99, written, " Roussel spent a lifetime cultivating 103-105, 110, 114, the arts in Houston. To a large extent, the 132, 135-139, 144, Houston audience was educated by the 147, 149, 157, music columns of Roussel. He helped create 159, 161, 163, 185, and nurture appreciative and knowing 187ff, 191, 194, listeners. The success of great music in 205, 209, 211, 218- Houston must take into account his signal 219, 222-223, 308- contribution." 309, 320

Roussel Dewey 21 1898-1987. Houston writer for Houston Gargoyle ; engaged in the founding and operation of the Houston Little Theatre

421 Music In Houston Annotated Index Roxy and His Gang 29 Samuel Lionel Rothafel was a movie theater magnate who built the Roxy chain including Radio City Music Hall and the Rockettes. From 1922-32, he produced weekly radio shows featuring Roxy and the Gang. Royal Philharmonic of 259 Founded in 1946 by Sir Thomas Beecham. London Royal Russian Choir 29 Russian dancers, singers, and balalaika orchestra which performed at Vatican and the White House in the 1930's. Royal Winnipeg Ballet 236, 270 Founded in 1939 is the longest continuously operating ballet company in North America.

Rozan William Z. 54 1910-1972. A Houston attorney, founder of Municipal Centers, built the Playhouse Theatre in 1950 with Joanna Albus.

Rubinoff Dave 68 1897-1986. Russian born violinist, radio entertainer, and club performer. Rubinstein Arthur 75-76, 79, 116, 1887-1982. Polish/American pianist. 118, 124, 126, 128, Brilliant concert and recording artist. 80 170, 176, 231, 270, year performing career. 278 Rudel Julius 274 1921- . Vienna born conductor of New York City Opera Company. Rudolf Max 100, 166 1902-1995. German born American conductor. Metropolitan Opera and Cincinnati Symphony. Riskin Abbot Lee 264 1945- . Child prodigy pianist. Appeared with Victor Borge. Russell Anna 167, 170 1911-2006. English singer and deadpan comedienne who particularly spoofed opera.

Russian Symphony 2 A New York orchestra organized in 1903 by Orchestra Modest Altschuler. Membership composed mainly of Russian Jewish immigrant musicians. Russo Tony 25 Early Principal Clarinet, Houston Symphony beginning in 1935. Sabicas Agustín 276 1912-1990. Spanish Flamenco guitarist Castellón Campos Sadler's Wells Ballet (Royal 94, 121, 123, 172, Founded in 1926, renamed the Sadler's Ballet of London) 181 Wells Ballet in 1939. Moved to Covent Garden in 1946. Sadlo Milos 225 1912-2003. Czech cellist.

422 Music In Houston Annotated Index Sage Roach Mildred 17 1897-1981. Long time director of Music for Houston Independent School District, author, clinician. Sakowitz Robert 291, 293 1938- . Harvard '60 educated son of Bernard Sakowitz, Houston clothing mogul, who assumed leadership in 1975. President of Sakowitz from 1975 to its 1990 closing.

Sakowitz Brothers 291, 293 1902-1990. Founded in Galveston, elite Houston clothing and specialties store Salome 133, 138, 167, 269 1905 opera by Richard Strauss.

Salzburg Marionette 123 Founded in 1913. Performs Mozart operas Theater from Easter to fall. Made famous in movie of The Sound of Music .

Salzburg Opera Guild 68, 102 In 1934, Paul Csonka founded the Salzburg Opera Guild under the supervision of Sol Hurok and with the support of Arturo Toscanini, Otto Klemperer, Stefan Zweig, Albert Schweizer, and Ernst Krenek. The company was born out of rebellion against the European opera's "star-dominated" system. Samaroff Olga 135 1882-1948. Pianist. Born Lucie Hickenlooper in San Antonio. Reared in Houston/Galveston. Changed to Samaroff in 1904 and toured. Married to Stokowski 1911-1923. Established his conducting career in Cincinnati and Philadelphia. Faculty Julliard School taught Wm Kapell, Eugene List, & Rosalyn Tureck.

Samson and Delilah 237 1877 opera by Camille Saint-Saëns. San Angelo, Texas 42 San Antonio Symphony 36, 50-52, 53, 84, Created in 1939 by Max Reiter, a German- 124, 126, 227 Italian immigrant, who became its first Music Director. San Antonio, Texas 15, 36, 52, 71, 206, 268, 311 San Carlo Opera Company 33-34, 70 Toured from 1913-1950 with company of 100 including 30 instrumentalists. Managed by Fortune Gallo who built the Gallo Opera House in New York in 1927--now Studio 54.

San Diego, California 188, 282-283, 303

423 Music In Houston Annotated Index San Francisco Symphony 58, 78, 101, 198- Founded in 1911. Alfred Hertz conducted Orchestra 199 from 1915-1930. Later, Monteux, Krips, Ozawa, de Waart, and Tilson-Thomas. Housed in Louise M. Davies Symphony Hall.

San Francisco, California 24, 187, 199, 209, 228 San Jacinto Auditorium 68, 73-74, 79-80, Local Houston area performance venue. 119, 124, 131, 321

San Jacinto Hotel 16 Built in 1927 at corner of Fannin and Rusk streets in Houston. Sangerfeste 2 German song festival. Sanromá Jesús Maria 74 1902-1984. Pianist; favorite of Fiedler. Sargeant Winthrop 196-197, 200, 1903-1986. New York critic and author for 201ff The New Yorker 1949-1972 . Sargent Sir Malcolm 158, 169, 175-176, 1895-1967. Esteemed English organist, 181-182, 189 composer, conductor particularly of choral works. Satie Erik 88 1866-1925. French composer and pianist. Precursor minimalist and Dadaist as a writer.

Saturday Review of The 249 1924-1982. American magazine of critical Literature review. Saunders Edna 4-6, 9, 11, 28-34, 1880-1963. Famed Houston impresaria of (Mrs. B. E.) 37, 45, 54-55, 61, the arts; Green Room in Jones Hall honors 66, 68-80, 86, 89, her memory. Her home at 3506 Audubon 93-94, 100, 104, Place housed and fed many guest artists 106, 116-119, 121- including Marian Anderson. Her career 124, 126-131, 147, brought the Metropolitan Opera, NBC 154, 166-173, 175- Symphony with Toscanini, John McCormack, 176, 178-184, 201- Al Jolson, Will Rogers, Sigmund Romberg, 206, 222, 224-231, Bob Hope, Jeanette McDonald, the Boston 244, 294, 319-320 Pops, Ballet Russe, the Chicago Opera Company, Paderewski, Caruso, Eugene Ormandy, and Sarah Bernhardt among others.

Saunders Charles 255 1922-2011. Houston attorney. Houston Symphony contract negotiator. Saunders Arlene 185, 1935- . American spinto soprano. New York City Opera and Hamburg Opera.

Sawyer John 153, Faculty University of Houston in 1957. Sayao Bidu 70-71, 117 1902-1999. Brazilian soprano with the Metropolitan Opera 1937-1952. Scandinavian Club Houston 117

424 Music In Houston Annotated Index Shaffer Elaine 122-123 1925-1973. Principal flutist with Houston Symphony from 1948-1953. Wife of Efrem Kurtz. Scherman's Little Symphony Thomas 181, 225 Founded by Thomas Scherman in 1947. of New York Conductor 1947-79. 45-60 instrumentalists touring and recording. Schlanme Martha 278 1923-1985. Singer of Jewish folk music. Died onstage. Schlenker Sidney 205 1937-2003. Founded Pace Management in 1966; CEO Astrodome Enterprises; President of Houston Astros; minority owner of Houston Rockets and Denver Nuggets. Flamboyant promoter, i.e. Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs at the Astrodome.

Schmidt E. E. 25 1935-36 Principal Flute, Houston Symphony.

Schmidt-Isserstedt Hans 258, 273, 278 1900-1973. German born conductor. Schnabel Arthur 72 1882-1951. Bravura Austrian pianist, composer, and teacher. Schneider John 234 1960- . American actor and singer. Schoenstedt Arno 276 German Organist with Westfalische Kantore after World War II. Became expert on Hugo Distler and Schutz. Faculty Herford, Germany. Schoettle Elmer 153, 175, 180, 182 1910-1973. Composer, faculty University of Houston. First wife was Mary.

Schoettle Mary 182 1911-1996. Houston Pianist, faculty of University of St. Thomas. Wife of Elmer.

Schonberg Harold 258 1915--2003. Music Critic, The New York Time. Pulitzer prize winner for Criticism.

Schreiner Alexander 117 1901-1987. Mormon Tabernacle organist (1938-1977) and composer. Schroeder-Rose Beatrice 128, 130 1922-1994. Houston Symphony harpist; founded Houston Harp Ensemble; faculty University of Houston and Rice. Wife of Wm. Rose, tuba, Houston Symphony.

Schumann-Heink Madame 29, 31, 59, 195 1861-1936, Austrian/American operatic Ernestine contralto. Last performed at Met at age 71. Fund raiser for war efforts. Schuster Joseph 123 1903-1969. Russian born cellist.

425 Music In Houston Annotated Index Schwabacher James 241 1920-1906. San Francisco Opera tenor. "San Francisco's Mr. Music." Schwarzkopf Elisabeth 130, 230 1915-2006. Austrian born soprano best known for her Schubert, Strauss, and Wolf. Opera and recitalist. Schwieger Hans 61, 79, 258 1907-2000, Conductor of the Kansas City Symphony. Scionti Silvio and Isabel 69 1882-1973. Italian born pianists; faculty University of North Texas Scots Pipers 166 Famed Scottish bagpipe band. Scottish Rite Auditorium 11, 29-32, 34, 69 1923-1980. Polk at Caroline Streets in Houston. Popular performance venue. Seaver Cedric 18 1903-1982. Houston ISD teacher. Organized Houston All City High School Orchestra in 1933 Sébastian Georges 159, 179, 182 1903-1989. Hungarian conductor of post- Romantic repertory. Segovia Andrés 86, 118, 128, 167, 1893-1987. Virtuoso Spanish classical 179, 205, 232, 266, guitarist. "Father of modern classical 270, 278 guitar." Semenova Mme. Tatiana 133 1920-1996. Founding Houston Ballet ballerina; Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo Semkov Georg 259, 277 Conductor,, i.e. London Philharmonic, and Scriabin specialist. Senofsky Berl 170, 176, 224, 227 1926-2002. American violinist. Faculty Peabody Conservatory of Music 1965-1996.

Serkin Rudolf 58, 77, 128, 178, 1903-1991. Czech born pianist; regarded as 231 a foremost interpreter of Beethoven; father of Peter Serkin. Kennedy Center Honoree.

Sevilla Jean-Paul 237 1934- . French pianist of Spanish descent. Faculty University of Ottawa. Shamrock Hotel 88-89, 93 Wildcatter Glenn McCarthy's 1000 room hotel opened in 1949 at Main Street and Holcombe Blvd. Illustrious history for social and entertainment spectacle. Demolished in 1987. Shankar Ravi 268 1920-2012. Indian sitar virtuoso Sharpstown 211 Master-planned Residential/commercial development in SW Houston opened in 1955. Shaw (Chorale) Robert 116, 121, 126, 166, 1916-1999. Premier American chorale 225, 261, 280, 300 founded in 1948; Conductor of Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. Kennedy Center Honors. 40 honorary degrees.

426 Music In Houston Annotated Index Shawn Dancers Ted 68 1891-1972. One of first notable male dance pioneers of 20th century with wife Ruth St. Denis. Sheehan Jack 91 1891-1958. Broadway actor: Look Homeward Angel, Call Me Madam, Paint Your Wagon. Shell Oil 306 Shepherd School of Music, 141-142, 151, 164, Original gift of $8M in 1950. School opened Rice University (See Perkins) 214, 300, 320-321 in 1975 with gift of Sallie Shepherd Perkins. Alice Pratt Brown Hall opened in 1991.

Shostakovich Dmitri 150-151, 157, 244 1906-1975. Russian pianist and composer. Major figure of 20th century.

Showboat 176 1927 Broadway musical Shreveport, Louisiana 106, 186 Shrine Circus 108, 211 Shriner William 121 c 1925--2016. New York City Opera & musical theater baritone. Faculty: Indiana University 1955-1985. Houston birth, Lamar High School, Baylor. Shure Leonard 270, 275 1910-1995. American pianist; student of Schnabel. Faculty: University of Texas, New England Conservatory of Music.

Shutta Ethel 91 1896-1976. Ziegfeld actress and singer. Original cast of Sondheim's Follies . Sibelius Jean 45 1865-1957. Finnish composer of the Romantic tradition. Siberian Singers 70 Nicholas Vasilieff, conductor. Male ensemble noted for extended range from contra-G to treble E. Siegel Morris 195 1897-1966. Houston wrestling promoter

Siepi Cesare 128, 179, 184, 241 1923-2010; Italian bass-baritone.

Siki Bela 239 1923- . Hungarian-born American pianist. Faculty: University of Washington

Sills Beverly 181, 240, 274, 279, 1929-2007. American bel canto soprano. 289 General Manager of New York City Opera Company. Chair: Lincoln Center, Metropolitan Opera. Kennedy Center Honoree. Silverstein Joseph 225 1932- . HSO 1950-1953. Concertmaster Boston Symphony Orchestra 1962-1984; conductor

427 Music In Houston Annotated Index Simon Abbey 229 1920-2019. American pianist; faculty Julliard, Indiana, Manhattan , & University of Houston. Simoneau Leopold 175 1916-2006. Canadian lyric tenor. One of the outstanding Mozarteans of his time.

Singers and Dancers of 181 Scotland Singing Boys of Houston 242, 273 Founded 1962; became Houston Boy Choir

Skolovsky Zadel 76 1916-2009. Canadian American pianist. Faculty: Indiana University. Slaughter Robert 133, 166 1926- . Houston Symphony and Music Guild violist. Faculty: Ball State University.

Slenczynska Ruth 176 1925- . American pianist; faculty: Southern Illinois University 1964-1987.. Sloan Bert 44, 150, 174 KPRC sports writer, pianist, and conductor of Bert Sloan Orchestra. Slobodyanik Alexander 276 1941-2008. Ukranian-born American pianist. Slocomb Don 241 Houston Symphony Orchestra clarinetist

Slovakian Opera Company 118 A branch originally of the Slovak National Theater dating from 1920. Slavenska-Franklin Dancers Mia 127 1916-2002. Prima ballerina of Metropolitan Opera; Slovenska-Franklin Dancers formed in 1950. Smetena Quartet 239 1945-1989; Czech Conservatory faculty Smith Carol 180 1926- . American contralto; faculty Indiana University. Smith Moses 37, 40 1901-1964. Music critic for the Boston Transcript. Smith Kate 19 1907-1986. Beloved American contralto of radio, recording, and television fame.

Smith Joseph S. 19, 22, 53, 57, 65, President Houston Symphony Society and 83, 256 District Manager for Aetna Life Insurance. Launched aggressive financial campaign in 1934 for Symphony underwriting.

Smith Malcolm 236 Societa Corelli 169 Founded in 1953 by the Italian government to commemorate the 300th anniversary of the Italian composer. 13 player ensemble toured extensively.

428 Music In Houston Annotated Index Society for Contemporary 47 Houston ensemble formed in 1942. First Music such entity to be followed by Stokowski's Contemporary Music organization in 1958.

Society for the Performing Houston 204-206, 239, 259, Successor to Edna Saunders Presents Arts 264-266, 268-270, organized in 1963. Underwriter of major 272-274, 276-279, cultural arts series at Jones Hall. 294-295, 303 Solomon Izler 225 1910-1987. American conductor; Illinois, Columbus, and Indianapolis orchestras.

Solovieff Mariam 79 1921-2004. American concert violinist Somogyi Laszlo 182, 225, 234 1907-1988. Hungarian conductor. American debut was with Houston Symphony in 1961.

Sonata de Camera 266 Sorantin Eric 75 1945 Houston Symphony guest artist. Sorin Samuel 121 1917- . Julliard concert pianist; founder of Hollywood Philharmonic Orchestra

Sound of Music 228 1959 Broadway musical South Main Baptist Church 80 1930 Houston performance venue

South Pacific 88, 126, 129, 166 1949 Broadway musical. Southern Opera Company 16, 31 Conductor Uriel Nespoli's Houston opera company organized by Mrs. John Wesley Graham in 1933. Southwest Concerts 203, 235-238, 240, Formed in 1964 by Attorney Abe Dunn and 242, 264, 268-270, Barbara and Art Squires as booking agency 272-273, 276, 294- for Houston, San Antonio, and other cities. 295 Southwestern Musician 107 The official journal of the Texas Music Educator's Association. Souzay Gerald 184, 224 1918-2004. French baritone recitalist and art song aficionado. Spalding Albert 5, 29, 37, 68, 70, 1888-1953. American violinist and 74, 184 composer. Faculty Boston and Florida State universities. Spalding sports goods family. Veteran of both WWI and WWII.

Speer Dr. Klaus 152 Organist. Faculty University of Houston, University of Southern Mississippi, and Eastman School of Music. Died 1979.

Spell Lota May 1ff, 135ff 1885-1972. Texas music historian and teacher.

429 Music In Houston Annotated Index Spivakovsky Nathan "Tossy" 77, 117 1906-1998. Russian-born violinist. Fled Nazis via Australia to United States. Spotlight on the Arts 292 replaced Houston Arts Festival in 1968. Spring Branch ISD 217, 222 Suburban Houston school district. Sputnik 150 First artificial earth satellite launched by Russia in 1957. Squires Art 178, 294 Director of Southwest Concerts St. Cecelia's Choirs of Rome 166 With roots dating from 1585, the National Academy of St. Cecelia is one of the oldest music institutions in the world.

St. John the Divine Church 129, 268 Houston venue for AGO recitals established in 1940. St. John's School 213, 230, 233, 236, Houston performance venue founded in 240-241 1946. St. Leger Douglas Francis 14-15, 19-24, 26, 1890-1969. India born conductor, Houston "Frank" 31-33, 56, 84, 313 Symphony, Chicago Civic Opera, Central City Opera, Indiana University.

St. Louis Post Dispatch 88 Pulitzer prize winning newspaper dating from 1878. St. Louis Symphony 3, 25-26, 31, 34, 37-Incorporated in 1893, the choral and 38, 45, 53, 67-72, symphonic entities formally divided in the 126, 170, 311 early twentieth century. St. Olaf College Choir 29, 72, 176 Dating from 1875, St. Olaf College is known for the quality of its music programs.

Stanford Research Institute 192, 212, 221, 318 Founded in 1946 to foster client sponsored research and development. Stark Pauline (later 154, 234, 241, 244, Houston lyric soprano; faculty University of Paulina) 266 Massachusetts. Starker Janos 159, 182, 274 1924-2013. Hungarian American cellist. Principal with Chicago Orchestra; faculty Indiana University. Starkey S. A. 14 1933 City Commissioner in Houston. Starr Susan 270 c. 1940- . American prodigy pianist. Student of Rudolf Serkin. Faculty Rutgers University. Steber Eleanor 73, 77, 124, 184 1914-1990. Metropolitan Opera; Bayreuth; American Soprano. Voice of Firestone radio broadcasts. Julliard faculty.

Stern Isaac 54, 75-76, 79, 86, 1920-2001. Ukranian/American violinist. 119, 121, 127-128, Dedicated much of his life to discovering 130, 170, 176, 265 new talent, i.e. Yo Yo Ma, Itzhak Perlman, and Pinchas Zukerman.

430 Music In Houston Annotated Index Stevens Rise 129, 146 1913-2013. Leading mezzo-soprano for the Metropolitan Opera for more than 20 years 1938-1961. Kennedy Center Honoree. Headed Metropolitan National Opera Company. Stevens Harrison 33 1934 Houston Symphony guest artist Stewart Reginald 54, 78 1900-1984. Canadian pianist and conductor.

Stimson Henry L. 8 1867-1950. U. S. Secretary of State 1929- 1933. Stokes Joe 15 Percussionist in 1913 Houston Symphony and secretary of local musician's union.

Stokes June 169 Stokowski Leopold 93, 112, 113ff, 1882-1977. Conductor Houston Symphony 121, 127, 134-137, Orchestra 1955-1961. 141-145, 147, 151- 152, 154, 156-157, 159, 161-163, 166- 167, 169-173, 175- 176, 178-181, 188, 191, 209, 253, 256, 323

Stradivarius 89, Famed string instrument maker family in 17th and 18th centuries. Stratas Teresa 175, 181, 184, 205, 1938- . Metropolitan Opera soprano. 238, 266, 268

Strauss Richard 149 1864-1949. German composer in the neo- Romantic tradition. Stravinsky Soulima 240 1910-1994. Swiss-American pianist, composer. Son of Igor. Stravinsky Igor 85, 116, 145, 172 1882-1971. Russian-American leading composer of 20th century Strong Donald 297 1932- 2002. Director Rice Singers, Houston Symphony Chorale, St. John's School faculty.

Structures Sonores French 209, 230 See Lazry-Baschet. Orchestra Stuart School 201 Washington D. C. private school; Edna Saunders attended. Student Prince The 19, 30, 117 1924 Sigmund Romberg operetta. Stuttgart Bach Collegium 279 Instrumental ensemble founded in 1965 with players from Switzerland and Germany

431 Music In Houston Annotated Index Suk Josef 236 1874-1935. Czech composer and violinist

Sullivan Brian 231 1918-1969. California-born tenor who sang with the Metropolitan Opera, had an uneven career, and committed suicide in Geneva.

Sumac Yma 130 1922-2008. Peruvian soprano of 4-5 octave range B2 to C#7 Summer concerts Houston 44-46, 49-50, 53, Summer concerts were begun in 1940 with Symphony 60-61, 70-72, 74- an anonymous gift and the advocacy of 76, 78, 80, 82, 86, Houston Post writer Hubert Roussel. 96, 99, 107, 114, 119, 137, 142-143, 146, 164, 168, 171, 173, 176, 180, 183, 199, 211-213, 218, 247, 254-255, 261, 275, 280

Summertime Light Opera 54, 60, 66, 76, 78, Broadway show performances at the Music Co. 80, 82, 91, 94, 113, Hall begun in 1946 by Virginia Plunkett. 117, 119-120, 215- 216 Suor Angelica 183 1918 one act opera by Puccini. Susskind Walter 172-173, 175, 178- 1913-1980. Prague-born conductor and 179 music critic. St. Louis Symphony 1968-1975.

Sutherland Dame Joan 185, 203, 234, 240 1926-2010. Australian dramatic coloratura soprano known affectionately as La Stupenda. Kennedy Center Honoree.

Sutherland W. D. 97 1891-1972. President of the Symphony Society in 1952. Swann Frederick 230 1931- . American church and concert organist, president American Guild of Organists 2002-2008. Swarthout Gladys 32, 49, 54, 75, 78, 1900-1969. Metropolitan Opera mezzo- 86, 119, 184 soprano. Appeared in 5 Paramount movies.

Sweeney's Jewelers 315 1875-1998. Begun as J. J. Sweeney. 1880 Sweeney and Coombs building also housed Grunewald's Music Store from 1881.

432 Music In Houston Annotated Index Swinford-Blackburn Nancy Yeager 9, 29-30, 33, 38, 1906-1997. Corpus Christi-born dramatic 54, 67, 70, 138, soprano. Soloist with Houston Philharmonic 145, 169, 236 in 1930. Leading roles with Houston Grand Opera in 1955 and 1956 seasons.

Symphony Magazine 88ff, 97ff Official journal of League of American Orchestras. Sze Yi-Kwei 131, 178, 225 1915-1994. China-born bass baritone concert artist. Szeged Philharmonic 102 Ferenc Fricsay served as conductor of this Orchestra Hungarian orchestra from 1933-1943.

Szeryng Henryk 230, 235, 241, 277 1918-1988. Polish-born violinist. Owned the Guarneri del Gesù "Le Duc" and "Sanctae Theresiae" violins, as well as the Stradivarius "King David" violin.

Szigeti Joseph 70, 122, 128 1892-1973. Hungarian violinist and advocate for new compositions. Tajo Italo 118 1915-1993. Italian operatic bass; Broadway in South Pacific and Kiss Me Kate.

Takarazuka Dance Theater 178 Founded in 1913, a Japanese all female dance ensemble presents elaborate Broadway-type musicals of Western thematic content Tales of Hoffman 182, 274 1881 opera by Offenbach. Tallchief Maria 170, 182 1925- . Oklahoma Osage Nation dancer of fame with Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo and the New York City Ballet.

Tanglewood Music Festival 81, 113 Dates from 1936 as the summer home of the Boston Symphony in the Berkshires.

Tankersley James 214, 239, 268 1930-2007. Houston Symphony Principal French Horn for many years. Faculty: Sam Houston State College. Torreblanca Tipica Juan 29 A Mexican string orchestra which toured the Orchestra USA in the 1930s. Composed of salterios, violins, violas, celli, and bass. Tipica means "typical" (of Mexico.) Festive "Charro" costumes.

Tatum Nancy 264 1937- . American dramatic soprano who enjoyed brief opera career 1963-1975.

433 Music In Houston Annotated Index Taubman Howard 89, 204-205, 244 1907-1996. Author, music and theater critic. New York Times 1930-1972. Tebaldi Renata 146 1922-2004. Italian lyric soprano. LaScala and Metropolitan operas. Considered one of the greatest artists of the century.

Tel Aviv String Quartet 278 1959-1988 founded by violinist Chaim Taub.

Teltschik Alfred and 5, 56, 101, 115, 1919-1990; 1918- ; Houston duo-pianists. Herbert 124, 126, 128, 130, Columbia Artists; 23 years with Community 232, 301, 319 Concerts Division

Temple Emanuel Houston's 278 Houston performance venue built in 1949.

Templeton Alec 49, 72, 75, 169 1910-1963. Welch born blind pianist, radio, recordings, and concerts. Texas A&M Singing Cadets 73, 119 Formed in 1893. (Glee Club) Texas Boys Choir 150, 234, 237, 241 Founded in 1946 by George Bragg in Fort Worth. Internationally known ensemble.

Texas Centennial 1936 41 A World's Fair held in Dallas to mark the 100th anniversary of Texas' independence from Mexico. Texas City, Texas 60, 78 Texas Concert Artists 54 Formed in 1946 by William Rozan, Houston lawyer and actor, to book Houston musical artists throughout the state.

Texas Fine Arts Commission 288-289, 301 Est. 1965; became Texas Commission on the Arts and Humanities in 1971. Texas Grand Opera Co. 17, 24, 148 Formed by Mrs. John Wesley Graham to produce Aida at the Chicago World's Fair.

Texas Gulf Sulphur Co. 50, 83, 142, 152, 1918- . Sponsor of Houston Symphony 315 Orchestra radio programming

Texas Music Teachers 16, 148 Formed in 1886; incorporated in 1927. Association Texas Southern University 106, 123, 178, 180-Founded in Houston in 1927 as a city public 181, 227-228, 236, junior college; became four year college in 264, 268-270, 274, 1934. Became part of Texas public college 277 , 299, 304 system in 1945. Acquired current name in 1951. Texas State Hotel 5 Built by Jesse Jones. Designed by Joseph Finger; 16 floors. Opened in 1929 at 710 Fannin Street, Houston.

434 Music In Houston Annotated Index The Boy Friend 171, 288 1954 Broadway musical The Days of My Years 63ff Houstonian Leopold Myer biography The Houston Symphony 57ff, 63ff History of the Houston Symphony by Hubert Orchestra 1913-1971 Roussel. The New Yorker Magazine 20, 196, 200, Debuted in 1925 as a sophisticated humor 201ff, 217 magazine. The Night Bell 301 1836 Donizetti opera. The Strad 61ff United Kingdom classic music magazine dating from 1890 which deals with string instruments The Super Americans 310ff, 322ff, 323 1961 book by John Bainbridge about Texas and Texans. The Telephone 301 1947 Menotti opera. Theater Men 279 Male choral ensemble directed by Virginia Babikian at Houston Baptist University.

Theatre Under The Stars 267, 271, 275, 280, Founded in 1968 by Frank Young originally 290, 303, 315, 317 to present musicals at the new outdoor Miller Theatre in Herman Park.

Theatre, Inc. 99-100, 115, 143, Houston company begun in 1953 by Johnny 146, 150, 166- George. Became icon of local musical 172, 174-177, 179- theater production fostering the careers of 180, 183, 186, 211, local talent. Occupied former home of 222, 289, 317 Houston Little Theatre at 707 Chelsea near Travis. Thebom Blanche 60, 76, 118, 123, 1915-2010. Metropolitan Opera mezzo. 126, 130, 176, 184, 228 Therrien Jeanne 76, 121 1921-1957. American pianist with major symphonies. Julliard graduate. Naumburg International Piano Competition winner in 1944. Committed suicide.

Thesz Lou 48 1916-2002. Professional wrestler and six times world champion. Thomas Jess 188 1927-1993. American lyric operatic tenor. Metropolitan Opera 1963-1982. Thomas John Charles 32 1891-1960. American opera baritone, radio, Broadway, concerts, recordings. Thompson Clifford 136 1919-1987. Houston tenor and World War II flying ace. Theatre Under The Stars, Houston Grand Opera, Stokowski Carmina Burana recording. Thomson Virgil 87, 96, 119 1896-1989. American composer, conductor and music critic. Threepenny Opera 266, 274, 290 1928 opera by Kurt Weill.

435 Music In Houston Annotated Index Tibbett Lawrence 30, 33, 69 1896-1960. American baritone with the Metropolitan Opera 1923-1950. Radio, movies, recordings, concerts, and musical theater. Timberlake Craig 117 1920-2006. Bass; New York City Opera; Broadway; Fred Waring Pennsylvanians; Columbia University faculty; author.

Time Magazine 112, 196, 200, 217 Founded in 1923 by Henry R. Luce as weekly national news magazine. Tinkle Lon 140, 323 1906-1980. Texas born writer and columnist. Tinterow Shirley 68 Houston/Galveston pianist. Symphony Pops guest in 1938. Tipo Maria 128 Italian pianist Toffler Alvin 306-307, 313ff, Futurist; The Culture Consumers 314, 319ff, 321 Torkanowsky Werner 228 1926-1992. German conductor. New Orleans Philharmonic 1963-1977. Torres Albino 54-55, 68, 78, 116 Houston dance band leader, i.e., Empire Room of the Rice Hotel. Tosca 74, 145-146, 170- 1900 Puccini opera. 171, 188, 236 Toscanini Auturo 88-89, 119, 195 1867-1957. Conductor NBC Symphony Orchestra, La Scala, Metropolitan Opera, and New York Philharmonic. Toth Andor 86, 92, 97, 106, 1925-2006. Houston Symphony Associate 126-128, 130-131 Conductor; NBC Symphony; Alma Trio, Oberlin and Stanford String Quartets.

Tourel Jennie 76, 126, 182, 184 1900-1973. Russian-American mezzo. Metropolitan Opera. Julliard faculty. Town Hall, New York 99, 101 New York performance venue founded in 1921. Townsend Lois 113, 134 Houston soprano in early Houston Grand Opera productions. Tozzi Giorgio 232, 239, 245, 281 1923-2011. American operatic bass; Metropolitan Opera; faculty Indiana University; opened Jones Hall Trapp Family Singers 73, 77 Sound of Music fame. Austrian priest, dir.

Traubel Helen 72, 74, 76, 121 1899-1972. American dramatic soprano. Metropolitan Opera 1937-1953. Movies, radio, Broadway, concerts, cabaret. Famous for Wagnerian roles.

436 Music In Houston Annotated Index Travers Patricia 74, 121 1927-2010. Child prodigy violinist; abandoned performance at age 23; lived to be 82. Willed her Stradivarius to Joshua Bell.

Treble Clef Singing Soc. Houston 2, 4 Early 20th century Houston women's (Woman's Choral Club) ensemble Treger Charles 239 1935- . American violinist. Faculty Amherst University. Treigle Norman 149, 155, 172, 188, 1927-1975. New Orleans born operatic bass 242, 274 baritone. Frequent early guest with Houston Grand Opera. Trepel Shirley 210, 215, 230-233, 1924- . Houston Symphony Orchestra 236, 240, 242, 271, principal cello. 319 Tressel Willard 235 American born violinist and concert artist.

Tretyakov Viktor 277 1946- . Russian violinist and conductor.

Trial by Jury 131, 180, 267 1875 Gilbert and Sullivan opera. Trinity Lutheran Church 179 Founded in 1879, Houston performance venue near heart of city. Trio di Trieste 238 1933-1995. Italian string trio. Trio Italiano Alfredo 34, 241 1883-1947. Italian piano virtuoso--piano, Casella's violin, cello trio formed in 1930. Trongone Ed 276 Came to Houston to play oboe in Houston Symphony. Houston ISD Music Supervisor and director at Lamar and Lee High Schools, and the High School for the Performing and Visual Arts.

Truman Margaret 119 1924-2008. American singer and author. Daughter of President Harry Truman.

Tschaikovsky Andre 172 1935-1982. Polish pianist and composer.

Tschaikovsky International 150 Established in 1958, held in Moscow every 4 Competition years. Recognizes young performers in violin, piano, cello, and voice.

Tucci Gabriella 188, 239, 245, 281 1929- . Italian operatic soprano; opened Jones Hall. Metropolitan Opera 1960-1972.

Tucci Paul 214, 272 1931-1982. Houston Symphony principal bassonist 1958- ; Woodwinds of Houston

437 Music In Houston Annotated Index Tucker Richard 129, 167, 169, 178, 1913-1975. Metropolitan Opera "lirico- 188, 239, 245, 281 spinto-dramatic" tenor; radio, television, concerts, opened Jones Hall. Only funeral ever held on Met stage.

Tuckwell Barry 273 1931- . Australian French Hornist. First horn of the London Symphony Orchestra. Order of the British Empire. Tuesday Musical Club Houston's 9, 13, 20, 29-34, Founded in 1911 by Mrs. (Corinne 37, 67-80, 86, 103, Abercrombie) Gentry Waldo in Houston as 108, 116-119, 121- the Girls Musical Club. She was also a 124, 126-131, 166- founder of the Houston Art League and the 167, 169-170, 172- 1913 Houston Symphony. Over the years of 173, 175-176, 178- its history, the Club has underwritten 182, 184, 220, 224, concert appearances primarily by young 226-232, 234-239, emerging artists who later went on to 241-242, 264-266, international renown. 268-270, 272-274, 277-278, 307

Tull Charlotte 277 Texas pianist. Wife of Fisher Tull. Turandot 181, 272 1926 unfinished Puccini opera. Tureck Rosalyn 234 1913-2003. American pianist and harpsichordist and Bach scholar. Turini Ronald 226, 234 1934- . Canadian pianist. Faculty University of Western Ontario. Student of Horowitz. Turner Claramae 155, 282 1920- . American contralto. Metropolitan and New York City opera companies. Madame Flora in original The Medium. Film: Carousel. Radio, recordings, television. Twain Mark 111 1835-1910. Samuel Clemens. Famed American author and humorist. Tyl Noel 155 1936- . Basso; acting Business Manager Houston Symphony; became humanistic astrologer and author. Tyler Veronica 273 1937- . Baltimore born soprano. Tynes Margaret 180 1919- . African American " true soprano dramatica d'agilita." Broadway, television, Metropolitan Opera, 40 year career in Italy with the Spoleto Festival.

Tzipine Georges 231, 234, 237 1907-1987. French violinist and conductor.

U. S. Army Band 30

438 Music In Houston Annotated Index Ughi Uto 241 1944- . Italian violin prodigy and conductor. Unicorn, the Gorgon, and The 298 1956 Menotti "fable" for chorus, dancers, the Manticore and madrigal orchestra. University of Houston 24, 38, 47, 68, 91- Founded in 1927. Houston's largest public 92, 94-97, 99, 101- academic institution with strong history of 102, 106, 115, 121, community leadership in music. 123-131, 141, 145- 146, 150, 152-154, 158, 160, 164, 166- 167, 169-170, 172- 173, 176, 178-183, 199, 210, 213, 215- 216, 222, 224, 226- 230, 232-236, 238- 242, 264-266, 268- 274, 276-279, 298, 304, 320

University of St. Thomas 62, 127, 158, 175, Founded in 1947 is Houston first and only 179, 224, 226- Catholic institution of higher education. 228, 230, 240, 265- 266, 269-271, 273- 274, 276-277, 279- 280, 298, 304, 321

Uppman Theodore 169, 273 1920-2005; Metropolitan Opera baritone-- 395 performances. Original Billy Budd in Benjamin Britten's opera. Urbach Al 55, 60, 65, 78, 80, Died in 1998 in Grand Junction, Colorado. 92, 116, 118-119, Houston Symphony Principal Cellist. 123, 126, 128, 175, Personnel and Operations Manager of the 296-297, 304, 320 Orchestra; Founder/ Director Houston Symphony Chorale in 1946; moved from Houston in 1967. Ussachevsky Vladimir 238 1911-1990. Russian composer known for "electronic" music. Vagabond King 91, 119 1925 Rudolf Friml operetta. Valasek Erno 224, 228, 231 1919-1984. Levintritt award winning violinist. Concert artist. Faculty University of Texas, Austin. Valenti Fernando 279 1926-1990. American harpsichordist. Faculty Julliard. Vallani Alfred 207 Conductor Houston Youth Symphony in 1964 .

439 Music In Houston Annotated Index Valletti Cesare 173 1922-2000. Metropolitan Opera tenor. Several landmark opera recordings. Van Hoose Ellison 10, 319 1868-1936. Metropolitan Opera tenor who moved to Houston in 1915 for wife's health. Choir Director and founder of Van Hoose Little Symphony. Director Kiwanis and Rice Glee Clubs. Van Hoose Little Symphony 10-11, 29, 187 See Ellison Van Hoose.

Vance Nina 62, 102, 297, 322- 1914-1980. Founder and Artistic Director of 323 Alley Theatre. Vandernoot Andre 259, 276 1927-1991. Belgian conductor. Variety 83ff, 136ff Founded in 1905 as magazine to report news in the entertainment industry. Varnay Astrid 127, 130 1918-2006. Metropolitan Opera dramatic soprano 1941-1956. Rudolf Bing victim.

Vásáry Támas 237 1933- . Hungarian pianist and recording artist. Vegh String Quartet 227, 234 1940-1980. Hungarian quartet founded by Sandor Vegh. Moved to Paris in 1946.

Verse Vittorio 17, 24-25, 34 Guest conductor of Houston Symphony Orchestra. Died 1969. Faculty Rutgers University. Vickers Jon 233 1926- . Canadian heldentenor. Metropolitan opera 1960-1982. Vienna Boys Choir 32-33, 116, 265, Founded in 1498 initially as a court choir, 270, 295 eventually becoming a private enterprise in 1921. Villa Lobos Hietor 167, 172 1887-1959. Brazilian composer of strong indigenous folk music influences.

Virtuoso de Roma 128, 167 Small, 13 instrument ensemble plus cembalo directed by Renata Fasano. Virtuoso Quartet 210, 215, 222, 233, Founded in 1964 by members of the 236, 239-241, 264, University of Houston faculty: Fredell Lack, 266, 269-271, 273- violin; Wayne Crouse, viola; Shirley Trepel, 274, 277-279, 296 cello, Albert Hirsh, piano. von Katwijk Paul 70 1885-1974. Dutch born American pianist and conductor; Musical Director Dallas Symphony; faculty Drake and Southern Methodist universities. von Suppé Franz 146, 171 1819-1895. Austrian composer of instrumental music and operettas.

440 Music In Houston Annotated Index Votapek Ralph 269 1939- . Pianist, Cliburn winner in 1962.

Vrenios Anastasios 278 1941- . American spinto tenor; favored colleague of Joan Sutherland; faculty American University Vronsky (Vitya) and Babin 181 1908-1972 Babin. 1909-1992 Vronsky. (Victor) Most outstanding duo pianists of 20th century; married; both Schnabel students. Cleveland Institute of Music. Wadler Irving 25 1912-2003. Houston Symphony violinist 1933-1980. Co-owner Wadler Kaplan Music Shop. Painter, sculptor, Alley Theatre actor.

Waggoner Jack 136 Houston tenor; member Houston Symphony Chorale; substituted for ailing Gabor Carelli in US premier of Carmina Burana and three other solo roles with the Symphony.

Wagner Edythe 92 Member 1950 University of Houston music faculty. Wagner Richard 6, 14, 25, 29, 48, 1813-1883. German composer, theater 195 director, and conductor. Wagner Chorale Roger 170, 233, 272 1914-1992 (Roger Wagner.) Touring, recording ensemble formed 1946; Los Angeles Philharmonic Master Chorale descended from Wagner Chorale. Faculty UCLA. Wagner Opera Company Charles 118, 121, 123, 126, 1879-1956 (Charles Wagner). Broadway in 128, 130, 166 the 1920s. Artist management for Mary Garden and others. National touring opera company featuring Beverly Sills in 1952.

Walden String Quartet 224 Founded in 1934 by members of the Cleveland Orchestra. Moved to Cornell in 1946; University of Illinois 1947. Walker William 266 19931-2010. Waco born baritone; Metropolitan Opera (1962-1980); television, White House, Carnegie Hall. General Director Ft. Worth Opera Wallenstein Alfred 232 1898-1983. American cellist and conductor. Principal cello of New York Philharmonic under Toscanini. Director Los Angeles Philharmonic 1943-1956; faculty Julliard.

Walne Walter Hillman 26, 35, 39, 41-42, 1912-1947. Houston "pugnacious and 65, 83 tenacious" attorney and President of Houston Symphony Society 1936-1942.

441 Music In Houston Annotated Index Walter Bruno 123 1876-1962. German born conductor strongly identified with interest in the music of Mahler. Walton Sir William 269 1902-1983. English composer in multiple genres. Limited lifetime output.

Ward Robert 299 1917- . American composer of opera and symphonic works. Faculty Duke University; Chancellor North Carolina School of the Arts.

Warfield William 236 1920-2002. Bass-baritone of "Old Man River" fame; married to Leontyne Price; Faculty of University of Illinois and Northwestern University. Waring Fred 127, 169-170, 172, 1900-1984. Fred Waring and the 178, 181, 225, 231, Pennsylvanians began as banjo band; tours; 236, 239, 273 recording; Shawnee Press; CBS-TV 1948-54.

Warren Leonard 75, 86, 118, 127, 1911-1960. Metropolitan Opera baritone 175, 184 who died on Met stage after singing, "to die, a momentous thing" in La Forza del Destino .

Washburn Franklin E. 62, 66, 320 1911-1990. Houston born violinist with Houston Symphony Orchestra 1932-1948. Music Guild Quartet; faculty St. Johns School. Washington D. C. 38, 41, 195, 254 Weaver Raymond 153, 170, 214, 225, 1922-1988. Houston Symphony oboist for 235 more than 30 years. Webb Howard F. 56, 66, 107, 123, Founder/Director Houston Symphony 124, 129, 141, 172, Chorale. Founded Houston Youth 207, 225, 297, 320 Symphony in 1946. Died 1998.

Webster Beveridge 68 1908-1999. American pianist. Faculty Julliard 1946-1990. Son Michael faculty Rice University Shepherd School. Wiener Solisten 231, 241 Viennese chamber ensemble Weinhold Kurt 193 1902-1990. President of Columbia Artists Management in New York. Weiss Herman 15 Tympanist with the 1913 Houston Symphony. Weissmann Frieder 79 1893-1984. Dutch born conductor and composer Welch Mayor Louie 197-199, 208, 212, 1918-2008. Popular Houston mayor 1964- 244, 247, 250, 255, 1973. Amateur musician who was advocate 317, 320 for the arts.

442 Music In Houston Annotated Index Welitsch Ljuba 122, 124 1913-1996. Bulgarian soprano; Covent Garden; famous Salome. Welman Theodore 229 Welschoff Walter 9, 10, 11, 12 Organist, Palmer Episcopal Church and founder of Houston Symphonic Club West Side Story 183 1957 Bernstein Broadway musical. Westminster Choir 122 Westminster Choir College, Princeton, New Jersey. Wheeler Dick 54, 77-78 Houston concert manager in 1946 who failed to mount season. Wichita, Kansas 26 Wier Gillian 277 1941- . New Zealand born organ recitalist.

Wild Earl 231 1915-2010. American virtuoso pianist and arranger. Wilkins Marie 74 1901-1990. American coloratura soprano. Metropolitan Opera. Wilkomirska Wanda 227 1929-2018. Polish violinist. Defected to USA in 1980s over her defense of Solidarity movement in Poland. Wilkomirski Michael 153, 178, 226, 230, 1901-1988. Russian born. Half-brother of 233, 265 Wanda Wilkomirska. Immigrated to Chicago in 1929. Retired to Texas in 1943. Houston Symphony violinist for 1959-1972. Faculty University of Houston.

Williams Phillip 71 Houston Symphony guest artist. Williams John 241, 268 1932- . American guitarist, composer, conductor. Film scores. Winder Max 133, 135, 166, 172, Houston Symphony Assistant 226 Concertmaster , 1949-1962 Winfrey Dorman 89ff 1915-2009. Texas author and State Librarian. Toscanini in Texas. Winnie Davis Auditorium 59 Built in 1895 at the corner of Main Street and McGowen. Houston performance venue named for the daughter of Confederate President Jefferson Davis. Surrendered to City Auditorium in 1910. Mainly sports arena with few amenities.

Wittgenstein Paul 75 1887-1961. Austrian pianist with only left arm. Women's Choral Club 54, 201 Founded in 1901. Early leader was Edna Saunders. Wonderful Town 175 1953 Tony Award winning Broadway musical by Leonard Bernstein.

443 Music In Houston Annotated Index Wood Coralie Gregory 275 Supervisor of Music, Houston Parks and Recreation; Pres, Tuesday Musical Club; co- founder Houston Youth Symphony

Woodwinds of Houston 153, 164, 176, 178- Raymond Weaver, oboe; Jeffrey Lerner, 180, 182, 215, 225, clarinet; James Tankersly, horn; Paul Tucci, 227-228, 232-233, bassoon; Byron Hester, flute; and Toby 237, 239-240, 266, Blumenthal, piano. 268, 270, 272, 277- 278

Woolford John Dunnock 5, 201 1855-1918. Mayor of Houston 1899-1902; cotton merchant; father of Edna Saunders.

World War II 45-51, 56, 137- 1941-1945 U. S. engagement. 139, 314 Wortham Gus 53, 58, 65, 83, 139, 1891-1976. Founder American General Life 256, 258, 313, 320 Insurance with Jesse Jones. Wortham Foundation. President, Houston Symphony Society. Wortham Center 311 Opened in 1987 as home to Houston Grand Opera and Houston Ballet. WPA 13ff, 35, 38 Works Progress Administration was New Deal agency founded in 1935 to combat effects of Great Depression. Wrightson Earl 272 1916-1993. American singer/actor best known for musical comedy, television, concert performances. Wuliger David 175, 182, 214, 240 1912-1998. Houston Symphony Orchestra tympanist 1946-1986. Yale Glee Club 98 Yarick Doris 241 Soprano. Opera. Faculty University of Texas and Connecticut, Chair of Voice, Yale University Yates Peter 209 1909-1976. Los Angeles music critic for Arts and Architecture. Yeend Frances 116, 129, 131, 172, 1913-2008. Soprano with New York City and 226 Metropolitan operas. Yeomen of the Guard 176, 177, 232 1888 Gilbert and Sullivan operetta YMCA 16 Early rehearsal site for the Houston Symphony in 1932. Yong Uck-Kim 184, 258, 266, 279 1947- . South Korean born violinist.

Young Frank 285, 287-290, 303 Founder of Houston's Theatre Under The Stars.

444 Music In Houston Annotated Index Young Audiences 108, 115, 133, 140, Founded in 1956 by Fredell Lack as an 144, 151, 163, 209, independent chapter of the national 301, 304, 317 organization.

Young Lord The 265, 282 1965 opera by Hans Henze Young People's Concerts Houston 67, 123, 130 Symphony Yugoslav National Folk 167, 205, 266 Ballet (Ensemble) Zabaleta Nicanor 241, 270 1907-1993. Spanish harp virtuoso Zailer Lewis 215, 269 c. 1932- . Houston organist and pianist. Faculty Houston Baptist University.

Zaremba Sylvia 79 1931-2005. American pianist. Chair Piano at Ohio State University. Ziegfeld Follies 19 Begun in 1907 by Florence Ziegfeld. Zukerman Pinchas 269 b. 1948. Tel Aviv born violinist/ conductor. Faculty Manhattan School of Music.

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