BRavoicameeie Hau. Bttano^1^ VOLUME VIII, NUMBER

NATIONAL 12 Broadway and Hollywood—In and Out of Tune by Stanley Green

16 Faces and Places

BALLET

6 A Dancer is a Student... Is a Dancer... Is a Student. . . by Ralph H. Peck

MUSIC

10 The Third Hand by Wiiliam Jonson

FASHION

4 Bravo for Pants by Barbara Ann Magan

HUMOR

2 Tempo

QUIZ

2 Musical Zoo

COVER

A portion of “La Foyer de la Danse,” by Edgar Degas Daily classes, along with frequent rehearsals and nightly performances, are an integral part of a ballet dancer’s rou­ tine. Principal members of the New York City Ballet depend upon the Ballet Master to help them improve their technique according to the article, “A Dancer is a Student... Is a Dancer. . .” featured on page six.

EDITORS/MARY LOU WOLFGANG, BARBARA ANN MAGAN □ SENIOR ART DIRECTOR/JOHN CIOFALO □ ART DIRECTOR/RICHARD SOMMERS □ INTERNA­ TIONAL EDITOR/RALPH H. PECK □ TRAVEL EDITOR/LESLIE WALLER □ CON­ TRIBUTING EDITORS/EMMETT MAXWELL, MARJORIE LELASH □ EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS/BRENDA BAKER, SUSAN ROSEN □ ART ASSISTANT/JOHN GEIGER □ NATIONAL PROGRAM EDITOR/DENNIS DIBBLE □ ADVERTISING DIRECTOR/ MITCHELL AZERIER □ BUSINESS MANAGER/STANLEY MURTON □ PRESIDENT, MAGAZINE DIVISION/PHILIP HOCHSTEIN □

Published nine times a year during the concert season by Bravo Publishing Co., Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of The Diners Club, Inc., 660 Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10021. © 1969 by Bravo Publishing Co., Inc. Reproduction PERFUME • COLOGNE ■ SPRAY COLOGNE ■ LIPSTICK ■ OUSTING POWOER • SOAP in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. Emil Gilels recording with Busoni on one (VICS-1379). The George Szell and the Cleveland Or­ Rudapoema by Villa-Lobos were chestra? The negotiating of con­ written while the composer was in tracts must have been a monumen­ RECOM­ Paris in the early 1920s and they tal task. The pianist records for are dedicated to Artur Rubinstein. EMI—Angel, and the Cleveland en­ MENDS They have never been recorded be­ semble does disk work for Columbia. fore. The music is wildly energetic, The cooperation of union officials filled with pedal effects and mas­ was needed. Severance Hall is sive tone clusters. The Elegies by acoustically temperamental, so ex­ by Emmett Maxiveil Busoni were composed in 1907. perienced engineers from Columbia Musicianship, intellect and expert presided at the sessions. Paul pianism were all combined to make Myers produced. All five of the breathe before it surges forward successful instrumental vignettes Beethoven Piano Concerti were re­ again in a new phrase. The silence and romantic tone pictures. On corded in a space of five days, same of a pausa is always more drama­ VICS-1362, Walter Gerwig plays pianist, same conductor, same in­ tically effective for having inter­ baroque and renaissance music comparable orchestra. (Angel, SE rupted the music a little longer than written especially for the lute. The 3731) Three sets of piano varia­ most conductors would dare. No Art of the Lute has music by At- tions complete Mr. Gilels’ program wobbly operatic choristers are pres­ taignant, Besard, Bittner and Mace of the music: the ones on a Rus­ ent, for the admirable ensemble of that is not listed in the current rec­ sian theme in A, G. 182, the Six the B.B.C. Chorus is close-knit, ord catalogs. One would presume Variations on a Turkish March in and the intonation is perfect. these have also been unobtainable. D, Op. 76, and the 32 Variations A new recording of Kurt Weill’s Although he was well known in in C Minor, G. 191. The stereo is Seven Deadly Sins has won a Grand Germany and Scandinavia through excellent, the performances are de­ Prix du Disque in Paris, and we his broadcasts and frequent con­ finitive, and it makes little sense can understand why. The produc­ cert appearances, Mr. Gerwig had to waste more superlatives on Gilels tion and engineering are first class, never been in this country. He died and Szell. and the singing and playing are in 1966. Sound reproduction on both Otto Klemperer leaves the in­ pithy and vibrant (Deutsche Gram- of these VICTROLA listings is su­ delible stamp of total commitment mophon Stereo 139308). Gisela May perior. Both gentlemen display on all the music he records. Who is Anna I and II; four superb male formidable technique on their par­ can forget the Bach Passion Ac­ singers led by the well-known tenor, ticular instruments. cording to St. Matthew or the Peter Schreier, are members of the Two of our finest tenors, both on Fideliol Now he has given Angel a preying, grasping and greedy fam­ the roster of the Metropolitan Opera magnificent Flying Dutchman in ily. The Seven Deadly Sins of Company, have recently recorded the complete Dresden version of Small-time Citizens was the last recitals of operatic arias, and both 1843 (SCL 3730). Wagner’s early work created jointly by Bertolt have trim orchestral accompani­ masterpiece is not often produced Brecht and Kurt Weill. All the de­ ment. One is first impressed by the in our opera houses today. Getting cadent, dissolute style that we know musicianship and taste of both of two, fully-rigged ships on stage is so well from long acquaintance with them. Other tenors have gotten by not easy; nor is sinking one of them The Threepenny Opera is there. on just a big noise for so long. in full view of the audience a plaus­ The orchestration, though still in­ Barry Morell is the artist featured ible visual illusion. fluenced by Weill’s cabaret style, is by Westminster (Stereo WST This is music exceptionally well much fuller and relies heavily on 17148), and Plácido Domingo makes suited to stereo engineering. Storm conventional devices. The instru­ his debut with London (Stereo OS and thunder effects are combined mentalists are the Radio Symphony 26080). Labels for this record do with wind machines and the or­ of Leipzig under the baton of Her­ not agree with the program given chestra to make a mighty and fear­ bert Kegel. The performance is in on the sleeve—side one is really ful tempest. The cast is led by Theo German, and a full English trans­ side two. Mr. Domingo uses his big Adams as the Dutchman seeking lation of the text has been pro­ tenor with telling realization of the redemption through love. In Wag­ vided by W. H. Auden and Chester dramatic intent, and it is a sump­ nerian roles for the baritone voice, Kallman. Miss May’s ironic wit is tuous voice indeed. Mr. Morell’s sil­ he probably is without peer today. infectious. ver voice gives a velvet, burnished The New Philharmonia Orchestra For any collector searching for glow to every phrase. He sings the is devoted to Klemperer; the play­ something unusual, RCA has been music of Puccini as well as any ing is always clean-cut and imagina­ releasing some rather piquant mu­ tenor alive. Surprisingly, the two tive. The strings become a mountain sic on their VICTROLA label. This voices resemble each other at times. of terror, then dip into a whirlpool month, there are two disks of special We wish both gentlemen continued of dread. All is taut and compelling. interest. The pianist, David Bean, good health and wise manage­ Klemperer gives the music time to plays music by Villa-Lobos and ment. 32 A DANCER IS A STUDENT... IS A DANCER... IS A STUDENT...

By RALPH H. PECK Photography/Martha Swope

TT lust to stand in position, that’s J someone standing. That’s not someone dancing.” The neat man pointed with his Sherlock Holmes pipe, moved to a dancer, took the dancer’s head and turned it to face the line of an arm, changed the position of a hand into a subtle ges­ ture. “That,” he said “is dancing.” And so it was. In a class of Stan­ ley Williams at the School of Amer­ ican Ballet in New York. In a big, well-lit, mirrored room. In a class filled with first rank performing ballet artists. Students dressed in baggy leotards and leg warmers and scuffed practice shoes. “Stanley’s a marvelous teacher,” enthused sparkling and lovely Pa­ tricia McBride, principal ballerina of the New York City Ballet. “His teaching has reason. There’s logic for every step. He’ll give you a cer­ tain exercise for a particular end result. And it works beautifully. Most Americans don’t have a classi­ cal ballet background, and Stanley Williams brings the classical refine­ ments into his classes.” Patti McBride chatted about the ballet dancer’s diet of classes (daily) and rehearsals and perfor­ mances and the constant striving for a better technique. It’s been her life since she was seven, when she first started taking ballet from Ruth A. Vernon in Teaneck, New Jersey. When Patti was 12, Miss Vernon felt that her pupil’s pro­ gress was sufficient to suggest a New York school. The move was made, and at 14, Patricia moved, once more, into the School of Amer­ ican Ballet on a scholarship. She joined the New York City Ballet company when she was 16, danced her first solo on stage when she was 17, graduated to principal roles when she was 18. She buttoned 6 down the opinion of dancers toward Stanley Williams (belotv) conducts daily classes at the School of American Ballet. At far left, he is shown with Peter Martins. Patricia McBride (right) and John Prinz (bottom) of the New York City Ballet are also among his pupils. classes: “In class, everyone is equal, working for better technique, never competitive. It’s hard enough worrying about yourself in class and concentrating on being better. On stage, you can forget about technique, but you can’t do that in class. It’s the work in class that carries you during performances.” Patricia McBride isn’t the only star in Stanley Williams’ classes. The roster is marquee lit. There’s the mercurial Edward Villella who credits Williams for relaxing his style, for showing him where he was forcing himself in error. “Stan­ ley taught me to isolate areas of the body, and to use my strength where it belongs. I wouldn’t be able to dance today if Stanley hadn’t helped me. I was tight, and doing things injurious to myself.” And there’s Peter Martins, the 22- year-old Dane from the Royal Dan­ ish Ballet, whose presence in guest appearances as “Apollo” has brought audiences to their feet, and elicited bravo reviews from the critics. When he was a child in Copenhagen, Martins studied under Williams and he’s been delighted to resume that student-teacher relationship in New York. Williams is Danish, too, de­ spite the Anglo-Saxon sound of his name, and he’s been teaching on this side of the Atlantic only dur­ ing the past six years. Williams hadn’t started out to teach. He was a headline dancer country are quite different from be a great dancer. It’s psychologi­ with the Royal Danish Ballet, and those in Europe. He was referring cal. It’s just the right thing.” he liked it. But the director in Co­ primarily to the style and tech­ Williams has a fine concept of penhagen asked him to take over a niques of George Balanchine, the what he’s doing. That’s what class one day, and he did. Nothing di rector-choreographer-master hand makes him good. Peter Martins much came of it, but Williams con­ of the New York City Ballet, who believes that Williams never types tinued to instruct. Some time later, has taken the dance to limits for­ a dancer, never says that a dancer in 1952, Vera Volkova, the magnifi­ merly unexplored. Williams goes to can’t do a particular thing. Using cent Russian teacher out of the Im­ Balanchine’s classes to watch when himself as an example—he’s a six- perial School at St. Petersburg, ar­ he has the opportunity, and he tries footer plus—Martins said: “I’m rived to teach at the Royal Danish to incorporate an understanding of tall, big. Some teachers will say Ballet school, and Williams’ per­ Balanchine’s accomplishments and that a big person can’t move very spective was altered. Previous to perspectives into his classes. Wil­ fast. Williams doesn’t say that. He her arrival in Denmark, Volkova liams credits Balanchine with mo­ brings out the basic ability of a had taught in China, and in Japan tivating the dance into directions of dancer, and builds on it. He doesn’t before opening her school in Lon­ simple and healthy movements, find it unusual that I’m tall. He don where Margot Fonteyn was one movements “that are so logical that won’t say that I’m slow. He might of her pupils. In 1950, she taught you almost feel that there could be say that he wants me to move fast, at La Scala in Milan. no other step for the music.” Dan­ and I do.” “Volkova opened my mind to cers in Balanchine’s company agree. A big dancer should never move teaching more,” Williams related Balanchine hasn't just changed “small” in Williams’ vision of good in his pleasant manner. “I still was the dance, he’s changed Williams. technique. He should strive to move dancing, but I liked teaching, too. Peter Martins observed it after not “more big.” If the choreography is Then, I was lucky to come here and having studied under Williams for fast, the dancer must move to the to work under Balanchine.” nearly six years. “Since Stanley tempo of the choreography. Wil­ Williams said that the demands came here, he’s changed. If you be­ liams gets him to do that. 8 and challenge of the dance in this lieve what he’s doing, you can really continued on page 9 DoesWharfedale THE still use sand in CARNEGIE HALL its speaker systems ? CORPORATION You bet we do! For example, there are over 7 pounds of fine, white sand densely packed between layers of hardwood in our W70D speaker system cabinet. The exclusive sand-filled construction creates the ab­ solutely inert panels neces­ sary for Wharfedale's match­ less Achromatic sound. It costs more... but it's well worth it! All vibrations are damped and spuri­ ous resonances elimi­ nated, no matter how deep or intense the bass energy. Result: Achromatic sound ... rich, full, realistic! Isaac Stern, President Frederick W. Richmond, Chairman of the Board Robert W. Dowling, Chairman, Executive Committee John Barry Ryan III, Executive Vice President Harry Van Arsdale, Gerald F. Warburg, Vice Presidents Lucien Wulsin, Treasurer Raymond S. Rubinow, Secretary Nordlinger, Riegelman, Benetar and Charney, Counsel

Board of Trustees Leonard Altman Mrs. George W. Naumburg Hon. Eugene M. Becker Frederick W. Richmond T. Roland Berner Col. Harold Riegelman Julius Bloom Raymond S. Rubinow John Barry Ryan III James S. Deely Speaker Jack deSimone Hon. Constantine Sidamon-Eristoff Systems Robert W. Dowling Mrs. Leo Simon are beautiful, Isaac Stern too... Hon. Abe Fortas every model Hon. Roy M. Goodman Austin Tobin, Jr. perfectly Mrs. Dorothy Hirshon Harry Van Arsdale proportioned Mrs. Jacob M. Kaplan Gerald F. Warburg with Mrs. Philip Wise fine furniture Hon. John V. Lindsay detailing. Joseph B. Martinson Lucien Wulsin Write for Hon. MacNeil Mitchell David L. Yunich full color Comparator Honorary Trustees Guide and list of dealers to: Marian Anderson Wharfedale Div., Robert S. Benjamin British Industries Co., Dr. Ralph J. Bunche Dept. HR498, Mrs. Marshall Field Westbury, N.Y. 11590. Mrs. Albert D. Lasker Norman K. Winston

Julius Bloom, Executive Director Ronald J. Geraghty, Controller John J. Totten, House Manager Emeritus Stewart J. Warkow, House Manager Roger Villeneuve, Associate House Manager Mrs. Ioana Satescu, Booking Manager Mrs. Jane B. Sebastian, Public Relations Nathan Posnick, Box Office Treasurer ACHROMATIC SPEAKER SYSTEMS CARNEGIE HALL/77th Season Thursday evening, February 6, 1969, at 8:30 S. HUEOK presents ARTUR RUBINSTEIN

ALL CHOPIN PROGRAM

I Scherzo in B Minor, Op. 20 Impromptu in G flat Major, Op. 51 Berceuse, Op. 57 Sonata in B flat Minor, Op. 35 Grave, Doppio movimento Scherzo Marche funebre Presto

INTERMISSION

II Ballade in F Minor, Op. 52 Four Etudes Valse in A Minor, Op. 34 Valse in A flat Major, Op. 42

STEINWAY RCA VICTOR RECORDS

Exclusive Management: HUROK CONCERTS INC. 730 Fifth Ave. New York TONIGHT’S ARTIST

“Artur Rubinstein belongs to the he had played in most of Germany from RCA number more than 50 and grand line of pianists,” said Howard and Poland. He made his New York cover most of the truly significant Taubman. “In an era of violence and debut in Carnegie Hall January 8, music written for the piano. neuroticism, he is a shining example 1906. After leaving the U. S., Rubin­ Last season Rubinstein gave nine of the civilized universal man. Al­ stein gave no concerts for several concerts in New York, which went though he is a naturalized American, years, but devoted those years to far beyond the sell-out point with he is a citizen of the world. His pass­ studying in Paris “to hurdle the hundreds turned away. His thirty­ port is not only music but also his greatest obstacle in the path of a city tour of North America met with wide culture, his relish for humanity, prodigy, that of shedding my imma­ the same circumstances, and his ap­ his capacity for understanding and turity.” pearance on the second CBS tele­ laughter.” Rubinstein has concertized exten­ vision spectacular “S. Hurok Pre­ Artur Rubinstein was born Janu­ sively all over the world. He speaks sents” was acclaimed as one of his ary 28,1889 in Lodz, Poland. A child eight languages fluently and has re­ greatest. This year, Mr. Rubinstein prodigy, he made his debut at eleven ceived numerous decorations. The vir­ is again touring the major cities of in Berlin. By the time he was fifteen tuoso’s recordings currently available North America. MUSIC/DANCE PRESENTATIONS IN CARNEGIE HALL AND ELSEWHERE IN NEW YORK

Saturday, February 1 tras). Metropolitan Opera, 8:00 — Max Van Egmond, baritone. Presented Carnegie Hall, 8:30 — Joni Mitchell, Lucia di Lammermoor. NewYork State by Carnegie Hall Jeunesses Musicales. folk singer presented by Harold Leven­ Theater, 8:15 — New York City Ballet. Metropolitan Opera, 8:00 — Lucia di thal. Hunter College, 8:30 — Janet Philharmonic Hall, 8:30 — New York Lammermoor. Baker, mezzo-soprano. Metropolitan Philharmonic, Leonard Bernstein con­ Museum, 8:30 — Musica Aeterna Or­ ducting; Pinchas Zuckerman, violinist. Wednesday, February 12 chestra, Frederic Waldman conduct­ Carnegie Hall, 8:30 — The Moscow ing; Zino Francescatti, violinist. Met­ Thursday, February 6 State Symphony, Evgeni Svetlanov ropolitan Opera, 2:00 — Lucia di Lam­ Carnegie Hall, 8:30 — Artur Rubin­ conducting; Mstislav Rostropovich, mermoor; 8:00 — Der Rosenkavalier. stein, pianist. Presented by S. Hurok. cellist. Presented by S. Hurok. Car­ New York State Theater, 2:15 and Carnegie Recital Hall, 8:30 — Curtis negie Recital Hall, 8:30 — Frederick 8:15 — New York City Ballet. Phil­ Smith, pianist. Metropolitan Opera, Hammond, harpsichordist. Metropoli­ harmonic Hall, 8:30—New York Phil­ 8:00 — Faust. New York State Thea­ tan Opera, 8:00 — Carmen. Philhar­ harmonic, Leonard Bernstein conduct­ ter, 8:15 — New York City Ballet. monic Hall, 8:30 — Jose Echaniz, pian­ ing; Pilar Lorengar, soprano; Helen ist. Town Hall, 3:00 — 30th Annual Friday, February 7 Watts, contralto; Waldemar Kmentt, Hunter College, 8:20—Festival Winds WNYC American Music Festival; 8:30 tenor; Norman Treigle, bass; West­ Series. Metropolitan Museum, 8:30 — — Paul Zukofsky, violinist; Robert minster Choir. Town Hall, 2:30—Louis The Guarneri String Quartet. Metro­ Sylvester, cellist. Nagel, pianist; 8:30 — Red Onion Jazz politan Opera, 7:15 — Die Meister­ Band; Natalie Lamb, vocalist. Thursday, February 13 singer. New York State Theater, 8:15 Carnegie Hall, 8:30—Pierre Fournier, Sunday, February 2 — New York City Ballet. Philharmon­ ic Hall, 8:30 — The Master Virtuosi of cellist. Columbia Artists Management. Carnegie Hall, 3:00 — Emil Gilels, Metropolitan Opera, 7:15 — Die Meis­ pianist. Presented by S. Hurok; 5:30— New York, Gene Forrell conducting. tersinger. New York State Theater, Burton Holmes Travelogues — illus­ Saturday, February 8 8:15 —New York City Ballet. Phil­ trated lecture; 8:30 — Rudolf Serkin, Carnegie Hall, 8:30 — Musica Aeterna harmonic Hall, 8:30 — New York Phil­ pianist. Presented by Columbia Artists Orchestra, Frederic Waldman conduct­ harmonic, Seiji Ozawa conducting; Management. Metropolitan Museum, ing; Hermann Prey, baritone; Ernst Leopold Simoneau, tenor; Collegiate 8:30 — Musica Aeterna Orchestra, Haefliger, tenor; Martina Arroyo, so­ Chorale. Frederic Waldman conducting; Zino prano; Raymond Michalski, bass-bari­ Francescatti, violinist. New York State tone. Metropolitan Opera, 2:00 — Der Friday, February 14 Theater, 1:15 and 7:15 —New York Rosenkavalier; 8:00 — Lucia di Lam­ Carnegie Hall, 8:30 — The Moscow City Ballet. Philharmonic Hall, 3:00— mermoor. New York State Theater, State Symphony, Evgeni Svetlanov Symphony of the New World, Benja­ 2:15 and 8:15 — New York City Bal­ conducting; Viktor Tretyakov, violin­ min Steinberg conducting; Sanford let. Philharmonic Hall, 12:00 and 2:00 ist. Presented by S. Hurok. Carnegie Allen, violinist; Gerald Warburg, cell­ — New York Philharmonic, Leonard Recital Hall, 8:30 — Kermit Moore, ist; 8:30 — Elizabeth Schwarzkopf, Bernstein conducting Young Peoples cellist; Zita Camo, pianist, in a pro­ soprano. Concerts. Town Hall, 2:30 — Walk gram of contemporary music. Metro­ Down Mah Street, a musical dance re­ politan Museum, 8:30—Smetana Quar­ Monday, February 3 tet. Metropolitan Opera, 8:00 — Lucia Carnegie Hall, 8:30 — The Cleveland vue; 5:30 — Folk-Jazz program. di Lammermoor. New York State The­ Orchestra, George Szell conducting; Sunday, February 9 ater, 8:15 — New York City Ballet. Clifford Curzon, pianist. Carnegie Re­ Carnegie Hall, 2:30 — Ida Kaminska; Philharmonic Hall, 2:00 — Repeat of cital Hall, 8:30 — Ursula dppens, 5:30 — Burton Holmes Travelogues— February 13 program; 8:30—New pianist. Presented by Young Concert illustrated lecture; 8:30—Viktor Tret­ York Choral Society, Martin Josman Artists. Metropolitan Opera, 8:00 — yakov, violinist. .Presented by S. Hurok. conducting; Crail Connor, soprano; Turandot. Philharmonic Hall, 7:30 — Carnegie Recital Hall, 2:15 — Benefit Deborah Kieffer, alto; John Stamford, Repeat of February 1 program. Town performance for Yad Lekehilat Lwow. tenor; John Ostendorf, bass. Town Hall, 8:30 — Grete Sultan, pianist. Dora Kalinova, comedienne; Jan Gor- Hall, 8:30 — Mario Feninger, pianist. Tuesday, February 4 baty, pianist; Jainna Disten, singer. Carnegie Hall, 8:30 — The Cleveland Hunter College, 3:00 — The Tamburit- Saturday, February 15 Orchestra, George Szell conducting; zans — Dancers/Singers. New York Carnegie Hall, 3:00—Youth Symphony James Oliver Buswell IV, violinist. Pre­ State Theater, 1:15 and 7:15 — New Orchestra of New York, Richard sented by the Carnegie Hall Corpora­ York City Ballet. Philharmonic Hall, Holmes conducting; 8:30 — Moscow tion (International Festival of Visit­ 2:30 — Milva in Concert. Town Hall, State Symphony, Evgeni Svetlanov ing Orchestras). Carnegie Recital Hall, 3:00 — L’Orfeo in concert form, Char­ conducting; Emil Gilels and Elena 8:30 — Evenings for New Music pre­ lotte Bergen conducting. Gilels, pianists. Presented by S. Hurok. pared by Lukas Foss and presented by Carnegie Recital Hall, 2:30 — Carmen the Carnegie Hall Corporation. Second Monday, February 10 Alvarez, pianist presented by the in a series of four concerts. Metropoli­ Carnegie Hall, 8:30 — The Uleveland Spanish Institute; 8:30 — Lecture-De­ tan Opera, 8:00 — Carmen. New York Orchestra, George Szell conducting; monstration by Phillip Smith, Kay Gil­ State Theater, 8:15 — New York City Leonid Kogan, violinist. Carnegie Re­ lian. Hunter College, 8:30 — Mstislav Ballet. Philharmonic Hall, 8:30—New cital Hall, 8:30 — Sydney Mann, vio­ Rostropovich, cellist. Metropolitan York Orchestral Society, Joseph Eger linist. New York Recital Associates Opera, 2:00 — Tosca; 8:00 — Galla conducting. Management. Metropolitan Opera, Guild Benefit. New York State Thea­ 7:15 — Die Meistersinger. ter, 2:15 and 8:15 — New York City. Wednesday, February 5 Ballet. Philharmonic Hall, 11:00 and Carnegie Hall, 8:30 — The Cleveland Tuesday, February 11 3:00 — The Little Orchestra Society, Orchestra, George Szell conducting; Carnegie Hall, 8:30—Philadelphia Or­ Thomas Scherman conducting Young Gary Graffman, pianist. Presented by chestra, Eugene Ormandy conducting; Peoples Concerts; 8:30 — Repeat of the Carnegie Hall Corporation (Inter­ Isaac Stern, violinist. Presented by S. February 13 program. Town Hall, 5:30 national Festival of Visiting Orches­ Hurok. Carnegie Recital Hall, 8:30 — — Thomas Simons, pianist. SPOTLIGHT YOUR HEART FUND FGHTS HEART ATTACK STROKE HIGH BLOOD Gary Graffman may not be the PRESSURE only pianist to collect Chinese art, INBORN HEART but he is probably the only one whose DEFECTS home could rate “museum” status. “Many of the porcelains in my col­ lection, well, I wouldn’t say that I dug them up myself, but I was in­ volved in the digging. I got a terrific For over 17 years on Major windfall in the Philippines. Some of DAVID Piano Faculty of The Curtis SAPERTON Institute of Music. Assist­ my friends, when they heard I was ant to Director, Josef Hof­ Mus. D. mann, Member of the coming there, said ‘I hope you can famed Busoni "Circle" in Berlin. Son-in-law of the devote a lot of time to archeological late Leopold Godowsky, expeditions.’ I thought that they Jorge Bolet many of whose composi­ Abbey Simon tions and paraphrases he meant going through antique shops, Sidney Foster recorded. Also recorded 27 Julius Katchen Chopin Etudes. Recordings: but we went out and dug up some old Seymour Lipkin Victor Red Seal, Command Shura Cherkassky Performance Records Inc. Chinese burial sites. I really got some William Masselos and Kapo. Steinway Piano. very important pieces. Some of my 344 West 72nd St., New York, N. Y. 10023 Tel. SU 7-1745 porcelains are decorated with two fish, which signifies happiness. I also have one with one fish on it. I don’t DALCROZE INTERNATIONAL know what that means, but so far as SCHOOL OF MUSIC I know, no one else has one fish. You "Combining the Complete Music A best features of A Curriculum — Artist have to buy a whole grave, so that the European and I Faculty — Dalcroze Small Comfortable American Music J Teacher’s Certificate diggers won’t get stuck with just the Education" Program bad or broken pieces. Not all my an­ Only Authorized Dalcroze Teachers' Restaurant Training School in the Americas tiques are Chinese. I have a Lord DR. HILDA M. SCHUSTER: DIRECTOR Serving The Finest 161 E. 73rd St., New York, N. Y. 10021 TR 9-0316 Mayor’s desk from France. He sup­ posedly had a horrible temper and In threw ink. There are still spots all HEBREW • over the desk.” Italian Cuisine ARTS<^ In his spare tirfie, Graffman is an Just SCHOOLS FOR MUSIC ■ enthusiastic teacher at the Philadel­ AND DANCE 1 phia Academy of Music. “All but Up The Street From 120 West 16th St., 1 NYC 10011 1 one of my students are girls. They Carnegie Hall h OR 5-3260 TZ'PORA H’ J0CHSBERGER send me photographs, and that’s how I choose them,” he quipped. “I have a maximum number of students right now. In fact, I can’t quite cope with HeadQuailed what I have. I find that it isn’t hard to get to Philadelphia to give lessons, IS NOW IN though. Recently, I took a plane from Salt Lake City straight to Philadel­ New OuaileU phia, which is the same as taking a AT plane to New York except, when you 55th ST. &• SEVENTH AVE. get off the plane, you’re in Philadel­ phia.” Graffman is a perennial opti­ Private Rooms for Parties mist on many subjects, such as space 20 to 250 people travel. “When I saw the movie 2001, Cl 5-4790 I thought, maybe we’ll discover a Chinese burial site on the moon.” THE GALLERIES Russian Tea Room Menu (continued)

Presently preeminent in the gal­ leries is Knoedler’s showing of sculpture and paintings by Berto Lardera. Knoedler’s, of course, is just a few blocks east of Carnegie Hall, at 14 East 57th Street. The exhibit is entitled “La Rose des Vents” (in English, The Mariner’s Card), after the largest and most dominant of the works exhibited. Born and raised in Tuscany, Lardera now works in Paris, constructing his immense steel sculptures in a studio resem­ bling a blacksmith’s shop. Like those of the great Florentine Renaissance sculptors, his works have an archi­ tectural quality, and, indeed, were often conceived as adjuncts to archi­ tecture. The present exhibit contains photographs of some of his statues in their proper settings, thus demon­ strating their rapport with their sur­ roundings. Structurally, the sculptures alter­ Just where does the Russian Tea Room stand? nate shelves, saw-tooths, and gaping Slightly to the left of Carnegie Hall. holes in plates of steel with plenty 1 SO W. 57 St. CO 5-0947 of light, space, and potential move­ ment. At times, some of them seem to have a menacing, monolithic qual­ ity, but they are far from colorless. The steel is embellished with accents of copper, aluminum and iron, which undergo changes in hue during their first two years. This is due to a com­ plicated process of oxidation which I do not pretend to understand (it is apparent that the modern sculptor must also be something of a scien­ tist) . After the two years have elapsed, the colors remain forever the same. The works repay careful scru­ tiny, for their expressive values seem to increase as one looks at them. Also included are a number of You are sitting in one of the few places charming watercolors which seem to be studies for the sculptural works, that plays more continuous music than we do. in a higher keyed palette of rust­ browns and slate-blues. Pieces of metal seem to be flying through the air — and yet, a very similar effect is attained to that of the larger works. While you might not want a seven-foot sculpture in your living­ room, the paintings would be very easy to live with. The catalogue speaks of Lardera’s view of the es­ sential unity of painting, sculpture WBYT93& and architecture. He certainly exem­ MORE CONTINUOUS MUSIC THAN ANY OTHER STATION IN NEW YORK. A DIVISION OF CAPITAL CITIES BROADCASTING plifies this in his own work. —Marjorie Audrey Lelash CONCERT TICKETS MAKE WONDERFUL GIFTS

Saturday BOSTON Debussy..... Rhapsody for Saxophone Tuesday CLEVELAND Prokcfieff...... Classical Symphony December 21 and Orchestra February 4 SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Prokofieff...... Violm Concerto No. 2 1968 1969 Mozart...... Piano Concerto in B-flat Brahms...... Symphony No. 4 ERICH LEINSDORF Major, K.595 GEORGE SZELL Conductor Conductor Weill ...... Suite from "The Soloist: JAMES OLIVER BUSWELL IV, violin Soloist: CLAUDE FRANK, piano Threepenny Opera" Stravinsky...... The Rite of Spring

Remaining seats at box office PRICES: $7.00, $6.00, $5.00, $4.00, $3.00

Saturday BOSTON Strauss...... Concert performance of Wednesday CLEVELAND ALL-TCHAIKOVSKY PROGRAM January 18 the original version of February 5 SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA ...... Piano Concerto No. 1 1969 “Ariadne a uf Naxos” (1912 version) 1969 ...... Symphony No. 6 (“Pathétique”) ERICH LEINSDORF (1st N. Y. performance) GEORGE SZELL Conductor Conductor Soloists: CLAIRE WATSON, soprano BEVERLY SI LLS, soprano Soloist: GARY GRAFFMAN, pian ROBERT NAGY, tenor JOHN REARCION, baritone

Remaining seats at box office PRICES: $7.00, $6.00, $5.00, $4.00, $3.00

Tuesday HAGUE Webern ...... Passacaglia Wednesday PITTSBURGH ALL-MAHLER PROGRAM January 28 February 19 PHILHARMONIC Rozsa ...... Piano Concerto SYMPHONY ' Songs from "Des Knaben Wunderhorn” 1969 (1st N. Y. Performance) 1969 ...... Symphony No. 6 ("Tragic") WILLEM VAN OTTERLOO Stravinsky ...... Symphony WILLIAM STEINBERG Conductor in Three Movements Conductor Soloist: LEONARD PENNARIO, piano Ravel...... Rapsodie Espagnole Soloists: JANET BAKER, mezzo soprano TOM KRAUSE, baritone PRICES: $7.00, $6.00, $5.00, $4.00, $3.00 PRICES: $6.50, $5.50, $4.50, $3.50, $2.50

Wednesday HAGUE Andriessen ...... Symphonic Study Monday MINNESOTA Lutoslawski...... Symphony No. 2 January 29 (1st N. Y. Performance) March 3 PHILHARMONIC Dv^k ORCHESTRA Saint-Saëns. ...Piano Concerto No. 2 1969 ...... Biblical Songs 1969 STANISLAW SKROWACZEWSKI DebuSSy ...... La Mer WILLEM VAN OTTERLOO Bruckner...... Symphony No. 6 Conductor Conductor Soloist: YI-KWEI SZE, bass-baritone Soloist: PHILIPPE ENTREMONT, piano PRICES: $7.00, $6.00, $5.00, $4.00, $3.00 PRICES: $6.50, $5.50, $4.50, $3.50, $2.50 (Programs subject to change)

ALL CONCERTS AT 8:30 P.M. (TICKETS ON SALE AT BOX OFFICE) MAIL ORDERS ACCEPTED. MAKE CHECKS PAYABLE TO: CARNEGIE HALL BOX OFFICE AND MAIL TO 154 W. 57 ST., N. Y. 10019 PLEASE ENCLOSE STAMPED, SELF-ADDRESSED ENVELOPE for the performer is looking for all when they’re up front performing, the nuances of quality. It’s a deli­ and they can look beyond the tech­ cate balance—working on technique, nical frontier in evaluating a par­ at the same time warming up for a ticular performance. In daily classes, performance, and of maintaining that would never happen. sufficient strength for a perfor­ Stanley Williams has no set for­ mance that night. And still, class is mula for any of his classes. During for refinement of technique. These warm-up exercises, he watches all things come into ... equilibrium .. . the dancers. “Something catches from Stanley Williams.” your eye,” he said, “and it’s some­ But what is a fine teacher? He thing to build around. What can can’t be categorized exactly. His help one individual applies to all value is abstract. He is just one in­ the others. You have to work on the gredient in a complex recipe. And, level of the student.” he is a catalyst. In Williams' case, He believes that “girls can do his world is refinement, a method more in ballet than men.” Women of easing the road to a difficult sort have more flexible bodies than men, of perfection. He handles his classes and Williams explained that en with a light touch, with humor, and pointe dancing offers a more end­ with a superb sense of musicality less, more technically demanding that is quite rare. There’s an en­ approach to the dance. He was joyable element to Stanley Williams’ quick to add that there are consid­ classes, even for the casual observer. erable challenges to men in ballet. A With all their concentration on well-trained, and talented male also improvement and technical finesse can electrify the stage. in classes, however, there’s a sur­ While there’s a common miscon­ prising variation in those standards ception that barre exercises are just among dancers themselves, when for stretching muscles, Williams they watch other performers on sees the barre as a more regulated stage. “I’d rather watch somebody way to put the segments of ballet who looks pretty on stage,” Patti movement together. A slow build. Edward Villella and Patricia McBride admitted. “Maybe she “The barre should apply to the McBride with choreographer Jerome won’t be as strong, technically, as structure of a class, from begin­ Robbins (page 8). Villella (above) some other dancer. But I like to see ning to end. I might turn the class is another Williams student. someone move in a nice feminine to the barre in the midst of things, way. I look for that more than for to relax the tension after a few de­ technical ability.” When she’s per­ manding, or difficult movements.” forming, Patricia McBride thinks And Williams cleared up another Williams accents the mental con­ of moving with as lovely, and as misconception: early recognition of trol of the dancer over movements. feminine, and as perfect a line as star talent. “Some very young stu­ To a dancer with a tendency to possible. “And from there, I like to dents have a fine facility,” he clutch his side at the end of a turn, make things appear easy. I just try stated. “But that’s no promise. It’s he will say, “Don’t put your hand to enjoy myself.” the individual’s own understanding there. It’s a habit. Think it out. For Peter Martins, it’s what the of himself and what he wants that Don’t do it.” On performing three dancer does on stage, how he brings makes the difference. Even more non-stop turns: “It’s the same as his personality into the part, that’s than obvious talent, it’s mental atti­ two turns, but just one more. The most interesting. “I don’t care tude, intelligence, drive . . . they’re same as two. Think about it. Don’t about the technique when I watch the things that matter most.” A get frantic.” Or, “Sometimes you a ballet,” he stated, “I care about strong argument for Williams’ have to make your mistake, trying, whether or not it’s interesting. It’s “think” tank. thinking all the way. You find out possible, you know, for someone The high percentage of perfor­ what you’re doing wrong, and, then, without technique to do a better mers who are also students of Stan­ you can do it right.” job than someone with perfect tech­ ley Williams, have one thought about Ed Villella calls this mental con­ nique. It’s what you do to make the their teacher. He’s the best. And trol “an automatic, conditioned re­ role complete.” when you’re the best in a field of flex.” When the dancer does a move­ It’s not improbable that these dedicated professionals, you’ve got ment over and over, correctly, Vil­ dancers, who have, today, reached a good thing going. lella said, it becomes a habit, a cor­ a high standard of technical ability, To give a lady the last word, Pa­ rect habit. The mental attitude de­ would think differently if they tricia McBride hinted at the star­ veloped in class instructs the dancer weren’t already among the best. ring dancer’s involvement with to place his body in the proper posi­ They’ve developed the reflex bit, daily classes. “Last summer I went tion at the proper time. “For dan­ the psychic preparation, the habit­ to Europe on vacation, and I didn’t cers already trained for years as ual points of finesse that work for take a class for two whole weeks. performers, most of the class work them. Thus, they can go beyond the Imagine! I never went that long is mental. It requires concentration, groundwork which carries them before without taking a class.” ® 9 id you ever hear an adult say, embedded in the boy that it would D“Oh, no, I never touch the piano remain for a lifetime. The mother’s anymore. Yes, I studied for six devoted supervision had woven a years, but today I couldn’t play a The web of love, mutual trust and re­ ‘C’ scale.” This is an exaggerated spect among the “three” hands. statement, of course, but what To advise young parents on Jun­ really went wrong? Did lack of ior’s musical education is very dif­ parental supervision make the child Third ficult. No two children are alike. lose interest, or did constant nag­ In a general way, there are do’s ging by the mother finally drive and don’ts that will apply to every­ the child away from the instru­ Hand one. The piano is the best choice ment? Was the teacher at fault? of an instrument for the begin­ Was the child burdened with be­ By WILLIAM JONSON ning of a child’s orientation to wildering scales and exercises too music. There are no tuning prob­ soon ? This adult had probably been lems for the child and, of course, an average child with no excep­ there is a wide repertoire available. tional talent for music, but the Repair jobs are less frequent be­ natural response to rhythm and cause a piano is a sturdy instru­ melody was certainly there. This ment, compared with a violin or a “response” is evident in all children clarinet. Let him wait until it is from the cradle on. usually prompted a rush to the time to join the junior high school Let us build ourselves a hypo­ piano. band before giving him a wood­ thetical case, centered around a When Tommy was eight, the fam­ wind or a brass instrument. Then, perfectly normal boy, rambunctious, ily thought he should begin lessons for your sake, I hope you have a full of fun, bright as a new penny. with a teacher, outside the home. sound-proof room. Tommy’s mother had played and Finally, one was chosen through If you are not able to begin his sung to him since he was in the the extension division of a music musical education in the home, wait crib. If he banged with a spoon school. Mother sat in on the first until he is seven or eight years old on his high chair, she would try to few lessons. Satisfied that his hand before starting lessons. Make it a fit nursery songs to his irregular position was close to being what point to attend the first two or rhythm. From the time he could the teacher wanted, that his note three and observe the teacher’s walk, his mornings were enlivened reading and rhythmic sense were methods. Remember, the child is by sessions in and around the piano, dividends accepted, she proudly starting from “scratch,” and he will never longer than fifteen or thirty took the child home. be learning by rote from the begin­ minutes. Banging in time, or search­ Now began the most diffucult ning. This brings up the question: ing secretively for a single key to step. Mother had vowed never to isn’t it rather late to be learning softly press down, he would delve interrupt the rehearsal sessions un­ by rote? Of course it is, but since for the source of the sound. There less asked, even when a persistent there was no preparatory work were records, marching games and wrong note gave her the screaming done in the home, nothing can be there were songs, lots of them, meemies. A child is always seeking done about it. A child gains noth­ Mother Goose, folk ballads, etcetera. the approval of both parents; he ing, and it’s a very expensive ex­ And always, there was rhythm. wants to be proud of his work. If periment to put a child through the Tommy entered kindergarten at it is good, it gives him great satis­ nonsense “note-games,” two and five, where playing in a rhythm faction. Yet, occasionally, Tommy three times a week, that seem to be band with other children brought would come to his mother to ask the fashion with teachers today. discipline for the first time. This why some sound or other sounded Children, seven and eight years old, posed no problem, since his early funny. During the next four years, are small adults, vain about their exposure to music in the home had Tommy’s musical training grew accomplishments. A child is going prepared the way for the first ex­ smoothly, and never more than thir­ to think that this rote learning is perience in a concerted musical ef­ ty to forty-five minutes a day were wasted time, “kid stuff.” What a fort. At age seven his mother began spent in the rehearsal session. difference there would be if the to give him piano lessons. Again, Tommy kept up his piano lessons mother had shared music with him this was in the home, let us remem­ all through the grade school years. when he was learning to walk. ber, where warmth and confidence Then, when he reached high school, I once tried to teach a little girl were a part of his every day exist­ he made the basketball team. His who had spent two years plowing ence. He began to sing those folk parents were naturally proud, but through a dozen beginners’ books. songs and ballads, but, now, to his also saddened when the music les­ At the age of twelve, she was still own simple accompaniment. If a sons gave way to afternoon ball chasing Jack and Jill. She attended day went by without the “rehearsal practice. But they had a joyful sur­ private school, received excellent period,” there was never any fret­ prise one day when they were sud­ marks, had swimming lessons, play­ ting, and no threatening. Mother denly aware of piano-playing in the ed on the volley ball team, was in a simply waited for the interest to living room. This is the end of the ballet class, and endured a body­ pick up again. “Don’t you want to story, and here is the moral: enjoy­ coordinating class that was straight rehearse the little piece that you’re ment, plus the spiritual need for out of the era of Isadora Duncan. 10 going to play for Dad tonight?” music as a release, had been so Last, and most indifferently, she studied piano with me, once a week. mama hoped that ballet and/or “regulation” consonant harmonies. She yawned, she doodled, she ig­ piano lessons would remedy the I often wonder what would happen nored instruction and correction; it situation. At the onset mama in­ if he were left on his own. How­ was not a case of open rebellion- sisted that a full hour of PRAC­ ever, all of his early piano litera­ just apathy. The association didn’t TICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE ture is hopelessly I-IV-V-I, but so last long; it wasn’t worth it for makes perfect. The child adored the are the songs of the church, and the either of us. No teacher likes to teacher, and each new scale or exer­ “rock” he hears on radio and TV. admit defeat with a student, but cise and each new piece was for the It may well be the most difficult there was no contact made. All her teacher, not the mother. The three job you have ever undertaken, but energies were so spent that nothing hours-a-day of dull drudgery, in­ you, the parent, are the best teacher came out of her many projects, nor sisted upon by the parent in the for your child, no matter how limit­ did she excel at any of them. Who second year of study, finally proved ed you are technically. You may was at fault ? Certainly not the to be too much. By the time she object that the child knows you too little girl, but, rather, her mother. came to me, the child’s interest had well, that he will not concentrate, Always keep rehearsal down to been irrevocably lost. that your discipline will not hold thirty minutes in the beginning. Self-expression means much to a authority. There are, however, It’s better to schedule the music young child. During his early years counter arguments to this view­ period at a time when it will not he is constantly being told to do point. If he has enjoyed your mus­ interfere with outside activities. things. “Not your spoon, use the ical games from his early years, Just before dinner is usually ideal. fork.” “Pull up your socks.” “Brush the instrumental instruction will be If you are listening from the kit­ your teeth.” “No, the turtle may not merely a continuation of a pleasure chen, and hear anything irregular, sleep in the bed.” It isn’t very which the two of you have already you might “suggest” that, since he often that he is allowed to think shared. He has learned to trust wants to perform, that piece for for himself, even in high school. you. If you say “curve the fingers,” his father, maybe two heads would But in music, he is protected from or “make the hand look like you be better than one in finding that the mundane grumbling of his el­ are holding a tennis ball,” he will bad note. He will feel proud and ders by sheer sound. Once a child do it because the advice comes from happy—glad that you are helping. starts piano lessons, you may hear you: he will treat it like gospel, This brings up a very important sounds not found in the week’s it has to be right. Lessons for a point: never treat a “young musi­ plan for study. Leave him alone. beginner should be frequent, since cian" like a child. If he skips a No matter how crude the doodling teaching by rote requires constant session, or if sometimes it shortens may seem to you, the young artist supervision. Even though an out­ to a scant fifteen minutes, don’t may be trying to find something side teacher could make time for become alarmed. He’ll go back to it harmonic or rhythmic or melodic. this, it could develop into rather when he wants to. He may be tired, Before he is even sure what to an expensive schedule. Remember, or there may be something in the call the lines on the staff, or even the child wants to please you, too. lesson that is obscure to him at before the spaces have been named, By all means, try and play du­ the moment. Let that active little it is time to begin building his ets when the child is sufficiently brain try and figure it out alone. personal record library. Start to advanced. What a sense of impor­ Let him seek you if he wants ad­ broaden his musical knowledge, al­ tance is achieved! Let him struggle vice, but don’t ever volunteer your ways keeping it ahead of his facil­ with the pedal (if he can reach it) services. He may just wait until ity at the keyboard. Later, if he even though there may be lots of the next lesson and ask the teacher. studies the little “Minuet in G” by blurred music at first. If the If you find out about that, it may Beethoven, let him listen to a re­ teacher is mother, and if she is at leave you wondering what he thinks cording of it after he learns the all accomplished, the student feels of your musical intelligence. piece properly. Don’t be surprised much pride in the task. If dad has Impress upon your “young artist” if, one day, he listens to the record a rusty baritone which wowed them that music making is a privilege and exclaims, “Huh, I can play as in the College Glee Club, start only a few enjoy. Take him into good as that guy.” Don’t remon­ Junior on the “Twice 55” song your confidence, use “we” instead strate, let him have his moment of books. Dad will rediscover a long, of “you” when discussing the music pride—only correct his English. lost pleasure and his small accom­ to be rehearsed that week. This Memorize? Absolutely, and after panist will burst with pride. will help to make him feel older a period of time it becomes a habit. Remember, “music at its best is than his years and it will increase Everything in a gradually expand­ an intimate experience of mutual his self-respect. It is one hour in ing repertoire is committed to mem­ enjoyment.” You may complain of youi' daily association when it is ory. From the first “Hop-O-My- lack of time, or you may think good for him to feel that he is Thumb,” or whatever is found on the child would be better off with your equal. Don’t set overlong per­ on the first pages of a beginners a professional teacher. One simple iods for the rehearsal time. The piano book, nothing gets that “Gold fact remains. You supervise every­ mother of one of my pupils had Star” reward unless it is memor­ thing else in his early education, wanted only what was best for her ized. When the child is able, have why not his music too ? Early music child. Initially, she engaged a very him write down his improvisations study can be full of meaning, and expensive teacher for her young and memorize them. Gradually his so rewarding when it is under the neophyte, because her “pride and little efforts will begin to have a patient, loving supervision of the joy” was badly coordinated, and traditional A-B-A form, and the “third” hand—the Parent. ® 11 he movies are singing again. in Business Without Really Trying, the facilities available to the screen. TOn cue, if not on pitch, Holly­ and A Funny Thing Happened on The first thing to understand is wood moguls, after years of re­ the Way to the Forum. In prepara­ that films are a medium of reality. lative indifference, have discovered tion or awaiting release are Hello, Point the camera in any direction what Broadway producers, theater Dolly!, On a Clear Day You Can and we expect to see the real thing. clubs, charity organizations, and See Forever, Sweet Charity, Fid­ Producers comb the entire world out of town buyers have known for dler on the Roof, and Paint Your in search of the most authentic lo­ a long time: the big budget spec­ Wagon. Only a relatively few pro­ cales for their stories. What is tacular musical is a more depend­ ducers have risked musical produc­ shown on the gargantuan screen able crowd-pleaser than almost any tions created specifically for the may be larger than life, but it does other form of theatrical entertain­ screen. Mary Poppins, Thoroughly have the appearance of life. This, ment. Once this became universally Modern Millie, Star! (though its I submit, is antithetical to the form understood, the industry leaders score is made up of show tunes), of the musical. When the curtain then boldly divined that the most Dr. Doolittle, Chitty Chitty Bang rises on the musical presented on logical source of screen musicals Bang, and Goodbye, Mr. Chips are the stage, we see no real mountains would be those stage musicals that the only ones that come readily to or streets. Papier mache scenery is have already made their artistic mind. It is almost as if Hollywood dropped and moved into place be­ and financial mark. The plot has looks to New York as a break-in fore our eyes. We are never put off been written, the songs are known, town in much the same way that by the silhouetted heads of the and the success of the film rein­ New York looks to New Haven. members of the pit orchestra, or by carnation is—if not assured—at But there’s more to a film treat­ the conductor waving his baton. least predictable. ment of a Broadway hit than mere­ An actor’s facial blemishes cannot Look around at the current and ly putting it before the cameras. be detected. Nothing is further recent crop of movie musicals. From The trick, of course, is to make from real life than a couple singing the stage have come Oliver!, Half a sure that the elements that con­ their emotions or a group of dan­ Sixpence, Funny Girl, The Sound of tributed to the success in the cers performing intricate routines. Music, My Fair Lady, Finian’s original medium are retained while The musical play is, in short, Amer- 12 Rainbow, Camelot, How to Succeed still taking full advantage of all ca’s most popular theater of the absurd. It is precisely because we Kauai, Hawaii, in order to shoot ing tenement toughs doing balletic willingly accept the unreal conven­ the exteriors against the most au­ leaps as they cavorted down the tions of the form that we readily thentic background he could find. grimy streets. The form and the empathize with what we see. We Then someone decided to smear at­ setting clashed almost as violently ' weep with Tevya, exult with Nellie mosphere over the musical sequen­ as the rival street gangs of the Forbush, and fervently hope that ces by filming them through filters story. Nor were things helped by a Don Quixote may yet achieve his and uMng unrealistic colors. It confusion of backgrounds, since impossible dream. But the imagina­ didn’t create any kind of a mood; some of the more intimate scenes— tion so essential for our enjoyment it only served to isolate the songs i.e., the “Tonight” sequence on the of a stage musical is seldom re­ from the story, in direct contra­ fire escape—were obviously shot quired when we watch a film musi­ diction to what librettist Oscar against studio-made settings. On cal; the camera’s guiding eye Hammerstein had been striving to stage, the whole production worked makes sure it reveals to us not only achieve. Finian’s Rainbow also because dancing, settings and light­ what we see, but how we see it. tried for atmosphere in some of the ing were all blended into a homog­ Therein lies the problem: how to songs. The soft focus for “OF Devil enized style that gave it both form transform an unrealistic form into Moon,” however, merely resulted and direction. a medium that is basically realistic. in the feeling of sensuality that was Shooting an entire film on a Technical marvels indigenous to alien to both music and lyric. studio back lot doesn’t solve the film-making—color, wide screen, At times, of course, film musicals problem either. In My Fair Lady, stereophonic sound, on-location have benefited immeasurably from there were no authentic locales, shooting, “trick” photography—all an imaginative use of the camera. everything was built and filmed in these are among the tools being In West Side Story, the opening Hollywood. The result was that all used to help effect as smooth a bird’s eye shots looked down on the the exteriors—Covent Garden, the transformation as possible. Yet island of Manhattan, with the cam­ Ascot races, the street in front of these very tools have at times made era then zooming directly to a Henry Higgins’ house—still looked the movies self-conscious. For ex­ street in a slum area. Spectacular like interiors. We have simply be­ ample, the producer of South Paci­ and highly effective. But then what come accustomed to seeing real fic took his crew and actors to happened ? Suddenly we were watch­ continued on page 14 13 buildings on real streets; anything Story and Gypsy, and Deborah bles as memories that just will not less strikes us as a too obvious at­ Kerr in The King and I. In disappear, much can be accom­ tempt at making the unreal give South Pacific, it was Giorgio plished in the way of editing, the the appearance of unreality. This Tozzi’s pear-shaped tones you heard use of the camera, and in making is not to deny, however, the re­ emanating from the lips of Ros- sure that the subject matter is truly markable taste and faithfulness of sano Brazzi, and in Gypsy it was cinematic. this particular screen treatment. Lisa Kirk who hit the high notes The Sound of Music clearly Even more faithful, in at least one for Rosalind Russell. demonstrated that it can work, but respect, was Samuel Goldwyn’s It is, of course, extremely grati­ there is no escaping the fact that Guys and Dolls. Goldwyn had it fying when the singer and the actor most film versions seldom measure photographed as if it was being are one and the same person. Yet in up to their stage originals. Why, filmed directly from the stage, with Funny Girl, the fact that Barbra then, don’t the corporate heads take stylized flats representing New Streisand is an even bigger star a real plunge and give us more orig­ York's Times Square. That ap­ today than she was when she inal film musicals? Isn’t the me­ proach proved even less successful. appeared in the original stage ver­ dium of sufficient maturity and de­ The matter of selecting a cast sion, seems to have dictated the velopment to establish its own mu­ for a screen transplant is especially virtual elimination of any song in­ sical comedy form, underived from bothersome for a variety of reasons. terpreted by anyone else in the cast. any previous theatrical existence? While stage performers often repeat And in My Fair Lady, though Recalling past glories, most of the their roles in films, even more often Rex Harrison may well have been truly memorable musicals were, in the parts are awarded to well-estab­ irreplaceable, there was still the fact, original screen concepts: Love lished screen personalities with matter of his being eight years Me Tonight, Top Hat, The Wizard tested box office appeal. Audrey older than he had been when the of Oz, The Pirate, Singing in the Hepburn’s Eliza Doolittle, admir­ play first opened. One ingenious Rain, Meet Me in St. Louis, Seven able in many respects, never quite way the producers found to give Brides for Seven Brothers. caught the guttersnipe quality Julie him a comparatively youngish ap­ These, of course, were compara­ Andrews brought to her stage per­ pearance was to cast the almost tively modest affairs by today’s formance. Peaches-and-cream Doris doddering Wilfrid Hyde-White as standards. Now it appears movie Day was a pale substitute for his close friend, Colonel Pickering. musicals must be nothing less than beer-and-pretzels Janis Paige in The resurgence of film musicals blockbusters—from the dimensions The Pajama Game. We had to settle on such a major scale has obviously of the screen, to the scope of the for the saccharine tomboyishness of come about because of the one thing story, and the running time of the Debbie Reyonlds in The Unsinkable producers and distributors both film. They are, for the most part, Molly Brown rather than the engag­ understand: they sell tickets. “hard ticket” productions designed ing grotesquerie of Tammy Grimes. West Side Story, with all its to attract those willing to pay a In place of Ethel Merman’s power­ faults in style and casting, made little more for reserved-seat, two-a- house drive in Gypsy we were given them respectable again. But few day presentations. Here, it seems to Rosalind Russell’s plucky nobility. could have foreseen the record­ me, would be the logical flowering Who can forget Frank Sinatra in smashing triumph of The Sound of musical films appealing to chil­ ill-fitting homburg trying to fill of Music, currently the most suc­ dren. Such productions, by their Sam Levene’s custom-made shoes cessful film of all time. Despite its very nature, utilize fantasy and in Guys and Dolls ? And what in the detractors, the movie succeeds re­ song while still, at the same time, name of Allah is Omar Sharif doing markably well on a number of levels. making full use of the technical as Nicky Arnstein in Funny Girll The camera panning opening wonders indigenous only to the Even a good performance may oc­ sequence (reminiscent of the be­ screen. Also, by offering the pallia­ casionally be blurred by past as­ ginning of West Side Story, also tive of escapist fare, they have con­ sociation; Fred Astaire may be a directed by Robert Wise) helped siderable appeal to adults. And delight as Finian but there’s still establish a mood that was never they’re all original works. Mary that nagging mental image of the broken, and while the Salzburg set­ Poppins started our modern fan­ same gentleman prancing about in tings were indeed authentic, the tasy musicals, and was followed by top hat, white tie and tails. castles, picture post card mountains the equally fantastic Dr. Doolittle. Casting in films also brings up and ornate cathedrals all had that Now, along comes Chitty Chitty the fact that producers need not unreal, fantasy quality so essential Bang Bang which takes us up in worry about the singing ability of to a musical. Also the use of one the air in a flying racing car. Even their leading players. If they are song, “Do-Re-Mi,” to cover a num­ more important, the film has been determined to protect their invest­ ber of sequences involving Maria put together with a stylistic unity ments by signing well-known screen and the children at play, marked a that blends beautifully with the personalities, they can always find decided advance in the coordination spectacular cinematic effects. someone else to dub in the voice. of story, atmosphere, camera work The screen really doesn’t have to Marni Nixon, our most celebrated and song. borrow. It possesses the skills and singing ghost, warbled for Audrey Although screen adaptations are imagination to create a musical Hepburn in My Fair Lady, Nat- often handicapped by matters of form of its own. Now if only some­ 14 alie Wood in both West Side style and tempo, and such intangi­ one will tell the stockholders,