Irving Lowens and the Washington Star: the Vision, the Demise

ABSTRACT Title of Document: IRVING LOWENS AND THE WASHINGTON STAR: THE VISION, THE DEMISE Janice E. Holly, Doctor of Philosophy, 2007 Directed by: Professor Shelley G. Davis School of Music Division of Musicology and Ethnomusicology Irving Lowens (1916-1983) was a polymath who possessed an extraordinary intellect and boundless energy. A musicologist of first rank, he made seminal contributions to the study of music in America. Founder of the Society for American Music (formerly the Sonneck Society) and, through his affiliation with the Library of Congress, a leader in the mid 20th-century endeavors of the Music Library Association, he also contributed immeasurably to progress in American musicological enterprise. Having labored throughout his life as educator, composer, librarian, scholar, world traveler, de facto ambassador, and even chess player, Lowens is especially suited for designation as a public intellectual. Self-described as “bookish,” Lowens was by virtue of long established habit an inveterate reader and writer. Having transplanted himself, by circuitous route, from his native New York City to Washington, D.C., he became a regular reader of the Washington Star, then newspaper of record in the nation’s capital. In December 1953, Lowens penned a letter to the editor praising the work of the Star’s new music critic Day Thorpe. Shortly thereafter, the Irving Lowens byline made its first appearance in the newspaper. Thus began a relationship that dramatically changed Lowens’s professional life, and ultimately helped to change, for the better, the musical landscape of Washington. This dissertation chronicles the symbiotic relationship forged between Irving Lowens and the Washington Star, from its quiet beginnings through its years of achievement in supporting, upholding, and respecting concert life in the nation’s capital, and, finally, to its sad dénouement. Chapter One, a biography, details Lowens’s professional life as a music critic and his contributions to the performing arts in Washington, D.C. Chapter Two records the Star’s collaborative role as a force for musical good in the nation’s capital. Chapter Three brings to light the Star’s struggle to survive amid the turmoil of changing times and changing ownership. Chapter Four outlines the circumstances surrounding Lowens’s failed fight to maintain the Star’s classical-music coverage in Washington. Chapter Five demonstrates the power of Lowens’s pen, even as he loses his battle for music at the Star. Although both Lowens and the Washington Star are long since gone, their legacy lives on in the current, vibrant culture that is musical Washington. IRVING LOWENS AND THE WASHINGTON STAR: THE VISION, THE DEMISE Janice E. Holly Dissertation submitted to the Faculty of the Graduate School of the University of Maryland, College Park, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy 2007 Advisory Committee: Professor Shelley G. Davis, Chair Professor Olga Haldey Professor Richard King Professor Lee Thornton Professor Richard Wexler © Copyright Janice E. Holly 2007 Preface My interest in the press and its power to inform the course of classical music in America derives first and foremost from my work as a professional musician and music educator, concerned, as are many of my colleagues, for the future viability of our too-often- misunderstood art form. I also come to this project with a background in journalism, more as avocation than profession, but armed, nevertheless, with an affinity for the craft of criticism. Although never having met Irving Lowens, I knew of him by reputation and through my affiliation with the Music Critics Association. Early in my career, I was privileged to participate in one of the Association’s Institutes for aspiring music critics, which Lowens had been instrumental in establishing and overseeing. An odd bit of serendipity led me back to his work so many years after this brief initial—and oblique—contact. Although originally intending simply to effect an analysis of Lowens’s critical writings, I discovered, as my research proceeded, that his story and the Washington Star’s story were inextricably intertwined. One could be understood only within the context of the other. Having prior knowledge neither of the Star nor of the circumstances surrounding Lowens’s position there, my research was akin to solving a giant jigsaw puzzle, but with no image to guide me. Diving headlong into this double-edged pursuit, I quite by chance uncovered a saga that, in turns, surprised, delighted and dismayed me. Once the pieces finally began to fit together, I determined that the saga must be told. I hope I have done equal justice to Lowens’s memory and to that of his beloved newspaper, the once-mighty Washington Star. Much of the material for this project derives from newspaper articles and correspondence. For the sake of consistency, I have chosen invariably to italicize newspaper ii titles occurring within quotations, as well as in the narrative. I have otherwise retained the original form and substance of these passages. Although most of the sources appear in typewritten form, some are handwritten, and, in isolated cases, not completely legible. A small proportion of the material available on microfilm, owing to inconsistencies in the microfilming process, was likewise difficult to decipher and, therefore, subject to some small interpretation as well. In such cases, I comprehended the sense of these isolated passages in part through close examination and in part through context. Similarly, in cases where dates of documents were not readily apparent, I was able to infer from the content the month and year, and, in some cases, the day of the items in question. iii Acknowledgements This project rests upon the shoulders of many generous individuals, without whose support this work could not have been accomplished. First among equals is Professor Shelley Davis who, as advisor and chairman of my committee, inspired me to begin the research, who walked beside me during its many peaks and many more valleys, and who gave me that final, necessary push to cross successfully over the finish line. For his valued insights and his generosity in sharing them, I am deeply indebted. I also wish to thank the other members of my committee, Professors Olga Haldey, Richard King, Richard Wexler, and Lee Thornton. Their guidance in the completion of the final product was invaluable. Thanks go to the skilled library staff at the University of Maryland’s Michelle Smith Performing Arts Library, most notably Bonnie Dopp, who provided, not only her time, talent and special knowledge of the Lowens Collection, but also her friendship and support throughout the endeavor. To Dan Fout, librarian at Frederick Community College, I am indebted for his help in securing, through Interlibrary Loan, masses of microfilm documents. Without the easy access to these sources that he provided, I would have been unable to complete my research. I give most grateful acknowledgement to Dr. Margery Morgan Lowens. Dr. Lowens kindly opened her home to me and allowed me full freedom to study Mr. Lowens’s private and professional papers. She provided unbounded insight into the mind, spirit and history of her husband, and she generously provided her wisdom as a scholar, reading my draft with the same energy and attention to detail as would a member of my committee. Her vast knowledge of the subject, of musicological research and of scholarly writing helped me to polish the rough edges of my draft to a finer sheen. I tip my hat to Dr. Andrea Karfjin, whose insights in all things, including, not the least, the trials and tribulations of the writing life, kept my heart and mind iv on track for the duration of this effort. Finally, I gratefully acknowledge my family and friends, who labored to keep my spirits on an even keel and nudged me forward when my resolve flagged. Thank you, one and all. v Table of Contents Preface ...................................................................................................................................................ii Acknowledgements..............................................................................................................................iv Table of Contents .................................................................................................................................vi Introduction ........................................................................................................................................... 1 Chapter I: A Critical Life...................................................................................................................21 Prescient Beginnings...........................................................................................................................22 Composer in Training ............................................................................................................29 Scholarly Stirrings..................................................................................................................40 Enter the Critic........................................................................................................................45 L’Enfant terrible.....................................................................................................................51 The Journeyman Years ..........................................................................................................54 Building Bridges ....................................................................................................................58

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