Volume 40, Number 05 (May 1922) James Francis Cooke
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Gardner-Webb University Digital Commons @ Gardner-Webb University The tudeE Magazine: 1883-1957 John R. Dover Memorial Library 5-1-1922 Volume 40, Number 05 (May 1922) James Francis Cooke Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.gardner-webb.edu/etude Part of the Composition Commons, Ethnomusicology Commons, Fine Arts Commons, History Commons, Liturgy and Worship Commons, Music Education Commons, Musicology Commons, Music Pedagogy Commons, Music Performance Commons, Music Practice Commons, and the Music Theory Commons Recommended Citation Cooke, James Francis. "Volume 40, Number 05 (May 1922)." , (1922). https://digitalcommons.gardner-webb.edu/etude/690 This Book is brought to you for free and open access by the John R. Dover Memorial Library at Digital Commons @ Gardner-Webb University. It has been accepted for inclusion in The tudeE Magazine: 1883-1957 by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ Gardner-Webb University. For more information, please contact [email protected]. -ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION, $2.00 THE ETUDE MAY, 1922 Single Copies 25 Cents VOL. XL, No. 5 “Sumer is Icumen In” Presser Foundation reports that there have been remarkably InsxEAtf of looking forward to summer as a grand spree few cases calling for help for many years. Every case is in¬ of indolence, thousands of American students are eagerly vestigated thoroughly and those meriting assistance cared for waiting for the tinjq when they can attend some one of the when possible. several highly ®uramer Schools conducted in differ¬ Musicians are learning the lessons of thrift, providing for ent parts of ,t'mother saiigotateS. their old age and comfort. They know that to stand well in SumnierUn^j/oti!1 ^education is concentrated study. Con¬ the community they must, first of all, conduct their business centrated study is often best. There is usually a spirit of great affairs in a way to command the respect of their fellow men. interest and liveliness, despite the so-called hot season. As a matter of fact, the really hot season in our northern cities is The Dynamism of Repose limited to a very few days. These days may come in June or The aim of the great engineer is to produce the highest September, just as well as in July or August. Why libel the possible results with the least interference and friction. It is whole splendid open-door, open-window, fresh-air time of the for this purpose that micro-measuring machinery has been con¬ year because of a few days P trived, and American precision in quantity manufacture has Sometime ago, we have forgotten where, we read a series surprised the world. The engine that runs smoothly, quietly, of carefully compiled statistics indicating that many of the securely and accurately is usually the best engine. world’s great masterpieces had been produced in summer. It In most cases the greatest of men are those who in their is reasonable to assume that most of us are in better health in very repose indicate their unlimited power. History affords summer than in winter; there are fewer colds and aches; countless illustrations. Really great men are often amazingly there is usually greater energy because of greater oxygenation; unostentatious and gentle in their demeanor. It is difficult to the diet in summer, when plenty of fresh vegetables are obtain¬ realize in meeting such a modest, unassuming, courteous jour¬ able, endows us with more vitamines; and in all, the average nalistic genius as Cyrus H. K. Curtis, that he is really the high- worker with a real ambition is better fit for concentrated study powered dynamo responsible for the epoch-making success of in summer than in winter. In addition to this the long period four of the leading publications of the world. An explosive, of sunlight spares the eyes and makes longer periods of work spluttering, flamboyant man, wasting his energy in asserting possible. himself could not, in one life time, have accomplished what Mr. If you have not planned for special work this summer Curtis has been able to do in less than fifty years of concen¬ there is still plenty of time. The opportunities are very num¬ trated endeavor. erous. The Etude for years has done everything within The same truism applies to music. The pianist of real reason to foster the idea of Summer Schools because we believe power and sincere artistic inclinations is a kind of reservoir of very sincerely in their real worth. ability and ideals which the audience comes to appreciate at its real worth without any need for exploitation on the platform “Unbusinesslike Musicians ?” by means of eccentricities and waste motions. De Pachmann One of the most unjust accusations that can be made succeeds in spite of his platform antics, not because of them. against our profession is that “musicians are not businesslike.” If he did not play marvelously he could not command attention It is true that the professional person with his mind upon his for longer than one program. Josef Hofmann, Sergei Rach¬ work or his art, does not give quite as much attention to the maninoff, Josef Lhevinne, John Powell, Ignace Paderewski and matter of making money as the man or the woman who makes Fritz Kreisler, are all splendid examples of the dynamism of an art of that alone. repose. ^__■ On the other hand, in our experience with the Etude The Value of Visiting Conductors Music Magazine, we find that professional people are often ex¬ The death of Arthur Nikisch just after the announcement tremely sensitive about paying their bills promptly, about of a coming American tour was the occasion for deep regret on keeping engagements and about living up to the spirit as well the part of thousands of his admirers in America. Nikisch for as the words of a contract. years was regarded as the greatest of living conductors in the There has been, in the past, plenty of poppycock on the many countries in which he carried his beautiful message. part of certain musical hypocrites who have disdained all While he was in Boston the splendid philanthropy of Colonel interest in money as long as they got plenty of it and what it Higginson developed as never before. The keen penetration, buys, through various channels. The teacher who is so fas¬ the artistic sympathy and the remarkable alertness of Nikisch, tidious that he will not touch the fees of his pupils, but insists combined with his thorough musical background, did more for upon having them laid on the piano like burnt offerings on an the development of the orchestra than any of the more severe altar is likely to be the one to grab those fees instantly after drill masters who succeeded him. His contribution to American the pupil’s back is turned. Such a person is not merely un¬ musical art was very precious and deserves the widest rec¬ businesslike,—he is innocent of any sense of humor. The first ognition. step in cultivating a sense of humor is to be able to laugh at This year we have had several visiting conductors, among one’s own foibles. them d’Indy, Mengelberg, Strauss and Coates. Strauss and Musicians are extremely sensitive about asking for assist¬ d’Indy were already known. Mengelberg surprised his friends ance. The state of the profession during the last ten years has and those who heard him for the first time, by his wonderful been somewhat astonishing. Businesslike or unbusinesslike, virility and his authoritative interpretations. More attention, there have been very few really worthy appeals made to however, was attracted by Albert Coates, who, in ecclesiastical different institutions standing ready with funds to assist gen¬ parlance, exchanged pulpits with Dr. Walter Damrosch during uinely deserving musicians brought to the point of need the past winter. Incidentally, Dr. Damrosch was received with through causes other than their own bad habits or neglect. immense favor in London when he was conducting Mr. Coates’ The Department for Needy and Deserving Musicians of the splendid orchestras there. MAY 1922 Page 209 TUB ETUDE An Amazing Organ Many Roads to Coates was born in Petrograd, in 1882 of an English father and a Russian mother. Notwithstanding his early con¬ 0, all the musical instruments the ^ tinental background, he' is typical of the stalwart Englishman, course, the human voice. Few peop e, ov .’ }mj ycars it Artistic Playing a man of magnificent stature and fine manly bearing. At the derfu, endurance. Used tlLco- age of twenty, he abandoned his scientific studies and entered survives, in most instances, until the h the Leipzig conservatory, studying with Teichmuller, Ivlengel motion halts, the senses fade, jet the vo.ee m there as long a. An Interview with the Eminent Pianist*Conductor and Nikisch. Nikisch realized his immense potentialities and there is breath to put the vocal chords in vibiat • secured many openings for him. His advance was very rapid. The voice of die singer and the speaker is ^ at lea t By ALEXANDER SI LOT I In 1911, he became the leading conductor of the Imperial twice as much as that of the ordinary person. It must sus Opera at Petrograd. In 1916, his opera Sarclanapalus was tain a strain that only the one who has experienced t can given in Petrograd with great success, despite the war. On realize. Let it pass the danger point and the voice is cupp ed Secured Expressly for The Etude tours to London he conducted the Covent Garden Orchestra just as any other organ is crippled by over use. owever, u Wagner repertoire, in association with the remarkable amount of abuse it will sustain is almost unbelievable.