• in Memoriam Alma Gluck Zimbalist
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
AGMA Official Organ of the AMERICAN GUILD OF MUSICAL ARTISTS, INC. 576 Fifth Avenue, New York, N. Y. Telephone: LOngacre 3-6223 Re presentatit1es Hollywood Office: San Francisco: Chica!!,o: Philadelphia: ERNEST CHARLES, Asst. Exec. Secy. LAWRENCE STRAUSS RUDOLPH REUTER EDMUND]. IRVINE 1585 Crossroads of the World 1262 Francisco Street KIMBALL HALL 289 Sanford Road, Upper Darby, Pa. Officers: Board of Governors: Advisory Board: • LAWRENCE TIBBETT • • ZLATKO BALOKOVIC ERNST LERT President WALTER DAMROSCH RUTH BRETON LAURITZ MELCHIOR ]ASCHA HEIFETZ RUDOLPH GANZ FRANK CHAPMAN JAMES MELTON 1st Vice-President HOWARD HANSON RICHARD CROOKS EZIO PINZA RICHARD BONELLI MISCHA ELMAN LAWRENCE POWER ERNEST HUTCHESON 2nd Vice-President EVA GAUTHIER LANNY Ross SERGE KOUSSEVITZKY ALMA GLUCK CHARLES HACKETT ERNEST SCHELLING 3rd Vice-President LOTTE LEHMANN EDWARD HARRIS ALEXANDER SMALLENS JOHN MCCORMACK FRANK SHERIDAN ELISABETH HOEPPEL MARGARET SPEAKS 4th Vice-President GIOVANNI MARTINELLI JULIUS HUEHN GEORGIA STANDING DANIEL HARRIS GRACE MOORE EDWIN HUGHES DON VOORHEES 5th Vice-President LEE PATTISON JOSE ITURBI FRED WARING QUEENA MARIO FREDERICK JAGEL EFREM ZIMBALIST LILY PONS Recording Secretary PAUL WHITEMAN RUDOLPH REUTER FRANK LA FORGE ARTUR RODZINSKI Treasurer • ALBERT SPALDING LEO FISCHER Edited by L. T. CARR Executive Secretary Editorial Advisory Committee: GLADYS SWARTHOUT HENRY JAFFE EDWARD HARRIS, Chairman ARMAND TOKATYAN Counsel RICHARD BONELLI LEO FISCHER ELINOR REMICK WARREN IN MEMORIAM ALMA GLUCK ZIMBALIST Who Passed Away On October 27, 1938 In the next issue of AGMA Magazine will appear a tribute to Alma Gluck written by Marcia Daven port, her daughter, which AGMA's members will treasure among their memories of their great and beloved colleague. THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA SYMPHONY ASSOCIATION Quick Settlement Hoped In Contract Violation HE contractual relationship between AGMA and the three or four of the artists engaged by the Association were TSouthern California Symphony Association (the Holly non-members, and the Association took it for granted that wood Bowl and the Los Angeles Philharmonic Symphony each of them would, without question, become a member Orchestra) is now, temporarily it is to be hoped, in a state before the time of his performance. of suspension as a result of a breach of contract growing One of these non-members was Yehudi Menuhin. out of the appearance of a non-member of AGMA with the At the time of the renewal of the contract on September Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra. 22nd, 1938, the Symphony Association informed AGMA This is particularly unfortunate and regrettable, since the that it had neglected to protect itself in this matter and relationship has been both pleasant and of long standing AGMA agreed to extend every reasonable cooperation to and the contract which began it was one of the first con the Association in the unlikely event that any of these artists tracts made by AGMA after the acquisition of its charter should refuse to join. as a branch of the Associated Actors and Artistes of America. It must be clearly understood, however, that contrary to Pending the settlement of this difficulty AGMA members certain reports in the press, no exemption was granted at have been requested to refrain from making any contracts, this time in connection with these artists. It was mereU~ with the Symphony Association, until they have been notified understood that every reasonable cooperation would be giveJ; that the matter has been satisfactorily adjusted. AGMA had, of course, cooperated to the extent of granting While the situation is very serious, it is probable that it a temporary exemption in one or two previous cases, and will be possible to solve the difficulties which now exist it is possible that the Board of Governors, in the case of without any real damage to either AGMA or the Symphony Yehudi Menuhin would, upon his refusal to join, have Association. AGMA is disposed to be more than generous granted a similar temporary exemption in order to avoid in overlooking certain features of this breach of contract embarrassing the Symphony Association, if circumstances because, in the first place, it was made possible by a minor had permitted their doing so. Circumstances, however, did negligence on the part of the Symphony Association and in not, and it is easy to understand why. the second place, was directly brought about and unwarrant On October 3rd, at the particular request of the Symphony edly aggravated by the arbitrary action of one individual who Association, which feared some unpleasantness in his case, did not hesitate, for reasons understood best by himself, to AGMA wrote Yehudi Menuhin, informing him of our place both AGMA and the Symphony Association in a very contract and inviting him to join with his colleagues as an uncomfortable position by taking advantage of the omission AGMA member. of the Symphony Association to insert in his contract a This letter was replied to on October 16th by Moshe clause requiring his membership in AGMA. Menuhin, the father of Yehudi Menuhin. The choleric char The circumstances leading up to the breach of contract by acter of Menuhin's attitude throughout this affair is evident the Symphony Association are as follows: from the opening paragraph. The first contract between AGMA and the Association After receiving this amazing letter, AGMA sent a coPy which began on October 15th, 1937 and expired on October of it to the Southern California Symphony Association aru 15th, 1938, provided that all artists appearing in the Holly conferred with the Association as to the best means 0\ wood Bowl or with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra correcting some of the apparent misconceptions contained should be members of AGMA in good standing. Three therein, and of clarifying for Mr. Menuhin the reasons for specific exceptions were made to this. "AGMA-Shop" pro our requirement that he become an AGMA member, in vision in connection with three artists who were under accordance with our contract. contract to the Association prior to the date of the contract Menuhin, however, lost no time in communicating with between the Association and AGMA. These three artists the newspapers, and in issuing a statement attacking the were Josef Hofman, Artur Schnabel, and Adolf Busch and Guild and stating that he had no intention of abiding by they were exempted for the season 1937-38 only. the terms of AGMA's contract. In this first statement appears The second contract between AGMA and the Associa the ponderous declaration that to require him, Yehudi tion, which was in reality a renewal of the original contract Menuhin, to belong to AGMA was like requiring "Christ with certain minor changes, was signed September 22nd, and His Apostles to have union cards." 1938, so that the contractual relationship was continuous This statement, and the statements which followed fran and there was no period during which the Symphony Asso tically, more vitriolic and malicious with each new edition ciation was not obligated to require the artists whom they of the newspapers for the next several days preceding his engaged to be members of AGMA in good standing. concert, obviated, of course, any possibility of his being However, in engaging artists for the 1938-39 season, granted a waiver for his performances, particularly since he prior to the renewal of the AGMA contract on September publicly stated that he "would not accept any personal 22nd, 1938, the Symphony Association failed to insert in waiver or dispensation." each artists' contract a provision requiring his AGMA mem Throughout this trying period AGMA and the Symphony bership. This was the negligence referred to above. It was, Association, in the person of Mrs. Leiland Atherton Irish, in a sense, a minor negligence because as it happened, only (Continued on Page 8) Page Two AGMA The time has come, the Walrus said, to talk at many things; at shoes and ships and sealing wax, and cabbages and kings.-LEWIS CARROLL Peace} peace} Mercutio} peace! Thou talk'st at nothing-RoMEo AND JULIET. "YEHUDI MENUHIN honestly believes that AGMA "My particular case versus 'AGMA', or 'AGMA' versus has one wish to dictate to control approve disapprove Yehudi Menuhin, is really, the case of solo concert Artists every artistic and professional step of the free lance inde who are also Hollywood and Opera Stars and whose per pendent solo concert artist exactly as it does the economic sonal and professional interests are involved directly in and political interests of the regularly employed salaried collective bargaining problems, versus the pure Solo Concert musicians ballet dancers chorus girls movie and opera stars Artist who would not sell his Art to Hollywood; who i~ with whom Yehudi Menuhins career never comes in contact within himself on the concert Stage the "whole show", to and with which he has no common denominator and there use a vernacular expression!" fore no phase of any collective bargaining." "Insulting, disrespecting, assaulting and aspersing a Great "AM I GOING TO SANCTION THESE DEGRADING American Artist meant nothing to them as long as they AND REVOLTING TACTICS TO SERVE SOME UN may win his head!" HOLY OR PERSONAL PURPOSE OF SOME AMBI TIOUS AGMA OFFICER OR PAID AGENT????" "At that time he declared he was not opposed to the prin ciples of trade unionism, but did not believe they applied "You, Dr. Koussevitzky, like a good many others, must in the case of a solo artist. Yesterday, while reaffirming this have been persuaded to join AGMA, on the ground of belief, he attached the Guild with the assertion that, under ;enerosity and Fraternity "To help the less fortunate fellow existing circumstances, the organization 'is bound to go off Artists." I wish to assure you that were that the only purpose on a tangent and become a racket.' " of AGMA my son Yehudi would have been among the very first to give his name and support to such a Fraternal " ..