him, and Else Klink, who recalls her harmonious collabora­ which drew forth respect but less gratitude for the studio’s tion with him in . His recitation had less outlet in efforts. Dornach, although he was assigned minor roles in stage Yet these efforts were significant. William Gardner at­ productions. However, he took part in tours to England and tempted to awaken interest in the spiritual stature of nearby cities. He maintained a friendship with Annemarie writers like Melville, Thoreau, Tennyson, MacDonald Dubach, who wrote an appreciation of the eurythmic experi­ through frequent readings, and to introduce to an American ments contributed by his studio to the first international public the poems or essays of , Christian conference in 1966. The dignity and earnestness Morgenstern or in new translations, in im­ of his Dornach years were commented on by Albert Steffen. pressively flowing speech forms, often with moving The Elocution and Eurythmy Studio, founded in New eurythmic interpretations. In the 1950’s he directed am­ York in 1949 when he was 33, was a cooperative venture of bitious scenes from Goethe’s Faust — the Prologue in four Dornach-trained artists and several American co­ Heaven and the Ariel scene — and the old Norse initiation workers, that provided him the secure footing he needed to ballad, the “Dream Song of Olaf Asteson.” Later, his per­ pursue his goals in America in his own independent way. It sonal feats of recitation included three-hour readings of Ten­ had its origins in Dornach shortly after the war, when the nyson’s “In Memoriam,” impressive renderings of Shake­ English eurythmist Elizabeth Raab-Van Vliet and her Amer­ speare sonnets and Shelley’s “Skylark” (one breath to a ican husband arrived in Dornach. An intensive collaboration stanza!). An etheric lightness and flow, at peace with con­ in English ensued, midnight rehearsals (the only time the ceptual clarity, marked both his speech and eurythmy. Many stage was free) of the Prospero and Ariel scenes from Shake­ of his studio performances were memorialized with great speare’s Tempest, which became a kind of signature for the care in hand-printed programs with original graphic designs. painstaking and ingenious quality of the studio’s work in It is inevitable that a man who identifies himself so years to come. He developed, after years of energetic prac­ strongly with his own creation must suffer the fate of its de­ tice in Dornach with Lydia Wieder, the difficult feat of duo cline. Having held the studio in his single grip for 17 years, recitation, and this formed the core of the studio speech he brought some of the fruit of its original work to Dornach chorus. This group was followed to America by Hanni in 1966, was rejected by the larger part of the audience, and Schlaefli, who after a period of work with the studio left it to in the same year the active existence of the studio came to form the New York Performing Group. an end. Shortly thereafter his marriage to one of his co­ A further ideal of William Gardner, beyond rooting workers in the studio was annulled and his two children left eurythmy in the English language, was to provide for it the him. He withdrew with worsening health to work with a few quality of recitation and music that would give it wings. The remaining pupils, reciting the texts that had been the sub­ curriculum of the studio therefore included singing, stance of the studio’s work 15 years before. His heart ail­ recorder ensemble, solo-speaking, chorus and eurythmy, as ment made him increasingly dependent upon the faithful well as study of American and English authors, of Anthro­ support of his friend of over 30 years, Lydia Wieder. posophy and other occult teaching. In most of these ac­ This life, lived exclusively under the star of the forma­ tivities he took the leading role. His teaching was clear, tive power of his art, became a lonely one through the un­ thorough and effective; each class or rehearsal was well- compromising demands it made on others. But the ideals rounded, and left the student with the sense he was always William Gardner cultivated were tended faithfully to the in touch with the fundamentals of each art. very end. He was preceded through the portal of death by In his performances William Gardner was a perfection­ several of his intimate co-workers in the studio — Regina ist, and there was no detail of lighting, costume, gesture or Stillman, Thelma Dillingham, Elizabeth Van Vliet, Hanni nuance of voice that was not worked over and over again un­ Schlaefli. We may be sure that the devotion poured by so til it was just right, then rehearsed until the whole was many into this early vessel for the arts in America is being flawless. This standard of intense work, which he was able transmuted into new and more fruitful forms for the future, to exact from his studio co-workers, who could rehearse and that the shapes impressed by the work of this karmic together several times a week, made it rare that others group into the ether of America are serving those who carry could collaborate in its performances. This led in time to a the impulses of speech and eurythmy into the decades ahead. certain exclusiveness, an aloof pride in his accomplishments, — Theodore Van Vliet

OTHER MEMBERS WHO HAVE CROSSED THE THRESHOLD OF DEATH:

Lona Koch, June 3, 1979 Lola B. Heckelman, Feb. 27, 1979 Charles F. Drew, March 25, 1979 from Chester, N.Y. from Julian, Ca. from New York, N.Y. Joined the Society in 1932 Joined the Society in 1960 Joined the Society in 1960

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