The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1907-05-07
$4,000 A YEAR
ORCHESTRA MAY
Be D|SBANOED
Is Trouble Between Leader
and Members of Pittsburg's
Famous Organization.

Associated Press to The Evening Tines.
Pittsburg. Pa, May 7.-Pittsburg's
forty thousand dollars year orchestra
is threatened with disruption that
bids fair to indirectly affect all other
large permanent orchestras of the
country, chief among which are those
located at Boston. New York and Chi
cago. Labor troubles and opposition
to the methods adopted by Conductor
Emil Paur are said to be the main
cause of the present difficulties. and
SO acute has the dissension become
that the orchestra is without a man
ager and all offers of the position to
succeed George H. Wilson, who has
thus far been manager for ten years,
have been declined. Luigi Won Kunitz
and Henry Bramscn, the 'celMst, have
resigned or refused to sign contracts
for another year. and with the an
nouncement that Mr.. Paur will sail
for Europe Tuesday. where he will
engage other soloists, the members of
the local musicians union have de-
clared that the whole matter will be
laid before the International League
of Musicians which convenes for it's
annual meeting at Cleveland, Ohio,
on May Z. 8. 9 and 10. where a re-
quest for the protection of the con-
tract labor law will be made.
1t is asserted that charges of a
character to call for the intervention
of the United States authorities will
there be made against Mr.. Paur.
President w. L. Mayer. head of the
musicians organization. has stated
that Mr.. Paur has asked that he be
allowed to bring several players to
America, and this statement Mr.. Paur
confirmed, but would not discuss the
situation farther.
That there is an influence at work
to destroy the orchestra is claimed
by those interested in its welfare and
these individuals point to the fact that
Mr.. Paur has been unable to secure
the concert master of the lately dis
banded Cincinnati orchestra to take
the place Of Won Kunitz, and that he
has met with similar refusals in New
York, Philadelphia and Chicago. 1t
is stated that the principal 'cellist of
the Theodore Thomas orchestra re-
fused an offer to succeed Henry Bran
son, basing his refusal upon protests
recently made by the International
League of Musicians. All these mat
ters will be threshed out at the meet
ing in Cleveland.
Half the members of the last sea-
sons orchestra are said to be holding
out their signatures to contracts.
Eight of the violinists, five of the
'cellists, two trombones, one trumpet,
one cornet and one flute have refused
to sign.
The trouble was brought to focus
when Director Paur wrote to the pres
ident of the local musicians union
asking to call on him at his hotel.
Mr.. Paur is said to have received a
rather curt answer. attention having
been called to the fact that Mr.. Paur
had publicly stated that he would
bring musicians from Vienna and that
this move would be resisted through
the United States authorities. Mr..
Paur was told by the head of the mu-
sdcians' union that he would have to
do business in this country and that
II any discussion was to be had it
would have to be in the Office of the
union.
The outcome of the difficulties will
be watched. with interest for several
reasons. Among these Is the effect
any ruling or action of the Interna-
tional League of Musicians may have
on other orchestras; Mr.. Paur's prom
inence in the musical world abroad
and on this side Of the Atlantic, hav-
Ding been the conductor of the Boston
Symphony orchestra. and also the af-
flliations Of the Pittsburg orchestra
with the Carnegie institute.