Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-10-28

"And think,p I said triumphanty, the
greater part OF that one-fourth of one per
cent is women!"
THAT is true" he replied. an America
the women have more time and more in
clnation for music than have the men, who
are interested in baseball and business.
In Europe II is different; one sees as many,
IL not more, men at the concerts than
women"
And when is the great American opera
coming?"
who can tell?" Mr.. stokowslSi answered,
and then epigrammatically, Genius, II is
but an accident that takes place In an in
dividuals brain one cannot tell when
such accidents are going to happen. but
one knows II when they do.
AMERICAS MUSICAL FUTURE
'The question of Americas musical fu-
ture is unique. II has never happened be-
fore that land so big as this and with
such possibilities was so absolutely devoid
of ancient history and mythology The
geniuses of the old countries who have
written great works have always gone
back to draw from the wonderful folk
lore and mythology OF their lands. Ameri-
cans have come from everywhere. Per-
haps time will supply you with mythol-
ogy."
And yet" reminded him. you gave an
Americans symphony last winter-Daniel
that was very adversely criticized"
Every musician whose work reaches a
certain standard" was the characteristic
reply. lis entitled to have that work played.
This Is necessary for the development of
music. If he does not hear them, how
can he improve them?
Think what II would have meant to
Schubert IL he could have heard his SYM
phonies played. Not one did he hear and
that is our loss, for great and wonderful
those symphonies are, l cannot help
but feel that they would have been even
greater and more wonderful had Schubert
heard them"
MIR. stokowslki settled himself down more
comfortably in his chair and prepared to
consider the question of Schubert and his
work further.
"A little about yourself, please" I inter-
jected timdly.
But no, it could not be, he said Schu-
bert was interesting, big, but Stokowski,
that was too small.
What do you read?" | fred at him just
as though we were playing a game called
'Favorite Authors"
"When?' he took up the question good
khVpQredly last week. this week, or last
T TyegfsSF Hi;s Inference was that being a
normaAh 'lman, he read I'll the time. Yes
terday ] read a book about the modern
f29f1l and French psinters. l am interest
sed m them and recently found in the house
"A
| finest collectpns Of those modern paint
! it,aa A greet renaissance in the art world
I 1XEking yrace II is wonderful to watch
Lr4dt 4 quite possible from the interest he
OxftR in art that IL Leopold Stokowski
knbesn great conductor he would
x1ge sHely been a painter. One suspects
hidden away in the house somewhere
Yb4hnd the pianos or innumerable musical
scores that fiji the bookcases which line the
~. palette and canvas and tubes are to
And the same liberalism and broadmInd-
edness which characterized his attitude
| toward music is discernlble I'm his view
toward art. The vorticsts, the imagists.
Matisse, Cezanne, Monet, the new and the
near-new, all have their place in the his
| tory OF painting, he holds, as Debussy and
the moderns and Schoenberg and the ex-
| treme moderns In the musical world are
| entitled to hearing.
I'VE are too near the picture" he elabo-
rated his idea of the extremists ito Judge
accurately what the ultimate result will be
| of their strivings. but that they are after a
definite idea cannot help but be seen For
getful OF form sometimes, they are working
for color. Debussy got it--pure color in
small spots-in his 'slrenes' That is the
best exemplihcation."
And then because It was late and I had
| trespassed long enough, 1 got up to go.
| but, remembering q remark that a man
| who stands In line every Saturday for a
gallery seat had made, / sat down to re-
| peat H.
THE man who really loves music, who
| will stand for two hours In order 10 get in
to hear symphony. he resents the sololst.
| the star who draws large crowds who
| teopardizes his chance TO get a seat 10 hear
good music. He has a contempt for those
| people who VIII come only TO hear Schu-
mann-Heink or Farrar and who stay away
| n IA a laf -
''He is right" Mr.. stokowski said
definitely. 1T Is thoroughly bad for an
| orchestra 10 engage a solOist merely be-
cause he or she Is a good drawing card. The
artist Is the means 10 an end the ideal con-
| dition is when he Is employed because IL Is
necessary 10 have him 70 interpret the work
that is being given"
ibid you know that those persons who
stand regularly in line so as % be able 10
hear you are often crowded out by those
| who come only infrequently when a p-nular
artist Is to sing or play. and th5t they
wish the check system that is In use in
| Boston, whereby those who come flrst ara
served nrst. would be installed hereY' ]
asked
The keen interest registered by Philadel.
phias orchestra leader shows that his heart
Is with those who sit In the high places"
7 shall suggest those chscla 10 the man,
aEement," he said making note Of ths
matter, II know what II Ia b stand
did II so many many times wben I was 4
| student II was 90 cold and the waits
were 80 long and II was so ruinous 10 TN
disposition TO- have some one who had
been waiting not 80 long crowd in from,
OF you, We shall see what we can de
about that"
TRULY MODEST MAN
Leopold stokowsky IL easy 20 talk 4
about everything under the sun that ex
cludes himself Ask him how old he Is snt
he viii reply that II Is truly marveioas
40 Il not, the way Shakespeare drew upoI
the old legends for his u4terial
Request him 10 recount 20 you the stof>
dismissInk you with careless. "Qn. Il VA