New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-07-11
British Conductor to
Appear in New York

he returned to Russia with but one
thought--that of becoming a musician.
The elder Coates, entertaining misgiv-
lngs regarding an artistic career for
his son, placed him in his own Office
at the Thornton Wooden Mills, Petro-
grad.
Here young Albert spent his time
writing music, and his father, finding
ms accounts invariably behindhand,
often remarked that he didn't under.
81 stand how. the boy managed to do so
little in so much time. One day, how
ever, he caught him jotting down notes
In the ledger, part of movement for
violin sonata, and realizing that he
would never make a business man of
ms son he decided to send Albert to
Lelpsic, where he studied piano, cello
and composition. 1t was in 1904 that
Nlklsch opened his conducting class at
the Conservatoire. Coates was one of
the first to join and very soon became
the masters favorite pupil. Nikisch,
watching his pupil conducting with
The conducting stick seems INSULT
cient for. your feelings, Coates, you'd
better take whip" It was Nikisch
who persuaded Albert Coates to give
up the idea Of becoming a pianist.
"Born conductors are few. Coates"
Nikisch said, "but you are certainly
one of them"
Coates followed the advice, and Nj
kisch, on becoming director at tho
Leipsic Opera House, Immediately en-
gagged young Coates as his junior con-
/ ductor. In 1909 the director of the
Petrograd Imperial Opera heard him
conducting the "Walkure" and imme-
diately after the performance offered
| Of \
artistic director in Petrograd. Over
joyed at the prospect of return to his
dig home Coates accepted and very
soon became the most popular conduc-
tor in all Russia. In 1914 Coates con-
Quoted at Covent Garden during the
Wagner season and with such success
that the Covent Garden Syndicate re-
engaged him for the grand season, dur
ing which he shared the work together
with his old professor, Nikisch. Nj
kisch conducted the "Ring" and Coates
Christian" "Mastersingers" and "Parsi-
fal''
+, When the revolution broke out in
Russia the opera director for the Car
resigned his Office and the artists of
the Petrograd Theater formed man.
aging committee, choosing the members
from among themselves. They ran
|
political utilization. Albert Coates was
committee. They argued the revolu-
tionary government into acknowledging
| their autonomy and managed SO we'll
that when the Bolsheviki came into
power they in their turn confirmed the
independence of the opera company and
left it to work out it's own salvation.
So the artists, working amicably to-
gether without jealousy or intrigue,
managed to keep their artistic flag fly
ing until they were beaten in the un-
even fight with starvation. Hunger
Slapped their strength, and at re-
hearsal, when Coates asked the or
chestra to repeat a passage that did
not go as he wished, the men an
swered:
eve would do it with pleasure-we
always do gladly what you want-but
we cannot; we're too hungry"
/ One after another of the men disap-
peared out of the orchestra, and on in
| quiring why they were not at rehear-
sails the conductor was told they had
died Of starvation! The same grew
some thinning out went on also in the
chorus. The daily tragedy of their SUI
ferings and his inability to help finally
broke down Coates's health. He fell
i'll, blood poisoning set in, and he lay
| two months at deaths door. This ILL
ness, however, turned out to be a
blessing. for through it Mrs. Coates,
with the. help Of the doctor, managed
to drive it into the authorities that
Coates would die if he remained in
! Russia, and that he must be given
leave Of absence to go to a sanatOrium
in Finland to recoup his strength
After endless difficulties and disap-
pointments Mrs. Coates at last col
llected all the library Of documents
necessary for leaving the country and
they got safely over the border into
Finland.
Isolde Menaes Married