New-York tribune., 1921-10-16
Alfredo Casella to Appear
With Philadelphia Orchestra

this season is Alfredo Casella, com
poser, pianist and writer on musical
subjects. Mr. Casella will make his
iirst American appearance with the
Philadelphia Orchestra In Philadel phia
on Friday and Saturday, October 2S
and 20, and his arst New York ap-
pearance on Tuesday, November /, with
the Philadelphia Orchestra. 1t is ex-
oected that he will play in New York,
one Of his piano works, and will also
conduct one of his compositions.
In an article by Guido NJ. Gatti,
translated by Frederick H. Martens,
FOR a recent number of "The Musical
Quarterly, the story of Casella's life
s told as follows:
He was born in a musical home.
His father was an excellent cellist and
. professor at the Turin Liceo Musi-
Gale; his mother, an admirable pianist,
had been tutored in her art by that
Keen mind Carlo Rossaro. His god
father was that magician Of the v.olon-
cello, Alfredo Patti; all his nearest
relatives were cellists. When four
Years old Casella began to study the
piano under the guidance OF his
mother; yet he did not fail on that
account in freely devoting attention to
other natural inclinations less marked.
He had always taken, from the very
first, lively satisfaction in busyirG
himself with electricity and chemistry,
and occupying himself seriously and
with constancy with their study So
much SO, in fact, that Calico Ferraris,
friend of the family and frequent
visitor OF the Casella home, insisted
that the boy should begin to take up
he arduous study of science.
ut was in 1885, at the age of twelve,
that on the advice Of Giuseppe
Martucci, Casella gave up all other
pursuits to dedicate himself entirely
70 music, studying harmony with
Cravero. Already, however, as a ten
vear-old youngster, he had made
successful debut in the Cireolo degli
artisti and in the year following ne
appeared before a larger audience in,
the Carignana. In 1895 Diemer. the
famous teacher at the Paris Conserva-
i %la knx ny
sraordinary talent in various concerts
which the latter had given in Partisan
concert halls, induced him to come to
mis- school. In the Paris Conservatory
Casella completed his regular studies,
and on concluding them remained a
year longer in order to follow Gabriel
Faure's course in composition
"Now, however, that he found him
self free from any control and no
longer confined within the narrower
bounds Of academic study, he began
his new life with phenomenal and
astonishing activity. In the course Of
few years, appearing in some two
hundred odd concerts, he had visited
every country in Europe, had made the
acquaintance of all its most celebrated
and important musicians and had
studied their works with insight and
discernment. He attended the perform
ances of hundreds of orchestral works,
thus little by little preparing the de-
yelopment of his present savory or
chestraton, one that is so truly his
own. He also conducted the most bril-
liant European orchestras, such as the
Colonne, Lamoureux, Monteux, Phil
harmonic Amsterdam, etc. This unin-
.errupted activity as q concert pianist
and orchestral conductor does not pre-
vent other parallel activities, equally
noteworthy: as composer, as the
eading professor Of piano at the Paris
Conservatory, as the musical critic Of
'L'Hon1mc Libre," as we'll as of many
other reviews Of various nationalities
and as the propagandist for music and
musicians unknown to the public On
his connection I should like to men
ton that not a few of the Italian musi-
clans Of to-day them the very
best-owe to Casella their first hear.
ngs in France. Italv and elsewhere; {
lisintcrestcd item in the moral make.
Up Of the musician Of Turin which one
should not overlook, though in no case
10 consider it proper to try to de
velop an artist out Of his moral anc
social qual.ties)'