The New York herald., 1922-01-01
Oscar StrauS Finds
Women Are Musical
Inspiration to Hin,
Arthur Schnabel, viennese
Pianist, Describes Life of
the Composer.

| Arthur Schnabel vienneso pianist,
who made his American debut the other
day at Carnegie Hail. 10 q ciose friend
Of Oscar straus. composer Of "rhe
Chocolate Soldier" Mr.. Schnabel ar
rived only last week from Vienna.
bringing the latest intimate news con-
corning one of the most famous COM
posers of lighter music In the world.
yet strangely enough OF whom the
books tell hardly anything. Mr. Selma
bel while devoted professionally to
serious music and that which Is prop
erly termed classical. Is extremely fond
of lighter musical modes and hence his
friendship for Straus and the Straus
works.
To-day Schnabel says Straus sits In
the coffee houses OF Vienna surrounded
by artistic groups whom he befriends
out of his own royalties II there is
! need--aRd there always Is need. AL
ways prominent in the groups are lead
ing feminine singers of Vienna ami
other capitals. Straus. too, is their
friend and they are to him an inspira-
tion.
But little has been known in America
concerning the real life Of Straus. II
you go to the Public Library many an
attendant win search through mary
volumes and in the end bring you q
twenty line paragraph in German which
gives the hare fact of his birthplace
and achievements. The sketch pre-
sented by Mr.. Schnabel, however. Is
complete.
First Devoted to SERIOUS Music.
In his youth Oscar Straus was devoted
| 70 serious music. He was equally de-
voted to = talented, serious minded wife,
violinisl For her he composed suites.
| sonatas and pieces for the violin. He
was then conductor Of grand opera at
Mayence aud other German centers Of
| grand opera.
With the disappearance of his first
| wife from his life, tho Inspiration of
| Oscar Straus changed, He was seen in
| Berlin with charming and vivactous
bohemian woman. Boyena Hradski,
| whom ne afterward married. She was
! O singer Of lighter songs and Straus In
| yariably played her nccompaniments,
At this period In his life. which was
! early In 1901, he established new mu-
sical movement, entirely light In char
/ acter, In Berlin. He was associated In
! this undertaking with Baron Ernet Won
Wolzogen, who was the financial hacker
/ of what he and Straus called the Uber-
! brettl 1t has been defined by Mr.
! Schnabel as super-vaudeville.
AT that time the words Of songs were
/ doggerel and the music Of popular songs
! heard in cafes was not of n hish quail
| ity. Straus conceived the idea OF in
/ ducing famous musicians In Europe and
/ famous writer's to compose and write
! popular songs. These were suns from
! D stage or from the floor OF the oper-
1 bretti. which can be described only as
I something OF a cabaret and yet isn't.
Prominent in the Uberbrettl was
/, Strauss lighter musical inspiration,
. Boyena Bradslxi. the Bohemian singer.
, For her Straus wrote many musical
( farces and little musical works, which
were first introduced in the Uberbretti.
strauss marriage with Boyena BradEki
: was followed by his entire devotion to
I lighter works. While during his days
I with the yiolnist he had composed for
4 the violin and had even had grand opera
( ambitions he now pushed rapidly to the
front OF the composers OF Viennese
F., operettas, becoming q popular member
| of the school which now includes Franz
Lehar and Leo Fall.
Wrote Series OF Operettas.
Baron Ernst Won Wolzogen became
Strauss financial hacker In his first am
bilious lighter musical production, THE
Merry Husband" After that SUCCESS
with all its attendant feminine inspira-
ton was an easy matter. In rapid sue
cession followed the series of operettas
which at present are bringing him
royalties from almost every country OF
- - xrla.
personality inspired some Of Strauss
mos, delicate and charming musical
passages, became famous because OF
their appearance In such works as The
Chocolate Soldier" THE Dream Sona,''
The Last Waltz" and others of the
series.
The works were produced almost
simultaneously at the Carl Theater IN
Vienna and the Theater des westens in
Berlin. Some OF the singers exchanged
with artists appearing In either city,
Among those who became famous
through their appearance In Strauss
"Zworenz.- called the most vivacious
woman on the European stage and, like
Nine. Boyena Bradski-Straus. Boz
heman.
To-day Oscar Straus, In receipt OF
music royalties from all parts OF ths
world, sits In the coffee houses OF
Vienna, surrounded by the artistic peo-
pie OF that capital and among them
: women friends. who are still an inspira-
tion to this composer. with a musical
touch that is feminine In it's delicacy,
For Oscar Straus Is n good friend ia
the lesser musicians and artists among
his contemporaries who have been I'm
poverished because of tho war.
Woman Ia ever lovely and is always
In every one of her thousand moods, a
source OF musical inspiration" Straur
III utiofod an savfn1 rocentlv IN fi,e cof.