The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1924-01-03
HOWARD HANSON
HONORED AT ROME
Composer, Well Known in
KenOsha, Receives Am
erican-ROme Prize.
THREE YEARS. STUDY
Bn WESLEY La VIoLETTE.

The name of Howard Hanson,
American composer, has become faml-
liar to many Kenoshans because of
former visits here and also through
an ever spreading and increasing repu-
tation. His appointment to- a scholar
ship in Rome, known as the American
Rome prize, won through competi-
tion open to all the United States,
brought him into national and inter-
national prominence. He has been
abroad now for about two years, the
prize emitting him to three years
residence in Rome and with six months
of each year spent in travel.
The purpose of the prize is not for
study with teachers abroad, but rather
for cultural influences and also for
leisure in which to do creative work.
The requirements for admission to the
competition are such that there is
automatically much preliminary elm
ination of candidates without cor
sideration technic
Can Americans Compose Music?
During the past summer an inter
view was published in a number of
papers in which the present writer
discussed the future of American COM
position. At that time the article was
discussed I'm different newspapers
which, all aided in the propaganda for
our native composers. At any rate,
Howard Hanson was cited in this ar
ticle as being one of our coming men.
have held that position in spite of
opposition in some authoritative cir
- 6o
good news here that again Hanson
comes forth with new honors and the
name of America is further blazoned
in the fields of music abroad.
A letter from Hanson, now in Rome
where he has just returned from an
artistic excursion into the British
Isles, brings the information that he
has been commissioned to write a
work for chorus and orchestra for the
famous Leeds festival in England in
1925. This festival is a tri-ennial
celebration first inaugurated by Queen
Victoria in 1858. Many famous COM
posers have been commissioned 20
create new works to have their first
performance at this great musical
event. Among them are the well
known names of Bennett, Arthur Sui
Ivan, Stanford Dvorak, Elgar, Mas
senet, Humperdinck, and many other
notables. Albert Coates, the famous
English conductor, who has made such
sensation with his orchestral con-
Quoting in our own east, is the present
conductor of the Leeds festival. He is
much interested in the work Of
young Hanson, and the present COM
mission is the result.
Recognition at Home.
That our own country is not to be
outdone by the foreign will be well
come news to. those who love to see
justice begin at home. Mr.. Hanson
has been commissioned, and the work
is already completed, for the Coolidge
festival at Pittsfeld, Mass, next Sep
TENDER. This too is another honor
given more often to talent across the
water than to native sons.
Those in Kenosha who were privil-
eyed to hear Lionel Tertis, the Eng
lish violinist, here in recital in No
vember, will be especially interested
at this juncture to know that Mr..
Hanson is just completing new work
for Mr. Tertis to play with orchestra
accompaniment. Each artist is an
ardent and intense admirer for the
other, and so a work of significant i'm
portance should be produced.
On December 81, Hanson sails from
Rome for New York where he is to
superintendent rehearsals of a new
symphonic work which Walter Dam
rosch is to give its world premiere
there early in February. Shortly after
he will return to Rome i'm order to be
there for another performance.