Evening star., 1925-12-25
ROAD TO SUCCESS
! IN MUSIC HARDER
Competition Increases Ex'
penSe and Difficulty OF
Launching Career.

By the Associated Press.
NEW YORK, December 20.-The
road to success on the concert stage IN
the olden days was difficult. but now IT
is even harder. More hopes of amol-
tious artists than ever are being
crushed into disappointment.
This, in the opinion of several
prominent New York managers, has
come about because of increased com
petition and the attendance of more
intelligent audiences.
why, when | brought out Pade-
rewsh in London, said Daniel Mayer.
who was the first manager OF the
great artist, there were only ~ or Il
famous pianists in the world. Today
there are 20 or - and hundreds ot
,,hers trying to reach the pinnacle.
Route More Expensive.
Not ONLY is the route harder, but 1t
also is more expensive. When any one
is ready for concert work 1t costs at
least $4,000. and oftentimes more, 10
get started exclusive of funds eN.
pended through the long years oi
training.
IN making this estimate executive
j Philharmonic Society of New
YORK nolnted out that there IS the cost
of expert teachers to correct mlStaEeS
previously overlooked. An accompanlst
is necessary. except when the artist IS
a pianist Promotion and advertising
also are expensive.
Then the artist must rent halls lof
his debut performances. which usually
are given in New York. Boston and
Chicago. On many of these evenings
in New York the hall is packed with
uersons. but the chances are the tick
cts were presented free gratis by the
artist. or a wealthy sponsor was OF
assistance.
Fixed Fee Guaranteed.
concert managers here are in touch
with managers and music organlZa-
tions in hundreds of cities and towns
throughout the country. When tours
are arranged the virtually unknown
artist is guaranteed a small fixed zee
for each performance.
Unless the artist proves an unusual
succeSs-and overnight successes are
few and far between-the New York
manager does not, in his opinion, re
ceive fair remuneration for his serV.
ices until after the first or second
year.
Mayer, who, in addition to bringing
out Paderewski. also was the first
manager of Melba. Ysaye, Pavlowa,
Bauer, Elman and Giannini. does not
believe it is proper to refer TO man
ager as having made" an artist.
Function of Manager.
You cannot make an artist" he
said. but you can use the gifts of an
artist if they are real to produce them
before the public in. such manner
that the artist becomes famous.
Take the case of Dusolina Clan
mini, whose success is one of the few
coming overnight. 1t was in March,
1923. that Anna Case became suddenly
indisposed and was not able to appear
at the Schola Cantorum conducted by
Kurt SCHNEIDER at Carnegie Hall.
SCHNEIDER had only a few hours
notice and was desperate. Some one
told him of Nine. Sembrich having an
unusually good student in Giannini.
The soprano happened to be familiar
with the selections, and, after playing
them over. agreed to help SCHNEIDER.
Il happened to he in the audience
that night and heard her wonderful
success. 1 was able to put her on the
concert stage Immediately, but if she
had not been able to live up to the
reputation resulting from her first
nights performance my services
would have been worth nothing"
Eye for Business.
The old fashioned temperamental
concert stage and instead comes the
artist with an eye for business. Audi
ences of today demand fine perform
ances, and there also is a natural de-
sire on the part of the artists to give
their best. a few eccentricities or an
occasional outburst of temperament
no longer can help across n program
which may have been marred by the
slurrinE of notes or the slapping of
several wrong keys.
When success comes the worry of
poor audiences and small fees passes.
The managers then guarantee big iaes
in advance and have little fear of so
doing, for nearly always the attend
ance is large.
All these things, and many others,
the young artists know. So they go
through lean years with the hope that
some day in the future fame's spot
light, with accompanying fortune, will
find them.