The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-11-19
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Russia's Musical Life Shows
Renewed Vitality

is not diversion, but life's daily
necessity. Thus reports Alexandra
Borowsky, noted pianist, in Musical
America, following his recent tour
through Soviet Russia.
The artist notes that the audiences
which attend the concerts have COM
pletely changed since the time of the
revolution. Youth for the most part
dominates the new concertgoers, which
welcome eagerly every new musical
feature. If, on one hand, this public
lacks competence, because of small
experience, on the other hand it is
free from any misleading thoughts,
and it's judging is not influenced by
any professional criticisms.
During the Interpretation the pub
lie is rather sober, but if the artists
are liked, the audience will not let
them leave the stage and, without
any consideration of time, is willing
and ready to hear them to any length.
The present public prefers emotional
and powerful music, glazing in colors.
Therefore Beethoven, List and Pro-
kofieff are, for example, among the
most beloved and appreciated.
In spite of the poverty of the in
habitants, the price of seats is higher
than in France or Germany. For
example, they charge between forty
cents and two dollars for a place.
Passes or free cards are unknown in
the Soviet Republic.
Opera Carries On.
The opera theaters give several
premieres every season. The most in
teresting this year were probably
"The Love of Three Oranges" by
Prokofieff lin Moscow and "The
Jump over the Shadow" by Krenek.
The ballet in Moscow and Leningrad
still flourishes, as under the old
regime. Charkow, the capital of the
Ukrainian Soviet Republic, possesses
also an opera house and symphonic
orchestra. In Kieff, new orchestra
without conductor, the second in Rus
STA, has been established.
All the symphonic concerts are sub
scribed for. The recitals of foreign
soloists secure mostly a full house.
Mr.. Borovsky, for example, gave four
recitals in Moscow during two
months, and each time played before
1000 people. He gave thirty-four
concerts, during his two and one-half
months tour, and played in nie
towns: in Moscow, Leningrad, Char
kow, Kieff, Odessa, Rostoff, Baku,
Tiflis and Erivan.
Moscow and Leningrad still possess
their splendid opera-orchestras Other
organizations are the Moscow Persim-
fans, which gives about forty concerts
during the season, and the "Gosfil"
Orchestra in Leningrad, which gives
also several symphonic concerts. Dur
ing the last three years many first
class foreign conductors have gone to
Russia, among them Bruno Walter,
Otto Klemperer, Pierre Monteux,
Hermann Abendroth, Hans KNAPP
pertsbusch and Oscar Fried. The or
chestras possess also several gifted
Russian conductors. -
Some foreign virtuosos come to
Russia, but not so often as conductors.
Russia has some very eminent SOLO
lists, for example, Igoumnoff, Sofro-
nicky, Oborin and Ginsbourg, pianists.
After complete isolation of Rus
sian music life from abroad during
seven consecutive years (1917-1924),
the Soviets began in 1924 to invite
foreign artists for concert tours in
the U. S. S. Republic. These artists
were, during the first years, ex-
clusively foreigners. 1t was only in
the first months of this year that
two Russian artists were invited to
come from abroad-Serge Prokofieff,
the composer and Mr.. Borovsky,
pianist. The latter has been invited
to make another tour of Russia in
1928.
| Orchestra Without Conductor.
One of the most original features
of the musical life in Russia is the
Moscow orchestra which plays with
out a conductor, called "Persimfans."
This orchestra has existed for five
years and has ninety musicians. The
pick of the orchestra is composed of
the best instrumentalists of the previ-
Gus Koussevitzky orchestra.
Such an orchestra, without a con-
ductor, needs a much greater number
Of rehearsals than the usual ensemble
because every member has to know
not only his part, but the whole mu-
steal piece in detail. Otherwise he
risks failure in his task during the
Interpretation.
In this way the members of this
orchestra really hear the music they
are interpreting, instead of follow
ing the conductors baton and count
ing, machine-like, the measures and
pauses!
The tonal effect of the Persimfans
Orchestra is usually very good, re-
ports Mr.. Borovsky, who was SOLO