Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-07-24

fact, few individuals any
Il where in the world. who can
claim as varied and balanced
a background in musical contacts as
Mrs. Lawrence Townsend. She is
unique in having many great artists
as her personal friends, intimate as
sociates in diplomatic circles all over
the world and what is standardized as
social prominence" Within the past
four years Mrs. Townsend has es.
tablished and developed an unusual
type of musical entertainment in
Washington, unusual in that the ma
jority of artists appearing in the
morning musical series, although or
first rank make their initial local bow
under Mrs. Townsend's guidance, and
also unusual in that the audiences
have the sophisticated cosmopollte as
a dominant type and have included
as rare a combination as three first
ladies of the land in box parties at
one performance.
Among the great artists brought to
Washington for "frst-time appear
ances" in these concerts are: Wanda
Landowska, authority on the harpsl-
chord: Guiomar Novaes, South Amer
lean, and Alexander Brailowski and
Nikolai Orloff. Russian pianists: Carl
F'lesch, George Enesco, Ruth Breton
IA young Kentuckianl and Zlatko
Belakovic, violinists: John Barclay,
Lawrence Tibbett (the young Cali
fornian) and Frederic Schorr, bari
tones; Felix Salmond (Britishl and
Oscar Maestro South Americana,
cellists: Dusolina Giannini (Americanl,
Elizabeth Rethberg and Maria Muei-
Ter, sopranos; Edward Johnson Cana
diam and Rudolf Laubenthal Ger
A~%I
Metropolitan Opera Co. as are a ma
iority of the other singers,
Well known artists who were
already personal friends of Mrs.
Townsend's who appeared in the list
were Lucrezia Bori, Mary Garden,
Rosa Ponselle. Emilio de Gogorzs'
jacques Thibaud, Jean Girardi, oscar
Seagel. Marie Sundelius. Alberto SAW
and others. -
Mrs. Townsend's personal education
in musical lines has been varied and
thorough. AS a young schoolgirl In
Paris she studied the piano with
George Pfeiffer, assistant to Faure,
both of the Paris conservatoire. and
the organ with Guilmant. She was SO
successful in her piano study that
she thought seriously of taking 1t up
as a professional career. AT the time
she was but IS years old. Returning
TO America, she attended Miss IrWln's
School in Philadelphia and there be-
gan the study of the violin, contlnu-
ing study Of this instrument for sew
.eral years. Among her teachers on
the violin was Tirendelli. Then she
begana singing lessons but shortly
these studies were interrupted "nen
she was given her social debut and
musical studies temporarily. After a
few months. however, she became en-
gagged and then, after marriage, settled
in the country for a few years. Then
it was that the young Mrs. Townsend
took up her musical studies again and
added composition to the list.
When a few years later the Town
sends went abroad to live in Austria
while Mr.. Townsend took up his dip
lomatic career, Mrs. Townsend was
we'll prepared to continue musicai
work in the wonderful musical center,
Vienna. She not only kept up the
piano, violin and composition, but
studied seriously along the different
lines already started and soon began
to concentrate upon vocal work..
MANY are the prominent teachers
names who are listed among her IN
StruCtOrS IN voice. CDIlSild All al 49,
Pauline Lucca and Gaertner in Vienna,
Sir Arthur Sullivan and Tosti In
London, George Ferguson in Berlin,
Mariana Mast in Milan, Nine. Mar
cheese In Paris. Won EUR sMueblen in
BRUSSELS. Ancona in Lisbon when
Mrs. Townsend was living there two
years, and finally. Jean de Reske ana
Oscar Seagle (de Reske's assistant tor
Ia vears). These last two. Mrs. Town
send feels with keenest enthusiasm,
gave her the most valuable training
and technique along vocal lines.
When living In Vienna the Town
sends knew Fritz Kreisler as a. young
artist. Also Selma kurz, Ernest van
| Dvck. many leaders of the Phil
harmonic Orchestra, Hans Richter,
Gerricke, Felix Motif. Nikisch, Vein
gaertner all were intimate friends
| MANY pianists came to study with the
great Leschetizky, including famous
soloists such as Paderewski, also many
| American students who came to the
Townsend home. Later, in Brussels,
the household had as frequent visitors
| Cesar Thomson and Ysaye. And many
of the Summers were divided between
| Munich and Bayreuth, where Mrs.
Townsend found wonderful 1nspira-
| ton.
| Returning to this country to make
| their home for many years 1oiloWinS
those spent in Europe in washington
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