The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-11-10


her mother gave her on her twelfth
birthday now is in her famous COL
lection. which includes the earliest
Egyptian harps. French harps and
the very modern styles.
Miss billing. during the last three
presidential administrations has
been requested 10 play more times
4 the White House than any other
artist; one of her programs hon
ored their majesties. the king and
queen Of Siam. In five seasons she
has had 355 engagements in Ameri-
ca. Europe. and Cuba, and an
unparalleled record Of giving sew
enteen concerts within three weeks
in London, including appearances
at Queens hall. Aeolian hall. Gro
tan hall and Arts theater.
Prizes Riley Books
Among some Of Miss billings
priced possessions are books Of
James WhitcOmb Riley. which he
autographed following her first re-
CitaI engagement at the home Of
Meredith Nicholson. Miss billing re-
calls playing her harp to lend
atmosphere to an Irish play pre-
sented by amateurs here under the
direction Of Booth Harrington.
Every summer Miss billing goes
10 Etretat. France. TO study with
Henrietta Renie. famed teacher and
composer. Last summer she missed
her trip bec4I e she was broadcast
ing weekly from Radio City, New
York.
one Of her pupils is HarpO Marx,
the harpist Of the famed four Marx
brothers. Last spring when Mrs.
Nessler went east to study with Miss
billing and 10 attend the Wellesley
college reunion. she was TO have
been a luncheon guest with Mr..
Marx had she not been delayed in
Boston.
Frequently Mr. Marx calls Miss
billing and requests her 10 play
some piece over the telephone. Mrs.
Nessler said as she recalled her
visits with Miss billing.
Miss billing is hailed as the her
aid Of the harp's renaissance as a
solo instrument. Her London debut
recital was the first harp concert
since the days of John Thomas,
harpist 10 Queen Victoria. The harp
generally is thought Of as an in
strument Of the romantic past when
strolling minstrels and troubadours
slung them on their belts.
Harms Status Changed
In the early days the rolling
chords Of the harp provided the
music for dancers in feudal halls,
and news of noble deeds we're sung
30 its accompaniment. Later in the
drawing rooms of the Victorian era,
young women primly played simple
chords. The spinet. harpSichord and
piano became more and more pop
ular for he~drawing room and the
harp took its place in the orchestra.
Critics say that Miss billing has
proved the harp may be an enchant-
ing solo instrument on which the
greatest classics may be played,
although in early days it was con-
Sidered merely trOubadour's inStru-
ment 70 accompany singing of old
ballads
Mrs. NesSler will be one of the
assistant hOsteSSes at the recital.
Others will be MesdameS Frederic
NJ. Ayres. Henry w. ButtOlph. Frank
w. CregOr, Stuart Dean, Paul E.
Fisher. Charles Latham. Augustus
L. Mason. Hugh NIcGibeny. Mansur
B. Cakes. James NJ. Ogden. Lafay-
cite Page. Leo NJ. Rappaport, B. A.
Richardson. Russell J. Ryan, Logan
c. Scholl. a. Dickinson Smith. Will
liam B. Wheelock. Frank G.. Wood,
Karl T. NeSSler. Caroline Vajen
Collins. James W. Fesler. Larz Whit
comb. Herman c. Tuttle. r. Hartley
Sherwood. H. A. Boomer. Theodore
3. Griffith. James w. Lilly. James
II. Taylor. Albert L. Rabb. John c..
Rauch. John s. Wright. John w.
Carmack. Ernest c. Barrett, Bert
B. Adams. Benjamin ID. Hitz. Sam
uel c. Carey, Fred A. Sims. Charles
r. Weiss and Preston c. Rubbish;
Miss q Mary L. Sullivan. Elizabeth
Chapman and Emma Claypool-