The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-02-02
Soviet Songs
Popular Here
By JEROME ARNOLD

Just as the United States govern
naent has been forced to recognize
the achievements Of Soviet Russia
on the economic front, SO also have
the American music critics been
compelled to bestow praise for the
progress Of the workers and peas
ants republic on the cultural-psr-
ticularly the musical-front.
The measuring -rod for judging the
public reclamation OF Soviet music
here is Sergei Radamsky who, with
his wife, Marie, has just returned
from tour of seven large cities in
the East and Middle West Every
where they went-Cleveland Chica-
go, Milwaukee, Baltimore, Washing
ton, PittSburgh-the two singers of
Soviet songs were greeted with I'M
bounded enthusiasm by both the au-
dience, and only slightly less appreci-
alton by the music critics.
1t took a long time for the Soviet
songs to overcome the prejudice Of
the critics. Six years ago Radamsky
gave up singing the arias, the bonn
bastic, superficial, Baroque Italian
operas, the holy" oratorios and
church songs, and devoted himself
mainly to the simple, sincere prole-
tartan songs Of revolutionary Russia.
For six years he lost all connection
with the bourgeois music circles and
visited the U.S.S.R. every year. When
he returned here he travelled
through the large cities on a tour Of
Soviet working class songs.
And conversely, the bourgeois mu-
sic critics lost all interest in him
Heretofore they had heaped great
plaudits upon the tenor. They had
glowed in rapture at his rendition
of the superficial old operas. Now he
was lost. He had become "contami-
mated with the stigma Of Bolshe-
visrn."
'But 1 stuck to my gunsl" Radam-
sky told me. ut was pretty hard at
first but nowhere, look at these"
He opened several folders and took
out patches of clippings from news
papers throughout the country.
Soviet songs have come into their
own" he said.
TRUE enough. Pittsburgh, Wash
L ington, Baltimore, music critics
hailed with delight the concerts of
Soviet songs given by Radamsky and
his wife.
"Radamsky scored his greatest
successes with those fascinating
songs of the Soviet, those chants of
the workers, The Belkin Donna the
KomsomoP was a brasura workers
cong sung in virile manner the
YiddiSh Happy Worker a song Of
great lit" thus said the Pittsburgh
Post Gazette after their concert in
that city.
1.-THE group Of songs of Soviet Rus
STA sung by Mr.. Radamsky had de-
cidedly new themes. The music by
the modern Soviet composers Belkin.
Kortchmariev and Belly, was full Of
character, although not of great
originality" said the Washington
Evening Star.
Soviet Songs Simple, Sincere
That. lack of originality COM
ment is due to the inherent quality
Of the new Soviet music itself, which
no bourgeois music critic can fully
appreciate" Radamsky declared. "The
music written for the masses Of
workers and peasants is direct, tell
ing it's story with tonaI grace and
sincerity. That, in my mind, is what
nroletarian music should be. No
frills, no crinolines. 1t IS direct, I'M
adorned sueech. rendered with genu-
inc simplicity"
The Red Army" song by volpe, a
young Bolshe7ik, member of the
Russian Communist Party for eight
years, received the greatest accla-
nation both for its message that
there stands the Red Army, guard
ing the land, the riches and the pow
er of the workers and peasants" and
-or its dramatic, vigorous marching
rhythm, In every city that Radam-
ky sang, where there was a Freiheit
Gesangs Verein, the music and words
were Transcribed to be sung by these
workers cho- uses.
Sergio and Marie Radamsky will
appear in a program of Soviet
sangs tomorrow night at the New
School for Social Research, &c w.
18th Street. Robert Minor will