The Southern Jewish weekly. [volume] (Jacksonville, Fla.) 1939-1992, 1943-06-11
Aristocrat Of Popular Music

singing softly the songs OF Scnu-
bert. Schubert awakened some
thing in him, and from that time
on he required no urging to follow
music. He became more amen
able to practicing, and at the age
of eight appeared at a public
concert. He was particularly fas-
cinated by band concerts. One
time, while on a vacation in Ger
many, he was so hypnotized by
the band concert in a public park
that, oblivious Of what he was do
ing, he walked automatically to
the top of the bandstand and
stood there as if magnetized, gaz-
ing on the bandmaster. The
bandmaster noticed him and,
playfully, allowed the child to
lead the musicians in one number.
The boy went through the PAGES
with authority. To this day he
recalls that incident as one of the
most thrilling experiences of his
life.
He combined music study at the
Conservatory with well-rounded
education at the University. To-
day he betrays the fruits of his
schooling in a searching intellect
that is almost as much at ease
in science, literature, politics and
languages as in music. He
speaks about eight languages
fluently. He is well-rounded in
other ways as well. He can play
a competent game of tennis, en-
joys watching football games and
can even fly an airplane. He is
crazy about planes, and is I'M
questionably the best air-traveled
musician in the world.
When, at the outbreak of the
revolution in 1917, his parents de-
cided to flee from Russia, Andre
was left behind with the hope that
his presence might help salvage
something from the wreckage of
confiscated millions. He was not
able to save anything except a
sound musical training, with
which he continued uninterrupt-
edly at the Conservatory. Com
pleting his studies he was given
a post as assistant conductor at
the st. Petersburg subsequently
Leningrad) Opera. In those days,
music making did not take place
under the most favorable of aus
pices. There was no coal with
which to heat the opera houses,
and Kostelanetz had to rehearse
wearing his overcoat, hat and
gloves. The men, playing and
singing under him, were often
hungry as well as cold. But, in
spite of physical discomforts,
there were many good perform
ances, largely due to the drive
and industry of the young conduc-
tor.
In 1922, Kostelanetz left Rus
STA; then, after a short visit to
Poland, came to the United
States. He filled various jobs,
doing everything unsteady that
could earn him few sadly needed
dollars. He did an orchestration
for a popular song written by a
young composer who, sometime
later, abandoned composing to be-
come Kostelanetz's press agent.
He did some conducting with the
Andreas DIPPED Opera Company.
He coached singers from the
Metropolitan and Chicago Opera,
and served as accompanist for
some of them on their tours.
Then, in 1928, two important
things happened to him. He be-
came citizen of the United
States; and he made his debut
over the radio. He had interest
ed himself in radio since 1924.
but an opening for him did not
present itself for some years. His
debut took place with the Allan
tic Broadcasting Company, pre-
decessor of the present Columbia
network. Kostelanetz has re-