Evening star., 1943-10-31
Music
Notes
Symphony to Begin
Thirteenth Season
Wednesday Night
BY ALICE EVERsMAN.


Lady Luck seems to be favoring
the National Symphony Orchestra
at the beginning of it's 18th season
which will open officially with the
all-subscription concert of Wednes-
day night. In spite of the shortage
of orchestra men, DR.. Kinder has
succeeded not only in enlarging the
personnel of the orchestra but in
giving it a bit of glamour by the
number of attractive young women
with whom he has replaced the
men called into service. This year
sees the orchestra on footing
it has not had in all its history
with its local concerts promising
to be well patronized and tours ar
ranged for its free time.
This should be very gratifying to
the devoted workers who have
srlven to prolong the life of the
city's principal musical activity.
They should consider the time and
the money-approximately a million
dollars since the orchestra's organi-
zation-Well spent, for seldom has
an investment yielded such worth
while returns in values that cannot
be paid for with mere money. Pres
tlge and esteem from the entire
country has been won through hard
work and high standards.
For the opening concert Of this
season the orchestra will have the
noted Polish pianist. Artur Rubin
stein, as soloist While the musical
world has acclaimed his artistry for
many years, it has grown to honor
HIM as a patriot of the same Caliber
AS his great countryman, Paderewski.
Serving at the Allied headquarters
In Paris during the former war as
interpreter in eight languages, he
took a vow never to play in Ger
many again Not only has he kept
his word but he took stand also
against Italy, canceling tour there
when he knew of the anti-Semitic
laws put into operation and returned
to Mussolini the Order of the Com
mander Of the Crown which the
King had conferred on him 10 years
previously.
Rubinstein is a philosopher. He
disappeared from public view for
several years, at one period in his
career, and gave as his reason on
his return: 81 was shedding my i'm
maturity" In reference to world con-
ditions he has said: There are still
many things to live for. Despite Hit
ler, there are still pleasant things
like flowers and cigars" Being a
devotee to the latter, he took time
out from his concert work to study
the blending of tobacco in a Cuban
factory. He now has his own special
cigar with his name on the band.
The program for Wednesdays
concert will consist of the world pre-
miere of John Alden Carpenters
Dance Suite" Shostakovich's
Fifth Symphony" and the new ar
rangement by DR.. Kinder of the
overture to Mozart's "Cosi fan tutti,"
With the orchestra, Mr.. Rubinstein
will be heard in Beethoven's Con-
certo No. 4 in G Major.
This afternoon will see the first
appearance of William Primrose,
founder of the Primrose String
Quartet and a violinist of interna-
tional fame, at Constitution Hall. He
will be the assisting artist on the
song program to be given by Richard
Crooks. Primrose, before taking up
the study of the violin. was violin
student of Ysaye. After changing to
the viola, he toured Europe. South
and North America with the London
String Quartet. His chief hobby is
boxing in which he was more than
ordinarily proficient, but gave up the
sport for fear Of injuring his hands.
He was born in Glasgow. Scotland.
The career of Mr. Crooks has been
a spectacular one from the time he
determined to be an artist to his
triumphal debut at the Metropolitan.
In order to earn money for voice
study in his early years, he rose every
morning at 3 am. to load ice on
wagons for delivery, being paid for
this strenuous work 20 cents an hour.
Later he was able to increase his
intake to so cents an hour by paint
ing gas storage tanks. One day he
took only a pint of milk as nourish-
ment to save the cost of his meals
for a ticket to hear Caruso. His
musical opportunities were aban-
doned during the former war to en-
list in one of the aero squadrons. Mr..
Crooks looks on singing as a sport.
great indoor exercise, but for outside
rerreation he inGulpes in fishing