Dickenson County herald. [volume] (Clintwood, Va.) 1939-195?, 1945-06-07
Liqhts of New York

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America has reached new era
in music, an era in which true
American music whether it be jazz,
swing or folk songs, really will come
into it's own. Such is the opinion
of Jean Goldkette, Detroit orchestra
leader. He holds that this country
now is at the same musical period
as was Russia in 1860 when Rubin
stein appeared on the scene and or
ganized the Imperial orchestra,
symphonies and Conservatives.
Russian talent thus was given a
chance to express itself and as a
result, within a half century, Rus
sian music dominated the world.
America today, largely through ra-
dio and recordings, is the worlds
greatest music-loving nation. Given
proper opportunity, Goldkette con-
tinued, American music, in it's full
color and idiom, will become known
to the world and will form an essen
tial part of the worlds music.
American music has been handi-
capped by lack of opportunity for
expression, Goldkette informed me
as we were lunching in the Hunting
room of the Hotel Astor. In the be-
ginning, jazz orchestras were small
affairs with only or players. Now
they have grown to IA Or Is players
But to present American music in
it's true idiom and color, large or
CARNATIONS are necessary. America
has excellent musical organizations.
almost every city of any size having
its symphony. But the symphonies
are trained in the classical tradi-
ton hence they cannot present
popular American music in it's true
form. With his 55-piece orchestra,
heard on the Mutual network on Sat-
urday nights, Goldkette believes he
has made start. The orchestra is
composed of members of the De-
troit Symphony orchestra but under
the Goldkette baton they play swing.
up until a few years ago, an
American singer had absolutely no
chance at the Metropolitan Opera
House," continued Goldkette ''He or
she had to come from La Scala or
Naples merely to get an addition.
Today, American singers are COM
ing into their own in grand operas
and opera has not suffered in the
slightest. The same thing holds true
with American music. Our SYM
phony orchestras have been giving
us Brahms, Beethoven, Bach and the
others. That is right since they are
organized and trained for such mu-
sic. But given the proper vehicle, it
can be the same with true American
music. That is the belief of Henry
H. Reichhold, president of the De-
troit Symphony, also-a belief so
strong that he is backing my band -
Curiously enough, this ardent dew
otee of American music was
French born. But very early, Gold
kettle, who is now an American citi-
zen, became an advocate of music
of this country. In 1915, in New Or
leans, he formed the Dixieland Jazz
band, the forerunner of many such
orchestras. In 1920, Charles Hughes
brought him to Detroit from Chi
cago to play at the Detroit Athletic
club. He rose rapidly in musical
prominence and at one time had %
bands of his own. "Go1dkette alum
ni'' are scattered all over the coun-
try and many have gone high in
their profession. Among them are
Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey, Russ
Morgan, Joe Venuti, Victor Young
(now Paramount music directory
Charley Woolcott, (Walt Disney mu-
steal directory and many others. The