Evening star., 1946-09-22
Top Artists
Scheduled for
Music Season
San Francisco
Symphony, Met
SolOists Dated
BY Elena de Soyn

A galaxy of events scheduled TO
1867 in Constitution Hall promise.
an unusually brilliant season will
an opportunity to hear artists ans
ensembles which never have ap
peared here before or have not per
formed in Washington in recen
years.
A great deal of interest is cen.
tered on the visit by one of tn.
Nations Oldest orchestras, the Sar
Francisco Symphony, in it's s2c
year, and also upon Patrice Munsel
soprano, the youngest singer t.
sign a contract with the Met.
Jussi Bjorling, celebrated tenor
Blanche Thebom, mezzo- soprano
prevented by illness from appear
ing here last year; the Icelandie
Singers and Father Flanagan's
Boys Town Choir all will be hearc
here for the first time.
Among other major events of the
season will be the return of Dame
Myra Hess and Alexander Brailow-
sky, pianists: Igor Gorin, baritone;
Tossy Spivakovsky and Albert
Spalding, violinists, the latter re-
Stunning his profession after having
laid down his violin during the wal
to fill an important post in Italy.
Monteux Has Long Career.
Organized in 1854. at first name
less, the present San Francisco SYM
phony is led by Pierre Monteux. at
the top of his profession for many
years. Coming to America with
Diagileff in 1915, the Frisco French
man" or "Chummy." as he is affec-
tionately called by his intimates. has
conducted SO different orchestras
during his long and colorful career
He began with Diagileff in Paris
back in 1912. Before that he played
the violin and viola at the Opera
Comique and the Concerts Colonne
in the French capital. He won the
first prize in music at Paris famous
conservatory. Mr.. Monteux con-
Quoted French opera at the Metro
politan for two years, the Boston
Symphony for five, the Philharmonic
Symphony of New York. the Phila-
delphia and Chicago Orchestras and
founded the Symphony Orchestra of
Paris. He welded his baton in Lon
don. Canada, Leningrad, Hollywood
and was 10 years in Amsterdam, con-
nected with the famous Concertge-
bouw Orchestra.
The San Francisco Symphony was
brought into the front ranks by
Alfred Hertz, who was the first con-
ductor in America to employ women
In his string section. In the Is years
of his association with the orchestra,
he extended its activities to nearby
cities Mr.. Monteux stepped in after
the symphony obtained municipal
support in 1896. He increased it's
membership to IS men and stabilized
its artistic standards.
Singers Began Early.
Two singers to win fame while
IN tnelr teens. Miss Munsel and Mr.
Bjorling, both of the Metropolitan
Opera, will be heard here in Mo-
vember in individual recitals. Miss
Munsel, native of Spokane. Wash.
made her operate debut In 'Mignon'
in 1943. She has been active since
in three fields. opera, concert and
radio
Mr.. Bjorling is already veteran
singing actor at a. Born in Sweden,
he was brought to this country by
his father when 8 years old. To-
gether with the latter and his two
brothers he gave concerts in Swedish
churches all over the United States
as member of his family's vocal
quartet. Returning to his native
land, he completed his musical edu-
cation and made his debut in the
Royal Opera House of Stockholm
at the age of 10. In 1887 he won
instant recognition on a Nation
wide broadcast here, which led to
his acclaim as one of the foremost
ferore