Evening star., 1948-10-17
Pan American
Union Events
Suspended
By Alice Eversmon


The present musical season will
be minus one of its most glamorous
affairs-the series of concerts pre-
sented in the Pan American Union
For the first time in many years
these events will be discontinued
until reorganization of the union
can be completed. The cornerstone
of the new building was laid last
week. In the meantime music lovers
and friends of the Latin American
republics will be deprived Of the spe-
Cial cultural services the evenings
at the Pan American Union Of
fered. The only concert planned
will be in celebration of Fan Amer
lean day in April.
It was not only in the enlarging
of a musical acquaintance that the
concerts were valued. They afforded
an opportunity to increase ones
knowledge of another kind Of living
and to cement q friendship with
most cherished neighbors. With the
glimpses of national life that the
music presented, the very core Of
that national life was revealed. On
the same hemisphere are peoples
of another culture possessing a
spontaneity and a colorfulness lack
ing in Northern climes. All their
rich heritage has been preserved
through the years of struggle
toward independence, forming still
an important influence on the daily
life and inspiring their gifted and
progressive composers and artists to
elevate it to an art level.
The less demonstrative North
American finds himself charmed
and invigorated by the melodies and
the rhythms that are natural to the
Latin American. Music lovers have
welcomed the occasions to hear
these compositions given with q ma
tive touch that can never be imi-
tated completely. The words of
native songs may not have been
understood but the feeling OF the
music was, and so was proved again
the power Of music over language
barriers.
A Distinct Service Given.
The Pan American Union has
done q service to this country IN
making known the varied talent OF
It's neighbors and to Latin America
by offering its artists and composers
the occasion to be heard by a wider
public. Many Of them have gained
widespread fame in this country
after being introduced at a Pan
American Union concert. A case in
point is that of Marisa Regules,
Argentine pianist, ranking now as
one Of the leading artists in her ma
tive land and we'll established with
the concert public of the United
States. Others whose recitals are
featured each year in New York are
Olga Coelho, Brazilian soprano;
Raoul Spivak. Argentinian pianist;
Salvador Ley, pianist of Guatemala,
and Angelo Reyes, Cuban violinist,
to mention but a few.
Contemporary Latin American
composers have assisted at concerts
devoted exclusively to their works
Among these are Camargo Guar
nieri of Brazil, Hector Tosar Ere
cart, the young genius Of Uruguay;
Alberto Ginastera of Argentine;
Ernesto Lecuona, composer pianist
of Cuba; Francisco Mignone of
Brazil and Juan Jose Castro OF
Argentine. Artists whose concerts
at the Union have contributed to
their fame are Bidu Sayao, the
lovely Brazilian soprano of the
Met" first heard here under the
unions auspices; Julio Martinez
Oyarguren. guitarist of Uruguay,
who sis considered close to Andres
Segovia as artist exponent of this
instrument; the late Elsie Houston,
whose inimitable art was first heard
In the Halls of the Americas; Al
fredo de st. Malo, Panamanian vio-
lintst. and Jorge Bolet. pianist, of
Cuba.
Ensembles Well Received.
There were occasions also to hear
such native ensemble art as pre-
sented by the Orquesta Tipica de
Policia of Mexico City, the Band of
the Cuban Navy under the direction
Of Captain Armando Marrero, the
colorful Inca Taky Trio, the Charro
Gil Trio of Mexico, and the Puerto
Rican Celso Vega Quintet. But the
Union did not confine itself en-
tirely to Latin American talent for
through its auspices the NBC Sym
phony played in the Hall of the
Americas under the direction of DR..
Frank Black and the Yale Glec
Club, Marshall Bartholomew, con-
ductor, were also heard there. The
National Symphony has given pro-
grams in the Union, one in 1912
being directed by Juan Jose Castro.