Evening star., 1949-03-17
Friends and STRANGERS
Pay Honor 10 Kinder
In Concert Farewell

In Concert Farewell
It took a mere matter Of one
hour and IS minutes last night to
end an 18-year era in Washington
musical history.
DR.. Hans Kinder mounted the
podium for his last concert at the
head of the National Symphony
Orchestra at 8:35 pm. At 10:30
he was taking his last bow before
an audience that had stood, ap-
plauded, shouted, and finally, re-
luctantly, acknowledged the nee
essity of going home.
For the tall Dutchman who
had come to Washington at 81
to start the city's first real SYM
phony orchestra virtually on a
shoestring, it was an evening Of
tributes.
The pre-arranged and official
tribute came from the orchestra s
Board of Directors-a leather
bound, hand-illuminated testi-
monial, presented on behalf of
the community by Commissioner
Guy Mason. Citing DR.. Kindler's
inspiring leadership, artistic at
tainment and loyal devotion" for
18 years, the testimonial said: /:
I'm gratitude and respect we sa-
lutte you"
Lasting Devotion to d. C.
The 55-year-old conductor re-
piled with obvious emotion. Speak
ing from the podium to the
packed hall he said: Let me as
sure you of my lasting gratitude
for everything you have done for
my orchestra. for music in Wash
tngton, and thereby for music in
America and in the world today.
Let me assure you of my lasting
devotion to the public of Wash1
tngton and to the cause Of music.
MY special friends have given
me a book with hundreds of mess
ages from all over the world" DR.
Kinder continued. Editorials
have appeared in The Star, the
News, the Herald and this morn
ing in the Baltimore Sun"
Then the one-time cellist. who
once was q player in the Philadel-
phia Orchestra, told of another
tribute he had just received back
stage from the musicians of his
own orchestra.
My colleagues from the Or
chestra honored me by giving me
q very wonderful present." he de-
} clared. They had crowded, at
intermission, into his dressing
room, where Contrabass Player
Richard Andrews handed him a
new briefcase to replace the an
cient, battered one in which DR..
Kinder has carried his music for
years.
Ovation on Entry.
''The members of the orchestra
wish to have the privilege OF
giving you this token Of their
respect and Affection" Mr.. An
drews had said.
But these were only part of the
tributes. There was the standing
ovation of both audience and
orchestra when DR.. Kinder first
walked out upon the stage. and a
long round Of hand-clapping at
the end of each number. There
was the second. persistent ovation
at the end.
And finally, backstage. after
all the music and clapping were
over, there were the scores Of ad-
mirers, some known to the con-
ductor by name, some known not
at all, who crowded into line to
clasp hands and exchange word
with the man they had watched
on the podium for the best part
of a quarter century.
A violinist, carrying his case,
said, THANK you, DR.. Kinder. for
giving me the opportunity to play
with YOU" A high school girl
shyly asked for an autograph.
A man also asked for an auto
graph-not on paper, but on a
National Symphony record album.
To Return as Guest Conductor.
when are we going to hear
you again." an elderly woman in
quired.
I'll be coming back and doing
some guest-conducting," was the
answer.
Fellow conductors came-Rich-
ard Bales of the National Gallery
and Louis A. Potter of the WASH
tngton Choral Society. Mr.. Potter,
too, is about to leave Washington
after long years.
Henry Talbert, Constitution
Halls white-haired chief usher,
stepped up for another hand
shake. And, among the very last.
'Mac"-Stage Manager Joseph P.
Mack, also white-haired and an
old theater trooper-wept and
quickly turned away.
Such was the end of an era.
This was the testimonial pre-
sented for the symphony board:
ITO DR.. Hans Kinder. in be-
half Of the citizens of Washing
ton and vicinity on the occasion
of his resignation as musical di-
rector of the National Symphony
Orchestra, March 16, 1949:
Inspiring Leadership.
"You gave forceful and inspir-
ing leadership to the successful
efforts which brought into being
the National Symphony Orchestra
in 1881;
"You gave, for 18 years, the skill
- n ort;cfic a ttoipmenf Tn IFS train