Evening star., 1950-01-22

not allow great expenditures for
tickets. and money for entertain
ment must be rationed. Not every
family or individual wants to turn
all this extra cash into hearing
concerts. 1t has to be spread over
movie visits and personal enter
tainment of various kinds. Even
so, the little pile. over and
above the expenses of living
does not equal in size what it
once did. And, as is often the
case when strict economy must
be practiced, it will start with q
:curtailing of such items as sea-
son concert tickets.
On the other hand, artists and
managers are demanding more
money. Practically all artist fees
have gone up and if one is in
clined to criticize the type Of
artists being presented on a
course, it is we'll to remember that
"a local manager must think in
terms of his expenses and engage
the best artists for the price he
can afford to pay. When it is
learned that fees range from
$1,000 to $4,000 an appearance,
the natural thought is that artists
are amassing fortune with very
little effort. But their outlay in
payment to managers, transporta-
ton, living costs and incidentals
to their publicity, such as pictures
and press books. has increased in
proportion. It is a vicious circle
that seems to grow worse with the
years and which only drastic
means could break up.
Considering the trend Of the
times. as we'll as the increasing
difficulties in every line of under
taking. it seems feasible that
television will take over and
solve the problems. This will be
fine for those who want their
serious music in small doses but
not so good for others whose
pleasure is never satiated with
long recitals or symphonic pro-
grams. While more people will
hear good music through the
mechanical means, they will be
limited as to the amount and the
quality. 1t is not conceivable that
stations will devote a couple of
hours to the presentation of
program of the variety and mag
nitude heard in a concert hall.
It seems, therefore, that man.
ayers will have to bestir them
selves to protect their business.
One of the faults of a concert
season is the duplication of artists
appearances. This season has
several such returns in this city.
For example. Moisewitsch played
with the National Symphony and
a month later came as recital
list. Robert Casadesus was
soloist with the Philadelphia Or
chestra, played the next week in
the Library of Congress and will
give a piano program in Constitu-
ton Hall in March. Francescatti,
who was joint artist with Casa
desus i'll the Library, will be soloist
with the Philadelphians Tuesday.
Artur Rubinstein will be heard
twice, once in recital and again
on the Philadelphia Orchestra
program.
New Artists Worthy Support.
These artists have plenty of
box Office drawing power, it Is
true. The quality of their art
makes repeated hearings a pleas
ure. However. when the family
exchequer begins to diminish, not
all these concerts can be attended.
To the admission cost must be
added the transportation which,
II not exorbitant in price, is some
times sufficient to be taken into
account. It will be difficult, in
the future, to balance these items
against the lure of the easy chair
and music, plus a personal ap-
pearance, that comes with the
turn of a dial.
A solution that might prevent
a total eclipse of concerts in pub
lie halls would require patrons
and managers to accept new and
worthy artists. Many are already
equal in polish and technical pro-
f1ciency to some of the great ones.
even If they have not yet acquired
artistic mellowness. Patronage of
these young people will help fill
in the artistic ranks already be-
ginning to thin. Some of these
young musicians will be celebrated
one day. The older artists, tired
with years of concertizing and
travelling, can now select what
public appearance they want.
Ielevlsion and radio are always
open to them. Unknown musi-
clans have not sufficient appeal
for the larger programs. Their
place is still in the concert hall.
They, with the sympathetic and
responsive attitude of the concert
patrons, will build the musical