Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1951-07-08
News Of Music
Music World Finds Much in Retrospect
For Which to Thank 2,OOO-Yeor-OId Paris
By Alice Eyersmon

Dy Fu&S
The United States will make at
least one gesture toward the cele-
bration of the 2,000th anniversary
of the city of Paris when the
Stadium Symphony. in New York,
gives a program exclusively OF
French music on Tuesday. Direct
ed by Vladimir Golschmann, con-
ductor of the st. Louis Symphony,
and before prominent French
dignitaries and officials OF New
York, the orchestra will play
works by Bizet. Ravel, Milhaud,
Dukas. Debussy, Berlioz and
Satie.
In the choice of this program,
Mr.. Golschmann has kept within
the years that saw some of the
finest towering of French music.
During this period also, hospitality
has been given to foreign COM
posers who learned their art in
the French school and passed 1t
on to other countries. The inf1u-
ence Of the keen French ideas, OF
the determination of its musical
writers to seek new paths and
of the open-mindedness Of the
people, has inspired other COM
posers from the earliest days to
feel free in displaying originality.
The music life of Paris has
long and interesting history. 1t
may be said to start its brilliant
story with Lully. who, although
ascribed with the founding of the
Paris Opera, in reality assured its
future by putting it on a working
|. basis. Previously Parisians had
known only imported Italian opera
and the ballets and masquerades
popular at court. Lully adapting
his talent to their needs. But as
early as 1870 a royal license was
given to found an Academy Of
Poetry and Music" the first at
tempt toward opera. Nothing
much came from this and fully a
hundred years was to pass until
another academy for the purpose
Of having publicly presented and
sung, operas, music dramas and
French verse. like the perform
ances given in Italy," was planned.
Concert Life Active.
Thus, in 1869, the Paris Opera
was organized. Three years later
Lully, an Italian, became its head.
It was housed in the Rue LIE Pele-
tier until that fatal night in 1858.
when an attempt on the life of
the Emperor on his way to a per-
Torrance caused the ordering of
q new building in less accessible
place. In 1875 the present opera
was opened with a mixed bill and
before a gala audience. Well over
900 operas have been given in this
building that still takes first place
among the opera houses Of the
world for the beauty of its con-
struction and its valuable museum,
archives and library.
From the beginning of the 18th
century, the concert life of Paris
has been outstandingly active. In
l725. the Concerts Spirituels was
founded by Anne Danicon Phili-
dor. father Of the composer, Andre
Philidor, and continued uninter-
ruptedly until 1891. It was for
these concerts that Mozart COM
posed a number Of works, which,
although performed. brought him
no remuneration and no outstand-
ing success in the city's music
circles. Some 20 years before the
Concerts Spirituels ended, Gossec
established the Concerts DIES Anna
teurs. later known as Concerts de
la Loge Olympique. Haydn's SYM
phonies were first introduced to
Paris audiences at these concerts
and became so popular that the
composer was commissioned to
write six for the society. Numer-
GUS other concert groups sprang
up including the L'Union Musicale
which Berlioz, together with Fell
Glen David, conducted in the II
years Of its life. It was by per-
forming all of the works for chorus
and orchestra by the former
composer. that Colonne succeeded
in winning fame for his Concerts
Colonne first organized in 1873.
His success and that of Lamour-
eux, who formed his own group In
1881, was responsible for the de-
cline Of the PaSdeloup Concerts
Populaires which had existed for
rs years. The Pasdeloup pro-
grams featured music unknown
until that time in Paris. Colonne
sought to bring composers of the
young French school before the
public while it is to Lamoureux'
efforts that interest in Wagner's
works was aroused. And if it were
not for Romano Bussine and his
La Societe Rationale, the fame Of
Massenet, Franck, Chausson
Faure. Debussy, Ravel and many
Others would have been late ir
coming.
Conservative Launched Many.
During all these years the Con.
certs du Conservatoire were giver
on Sunday afternoons. The famous
Conservatoire de MuSique, from
which so many noted artists re.
ceived their training, was estab
dshed in 1875 by the Convention