Evening star., 1952-08-31
Pittsburgh to Rival Paris
In November Musical Fete
International Jury Establishes Hndemith
As Leading Contemporary Composer

Thomson, Howard Hanson,
Gian-Carlo Menotti and Charles
Ives.
1t will be interesting to see
how much prominence is given
the American composer in this
festival. He did not fare so we'll
in Paris. Although, or perhaps
because of the fact that the
Paris festival was financed by
private American funds, a par
ticular effort was made not to
have American entries outbal-
ance those Of Europe. Just why
such care was taken is hard to
understand especially since a
great point has been made for
some time Of acquainting the
European public with the quality
and extent Of American musical
culture. AS it was. French COM
posers outnumbered the Amer
leans by nearly 3 to /, and next
in line were Germans and Rus
SLAMS.
The high point Of the Paris
event was the visit Of the Bos-
ton Symphony. Neither Munich
or Monteux, who conducted its
concerts, gave much prominence
to American output. Munich be-
gan his first program of six
works on May 6 in the Paris
Opera with Barber's "The School
for Scandal Overture" and Pis-
tons "Toccata." Two days later,
Monteux placed William Schu-
mans Symphony No. 8" among
a number of French compost
tions but played Copland's Eel
Salon Mexico" with the La
moureux Orchestra some time
later.
Barber was represented in an
other series by his piano sonata
and Ives by his Concord Soma
ta." Thomson's opera -Four
Saints in Three Acts" was given.
Bruno Walter. long identified
with American musical life,
listed no American numbers on
the program he conducted Of
the Paris Opera House Orches-
ira on May S. Ernest Ansermet.
whose guest appearances as
conductor of the National SYM
phony were acclaimed with the
same enthusiasm as greeted him
elsewhere in this country, did
not bring one American work
for the concerts of his L'Or-
cheStre de la Suisse Romande
on May Is and II.
Mellon Funds Back Festival
The Pittsburgh festival will
be financed by grant from the
A. w. Mellon Educational and
Charitable Trust. which is adj
ministered by Carnegie Institute
and the Pennsylvania College
Tor Women. In addition, the
festival has received a grant
from the Howard Heinz Endow-
ment Fund for the commits
Sloning of works in the choral
field. Among the 10 composers
chosen. five are native Ameri-
cans: Ross Lee Finney, Peter
Mennin, Vincent Persichetti,
Burrill Phillips and Gardner
Reed.
On the international jury, 80
Americans, consisting of 10 con-
ductors, 10 prominent educators,
and 10 musicologists and critics,
were active. The names of 336
composers were submitted to
the jury and the first so receiv-
ing the highest votes were
selected. There will be also a
Congress of Critics" who will
give their views in public on
many of the controversial points
in the music, which will give an
overall concept of the trends,
styles, and practice in 20th-cen-
tury music in different coun-
tries.
In the meantime, the Yaddo
Music Festivals, at Yaddo, Sara
toga Springs. will celebrate IS
years of service to the American
composer in a series of concerts
September IL to IA. It will be
preceded. as usual. by a Yaddo
Music Period beginning tomor-
row. First hearings on the con-
cert programs will be given to
Quincy Porter's String Sextet"
and George Antheil's Trumpet
Sonata" Other composers to be
represented are Wallingford
Riegger, Douglas Moore, Ber-
nard Rogers, Ross Lee Finney,
David Diamond and Peter Mem
min.