Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1953-08-09
News of Music
Festival at SoIzburq
Hugo Wolf Anniversary Program
One of Many in Mozurt's City
By Eleno de Soyn


The 50th death anniversary
of Hugo Wolf, which fell on
George WaShington'S birthday
this year, will be commemo-
rated in Salzburg on Wednes-
day with a special Memorial
concert in the auditorium of
the Mozarteum. VOLTS con-
nection with Salzburg in the
eighties. as assistant orchestra
conductor, was of short dura-
ton. But the two months spent
there, in the atmosphere of the
Mozart tradition. were Suttl-
cient to awaken in him an in
tense desire to compose. Not
too long before, while a pupil
at the National Academy of
Music in Vienna, his lack of
interest in composition, or his
negligence, caused the Acad-
envy to dismiss him after two
years.
The Hugo Wolf program is
one of many crowding a period
of six weeks which began July
26. The others cover opera,
plays, ballet, orchestral, choral,
church and chamber music and
concerts by SoloiStS. Special
Mozart Matinees" and MO
Fart Serenades." performed by
ensembles and a smaller or
chestra form a part of the
festival.
Music FIourished Eorly
Music and the fine arts al
ready f1ourished in Salzburg at
the beginning of the 18th Cen
tury, sponsored and encour-
aged by the ruling archbishops
of the Archbishopric by that
name. Leopold Mozart, father
of Wolfgang, was violinist and
orchestra conductor at the
court Of two. Situated in the
picturesque valley of the East
ern Alps. famous for the beauty
of its palaces and churches.
Salzburg became at first the
scene of grandiose perform
ances of church music and
miracle plays. For some years
its musical life was centered
about its cathedral, copy of
st. Peters in Rome, completed
in 1923 with a capacity of
10000. Orazio Benevoli'S Mass,
written in 48 parts, was sung
by II choirs at the cathe-
dral's conservation. 1t was
followed by other productions
on a like grand scale. The
first opera ever given in a
German-speaking country was
presented in nearby Hellbrun
in 1917. Salzburg's proximity
to Italy had something to do
with this and was also re-
Sponsible for the Italian aspect
of the town and for it's desig-
nation as German Rome" in
pre- Mozart days.
Mozart Perpetuoted
That the city is Mozarts
birthplace contributed much to
its becoming the music shrine
of Austria in later years. The
memory of him was perpetu-
ated by the establishment of
the international Foundation
Mozarteum in 1870 to serve as
a research center into his life
and works. A year book issued
annually by the foundation,
and the summer festivals.
which were originated in 1877.
were designed to keep the
interest in him permanently
alive.
In addition to performing
Mozart'S works, to which the
city pledged itself for all time.
the festivals grew in scope to
include eventually all branches
of the fine arts. Great con-
ductorS. Hans Richter, Mailer.
Weingartner, Schalk and
Richard Strauss from Vienna.
great producers such as Hof-
mannSthal and Reinhardt,
great singers and actors, and
the Vienna Philharmonic,
helped these festivals to be-
come in time the highest point
of artistic endeavour in must
cal and dramatic presenta-
ton.
The concert in commemora-
ton of VOLTS 50th death an
niversary Wednesday will be