Evening star., 1954-08-01
News of Music
Musical Ambassador
Pianist jones Wolfe Explains
Americans to the French
By Doy Thorpe

Dy 20
Those who are apologize for
the music lover as q harmless
drudge and the musician as a
non-productive parasite on So
ciety are heartened these days
by the role music is being given
as an antagonist Of commun-
ism and a promoter of the
amity Of nations. The last Of
the 20 purposes of the Howell's
bill to establish an opera house
in Washington Is ito destroy
finally the Communist myth
that Americans are insensitive,
materialistic barbarians." An
other imaginative example of
the use Of music as a social
weapon I came across a week
or so ago in a hand-out in
volving, as I remember, the
Voice Of America and Richard
Strauss opera "Ariadne auf
Naxos."
A transcription of a per-
formance of the opera, sung
in English at a music festival
In Colorado. is to be broadcast
shortwave to Salzburg. Austria,
on the same day that the Salz-
burg Opera gives the work in
German. Thus. as the press
release says, Salzburgers win
have the opportunity to hear
two versions of the work al
most simultaneously, and. as
prepared statements Of Amer
lean and Austrian officials in
dicate. this hands across the
sea contrivance viii do much
to solder the traditional friend
ship and mutual admiration of
two great cultural commune
ties.
For Dollars and Pounds
1t is not for me to say that
SalzburgerS prefer their
Strauss on a daily rather than
a d2-hour schedule. It does
seem probable, but Of that I
cannot be sure. I can state
categorically, however, that II
a Salzburger hears the short
wave English broadcast Of
"Ariadne auf Naxos," it will be
the only performance of the
opera he will enjoy that day.
Opera in Salzburg is attended
by Englsmen, Frenchmen,
Italians, Americans, Texans,
Viennese, Muncheners,
Chinese, Senegalese, Erewhon-
ians. and Utopians, but no
Salzurger has been inside the
Salzburg opera house since
the summer of 1909. The poor
fellow who then bought a !.
ticket must endure to this day
the censure and reproach Of
his fellow citizens, for he can
not deny that he well knew
that the six weeks of Salzburg
opera, nockerl, and lederhosen
must run the town for the
next 46 weeks, and the opera
Is only for those with dollars,
pounds, or yen, rather than
with Salzburg schillings. >
These two examples of music
as a social force had been the
subject of some little reassur-
ing reflection this summer
when this week I received a
third indication of the new
use Of the art by an American
pianist by the name Of James
Wolfe. Mr.. Wolfe's story was
sent to me by his manager,
Mrs. Anna c. Molyneaux,
managing director of the Ma
tional Music League. Inc. Mrs.
Molyneaux and the League
have for at least 20 years been
Of the greatest service to the
cause of music in America.
Young artists Of real talent,
but lacking either the money
or the know-how Cor both) to
launch a career, are taken in
hand. Teachers, and some
times even instruments, are
found for them, and the
League is surprisingly success
full in signing numerous and
worthwhile engagements to
give the young artist self
confidence and experience.
Many of the best performing
musicians now on the road are
former League ,proteges, and
none, 1t is safe to say, is a
more colorful character than
James Wolfe.
Americans Explained
"The people of Washington,
D. c. didn't say a word" Mrs.
Molyneaux's introduction be-
gins, "but they helped explain
the Americans to the French.
It all began when Washington
citizens turned out for o con-
cert by pianist James Wolfe.
When the concert was over
they went home. But James
Wolfe went to France where
he told amazed audiences in
30 French cities how the
Americans in the nations
capital reacted to good music"
This. you can see, is a letter
no Washingtonian could resist
finishing. It goes on: James
Wolfe's musical career has
been deeply influenced by two
people-both Of them non
musical. and one q man he
never met. The first is his
grandmother, who thinks any
public performance but preach
ing making q fool of your
SELF" The other Is the late
Wendell Willkie whose plea to
Americans to build a reser-
voir of good will in foreign
l. n