Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-12-04
NEWS OF MUSIC
Visit With SibeIius
In Finland Recalled

WI Ms.
He was a large man In a
white linen suit, with q soft
voice, a warm smile and a
friendly handshake. He spoke
no English. and suggested
French or German. I said I
spoke German-a bald and
obvious lie, but I was so
nervous that If Sibelius had
picked up his violin and asked
me to accompany him. I would
have undoubtedly sat down at
the piano, which I do not play
at all, and looked around for
the music.
Degree From Yale
Whisky and Ice were brought
in. and as Sibelius was pour
ing, Nine. Jarnefelt said that
I had graduated from Yale
the year before.
"Oh, then We are fellows"
said Sibelius. I was given a
degree by Yale in 1914, during
my only visit to America. I
remember New Haven we'll
a beautiful town where the
sun was always shining"
The description struck me
as inexact in 1887: in 1855
I find my memory comedies
with his. I said that ! had
seen the manuscript of his
tone poem "Allotaret," which
he had given the university.
Eyes, a beautifully written
score" remarked Sibelius, and
then spoke in Finnish to
Nine. Jarnefelt. She said
that he had added that his
hands trembled so much now
that he could hardly write
legibly, and that he had to use
enormous score-paper for his
music. I had noticed the
shaking Of his hands, which
did not seem a symptom but
rather a phenomenon in it
self, for Sibelius appeared to
be a strong man in excellent
health,
Sibeiius remarked on the
relative neglect Of "Allotaret"
it is even now not frequently
played-and said it did not
seem to him an inferior piece.
He said that he thought the
recording of it by Sir Adrian
Boult an excellent perform
ance.
Liked Marian Anderson
The composer offered me
one of his cigars of which he
is very fond. and which ad-
mirerS send to him from all
over the world. do you know
Howard Hanson? He repri-
manded me for not writing
him, but I don't write letters
any more. although I take
great pleasure in getting them.
A man wrote me that he played
my symphonies on a portable
photograph in the African
wilderness. and that the lions
always reared" He smiled. Il
play photograph records quite
lot. and enjoy them. Particu-
larry Marian Anderson sing
ing my songs" He asked me
to explain the social position
OF Miss Anderson in America,
and said that he had never
entirely understood the color
question in the United States.
asked what he held to be
the sources of his style as an
orchestrator. II don't know the
sources" he answered, but
maybe MendelsSohn and Mo-
Fart have had some influence
on me, for I consider them the
greatest of all masters of the
orchestra. Berlioz, too. could
use instruments with the
greatest skill, out then the end
result is less satisfactory than
with the other two. I think
you have to be very careful
when you speak of orchestra
ton by itself, apart from the
other factors of a completed
piece of music"
Then as now there were
rumors about the Sibelius
Eighth Symphony. He had
never written it; he had
written it but, being extremely
sensitive to criticism, was saw
ing it for a posthumous pre-
miere, it was a choral SYM
phony, and so on. asked
about 1t. Itch sage ME" Il
never say). answered Sibelius,
simply. Meanwhile. Nine.
Sibelius had come in the room
and was talking in Finnish to
Nine. Jarnefelt. I learned
later that she said that Sibelius
wrote music almost every day,
and had done so all his life.
She was sure that there were
symphonies or other works
completed. but that even she
did not know where they were.
OF DOwnes and Loeffler
Sibelius spoke warmly of his
old friend DIN Downes, one of
the few Americans that had
visited him in his home. and
OF Charles Martin Loeffler, a
composer for whom he said he
had great admiration. He
asked me If 1 had ever heard
any genuine American Indian
music. or whether I knew If
any had ever been transcribed
and published.
He spoke of Cecil Gray, his
biographer. and Of Aulikii
Rautewara, a soprano who
was making a success at that
time at Glyndebourne, and
whose voice Sibelius praised in
high terms. He said that he
had not been to Salzburg in
recent years, but had heard it
was in sad decline.
AS we were leaving he said
to me: you come here want
ing to hear things from me,