Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-12-11


really new, having been con-
sidered and debated for several
seasons) cuts expenses and
improves quality. It does not
add customers.
Exit: Snow Bureau
What made the headlines
when 1t was discovered is the
second part of the symphony's
scheme. For II years the
Boston Orchestra has been
playing in Washington; the
Philadelphia Orchestra has
been a guest here for a not
much shorter span of time.
Recently these great orchestras
have come not for a fee, nor
with a guarantee. but as in
dependent business and artis-
tic organizations. Their man.
agement here has been the
Snow Concert Bureau.
The Boston and Philadel-
phia Orchestras, giving this
season II concerts, are rivals
of the younger National Sym
phony which have often left
a sour flavor on the tongues
of many of the directors Of
the local orchestra-not only
because of the large number
of good music-lovers' dollars
they take out Of town, but
also because their basic audi
ence is one that the National
Symphony has never been able
to appeal to. Look around q
National Symphony house and
then at the patrons Of the
visiting orchestras and notice
how few faces you see dupli-
Gated in both audiences.
The National Symphony has
built q grass-roots following
over the past quarter century.
made up to a great extent
though not predominantly of
students, serious" music low
ers. and recently even God
save the markD hi-fl fans.
The visiting orchestras appeal
not only to music lovers but
also to a certain tribe of our
cave-dwellers for whom the
Philadelphia and the Boston
have been sacrosanct for gen.
erations.
Clientele to Be United
The Symphony board saw a
wonderful opportunity to buy
the Snow Bureau (owned by
Constance Snow, not unwill-
ing, after all these years Of the
vissisitudes Of the management
business, to retire.. engage
both the Boston and Philadel-
phia Orchestras to appear here
on a restricted schedule. and
at the same time. by selling
the National and the others In
q single package, to add the
visitors clientele to its own.
The Danish ballet would be
another sterling attraction for
the package. for Washington
is the worlds most Unsuitable
ballet-town. and finally that
glittering If somewhat tarn-
ished loss-leader, the Metro
politan Opera!
AS I talk to you today. my
dear Lector, the consumma-
ton of this grandiose plan Is
not yet. The Danish ballet Is
signed up for q pair. the Bos-
ton Orchestra for another, and
negotiations are under way
with the Philadelphia for two
pairs on the subscription
series, and two other different
single concerts. The Metro
politan has not yet been heard
from.
LECTOR: What are the at
titudes OF Mrs. Snow and OF
Patrick Hayes, Of the Hayes
Concert Bureau, which brought
the Metropolitan to town last
season. and has announced 1t
again for this spring?
AUCrOR: Dissimilar. Mrs.
Snow thinks 1t will be all to
the advantage Of the Sym
phony. She agrees with Nit
chell, Ralph Black. the man
ager, and the board in general,
that the amalgamation Of the
three orchestras should in
crease the subscription series
of the National substantially
perhaps from 1000 to 5000.
Also, the sale Of her own
agency Is part of the plan.
Hayes in the Middle
Pat Hayes does not see the
new development in so kindly
a light. The Hayes Bureau Is
a strong, aggressive organiza-
ton that handles virtually all
of the big time concert busi-
ness in town, except the Ma
tional. Boston and Phila-
delphia Orchestras. 1t made
a good thing out of the Metro
politan Opera last year tal-
though the Opera played for
a loss, it had a large number
of civic-minded guarantors
who quite properly paid for
management and has 1t
booked again for this April.
1t isn't hard to understand
how Mr.. Hayes. waking UP one
fine morning to find the Sym
phony proposing to relieve him
of the Metropolitan and to be-
come his competitor. not as a
local orchestra, but as another
full-fiedged impressario, was
not wildly enthusiastic.
LECTOR: You, however,
Auctor, talk as though you
were a high-paid press-agent
for the Symphony. It's easy
to see that you're sold on the
new plan
AUCTOR: No, not entirely. It
has its pints, like the jump
ing frog. II reduces the over