Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-09-06
NEWS OF MUSIC
BY DAY THORPE
star Music Critic

When my ears adjusted to
the food Of syllables pour
ing out Of the receiver, !
became aware that Guillermo
Espinosa was inviting me to
lunch. Mr.. Espinosa, director
Of the Music Division Of the
Pan American Union, speaks
English in the manner char
acteristic Of many musicians
.-volubly, fiuently, uncon-
cernedly. execrably, by ear,
and frequently indecipherably.
He has always been far too
interested in what he is say
ing to concern himself with
much more than the tune Of
"a tongue. But there is no
z doubt that his ideas have
%p1ayed q large part in the
musical culture Of two cities
Washington and Cartagena,
Colombia. Here, he every
year brings concerts by a
:. large number Of the finest
soloists and ensembles of
(, South and Central America,
In addition to artists from the
.%,United States and Canada.
There, he founded the Ma
tional Symphony of Colom-
y bia in 1886. and the Carta-
sSgena Festival in l945.
~ I'VE have a certain con-
y nection with Washington,
: one that isn't generally
known" he told me. "Carta-
: gena is an old fortress town.
and in Colombia's war for
= independence in the early
10th century it was attacked
by an army led by one Ver-
non Of the Mount Vernon
family and Lawrence Wash
ington, son Of the president.
I Our forces were under a gen.
eral missing an eye, an arm
and a leg. but our lines held
and when we captured
! Washington's headquarters
We were overjoyed to find a
! lot Of medals-silver plaques
I already struck to commence
[: rate the anticipated victory.
, These medals are now of
course Colombia's most cher
ished treasure. When How
ard Mitchell came to town
= with the National Symphony
= last May the city decorated
him with q replica.
! But what I want to tell
you about today is Carta-
gena's new opera house
| which will be inaugurated in
1861. We are a town of only
Z 100000 people, most of whom.
as you will see If you ever go
! there. are crazy about music.
I We are replacing our old
J house with a new one Of
5000 seats, and with all the
! latest improvements and ia
cilities. The only thing that
isn't sure is air-conditioning
that has to be bought With
dollars we don't have. We're
(, looking for a friend of CO.
lombia in the United States
J TO cool our music-making
for us"
I remarked that it seemed
to me that although there
had been many great operas
without air-conditioning
strenuous efforts should be
Z made to locate that friend.
"What kind Of music does
! the general public like in
Z South American" I asked.
"All kinds-different peo-
pie, different tastes" said
Z MIR. Espinosa. But I think
s we are especially interested
: In contemporary music. Mex
leo and South America have
: q surprisingly large number
4 Of composers turning out all
) kinds Of scores. villa Lobos
may be the most prolific. but
he is typical Of our artists
who are servicemen for our
performers and audiences.
They compose everything
songs, sonatas, symphonies,
operas. -"
In thinking back over the
! DOZENS of recitals and con-
certs the Pan American
Union under Mr.. Espinosa
has brought to Washington.
It seemed to me that the &C
: cent had been on the con-
temporary, and that modern
music had been played with
more enthusiasm and appre-
citation than it is by US. At
times the modern work is
held by our artists, only a
necessary nod to culture"
and generally 1t is not given
even so much consideration
by our non-specialized au-
diences.
"Of course. we have gov
eminent subsidy for our mu-
sic, and it makes a great
difference. 1t is handled In
as many different ways as
there are countries. Some
times there are what I must
call excuses as, for ex-
ample, in one Of our coun-
tries where the minister Of
music is a fanatical long
hair. He has put a 5 per cent
tax on all public entertain
ment of every kind, the pro-
ceeds going to the support Of
symphony. opera, and other
classical" music. What do
you think about state sup
port Of music in the United
Etates?"
I thought that there was