Evening star., 1960-04-10
NEWS OF MUSIC
BY DAY THORPE
Star Music Critic

We were played a tape Of
the singing of the Yale Rus
sian Chorus last week at a
luncheon to introduce its
conductor, Denis Mickiewicz.
1--WE" were several newspaper
writers, and the Yale Russian
Chorus is group of Yale
men-undergraduates, MAS,
PhD's and professors-that
has an extraordinary interest
in Russia, and has gone there
twice in the last two years to
sing to the people, talk with
them. learn from them, and
perhaps tell them something.
The tape indicated that the
chorus is a good male choir,
but it did nothing to indicate
the character of the musical
organization, which will give
a concert in Lisner April "a.
Mr.. Mickiewicz is a 31-year-
old naturalized American who
came to this country from
Latvia in 1852 and has
since graduated from Yale
and taken a degree from
Yale's music school, where he
studied piano and compost
ton. Now he is working for a
doctors degree in compare
tive literature. Speaking per-
feet Russian, he was asked
several years ago to partici-
pate in a discussion group at
Yale made up of individuals
who wanted to give its men,
bers an intellectual under
standing Of Russian culture
and to attract more support
to extensive programs of Rus
sian and Soviet studies in
schools and universities"
Basically, the group was held
together by amateur music
making.
Sing as Tourist Group
In 1858, the group made
its first of two trips to Rus
sia-not as a musical organ
ization, but as an aggrega-
tion of private tourists, rep
resenting nobody. and spon-
sored by neither the State
Department or any other
propaganda agency, private
or public.
The Russians wanted the
group to give formal concerts
in recital halls, but Man.
ciewicz and his men knew
that their tour would be
more interesting if they sang
to every possible public in the
squares and parks of many
Russian cities. Besides, they
did not pretend to be pro-
fessional artists.
Russian authorities con-
sented. without, it seems, any
r marked enthusiasm, and the
impromptu concerts of Amer
ican and Russian songs took
place without official impedi-
ment except the infrequent
interference of local police,
whose objections we're usu-
ally. if not always, counter
manded by superior author
tiles.
Large Crowds Gather
So this singing group be-
came an ideal American
emissary, attracting large
crowds wherever it went,
making music for three
quarters of an hour and then
talking all night. 1t was both
very curious itself and quite
willing to answer questions
and debate propositions.
There can be no suspicion
that it was the vehicle OF
any propaganda line what
ever. because 80 Yale men
could not achieve unanimity
on any subject-certainly not
on what America or Russia
is, was. should be, or will be.
Half the group speaks ex-
cellent Russian, according to
Mr.. Micklewicz, and most of
the others have at least a
smattering of the language. 1t
is a pretty picture to visualize
the chorus opening up in a
Russian square. a crowd
gathering, listening, applaud
ing, Joining in. They met
: all kinds-hecklers. sly dis
sidentS who by asking WELL
chosen questions about con-
temporary Russian art and
letters were able to elicit
public answers they them
selves did not dare make,
simple Russians, happy and
unhappy Russians, and also