Evening star., 1961-03-05
NEWS OF MUSIC
BY IRVING LOWENS
Star Music Critic

by IRVING LOWENS
Star Music Critic
Aksel Schiotz, baritone,
sings tonight in the National
Gallery.
Behind this statement Is
one Of the most inspiring
musical stories Of our time
The Schiotz story Is one Of
triumph, terror, heartbreak,
and determination. Everyone
who listens to the Danish
artist as he sings the great
Schubert song-cycle. Die
Winterreise," should know it.
Those younger music c-lovers
to whom the name Schiotz
means nothing should know
it.
And those who remember
the great tenor Aksel Schiotz
of earlier days should be re-
minded of his tragic plunge
into the depths and Of his
arduouS climb back into the
light.
A Danish Tenor
Schiotz got a late start as
a full-time singer. Although
known as one Sf the best
church tenors in Denmark
for many years, it was not
until 1888, when he was 80
years old, that he decided to
dedicate his life to music
rather than teaching.
An international success
looked inevitable-then, in
April Of 1910, Hitler's troops
marched into Denmark and
the night of Nazi rule dark
ened the life Of the singer
and his country.
With the liberation in 1945
came the long-delayed
MISUNDERSTANDING with his
visit to England, life be-
came an endless whirl Of
concerts. offers of tours,
engagements all over the
world, recording sessions, and
social feStivity.
When Schiotz celebrated
his 40th birthday on Septem-
ber /, 1916, 1t looked as If
his troubles were over.
But they were only be-
ginning, it shortly developed.
Suffered a TumOr
A month later, he learned
that he was suffering from
a tumor Of the acoustic nerve.
The only possible cure was
surgery. Even the most skill
full exercise Of the surgeons
knife could not prevent paral-
ysis of one side Of his face,
and the nerves controlling the
vocal chords would be in
utmost danger.
Suddenly. Schiotz was faced
with an operation which,
even If it saved his life, would
probably leave him an invalid
with no hope Of ever singing
professionally again.
But there was no choice,
and the operation was under
taken.
The weeks that followed
the operation were terrible
ones. SchiotZ fingered be-
tween life and death. The
whole coordination and bal
ance of the right side Of his
body had been thrown out of
kilter. Slowly, he fought his
way back to health.
OF those grim days, he
wrote:
II was completely unable
to sing, professionally speak
ing, and it was to be thus for
a long time. Fortunately the
vocal chord nerve was not
hurt nor had the facial nerve
been altogether destroyed. It
did begin to show some signs
Of possible regeneration.
80 I began all kinds Of
facial exercises in order to
force the nerve into a little
bit Of response. But for long,
long months there were abso-
lutely no visible signs of life
in the right side of the face.
That right corner of my
mouth just would not move,
and it drove me into black
despair.
$50 I walked day after day
up and down the deserted
beach and I sang to the waves
and the seagulls. I memorized
songs, exercised my face, ex-
perimented with my voice,
and tried to rediscover the
old easy way Of breathing and
supporting a tone. More often
than not, the results were
wholly depressing: but every
so often. a new discovery,
another tiny bit of progress.