Philadelphia Conservatory of Music - Variations Yearbook (Philadelphia, PA)

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mar!! premier Anodder vodka, snarled fhe eminenf Russian pianisf, Jascha Rorowifz. Humph! Zey vanf me fo play new American concerfo by Jones. Based on Indian fhemes, yef. How zey vill laugh in Moscow. Easy now, J. R. purred his suave manager, Mr. Hudson. Mr. Hudson was in a good humor because he had iusf posed for fhe 'Man of Disfincfion,' and fhey lef him have fhe drink. Think of 'rhe furor if will cause. Famous Russian pianisf gives premier of new concerfo by obscure composer from Oklahoma. lf will open up a new musical fronfier in fhe Soufhwes'l'. His laugh finkled like a cash regisfer. ' Ja, buf da idiof broughf zombies along fo play fom-foms wifh orchesfra. Maybe zey beaf so loud, nobody hear muzik. Well, if's almosf fime for rehearsal, said Mr. Hudson. We'd beffer go on over fo fhe hall. You know how Sfoblowski hafes fo be kepf waifing. So saying, fhey walked fo fhe curb, hailed a passing faxi, and were soon deposifed in fronf of Carnegie Hall. As fhey mounfed fhe sfeps, fhey became aware of greaf confusion from inside. The manager of fhe hall came rushing ouf. Don'f worry, Mr. Hudson, he panfed. We're frying fo smoofh fhings ouf peacefully. The whole percussion secfion iusf walked ouf be- cause fhe Indians Jones hired fo play fhe fom-foms gof paid more fhan fheir union wages. We senf fo union headquarfers for subsfifufes, so 'rhey oughf fo be here any minufe. Anyway, Sfoblowski is ready fo con- ducf fhe concerfo, so you'd beffer gef inside. The inferior of fhe audiforium showed signs of a recenf sfruggle. Arrows were sficking ouf of fhe curfains, a fomahawk was imbedded in fhe podium, and several seafs in fhe fronf row had been smashed 'ro pieces. In fhe background a few Indians were quiefly seffing up drums, gourds and raffles. Repair men were replacing fhe legs on fhe Sfeinway, and over all reigned Sfololowski, in complefe confrol of fhe sifuafion, lisfening fo 'l'he orchesfra fune up. From here if will nof be necessary fo confinue. The nofed crific, Girvil Nospmofh, ran fhe complefe sfory in his column fhe following morning:

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301,90 Mefronomic speed is probably fhe mosf variable and annoying elemenf of musical execufion. lf is fhe reason for fhe asfonishingly varied performance fime given a work by fwo or more aufhenfically sound inferprefers. Sfudenfs should beware of imifafing fhe fempos of mafure arfisfs. lf is surprising how liffle such fempo variafion affecfs fhe lisfener. The imporfanf elemenfs are rafher rhyfhmic arficulafion, coordinafed phraseology, melodic line and harmonic movemenf. Whaf counfs mef- ronomically is fhe alferafion of speed wifhin a framework once a fempo is sef. Composers are offen poor performers and hesifafe shamefully before indicafing fheir fempos. Even when fhey are capable of giving audible shape fo fheir music, fhey are so occupied wifh fhe numerous defails and hidden elemenfs of fhe form fhaf fhe flow is hampered. Usually fempo indicafions are puf on fhe score affer fhe complefion of a work. Af fhis poinf fhe composer is an inferprefer. His concepfion now is of no more value fhan any ofher performer. Many works have had fheir mefronome marks inserfed while being rushed fo fhe publisher. Ofhers have been kepf long affer fhe dead- line only fo have been sfudied mefronomically by a faulfy ficker. This does nof give fhe sfudenf fhe righf fo violafe a composer's wish. Buf offen, fhe fempo secref lies somewhere beyond fhe brackefed figure af fhe fop of fhe prinfed page. VINCENT PERSICHETTI Music is a kind of inarficulafe, unfafhomable speech, which leads us fo fhe edge of fhe infinife, and lefs us for a momenf gaze info fhaf. -CARLYLE.

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Lasf nighf Carnegie Hall was fhrown info an unprecedenfed uproar by a series of wild evenfs. The program began quiefly enough. If was affer fhe infermission fhaf fhe fireworks came. As fhe audience slowly made fheir way back fo fheir seafs, fhey were sfarfled by fhe appear- ance of several Indians clad in fradifional garb siffing in fhe percussion secfion. 'Anofher one of fhaf cufe SfobIowski's fricks,' fiffered one old dowager fo her friends. The orchesfra slowly assembled on sfage, fhe baffered piano was wheeled info posifion, fhe house Iighfs dimmed. Ouf came Rorowifz, who bowed superciliously, and fhen Sfoblowski. No sooner had he sig- naled fhe orchesfra fo begin, fhan fhere arose from fhe rear of fhe hall a loud shouf. Down fhe aisle plummefed fhe pudgy figure of Pames Jefrillo, union boss. 'ln fhe name of fhe law, I forbid you fo confinue,' he roared. 'Those Indians are non-union men, and any man fhaf plays one nofe will lose his union card and be black-Iisfed for Iife.' ERN.. mx A dreadful silence ensued. Suddenly one of fhe Indians leaped fo his feef wifh a wild cry and sfarfed affer Jefrillo. He was soon ioined by ofhers. If fook fiffy policemen fo resfore order, and as I undersfand, Jefrillo is in fhe hospifal, where he has nof yef recovered consciousness. The performance of fhe new concerfo was cancelled, and Mr. Rorowifz was discovered fwo hours Iafer by his friends, enferfaining fhe Indians af his aparfmenf. BARBARA DAY BRIGHT SAYINGS Lauren Persicheffi lage fhreel says fhe word is nof cooperlafeI - leighfI, buf cooperfen : fhaf ice is a piece of wafer , and a hand- kerchief is whaf you puf fhe blow on. Miss Chrisfman: Who reformed Opera? Sfudenf: Oh! Some Cluck by fhe name of Gluck!