Towson University - Tower Echoes Yearbook (Towson, MD)

Page 28 text:

That her eltorts have been successful has been proved by the fact that many times Milton Cross has read to us some of the letters sent by the listeners. The radio has become the most important medium through which are presented to the public world news. comedy. tragedy. and. most frequently. music. XVhen the Metropolitan first broadcast its operas several years ago. music lovers hailed this iimovation in the hope that it would stimulate a desire in the people to cultivate a taste for fine music. Thus far, these hopes have been amply rewarded. This renaissance has extended its scope to include the symphony and chamber music. The glorious works of the most eminent composers are being presented to the public and are becoming increas- ingly important because people are demanding to see and hear operas which have gone into obscurity such as Beethoven's Fidelio and Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoorf' One week we hear a German music drama by XVag- ner, next an Italian opera by any one of Italy's illustri- ous composers. such as Verdi. Puecini. Rossini. Then we have a setting in France. lapan. or Russia, as in Prince Igor. or in America. A'The Girl of the Colden XVest. To go beyond that, we have presented on the American stage the opera Aida, composed by the Ital- ian. Verdi. which opera's locale is in Egypt. The Metropolitan Opera Company recognizes no dis- crimination in race or creed. It adheres to the policy that music is for everyone to hear and to enjoy. This exten- sion of the musical sphere is another proof of the free- dom which is the very essence of music. Music is essen- tially universal - any who endeavor to restrict it by raising national and racial barriers serve only to place a death sentence on creative expression. Opera on the radio has enriched the cultural experience of the Amer- ican citizen and is of definite value as an instrument of music education. International Relations Club IEANNE KRAVETZ YOUAIE READ of renovations and face liftings. XYell. we've changed our name! Perhaps you have heard of the League of Young Voters - of its interesting meet- ings and pleasant social affairs. The same will continue. We have the same setup, the same purpose. However. we are now the International Relations Club. XYith a new name. we want many new faces. So Freshmen. join now and learn about the world today, meet well-known speakers, join in interesting discussion. Xliiden your horizons by joining the I. R. C. 20 The Orchestra AT OUR tirst rehearsal. Orchestra members had the feeling that it was the Orchestra of 1938-1939 with the calendar turned back to lune. All of the chairs were in- tact with familiar faces at each desk. But with a second look we saw we were welcoming new members, some of whom we saw at new additional desks in the violin sec- tion and one. a new organist. Besides those of us re- hearsing now, a number of students are trying out for the instruments owned by the college. These students will come into the Orchestra as fast as they succeed. YVe'll tell you the winners in due time. Our new music stands are most welcome: and we do need them, with the largest Orchestra ever. The upper- elassmen remember that sudden shower which fell as we played last Commencement. It dampened us then, but the new stands are our reward, so let bygones be by- gones. and we will hope the new ones are never in a rain! Seniors. join your wishes to ours when you think of May Day and Commencement. Our work for the year is under way with rehearsals for the assemblies. a broadcast. and a program for the State Teachers Association claiming attention. XVith so many students learning instruments. the director hasn't had time for our group ensembles, but before long we hope you will hear them practicing as now you hear some of the brass section, if you come to school before nine. XVe have some plans for our part of the Towrzn LIGHT also. Perhaps you would like to know more about what it takes to be a good Orchestra member, so we are going to try to tell you. XVe hope you like it. NVatch this space in your next issue! EVOLUTION OF A FRESHMAN ESTA B.-xBL.-iN Terrific trouble it is indeed To make a plant grow from a seed. Every farmer knows 'tis so - And yet, the little seedlings grow. In the same manner we may note That a Freshman is but a tiny boat. If you Seniors acknowledge that as true Some day. perhaps. t11ey'll be ocean liners . too. A young husband was trying to teach his nervous wife to drive a car. They were on a narrow country road and she had been driving only for a short time when she ex- claimed: Take the wheel quickly. darling, here comes a tree! TOWER LIGHT

Page 27 text:

I that college spirit in music? paniment might each be written by indiixidnals work- l Do not feel that you must master the job by your- ing cooperatively. self. The words, melody. harmony, and pianoaccom- I-Iere's to a melodious answer to our singing need! Opera and The Radio KATHRYNE PETROFF It is Saturday afternoon, Beside the radio is a chair Q and a table. On this table lies Ernest Newman's book, Q Stories of the Great Operas and Their Composers. At 1:55 p. m., with expectation. I turn on the radio, pre- pared to listen to the presentation of Georges Bizet's colorful opera Carmen by the Metropolitan Opera I Company. From the first gay notes which are heard in I the introduction to the tumultuous tragic ending of this ii' fast-moving opera, I am held enthralled by the beautiful 'l music which is sung by the Metropolitan's ablest artists. Witlr Ernest Newman's book before me, I follow the 4 l I lg, action of this opera, which, between the acts, is inter- spersed with pertinent remarks by the announcer, Mil- li ton Cross. Besides listening to 'ACarmen, other Saturdays are re- , served for the presentation of the operas Siegfried, La I Traviataf' 'fManon, Lucia di Lammermoorn and oth- li er favorite dramas dear to all music lovers. There are 1 millions who turn to their loudspeakers on Saturday aft- il ernoons and with this vast multitude I feel a friendship. a common bond - the love of fine music. i The presentation of operas over the radio offers many I advantages to the public. People who would never be able to hear or see a full-length opera have the opportu- I nity to listen to a great variety of musical dramas. XVe are able to hear Milton Cross. the renowned music com- mentator, who enlightens us with interesting informa- I 1 I . Q gtion and sidelights on opera stars, conductors, compo- Sers, and their works. Frequently between the acts Mr. Cross has celebrities who enliven the program with amusing and informative anecdotes of their careers ap- pear with him. The listener is able to concentrate on the . music and to give his full attention to it. If he wishes to hear only the music and is interested in the melody I alone, the radio is the most satisfactory medium through which to hear an opera, for there are no scenery nor peo- ple to detract from his attentiong thus. he may hear the good and the weak parts of the opera with a keener and if more appreciative nature. 'I On the other hand, one misses the beauty and majesty ,of the setting. whether it is the elaborate scenery of Carmen or the simple surroundings of Die XValkure. YVhen one listens to a radio presentation. he does not ri have the opportunity to witness the performers in their capacity as drainatists. Finally, there is another attrac- XOCTOBER - 1939 V l tion which the unseen audience misses. that of seeing the conductor lead his orchestra which creates the back- ground and the mood for the players and for the listener. The radio has opened a new and a more prosperous field for musicians, for since the advent of Saturday aft- ernoon performances there has been a definite increase and appreciation of good music experienced by the pub- lic. This nation-wide audience is demanding more and better accomplished artists. There has been a definite change in the attitude of the public toward opera. From the time of the VVorld VVar there had been a decline in its interest in classical music. Since the advent of the opera on the radio the trend has led to a greater degree of love of the fine music of the masters. Perhaps the person who regards this type of music as uhigh-brow may turn to his radio while a Saturday matinee is in progress and may hear an aria, some dance music. or a martial air which catches his fancy. His in- terest is arousedg he decides to listen further. comfort- ably settles himself and prepares to enjoy to the ut- most, this heavenly music. As hc is not present at the Metropolitan. his imagination must be his sight and he finds himself transferred to a far-away land of which the singers are a part, and lives with them the lives which they are portraying. In speaking about opera on the radio. one must not forget Mr. Edward Iohnson, General Manager of the Metropolitan Gpera Company, whose untiring zeal and love for music have led him to work so that the mass of people may develop a keen interest and appreciation for that which is closest to his heart. Ile has acquired talent froni all corners of the world: Lilly Pons is Frances gift to us, Marjorie Lawrence is a native of Australiag Kir- sten Flagstad, the superb heroine of the XVagncrian cy- cle. hails from Norway, Iussi Bjoerling is from Sweden: Ian Kiepura. from Poland: Gailiano Xlassini. from mu- sical ltalyg Bidu Sayaou comes to us from Brazil. By ex- tending the opera season in New York he has rendered a great service to the American people in that more op- portunities for hearing the Saturday afternoon perform- ances have been possible. Mrs. Belmont. president of the Metropolitan Opera Guild, has done much to stimulate interest in the opxgi by urging the vast radio audience to send its I-piinwiis and criticisms on any aspect of the Metropolitan Opera 4

Page 29 text:

3. L . un.. -4.4 . ..'..A,- ' ' S N I C K S ' ' HENRY N. STECKLER With the beginning of the 1939-40 soccer season, Coach Minnegan finds himself faced with his usual hard task of building a soccer team from limited material. Regardless of the final outcome of the season, the stu- dent body may rest assured that Towson will again place a fighting team on the field. Although this year's team will contain many hard- running, fleet-footed boys, we can hardly expect it to top last year's record. As you remember, Towson went through the 1938 season undefeated to win the cham- pionship of the Maryland Collegiate Soccer League. Such line booters as UVVindy Cordon, Paul Massicot, Tom Coedeke, Robinson, Bennett, Cox, McConnell, and others will be difficult to replace. Teachers College will again use the simple formula of outrunning its opponents. The returning veterans, Calder, Cernik, Shock, Hart, Lauenstein, and Captain Lou Cox, together with other seasoned players and like- ly looking Freshmen, will help considerably to offset our graduation losses. State Teachers will shoot the works in every game. The team will be hard to beat. The soccer menu looms as an attrctive one. The following is the 1939 schedule as complete as I have it: Date Friday, October 13 Friday, October Z0 Monday, October 23 Friday, November 3 Tuesday, November 7 Friday, November 10 Team Location Blue Ridge ......,. Towson Salisbury T. C. .,,.,. Towson U. of Virginia ...... Towson VVestern Maryland . .Towson Iohns Hopkins ..... Towson U. of Maryland.College Park VV. NORRIS WEIS SURPRISE! Once again t'So VVhat greets ye olde September Observations upper-classmen and ye newe Freshmen. The thought of your not having someone to report to you the various sundry and obnoxious bits of news that otherwise would not get into print fwith apolo- gies to L. M. MJ so overwhelmed me that I thought it my bounden duty to return and serve you in the aforementioned capacity. fEd. Note - Seems as if this guy took a course in etymology this summerj I know you are delighted with the prospect. Heh, heh, heh! I am, so far as my business is to find monkey- business and report it to you, and I should appreciate any student enlightening me as to the incidents and ob- servations that would be of interest to my many read- ers, both of you. But after all is said and done, So Wfhat? Now to get on with this month's heckling: OCTOBER . 1939 The topography of the Freshman girls is quite up to standard. This is the general consensus of opinion of the upper-classmen and the gentlemen of the faculty. The new Cafeteria system would be an overwhelming success if everyone's lunch period were 120 minutes long. ' It is obvious that the Freshman girls are much more familiar with various spots in the Clen than with thc location of their classrooms in the Administration Build- ing or the books in the Library. Could the Freshman tours with the Iuniors and Seniors have been respon- sible? The girls of the entering class are all inquiring as to the whereabouts of The XVhitey. Can anyone in Sr. ' help them? I