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40 WINNETKA TALK January 14, 1928 News and Events Ii BOOK GREAT ARTISTS FOR CIVIC CONCERTS Claudia Muzio and Mary Mec- Cormic Among Stars to Be Heard at Aragon This Winter - North side and north shore dwellers who have enjoyed the "Uptown Civic concerts" of the past years are look- ing forward with anticipation to the Uptown Civic matinees, an elaboration and improvement on the old "con- certs," which will begin Sunday, Janu- ary 29, in the Aragon Ballroom at Lawrence and Broadway, Chicago, and will continue for four Sundays thereafter, each matinee starting at 2 p. m. These matinees will be presented un- der the auspices of the Central Up- town Chicago association to establish the Uptown district more firmly than ever in the minds of greater Chicago residents as a distinct cultural and economic district within the bound- aries of the metropolis, and also to af- ford residents on the north and north- west sides, and the north shore, an opportunity to enjoy entertainment of the highest quality--singing, instru- mental and symphonic music, dancing and monologue--at a moderate price. Hear Muzio January 29 The first of the matinees will con- sist of a song recital by the world famous Claudia Muzio, soprano star of the Chicago Civic Opera company, and hailed by music critics as the greatest singer of her type in the United States. She will be heard January 29. The next matinee, on February 5, will feature Vera Mirova, Russian in- terpreter of Far Eastern dances, to- gether with Francis Macmillen, who has been called the greatest violinist of American birth. Both Mme. Mirova and Mr. Macmillen have appeared re- cently in recitals in the loop, and both have been awarded the most extrava- gant praise by the music critics. Book Mary McCormic On February 12, Mary McCormic the American singer whose appearance with the Paris Opera company has been such a triumph that her contract with that organization has been re- newed for five years, will appear on the program with Jose Echaniz, Cu- ban pianist. Senor Echaniz, although in his early twenties, has been ap- plauded by music critics as one of the greatest pianists of the day, and one who is destined to reach the very top of his art within a very short time. His engagement for the Uptown Civic matinees is the result of the furore he created at the Uptown Concerts last year. Landowska Arranges Tour in European Countries The following concerns Wanda " Landowska, the celebrated harpsi- chordist, who some weeks ago gave a recital at New Trier under the direc- tion of the Winnetka Music club. She sailed recently for Europe in time for an appearance in Berlin: Mme. Landowska will make a tour through thirteen different countries in- cluding Egypt, until May next. Then she will take part in the Bach Festival at Strassburg, lasting five days. Mme. Landowska will take to the Festival not only her harpsichords, but also her pupils, harpsichordists and singers. With them she will play on two and three harpsichords, for only with her pupils and followers can the spirit of perfect unity be reached. This is the aim and the leading spirit of the Art Centre which she has founded at Saint- Leu-la-Foret, near Paris. 23 Music ry Artists in Concert Series Mary McCormic room, Chicago. the program. Claudia Muzio Claudia Muzio, soprano of the Chicago Civic Opera company, and Mary McCormic, soprano, who made her debut in Chicago and is now a great favor- ite with patrons of the Paris Opera company, will be among the artists to ap- pear in the Uptown Civic concerts to be given this winter at the Aragon Ball- The concert series begins January 29 when Muzio will give BRILLIANT CONCERT Woman's Symphony Orchestra, Mme. Laginska Directing, Wins Plaudits in Goodman Theatre Program ByR.L.P. The Woman's Symphony orchestra gave the second concert of their sec- ond season Sunday evening, January §, at the Goodman theatre, Chicago. Ethel Leginska, hailed as the world's foremost woman orchestral leader, con- ducted. Mme. Leginska is a dynamo of energy and fire, cutting out rhythms with swift, knife-like thrusts and swoops. Naturally the orchestra catches some of her own brilliance. The overture to Mozart's "Marriage of Figaro," was excellently played, with the spirit and daintiness to make it quite delightful. Beethoven's "Eroica" symphony fared well, except that the "Funeral March did not reach the dig- nity and depth it could have sounded. Yet the Scherzo more than made up for that deficiency. It was played at a breath-taking tempo with beautiful accuracy and verve. A first perform- ance was given of a "Symphonic In- termezzo," by Radie Britain. It was good orchestra writing and the audi- ence called out the composer many times to acknowledge applause. Ruth Ray, Soloist Ruth Ray, concert master of the orchestra, was heard in Tschaikow- sky's Concerto for violin and orches- tra. Her playing was poised, her in- terpretation = deliberate, and the ex- tremely difficult technical parts were gracefully handled. With Chabrier's "Rhapsodie Espana," the orchestra concluded the program on a note as dashing and colorful as Mme. Legins- ka's conducting. The orchestra gives its next con- cert on February 5, with Esther Lundy Newcomb;- soprano, as soloist in six nursery rhymes for soprano and or- chestra, composed by Mme. Leginska. There are seventy-seven players in this orchestra, a few of them being men, since few women players have been available' for the more unusual Critic Has Lofty Praise for This Church Quartet "Wilmette is certainly blessed in the quartet which, under the direction of Erma Rounds, sings at the First Pres- byterian church in that fine north shore community." Thus reads the introductory para- graph of an article in The Music News (Chicago) by the pen of Charles E. Watt and bearing the title, "Some Lovely Christmas Music--and Who." The choir personnel of the Wilmette church consists of Edith Trewartha, Rose Lutiger Gannon, John B. Miller, and Emmons C. Carlson. Mr. Watts elaborates upon his state- ment with laudatory comment con- cerning the individual artists in this group. Quoting a paragraph: "Miss Trewartha has one of the most charming of the younger soprano voices in this city (Chicago), Mrs. Gannon and Mr. Miller have been long accepted as among the most artistic and efficient church singers in Chicago, and Mr. Carlson, whom I have never heard before, is the possessor of a glorious voice, as well as a radiant personality, both of which fit into en- semble with the other three perfectly." "Oldtime Favorites" to Feature Vesper Recital Those who for the past several sea- sons have enjoyed the monthly Vesper recitals at the Wilmette Baptist church will be keenly interested in the Vesper program to be given January 15 when the church organist, William Harrison Barnes, will give a program of "Oldtime Favorites" in organ com- positions. instruments. As soon as a fund is raised for the purpose, women players for these instruments will be secured from other parts of the country. The orchestra maks a charming appearance, for the women members are in comely dark blue georgette dresses. The whole atmosphere of the orchestra is one of ease and charm. MELTZER SCHOOL TO SPONSOR ENSEMBLE | Students of North Shore School and Others Invited to Com- prise Musical Group The announcement comes this week from the Meltzer School of Music which has its Winnetka branch in the Community House and Wilmette branch in Carleton Kaumeyer's Wil- mette Music shop that it will sponsor the organization of a large ensemble for its students and all musical ama- teurs of the north shore to be known as the North Shore Music league. Membership is open to boys and girls from six to sixty and it is hoped that players of band and orchestral instru- ments will respond in such numbers that there will be formed here an or- ganization of one hundred instrumen- talists. Edward J. Meltzer, who holds de- grees in arts and music from North- western university, and under whose direction the Northwestern band was developed from a small ensemble of twenty to a concert band of seventy players, will personally conduct the re- hearsals of the league. Divide Into Units "Such an organization can be re- hearsed with all the members present at one time," said Mr. Meltzer, "but we plan to divide the organization into smaller units so as to give more spe- cial attention to each instrument. Our aim is a membership of one hundred and we shall limit the personnel to that many for the balance of this term, which will close some time in May. The various divisions provide for a clarinet section of twenty, twenty saxaphonists will form a small band of their own, there will be a brass choir of a like number, the banjo-mandolin club, and a unit of the remaining instruments such as violin, piano, drums, flute, oboe, and bassoon will comprise the remain- ing sections with twenty players each. Out of these units we shall also be able to have a concert band of fifty and an orchestral of a like number. Training in Many Forms "Although the inspiration for the league was our desire to provide an opportunity for ensemble training and experience for our students of the wind and fretted instruments, we shall also welcome as members others who have had sufficient training to enable them to play moderately difficult band and orchestral music. There will be training in all forms of playing and the music will include folk songs of the various nations; classics by such composers as Handel, Beethoven, Wagner, and Tschaikowsky; as well as the more popular songs of the day such as "When Day Is Done," "Among My Souvenirs," and "Dancing Tambou- rine." The first meeting will be held in the Winnetka Community House January 14 and the second at the same place January 28, both at 10 in the morning. Prospective members may register at these times, but it would be better if they would do so before the first meet- ing they expect to attend so that we may have music for them. They will bring their own music stands. I hope that every interested musician on the north shore will co-operate in making these ensembles serve their purpose which is to demonstrate the value and the joy of playing in a large well-con- ducted ensemble ooo w