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WILMETTE LIFE February 22. 1929 Music .·News and Events: Child Muter of Violin Sigurd Nilssen Wins in Chicago Debut March 3 Plaudits of Large Chicagoans will have an opportunity Symphony Audience of judging for themselves the wizardry (Contributed) Sigurd Kilssen ranks as an unusually fine basso, and that tht> audience at New Trier high school on Monday night approved of him as soloist with the Little Symphony orchestra was vf"ry evident. Prolonged applause after his songs called him out again and again to acknowledge it. The entire concert Monday night was one to remember with especial pleasure, for not only was .Mr. ~ilssen warmly welcomed but the orchestr~ under George · Dasch's efficient direction, was on the qui vive every minute, playing at top notch. Mr. Xilssen first appeared in the aria, "Le Tambour ~Iajor," from "Le Caid," by Thomas. whi,ch has been sung only once in Chicago. It is a charming, lilting aria, as bright and human and swaggery as the gay drum major himself, and ~fr . Xilssen seemed to have exactly caught the spirit oi it. He wins his audience immediately by his friendliness, and then by his rich, resonant voice. Here is an artist who sings with joy. whose voice has that smooth, singing quality that is so easy to listen to; and when a basso has that combination there seems nothing left to wish for. The drum major's song was too good to lose after one hearing, and ~Ir. Xilssen was compelled to repeat the chorus and last vers(:'. His second group was composed of South African songs by \Vendt, "The Exile," "Victory," and "Dancers. Come Up." These are tone-pictures, and were splendidly handled by Mr. Nilssen, although he was somewhat lost in the heavy orchestration. He closed with a Norwegian and a Swedish folk song with piano accompaniment, singing in the original language. Both were given with sincere emotional feeling, and, as in all his work, Mr. Nilssen's enunciation was impeccable. He was given excellent support by the orchestra in the first song and the African group. Mr. Dasch and the orchestra must have found the enthusiastic response to their part . of the program a great satisfaction. They opened with the tuneful overture to "Russian and Ludmilla." by Glinka; and followed it with "Mozartiana," Suite Ko. 4. by Tschaikowsky. It is said Tschaikowsky wrote the suite to give a new impulse to the study of some of the more admi .. able small compositions of Mozart. It was Mozart, but with a distinctly Russian flavor and it was given a hrilliant rendition. Herman J. Felber, Jr .. concertmaster. had a delightful solo bit in the "Theme and Variations." As an encore, the orchestra played .the graceful "'Minuet" by Mozart, offering one the opportunity to contrast the two compositions. Delibes' attractive music from the baliet. "Coppelia," and ColeridgeTaylor's Rhapsodic dance, "The Bamboula," closed the program. Patrons are reminded that the next concert, which is to be on March 11, is the last of this season. of Yehudi Menuhin, the 12-year-old violinist, whose performances in New York and Paris have captured the popular imagination and amazed the mu.5ic world. The little violinist, who can hardly be explained except in. terms of genius, will make his Chicago debut at the Auditorium theater Sunday afternoon. March 3, under the directiqn of Rachel B. Kinsolving. This will be the first time in many years that a child artist has attempte9 to fill Chicago's largest music hall. In order to avoid undue exploi,tation of thi·.; "] ackie Coogan of the violin," Yehudi's parents have limited his public appearances to a very few, and consequently this wilt be his first and only recital of the season in Chicago. ln this little fair-haired Jewish boy, music lover3 may expect to see nO"'infant prodigy" in the general acceptance of the term, but a young master. a true artist and a thorough musician. \\'ho. at the same time is a lovable, unspoiled youngster and a regular boy. Born in New York in 1917, the son of Jewi'.5h intellectuals, he was taken as an infant to San Franci',;co, where his father had an appointment as director of the Hebrew schools. There, at the age of 4. he began the study of his favorite instrument under Louis Persinger. concertmaster of the San Francisco Symphony orchestra, and at the age of 7 made his debut as ·soloist with that ensemble. After studying in Paris under the famous Enesco, he returned to America and signa~ized his return by appearing as soloi st with the New York Symphony. His more recent Carnegie hatl recital rs said to have given the X ew Yorkers a genuine thrill. Sings at Luncheon Segovia Dignifies Languorotls Guitar; Ranks With Masters By Ruthecla L . . Pretzel Andres Segovia was another unusual artist who appeared on the ArtistRecital series sponsored by the Winnetka Woman's club. He gave an entire program recently at New Trier High school, and was enthusiastically received. One must approach Segovia and his guitar as one approaches Wanda Landowska and her harpsichord. For the music Segovia plucks out of his guitar is as different from other guitar music as the harpsichord is from the piano. Here is an· artist ·who has raised the lowly, languoroU'3 guitar up to the same level with Landowska's harpsichord, Casals' 'cello, Heifetz' violin, and Gieseking's piano. There was nothing cheap nor sentimental in Segovia's program. He himself is like one of the old music masters, and his guitar might have been one of the old time instruments, so dignified was the music, so graceful and polite. He opened with Handel's "Sarabande," playing with deliberation and delicacy, shading with a master's touch. This was much more interesting to one person, at least. than hearing it played by a string quartet. Then came Sor's "Theme Varie," which recalled Mozart. and which demanded the utmost skill and the most refined, comprehensive technique in the variations. It was something worth hearing, for Segovia was equal to all demands, and he enriched the composition with changes in tonal quality. In the Bach Prelude, Courante and Gavotte, he brought out the inner voices with as much clarity and emphasis as any pianist, and with more charm than many pianists, be it added. The last group was composed oi Spanish dances by such well known composers as Turina, Granados, and Albeniz. "La Playera," by Granados, was the most charming of all, and it seemed especially suitable for the guitar. Romantic music, it was, and the kind to appeal to any audience. Naturally. Mr. Segovia was called ou.t again and again to acknowledge applause. Miss Lolita Bertling, 315 Washington avenue, Wilmette, sang at a luncheon meeting of the Chicago German club at the Morrison hotel last Saturday. Her program comprised "Lete" by Chaminade, "Mein Herr Marquis," from "The Bat" by Strauss, and for encores she sang selections by Reimann. John Charles Thomas Is Next Artist-Recitalist HEIFETZ AT AUDITORIUM Jacob Heifetz, internationally famous violinist, will appear in recital at the Auditorium theater Sunday afternoon, February 24. Mr. Heifetz comes to Chicago under arrangements completed by Bertha Ott, Inc. John Charles Thomas. American baritone of the Royal Opera at Brussels, will gin the next program of this season'·.; Artist-Recital series offered bv the Winnetka Music club. Mr. T-homas was born and educated in Pennsylvania. He won a scholarship People's Symphony Gives . and decided upon a musical career. Tenth Concert February 24 His beautiful voice-a baritone with tenor quality-and fine musicianship Ethel Reid, soprano. and Ezra Hart- earned him stardom in light opera, but man. cellist, will be the soloists Sun- he preferred to address himself to more dav afternoon. Fehruarv 24, in the tenth u rrent series of concerts given serious music. During the past three 0 ( the c· vears he has divided his time between at the Eighth Street theater by the concert and grand opera. His recitals Columbia School Presents Chicago People's Symphony orchestra Artists' Concert March 17 under direction of P. ~{arinus Paulsen. in the United States have gained him a place with the great arti·sts of the The Columbia School of Music wilt The program for this Sunday has opera. give the fir3t Professional Artists' conbeen anounced as follO\\'S: cert of the season March 17, at OrOn·rturt> "The Tmpres~:;ario" . . . .1\Iozart chestra halt, it was announced this. Ruth Breton, Violinist, Aria- "1 am Titania" from Mignon . . week. ... . . Thomas Nex~ Symphony Soloist The Columbia School · orchestra, unVal~e Triste ..... Slbelius Theme and Yariation:-: for Cello and Ruth Breton, violinist. will be the der the direction of Ludwig Becker, Onhestra Boellmann soloist with the Little Symphony or- will play the Overture Op. 28 "LiebesIn term i~Hion chestra of Chicago in the next north fruehling," by George Schumann: Andantt> ( antabile for String Orchestra shore concert scheduled for Monday Symphony in D Minor, by Cesar . Tschaikowsky Symphony G :\Jajor "Surprise. Symphony·· evening, March 11. Miss Breton has Franck, and the Overture Solennelle, .. Haydn been soloist with practically every or- 1812, by Tschaikowsky. . Adagio cantabile- Yivace a~sai Miss Mary Winslow, one of the chestra of note in the United States. Andante She has also scored triumph·,; in Lon- teachers in the Winnetka branch of the :\1inuetto don, Berlin, Munich, and Hamburg. school. will play the Beethoven ConAllegro di molto certo in C Minor Op. 37; Miss Hilda Waltz "Tale!' from the Vienna Woods" ......... . . Strau~s Hinricks, well known cellist, wilt' play ATTEND SYMPHONY CONCERT the Variations Symphoniques Op. 23, Two hundred children of the upper ~Y Boellmann, and· Miss Evelyn Junior Music Club Meets grades at the Stolp and Howard Wienke will sing the Aria "Ballatella in Winnetka Residence schools attended the matinee per- from Pagliacci, by Leonc"-vallo. Students and their friends have been The Junior Music club of New Trier formance of the Little Symphony orHigh school met last Monday afternoon chestra at the New Trier High school especially invited. auditorium Monday afternoon. at the home of Lois Goldstein in Winnetka. Eloise Kremer, Lois Goldstein, MUSIC CLUB MEETS PIANIST IN RECITAL and Claire Simon, pianists ; Lesly The Senior Music club of New Trier Champlain, violinist, and Virginia Ella Spravka, pianist, will present a High school met Thursday afternoon at Sprague, vocal 30loist, were on the pro- recital in Kimball hall, Sunday after- the home of Janet Hughes in Glencoe. gram. Refreshments were served fol- noon, February 24, under direction of The entire program was given by voice lowing the program. Bertha Ott, rnc. pupils of Ada Tilley Allen.