Batesburg Boy, 17, to Play Tonight There With The Southern

JTO.TW' - inoAc-n «*|j""f.^u»
I
Batesburg Boy, 17, to
Play Tonight There With
The Southern Symphony
Batesburg, March 3. A slow ftr* pocket to jot down items or to make
"burned in an open grate, picturea on quick old sketches of things that ap_.. ,. l Me M demmejy no
touched by _. .ir
contentment and permanency. win- yet is not beyond the occasional
dowi framed the beauty of the set- mischievous prank. He is present at
ting sun as the first purplish tint* of. ?efrly *v5ry b* 11 *? me *?<* one ^fmr
'helped win several girls baaketbal
IT
* .iT
.
. ;!. u *
twilight crept into the room. How- gain^ b pr»miMmi * rather tenv
ever, it was the shining instrument, permenta) forward to play all she
a Stein way Concert grand piano, and: wanted him to if she would win. He
tennis and is a very good
the youth who sat there but whose adores
swimmer.
soul lived momentarily in the world If Raymond has one love beyond
of sound that gave life to the room. all others it is Irish potatoes. Cranky
This youth is
.
to an extreme in his eating, he dis
Batesburg, a high school senior and likes
but will eat ham or white
winner of last year's Columbia Music meat meat,
turkey He eats no eggs, but
Festival auditions. In spite of hn simplyof adores
of any kind.
great talents and especially his talent He likes spinachcheese
as well u
in music he is no tern pen nental artist pickles and olives.andHemilk
a passion
with a colossal ego that acorns lesser for sweets and has to has
reminded
mortals, but a person of rare sensitive not to eat too much ofbe them.
He)'
ness with a great test for living.
and understands animals. He
Born on April 23. 1923. Raymond is loves
pets and just now
the youngest of the three sons of Dr. has had several
are centered about *;
and Mrs E. P. Taylor of Batesburg. his affections
Kjuens
ano kittens
caja and
r«m*n cats
Both of h* parent* are music loverj; 1 """"> ol Persian
his father is7 member of the church h' 1 h« own»- one of which is definitea favorite with him.
choir and his mother the very capable ly Raymond
love* to talk at times and
organist. From his father's family he
inherits a keen sense of Jove for God I «*>? Il ?or? J1 1
n
and man. and the teaching* of a dear- I £« . ««»r »* m&:. ,
ly beloved grandfather have irrfu- bookj- but *« «^iedly enjoys more
it
owns
he
if
one
reading
i enced him deeply. His mother is the
His ideal pianist is Gieaiking. and
f youngest of 13 children and the rich Mr.
Szigeti's playing as well as kind' associations with the members of this
Large family have afforded him a, IV *«« « encouragement remain*
happy and normal childhood. A tele- ! " e of ha outstanding musical memoHe like* Marian Andtrspn. He
gram found in one of his very in- ]'«
teresting acrap books and reading:, «ni?v « **» r(td!0 a"d Iuten* to r*c '
"Hang up your stocking and go to I 01 "*1 whoever he can.
bed early Christmas eve night. I am! When Raymond returned from a
coming to see you-Santa Claus" was ; Jrat '« "" *'* Mr Schwieger who
the work ol two pranking older! has helped him become accustomed
j to the background of the orchestra
brothers
It is a 'family tradition that the only *** his concerto, he was as a perthing necmry
ry to calm Baby Bay- **» who *** dwelled in another
mond's shrieks during the sleepless
«•
not fl "d
to
nights with which he so innocently «oreas r» utter admiration; he simpresented his parents was that his V\y W"*** »*» m »"dI »«" in> . H?f
Raymond is one of the
mother approachtheir piano and ere- wonderful
, ate some musical sountf Doctor Tay- Southern Symphony s most enthusii lor recalls that at the ag« of four I""1', boosters and cannot say too
it.
i Raymond toddled to the piano and
Raymond, in newly acquired
:, played his first composition. Ever
walks onto the 'tage
since he has had the sympathetic sup» port of his entire family as well as night to play for the first time
the inspiration of a really understand- tht oqajpastia. an aura of affection
_. , that he is and gratitude
ing mother. His first music lesson at i «*
that he has done for the tseven gave him a glimpse into a world all
''
in which he has lived increasingly will reach him.
ever since. Again in his scrap boot.
are: "Date December 29. 1931. To
night I gave my first recital. I wa>
very thrilled." Following this arr
'memoranda of various programs of
which he has appeared both in Bete.s
burg and elsewhere since that dale. 11
, Farther on is the slip with the criti- T
' cism received when he entered the
state music contest at Winthrop whiic
he was a high school frtahman. A
final comment was "A talented child,
who has been well trained. Con
gra tula lions!" At the beginning <
hi* second year in high school he
] started studying under Miss Margaret 1
' Richards of Columbia College and tt]
still her pupil.
; Raymond's work in school show* I
I that his talents are not confined t*
| music. Another notation in his scrap]
j book chows that he was valedictorian
of his class upon giaduation from
grammar school. He likes all subject*!
m school and makes A's on all at
; them. He is a born mimic and ona>|
never knows when he is going to I
: decide to be "Baby Snooks" or at
, mother nervous over her daughter**
driving an automobile. He keeps;]
various pads tnd notebooks in hoi 1
I
Lily Strickland
Makes Gifts to
Carolina Library
Lily Strickland, the South Caro
lina composer who wrot* "Llndy
Lou" and many other works of en
during beauty, haa presented a rep
resentative collection of h«r artistry
to the South Carollnana library ai
Uie University of South Carolina
Mils StrJckland's gift consists of |
manuscripts, published material.
water colors and poetry, moat of 1
which derived th«Ir . inspiration
from South Carolina or from India.
The collection ii now on exhibit at
th« library.
A native of Anderaon. the com
poser Is In private life Mrs, J.
Court*nay Andersen.
^^ . /"-If i -«^ « -•
HansSchweger
Will Conduct
Choral Society
^fiaJC*- - cDa-f. Z/Z, (944 J
Noted German Musician
Arrived in Columbia to
Take I p Dutie*
r/tuetr, faced with an offer from
the Japanese government to take the
direction of the Imperial Symphony
orchestra in Tokyo. Lacking previous
permission t» leave Germany, but
with a desire to depart he seized on
this offer as an opportunity to get
away. He resigned as first conductor
of the State Opera in Berlin, where
he had a contract running to 1940.
He had always had ambitiona to come
to America, so that, after a short resi
dence in Japan, he secured the aid
of the American consulate for his
departure, and he moved to New
York. He is now taking our Ameri
can citizenship papers.
The young German had been com
mended to the Columbia Festival
group Mme. Olga Samaroff, wife
of the great conductor. Stokowski. but
he was not then to be reached, and a
contract was signed by the Colum
with another
board
bia Festival
music leader. During the summer,
however, this man assumed responsi
bilities that he regarded as requiring
him to ask release from his Columbia
contract, and the festival officials then
turned successfully to Mr. Schwieger.
Has High Degree,
Though just a young man, Schwiager boarn the superlative German
"Generalmusikdirektor,"
of
title*
which signifies that he is at the top
of his profession. Ha is th* youngest
man up to that time to have won this
title in Germany.
Schwieger studied philosophy and
music at the Universities of Cologne
and Bonn from 1925 to Itt7, and he
also attended the Academy of Music
in Cologne, where ht studied com
position under Prof. Walter Braunfels
and was trained in conducting by
Prof Hermann Abendroth, both out
standing music educators.
His Angsburg Festival.
In 1927 the young musician, than
only at his maturity, became assistant
conductor at the State opera in Ber
lin, where Erich Kleiber was gameral
music director. In 1930. on the recom
mendation of the director of the Prus
sian State theaters, he was appointed
conductor of the State theater in
Caasel. and the following year he
was made conductor in Augsburg,
Under his musical direction there
were produced for the first time the
well known Augsburg Festival plays,
"Am roten Thor."
In 1932 young Schwieger went as
to Mainz.
director
general music
where he directed not only operas
and concerts, but also the Mam?
Choral society, one of the moat im
portant choral organizations in Ger
many. Later he also held the posi
tion of director of the Academy of
Music in Mainz.
Then for a few years SchwieRer
spent much time In work as guest
conductor for operatic, concert and
broadcasting performances in numer
ous assignments came, when he ac
cepted the position of general music
director of opera and concerts in
Danzig. In this position he was the
representative of the free stute of
Danzig in everything musical. In No
vember of 1936 he was offered a
three-year contract by Director Heim
Tietjen of the State Opera house in
Berlin, to succeed Leo Blech there us
first conductor. Shortly after this.
however, with the permission of his
own government, he received the
flattering invitation from the govern
ment of Japan, and he entered a twothe orchestra I
for
year contract
leadership TO Tokyo.
The work in Japan, however.
Schwieger found very disappointing,
due to the entirely different musical
situation in Japan.
The new conductor for the Shandon
Choral society arrived in Columbia
yflsterd&y afternoon, and, thanks to
the Hitler regime in Germany. Co
lumbia acquire* as director of it*
music festival chorus, one ol the
world's leading musicians. The new
music leader is Hanf Schwiaf»r at
one time first conductor of the State
Opera in Berlin and more recently
conductor of the Imperial Symphony
orchestra in Tokyo, the capital of
Germany's friend. Japan, Mr. Sohwio
g«r ia a Gentile, but he found Mmsetf out of slep with the leader of
the Nazi's, a situation that made
possible Columbia's acquisition df thisremarkable music leader.
Officers of the Columbia Music
Festival association and of the Shan
don Choral society arc enthusiastic
ovpr their suecaas in OD tain ing a man
of Mr. Schwieger's standing and repu
tation, and they feel that Columbia
find the entire state are fortunate in
having such an addition 1 their
mu*ic life.
Mr. and Mra. Schwieg*r arived in
Columbia from New York City, their
residence of the pant few months.
Thrv are stopping at the Hotel Columbia and in the Crystal room of
thr hotel next Monday evening the
Music Festival association In to be
hosts to the members of the Shandon
Choral society at a reception in honor
of the Sehwieflers. The first rehearsal
of the Choral society is to be held
at the Shandoii school next Tuesday
evening at 7:30 o'clock.
Haaamg Personality.
The story of Mr. Schwieger's life
Mr. $ch*tog*r is of pleasing per
and the events leading up to hij be
coming an American resident read Mortality. He speaks with an accent and
like a story book. He was born in admibt at frequent intervals that hr
Cologne June 15, 19M. His wife is of doesn't vet the meaning of American
words. He haa a keen sense of humor
Dutch extraction, though she. too,
and laughs good-naturedly at many
was born in Cologne. At cross-pur
pose* with the ffitlBr program, h* expressions he heart in this country.
found himself, at the height of his Mrs. Schwieger is a woman of beauty
and culture, and Columbians who
have met etem feel that they will
continued on page «; column 4
prove welcome additions to the city's
cultural life.
James Y. Perry, chaannaiioT th»
Music Festical association, has called
a meeting of the board of his organi
zation for this afternoon to meet Mr.
and M*rs. Schwieger and to discuss
the work of the coming season.
In addition to leading the Shandon
Choral society, in preparation for its
Christmas cantata and also its festi
val numbers next spring. Mr. Schwie
ger will aid in the training of the
units of the large statewide college
chorus that is to sing at the 1939 festi
val. Plans are also shaping for the
on of a children's chorus,
hwiegar modestly produced a
comments from score*
of
an newspaper*, and
all 0T them
superlative in their
i praise of t
y>ung musician, using
such appellt
as "master of the
baton," "crea
artist," "an artist of
dynamic temperament," "an extra
ordinarily giftod person who conveys
what be feels with passionate irresisti
bility to his musicians and audiences."
!
f
Returning to India
Uly Strickland, the Andanon com-!
poser, is an rout* back to India with
her knsbsnd, Courtncy And*non,
her n»tb«r, Mrs. Terean Strickland.
nc cor ding to the Ander?on Tribane,
which says:
"They aro going across to London
en th* U. S. B. Aquitaata. Front Lon
don thry visit Paris for a week or
more before sailing for India, where
air. Anderson )s hud of « iajrgt com
pany, exporterii of shellac.
"H« has been in India for three yeari
and this batt given Mrs. Andvrsoa, who
1# known far and wide an Lily Strickii-nd, th« conpoaer, a great opportunity
lor studying the music of India. Th : ^
Hn. Anderton hsa dene and ha* »r. 1
ten aeveral Indian cyc]e», as well '- a more extensive and! eonpreh n^
work in 'From a Sou ft's Tent.' a choral
with all of* th« orchettrated parts,
which was secured toy Oliver Diftnn
company while Mrs, And*won was .
New Yolk.
Mr. trfd Mrc. Andarson had puny at'
^ntlons shown them In New York, The
talent of the- young composer is r«c>
nlzrd and appreciated by ( the crtt;
musical world -and she was invited
R|TC torn* of her own JnUrpretsticms
h*r compoiitiona in Carnegie- hall,
well aa .to pray at many compos:
concerts.
"Mr. Aadersou is eqaslly vail fcnoi
in N«w Tork. Before going to In*!
he wu prataejtor of English in Colu:
.v also had
bia wnlversH.
great pUaaure of visiting Mr. »nti a
teed Miller at their summer home
Lohjf Inland."