Russian's Russians

Most irrepressible of U. S. music managers is a thickset, moon-faced Russian who travels every year to Europe, observes more new talent, signs more big new conracts than any one man in his risky profession. Solomon ("Sol") Hurok has always had a weakness for Russian perormers. He has managed Efrem Zimbalst, Mischa Elman, Feodor Chaliapin, Anna Pavlova. He spent $75,000 to import the Monte Carlo Ballet Russe (TIME, Jan. 1, 1934 et seq.). Last week in Manhattan Manager Hurok introduced still more Russians: 19 choristers from Paris who call themselves the Moscow Cathedral Choir.

All Russian choruses are essentially the same. Individual voices have a natural, intrained quality. In a well-disciplined ensemble they blend to make sure-fire effects, attain nostalgic softness, rise to mighty crescendoes. Leader of the Moscow Cathedral Choir is slender, personable Vicolas Afonsky, a Tsarist army officer. The featured soloist is Kapiton Zaporojetz a massive basso profundo whom the Tsar's young daughters used to call "that rosy milk-fed piglet." Conductor Afonsky did his job in a quiet, self-effacing way last week. Basso Zaporojetz emitted cavernous tones to enrich the ensemble. But the best solo work was turned in by one Madame Pavlenko, a big earthy contralto who stepped to the footlights, closed her eyes, intoned the Gretchanmoff Credo with rare devotional fervor.

Because Russian choruses generally draw big audiences, Manager Sol Hurok ran little risk when he imported the Moscow singers, sent them out to tour. But risks have never frightened that ebullient impresario who arrived in the U. S. 32 years ago, knowing no English and with less than $2 in his pocket. Young Sol Hurok peddled needles & pins, worked in a mattress factory, a bottle factory, a crockery store, heard music whenever he could. When a Brooklyn charity wanted to give a series of concerts Sol Hurok undertook to engage the artists. At 21 he rented huge Madison Square Garden, offered concerts there.

Long-established managers regarded him as an upstart. But they have always been bewildered by the lavish amount of talent he has steadily produced. When in 1925 he went into bankruptcy, his day seemed done. But luck came again with Depression and he presented such money-makers as Dancer Mary Wigman, Hindu Uday Shan-Kar, the Singing Boys of Vienna, the Piccoli Marionettes.

Greatest gamble of his career was on the Monte Carlo Ballet. Once he had safely launched, he was ready to plunge again. This winter his roster is rich. Besides the Ballet, the Cathedral Choir and the Vienna Singing Boys, he will present a comic dancer named Trudi Schoop and her ballet from Switzerland. He is advertising first U. S. tours for Negro Contralto Marian Anderson, Russian Pianist Rudolf Serkin, the Kolisch String Quarte from Germany, and a Palestinian, Sarah Osnath-Halevy, who dances and chants in Arabian, Yemenite, Sephardic and Persian.

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