Europe's Musicians

What has the war done to European musicians? It has sent them in great numbers to the U.S., but has stranded many of them, some willingly, some not, in the Nazi-held continent. The whereabouts of a few:

France. Once closely associated were Pianist Alfred Cortot, Violinist Jacques Thibaud, Cellist Pablo Casals. Today thin, aging Pianist Cortot is a member of the Vichy State Council, ranks as guardian of France's musical tradition. Although in recent years he has conducted more than he has played, he still gives piano concerts. Violinist Thibaud, for a time heartbroken by the loss of a son in the war, now plays in Occupied and Unoccupied France. Cellist Casals, contrary to rumor, is not in concentration camp, although as a Catalan partisan of the Loyalists he is out of favor with the Spanish Government. He gives concerts in southern France, is not allowed to return to Barcelona, where he has a large family, once had his own orchestra.

Sviatoslav ("Nini") Stravinsky, pianist son of the composer, plays in Paris. Composer-Pianist Francis Poulenc has toured with a tenor, is preparing a ballet. French orchestras and the Paris opera give regular performances.

Germany. Deacon-like Conductor Wilhelm Furtwangler has long been scorned by most musicians because he early made peace with the Nazis. He still conducts the Berlin Philharmonic, which tours occupied nations, has been reported as far afield as Athens. Even more condemned than Furtwangler is Willem Mengelberg, who was with the New York Philharmonic from 1921 to 1929. Red-haired Dutchman Mengelberg has lately conducted all over Germany. Only other internationally known musicians who have been playing in Germany are Pianists Wilhelm Bachaus and Walter Gieseking. Hulking, butler-like Gieseking has roused suspicions that he is pro-Nazi by the freedom with which he moves from Germany to Switzerland.

Norway. Soprano Kirsten Flagstad, who went from the U.S. to Norway last spring and apparently got stuck there, is rumored to have sung, or to be scheduled to sing, in Vienna's run-down opera. The rumor is probably not true, unless Flagstad wished to make some gesture of sympathy toward the unhappy Viennese. The more powerful Berlin opera, which would be flattered to get Flagstad, is not popular among Norwegians. When it played in Oslo, the opera was sold out, but the house was empty. Norwegians had bought all the tickets, torn them up.

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