JAVS Summer 1998

75

Maurice Gardner, Composer, on Aging

Pierre Monteux, the great conductor, entered the Paris Conservatoire in 1884 to study violin. (Fellow pupils included Flesch, Kreisler, Enescu, and Thibaud.) By 1890 Monteux was leading the violas of the Opera Comique in the premiere of Debussy's Pelleas et Melisande. He became the viola player with the Quatour Geloso in 1894, where, as a member, he met Brahms and played one of the composer's quartets in his presence. On one occasion when Monteux was in his seven ties, the Budapest String Quartet, due immi nently to perform a Haydn quartet, found themselves minus the viola player. Monteux stepped in, and although he probably hadn't played in a quartet for years, managed the viola part without rehearsal or score. As to Monteux's early years as an

Eighty-nine May be fine, but contemplating it makes me Humbler and bumbler. I'm soon to join with nonagenarians

Both the omnivores and the vegetarians. I may rank with the Methuselah Wannabies Or Couldabies-(perhaps Wouldabies), but 811 years is too long to wait Since I'm not headed for that Pearly Gate. My thanks for all greetings (some a day too late)

Your loving good wishes galore I couldn't ask for more amour!

orchestral viola player, Barry Tuckwell (the hornist) has pointed out that if you play an inner part in the orches tra, "You're the one who helps score goals." Tuckwell's comment was part of a paragraph that discussed how su perbly Monteux delineated inner voices as a conductor. -From Grammophone, January 1998, p. 34 William Primrose was invited to join Toscanini for dinner at his house in Riverdale, New York. Toscanini's family was away and he wanted com pany. Primrose was stunned at this opportunity, especially for the stories he would hear: Verdi, Puccini, Farrar, Caruso, Gatti, Lehmann! But instead of unfolding his tales, Toscanini silently raced through dinner and packed Primrose into the television room for Toscanini's favorite enter tainment-wrestling, with running commentary by Toscanini himself. "Punch 'im in ze stomach!" the Maestro urged: "Grab 'im to ze leg! Jomp on 'im! Make 'im into mess!" That was all Primrose heard.

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-From Opera Anecdotes by Ethan Mordden, p. 241