 Musical
America: July 8, 1911 - - -
SAYS EUROPE IS THE PLACE FOR STUDY
"We've no atmosphere in This County" Declares
Abraham Frankel, Who Has Just Returned From Several Years
of Work in Vienna--No Material Here For Musical
Inspirations Like That Abroad
A
young American musician who is
likely to be heard of
frequently in the future is Abraham Frankel, Who has just
returned to this country after several years spent in
study in Vienna. Mr. Frankel has been busy studying,
conducting, working at composition and violin and he has
already been offered an important post as symphonic
conductor in Riga. His teacher in composition was
Förstel and in violin Ondricek Though he proposes
to make a specialty of conducting, Mr. Frankel has already
done some things in the line of creative work that have
won him the respect of connoisseurs who have examined
them.
After working in the music schools of this country and
Europe Mr. Frankel has come to the conclusion that from
the standpoint of thoroughness and interest taken in the
progress of a pupil, foreign musical instructors are
superior to those at home.
"We have no teachers in this country like Leschetizky
or Sevcik or my own violin professor, Ondricek." he
says. "The pupils produced in this country are by no
means comparable to those over there. In fact,
American students, who are extremely proud of their doings
after finishing their courses here, find themselves in a
very different state of mind when they reach the other
side. The quality of the achievements of some of the
very youngest children there is actually such as to make
the Americans feel ashamed of themselves. Besides,
the length of the music season as compared with ours and
the prevalence of genuine musical atmosphere make Germany
and Austria most desirable place for the students of
music. We have not yet been able to acquire this
atmosphere, though we may do so in time.
"If I could afford it I should like nothing better
than to build a music hall and devote it to the
performance of works of American composers who cannot
succeed in getting hearings for their works. As long
as a composer's work is not mere trash I believe that it
should be given a hearing. There are many talented
composers of the lighter genre of music who are completely
neglected and who deserve to be helped. Even if a
piece of music is not of the foremost rank it has a right
to production, for the composer may develop into a genius
later on.
"We have not material for musical inspiration in
America such as is to be found abroad. There, if you
want inspiration, you have but to go and see the peasants
in their quaint and picturesque costumes and hear them
sing their folksongs. That is what we lack.
Our money-making people and our fifty-story skyscrapers do
not offer the material out of which to construct
symphonies and operas. If we go to the country we
see farmers, it is true. But a farmer is a very
different thing from an European peasant. In ten
years he is no longer a farmer but a city merchant."
As regards his own musical tastes Mr. Frankel is bound to
no particular school. He vows allegiance to all
music that is good, not matter what may be it's
character. He is an admirer of Strauss, but not one
of his fanatical devotees. He confesses also to
liking for much in the modern French school and he is an
ardent Brahmsite. He acknowledges a preference for
symphony of operatic work and hopes eventually to be able
to build up his career in this country.
Notes: See actual article from Musical America here.
Please be patient as this is a very large photo and takes
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See these links for more pictures and documents regarding Abraham
Frankel:
Frankel,
Abraham - Biography and photo of Don and his brother Robert
Frankel,
Abraham - As a young boy age 6 or 7
Frankel,
Abraham - Certificate of Completion from Conservatory of
Music, Vienna, Austria
Frankel,
Abraham - Air Service Band Clip
Frankel,
Abraham - Show Bill
Frankel, Abraham "Don Leon" - Orchestra
Abraham
Frankel in tree . . .
Last Updated ~ September 26, 2005
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