The Pittsburgh Press (October 26, 1945)
I DARE SAY —
The one remaining aristocracy
By Florence Fisher Parry
In this day when equality is shouted at every turn, there are certain aristocracies that persist. For example, there can be found none more arbitrary than that which exists in the Military. The aristocracy of rank, absolute and inexorable, makes possible a discipline in warfare impossible of attainment under any other social order.
But of all the aristocracies to which the world still bends a willing knee, there is none more arbitrary nor absolute than the aristocracy which dominates creative fields. This particular form of aristocracy used to function in the theater to an incredible degree. Our greatest theatrical stars were virtually Czars, figuratively enthroned and paid homage to by, not only the public, but by their fellow professionals as well.
In my day in the theater, a Star was indeed a Star, not spoken to until address, indulged in every personal eccentricity and tyranny. No homage that could flow over the footlights from an audience could equal that which was almost slavishly rendered to the stars by the companies backstage. Their slightest whims, their most unreasonable order, was an edict.
I remember a notice placed above the call board of a theater where Eleanor Robson (now Mrs. August Belmont) was playing, which said, “No one shall address Miss Robson until he is first spoken to by the star herself.” When I joined the company of Alla Nazimova no one would presume to address her except as “Madame,” and there is no way for me to convey to you the respect and reverence contained in the syllables of that one word.
But in music…
But there is one field in the creative arts which still maintains its reverences. This aristocracy of Musicianship still functions. Now as always, such men as Toscanini, Koussevitsky and Reimer maintain upon the podium a kind of Kingship – and may their reigns continue! This world stands much in need of its few remaining reverences and when the aristocracy of genius and creativeness dissolves pity mankind, for it will have lost its last touchstone with aspiration.
I thought of this on the night of the first performance of this season of our Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. It was a night to remember. The Mosque was full of music lovers. They crowded up there under the roof. They jammed the orchestra circle. They squeezed in the boxes. They listened from the lobby. And there were those, perhaps, on the outside who strained their ears to hear the muffled strains of music.
We were spellbound before a conductor who ranks with the first three greatest conductors in the world. This was Our symphony. This was Our Fritz Reiner. This was Our Pittsburgh.
But to temper our pride, we could well afford to remember how a short time ago it was that Pittsburgh ranked the lowest of any major metropolis as a music center; no symphony orchestra of its own, and only occasional concert tours of musicians to give us back a crumb of what we had had back in the days of Victor Herbert, when Pittsburgh held its head as high as any.
Just what went into the bringing of Fritz Reimer to Pittsburgh to head a reborn Symphony Orchestra will never quite be known, but the undaunted courage and persistence of those few citizens who cared enough for their city to be ashamed of its impoverished musical front is something we should never let ourselves forget.
Civic interest
At the party following the performance, I counted in my mind the very few there present whose contributions at the beginning and since made possible our acquisition and maintenance of Fritz Reiner’s orchestra.
I doubt if any city can boast so many men and women of wealth and power. And the support of the few great givers has been out of all proportion to the comparatively meager support of us, the rank and file.
And it is sad commentary upon our citizenship that once having been provided so great a boon, we should not, as a population, make greater effort to share the responsibility of its maintenance – not by our mere attendance, which cannot be called a contribution, rewarded as we are so richly by what we hear; but by that added measure of support in extra contributions.
One thing we may be proud of – and that is our all-out civic interest and reception of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. The Women’s City Club, boasting over 600 active women citizens, has chosen Fritz Reiner as the first guest of honor in its season’s program, next Tuesday afternoon.
I could not help thinking as I listened to his warm acceptance of this invitation to step down from his podium and mingle with a segment of his audience, how truly democratic we have become; for not so long ago our great conductors could not be budged from their absolute thrones. They were a kind of mortal deity to be worshipped from afar, the last survivors of the Aristocratic Monarchy.