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u.sSergeant Leads BBC SymphnyBy Charles F. KileyStars and Stripes Staff WriterAn American soldier conducted a symphony orchestra for the first time in the 72-year-old history of Royal Albert Hall last night when T/Sgt. Hugo Weisgall, 30-year-old composer-conductor from Baltimore, presented the premiere of his overture, “American Comedy—1943,” before an audience of 6,000.Written several months ago during his basic training days at Camp Ritchie, Md., Weisgall’s score introduced a program of music by American composers played by the British Broadcasting Corporation Symphony Orchestra during one in a series of its annual promenade concerts.The program, recorded for overseas broadcasts, also marked the first time that an American conducted the BBC orchestra for a promenade concert. The promenade series itself is 49 years old.Following the overture, Weisgall handed the baton over to Sir Adrian Boult, who conducted the orchestra through George Gershwin's “Piano Concerto,” William Shuman's ‘Third Symphony” and Aaron Copeland’s “Lincoln Portrait.” The latter was introduced with a commentary by 1/Lt. Burgess Meredith, former stage and screen star now serving with Air Force Transport Command.The theme of “American Comedy—1943” was born in the small Blue Ridge Mountain towns where Weisgall spent severalsummers.“To me the score is vigorous, noisy,” the soldier conductor said last night. “1 don’t know what else you would call it. But(iContinued on page 4)Hugo Weisgall, technical sergeant from Baltimore, energetically wields his baton while conducting the BBC svmohonv orchestrasymphonyRoval Albert Hall,inLondon.
Newspaper Details
New York Stars and Stripes
New York, New York, US
Fri, Jul 30, 1943
Page 1
Full Page
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USA 24 Nov 2021
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