Page Six
High Life
February 24, 1950
J
Levant Interview Shows
Interesting Sidelights
By JOHN UTLEY, Special Reporter for High Life
Th'0 virtuoso of the piano flexed his fingers, took a deep sigh,
and glared. . straight into the eyes of a local cameraman.
“Must you,” he declared, “must you sneak up on me like
that?” He continued as a flash bulb exploded in his face, “I’m a
nice guy to get along with. Just ask me, and I will let you take
a picture of me. But please, don’t sneak up like that. Now take
another one. Well? . . . Hurry up! Take another one!”
Another flash bulb exploded. f job is finished. They can take it
“Now, please, let’s get a cup of
coffee.”
This grumbling,' but playful little
man is Oscar I^evant, the world’s
greatest concert pianist. Mr. Le
vant appeared in Greensboro at a
concert at Aycock auditorium on
January 30.
The tired gentleman of the piano
relaxed after drinking his coffee
and gave some very interesting facts
on his career.
Just what inspires a man to take2
a tour such as Mr. Levant’s? Mr.
Levant will play one-night stands
for the next three weeks. And, as
he puts it, “. . . that can be rough.
What’s causing this trip? Econom
ics . . . the quest for bread and but
ter. You know what they call me?
A concert artist. That is a pretty
phrase, but ‘artists’ have to eat too.”
“I’m no artist,” he continued, “call
me a traveling salesman of music.
Call it a racket, I don’t care.”
This great man of the concert
stage has been playing the piano
of and on for quite a few years.
Many of his years were not spent in
playing. He has done some com
posing. This, he said, broke the mo
notony of everyday playing.
Oscar Levant is known as the
world’s greatest interpreter of the
music of George Gershwin. “I love
it. I play other things, of course.
Look at the record catalogues. But
there never was another man like
Gershwin. There never will be.”
Going into music a little further,
Levant commented, “America’s ar
tistic gift has been musical comedy
scores. Look at Gershwin, Cole
Porter, men of that type. That’s our
classical music. Oh yeah, include
Irving Berlin in that list; he's a
friend of mine.”
“Modem music is heard today as
it has never been heard before.”
Levant continued, . . w^e perform
ers haye seen to that. And once
it’s heard, it’s up to the people. Our
Daily Doubles Clublicity
By Evelyn Sink
or leave it.”
Queried as to music’s younger
generation, he answered, “I can’t
keep in touch with the young peo
ple. Older folks just can't do that.
If we could, we would have had a
republican government twenty years
ago. But seriously, though, the kids
are turning out great stuff. The
greats of today should listen to
youth. They can learn more from
them (youth) than youth can from
the greats.”
Have you ever thought about go
ing to Hollywood? You know, the
place W'here they make motion pic
tures.
“Hollywood? Where’s that? It’s
so hard to remember. Oh, yes. Holly
wood. Just say it’s relaxing.”
While on the subject of Holly
wood, we commented on Levant’s ap
pearance on the screen.
“Everybody should do a motion
picture. You don’t know how bad
you are until six months later. That
is the beauty of it.”
Besides being a very talented mu
sician, Oscar Levant is also an au
thor. Oscar wrote a book back in
1940 entitled Smaitei'ing of Ignor-
am^e. And, by way of mention, this
book, at one time, topped the best
seller lists. Want to read it? Ask
for it in the school library.
One of the high spots in Levant’s
career came with the honor of his
recent playing with the New York
Philharmonic Symphony under Di
mitri Mitropoulous when he played
Khatchaturian’s Piano Concerto. It
was recorded and has been released
to the public.
“Ah, playing with an orchestra...
that’s for me . . . ten times more
exciting. These recitals ! They get
so lonesome.”
“Now, please another cup of cof
fee
And thus we take leave of one of
America’s greatest concert artists,
Oscar Levant.
By Merle Cates
G.VV.I. had a bridal shower for
Joanne Dick Davidson last Thurs
day night at their weekly meeting
time. The shower and joint meeting
was held at the home of Nancy Ben
son. Plans were made for their
annual formal dance to be held at
the King Cotton Hotel ballroom
in April. There are now 21 active
members on the club roll. Meetings
are always held on Thursday after
noon at 4 at members’ homes.
The D.D.T. club won first prize
for the most attractive decorations
for the Valentine dance held up at
the Youth Center on February 11.
The prize included theatre passes
for all the members. There are 20
active meml>ers. A big beach party
has been planned at Ocean Drive
for the last week in July.
The American Mutual Life Insur
ance is sponsoring a Safety Forum
contest composed of six high school
students. Participant from Senior
High is Ann Edwards.
This contest covers a period of
twelve w^eeks. The last program
in the series will be held February
3 in Charlotte.
Ann is competing for a grand
prize of $1,000, second prize is $500*
third. $400; fourth, $300; fifth, $20o'
the loser $100. ’
Ann is a senior and is seventeen
years old. She is especially interest
ed in Mariner Scouts, music, and
chemistry.
Stamper
OPTICAL CO.
206 North Elm St.
Dial 3-9286 j
WE HAVE A SERVICE THAT
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Portraiture the Way
YOU Like It
Taylor-Staley Studio
118 North Greene Street
ATTENTION — ALL GIRLS
See us for that
ALL-IMPORTANT DRESS
Daytime — Dates — or Dancing
Maison Joline
This twosome are a couple you
couldn’t have missed. They have
been going together for two years.
They like to go to the movies and
eat chocolate nut sundaes. Their fa
vorite song is “Sentimental Me.’’
Their pet peeve is an understanding
one. She can’t understand why he’s
always late and he can’t understand
why she fusses about it when he’s
late. But, his innocent look always
convinces her. Who are they?
The couple in the last issue were
Johnnie Bulla and Ann Ward.
K. W. Greeson J. F. White
GREESON & WHITE
Service Station
GULF PRODUCTS
Dial 9414 1203 Asheboro St.
GREENSBORO, N. C.
Fred Hutton
Office Supply Co.
Office Supplies and Equipment
103 South Greene Street
GREENSBORO, N. C.
Phone 3-2790
Pollock’s
Ladies...
Come in and let us fit
you in our high
fashioned sho^.
102 S. Elm
Dial 7041
The L.S.P. club has for its annu
al project the making of scrapbooks
for the Red Cross. The L.S.P.’s reg
ular meeting is on Monday after
noon at 4 at club members’ homes.
10th, 11th, and 12th grade Y-Teens
had 'a combined supper meeting on
February 15. The speaker was Rev.
Joseph Mundell of St. Benedict’s
Church. Plans were made for the
Y-Teen banquet to be held March 2.
Doris Hill presided over the merit
ing.
The Venettes held a meeting at
the Youth Center February 16.
Plans for the Spring Dance to be
held in April were cliscus.sed. The
Venettes have charge of the Youth
Center radio program on March 4.
A party was given recently for new
members at the home of Jean Yandle.
Edwards ParficipanI
In Safety Contest
“Your wife drives like lightning
doesn’t she?”
“Yes, always striking a tree.”
GREENSBORO
Drug Company
0. M. Fobdham - Dewey Fabreu
230 W. Market Dial 6147
Starting Sunday
'STORMY WEATHER'
—with—
BILL ROBINSON
LENA HORNE
CAB CALLOWAY
PATS WALLER
NATIONAL
MISSES AND JUNIOR STYLES
Coats ■ Suits - Dresses - Hats
Come In and Browse Around
Brooks-Wilson Co.
119 South Greene Street
Do You
Look Like
Hairless
Joe?
What you need
is a haircut
H
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C-U-T
HAIRCUT
Burgess
Barber
Shop
117 E. Sycamore St.
“Where Quality
Is Higher Than
the Price”
MANSFIELD’S
COMPLETE FOOD STORE
Asliboro St. Ext.
Phone 6779
Fresh Meats - Groceries - Seeds - Hardware - Feeds
Fertilizer - Drinks - Magazines - Sealtest Ice Cream
Vassar Studios
(1944)
The Professional School of Music
Walter Vassar, Baritone
Mrs. Walter Vassar, Piano, Voice
Laura Grace Little, Piano
Mary Neil Ward, Piano
Betram Haigh, Instruments
Clyde Phillips, Marimba, Accordian
Ted Conner, Guitarist
\aUie Johnson, Accompanist Vocal Coach
1501 N. Lindell Ed. — 5946 101 Stafford Place — 2-2020
How's YOUR TA* Appeal?
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Singer Sewing Center
235 South Elm St.
Telephone 2-0680