Philadelphia Bombardier

A noisy, patriotic hullabaloo is Peter Ilich Tschaikowsky's 1812 Overture. Depicting Napoleon's retreat from Moscow, it ends with a mixture of the Marseillaise, the Imperial Russian anthem and -- so reads the score -- a terrific salvo of artillery fire. Although most orchestras dub in cymbals and timpani, the 1812 has sometimes been performed with real cannon. Last week in Philadelphia, Conductor Eugene Ormandy's decision to blitz the 1812 gave the Philadelphia Orchestra a cute little publicity story.

Mr. Ormandy announced that, for the opening of the orchestra's summer season at Robin Hood Dell in Fairmount Park, the Pennsylvania National Guard had agreed to supply three 37-mm. anti-tank guns. The local musicians' union demanded that, since cannon are included in Tschaikowsky's score, a union man be hired to shoot them. Very well, replied the Dell management. But the orchestra wished to select a performer "who can play the cannon with due regard to its musical value." So there would be an audition for percussion men who wanted the job of "Symphony Bombardier."

Last week four union men, war veterans all, showed up for auditions in a Philadelphia armory. There was no audition; the job was in the bag for Charles Lamasch, a veteran who played French horn in the Spanish-American War.

Bombardier Lamasch's work was as good as done. He will earn $22 for one rehearsal, and one performance of the 1812 Overture. His job: standing by while an eight-man gun crew fires a 14-round salvo on the anti-tank guns.

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