Homecoming

Red-haired Helen Traubel is the greatest U.S. Wagnerian soprano of her generation. She has come a long way since she was just a St. Louis druggist's daughter with a fine voice. Now, with her heroic proportions (200 lbs.) exhibited to best advantage in sleek costumes by Hollywood's Adrian, her Isolde and Bruennhilde give her every right to queen it over the Metropolitan Opera's distaff contingent.

Last week, on an officially trumpeted "Helen Traubel Day," both St. Louis and its favorite daughter did themselves proud. The 41-year-old prima donna was a joy to photographers. She twittered with the birds in the municipal zoo, was twittered over by excitable St. Louis socialites who did not know her at all in the old days. In Kiel auditorium, she sang 24 songs (only one from Wagner). On Sunday she took her oldtime seat in the loft of the jampacked Pilgrim Congregational Church. Miss Traubel refused to walk down the aisle with the choir, but in excellent voice soloed, O Master, Let Me Walk with Thee.

Another McCormack?

In the musty elegance of Dublin's old Shelbourne Hotel, a knowing audience of Irish socialites, critics and Government officials gathered for a song recital. The most conspicuous guest was a resident of the hotel: rotund Tenor John McCormack, 60, who sat on a horsehair sofa in the corner, listening with closed eyes.

When the deep-chested young singer from County Limerick had finished his arias and folk songs, the room clattered with applause. Even hearty old Tenor (and Papal Count) John McCormack said of 23-year-old Singer Christopher ("Christy") Lynch: "He is the one most likely to succeed me. ... A very beautiful voice ... I have not heard better in a quarter of a century."

This week Count McCormack was busily arranging for curly-haired Christy Lynch's operatic debut with the Dublin Grand Opera Society. "I want especially," said McCormack, "to see him make his first operatic appearance in Dublin . . . singing in The Tales of Hoffmann which I sang myself many years ago many times."

Though he was born at Rathkeale on the banks of the Deel, strapping Christy Lynch is no pure Celt. He is the grandson of a Swiss governess in an aristocratic Irish family. Only three years ago, he was a sportswriter's hope for all-Ireland goalkeeper in Ireland's rough-&-tumble game of hurley. Then he sang from the stage of a Limerick movie theater, and a wealthy family named O'Mara was in the audience. The O'Maras sent their young find to Dublin to study under Dr. Vincent O'Brien, 74-year-old discoverer of McCormack.

Since McCormack heard and approved Christy Lynch, the young tenor has sung 30 recitals. McCormack graciously concedes Lynch a quality which he thinks almost as important as a fine voice: "A finely developed sense of humor--a tenor's saving grace."

Heartfelt Warmth

After victory over the enemy, my violin will sound as if new, and I hope to thank you again . . . with my art in the triumphal days. . . .

The violin of Lisa Hilels, who wrote this thank-you note, is one of many instruments that will play like new on the Neva River this spring. The strings, rosin and bow horsehair which revitalized Lisa's violin were her allotment from three cases of musical supplies presented to the Leningrad Philharmonic by the Philadelphia Orchestra.

When the German siege of their city was raised, Leningrad's musicians appealed to Russian War Relief for supplies. Three empty packing cases soon appeared backstage at the Philadelphia Orchestra's rehearsal hall, were quickly filled with $5,000 worth of instruments, valve oil, music writing paper, strings, reeds, mouthpieces, cane stick for oboes and such unmusical gifts as shower curtains and dresses.

The cases from Philadelphia started their Soviet journey a year ago. Last week Philadelphia's Conductor Eugene Ormandy had a neat pile of grateful letters from such U.S.S.R. music notables as Leningrad Philharmonic Director A. Ponomarev, Conductor E. Mpavinski, Concert Violinist David Oistrakh and 55 of their musicians. Samples:

P: "We follow with keen interest the ... musical life of America, look over the programs of the best symphony orchestras, soloists, listen to records. . . ."

P: "The letters which came with your gifts, permeated with heartfelt warmth to us Soviet musicians, will serve as a symbol...."

P: "A mighty friendship links Soviet and American citizens. An even warmer friendship links people who practice the same profession. ... We hope to have the possibility of giving your hand a firm shake, personally, as a friend. . . ."

March Records

The record-makers are celebrating the end of "Little Caesar" Petrillo's two-and-a-half-year strangle hold on new discs with a flood of new albums. Among the new issues: Berlioz: Harold in Italy (Boston Symphony Orchestra, Serge Koussevitzky conducting, with Violo Soloist William Primrose; Victor; 10 sides). An imaginative Koussevitzky reading -- and the first complete recording ever made -- of the obscure program symphony based on By ron's Childe Harold. Recording: first-rate.

Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 6 (Pathetique) (New York Philharmonic-Symphony, Artur Rodzinski conducting; Columbia; 10 sides). A fairly stormy handling of a composer who is essentially lyrical, even in the brooding Pathetique.

Recording: good.

Beethoven: Symphony No. 7 (Philadelphia Orchestra, Eugene Ormandy conducting; Columbia; 10 sides). Knowingly aimed at the sizable group which likes its Beethoven given the full bombastic treatment.

Recording: good.

Wagner: Scenes from Five Operas (Lauritz Melchior, with Kirsten Flagstad and the San Francisco Opera Orchestra, Edwin McArthur conducting; Victor; 10 sides). An anthology of the No. 1 U.S. Heldentenor's big Met moments. Performance: good. Recording: uneven.

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