Pittsburgh's Podium

Pittsburgh is famed more for steel than for music. When the Pittsburgh Symphony gave its first concert eleven years ago, it was arrested for breaking the Sabbath. Four years later a home-town boy named Antonio Modarelli began to conduct. Modarelli had studied extensively in Germany, composed there two operas, Hanns Frei and Sakuntala. His Ocean Flight, a ballet-pantomime about Lindbergh helped make him the only American in the Society of German Composers.

Pittsburgh ladies liked Modarelli because he was dark and dynamic, as attractively reserved off the platform as he was wild-haired and passionate upon it. Pittsburgh Plate Glass Co. liked his conducting well enough in 1936 to sponsor the Symphony in a 40-station hookup over NBC. The Mellon family began to take an interest. Andrew Mellon's Son Paul became treasurer. Last May the Board began to lay elaborate plans for a 20-week season with conductors like Walter Damrosch, Otto Klemperer, Eugene Goossens, Carlos Chavez, Georges Enesco. Paul and Andrew Mellon pledged $30,000 to a $300,000 subscription drive. Although $200,000 were still wanting and their plans had not crystallized, the Board refused to continue Modarelli in a higher rank than assistant conductor, would not give him a definite conducting schedule. From Wheeling, W. Va., last week Conductor Modarelli wired his resignation. Said he: "The Board told me I had to take their plan or else--so I took or else."

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