Biggest Symphony Goes to Town

Detroit, which wears its motormaking prowess lightly, glows with pride over its culture. Last week Detroit's culture got a nod of recognition from hypercritical Manhattan, whose opinion is sought, revered and feared by all U.S. musicians.

The 110-piece Detroit Symphony Orchestra, fondly referred to as the nation's biggest and "one of the world's greatest," scored a triumph in Carnegie Hall. It was no surprise to Detroiters, who had 80% subscribed and capacity -filled their 5,000-seat Masonic Temple all last season. The once-famed organization which almost died from malnutrition two years ago was fast playing itself back into the black.

The happiest observer of this cultural-financial comeback was one of the country's whitest-robed musical angels: chubby, mild-mannered Henry H. Reichhold (TIME, Dec. 18), underwriter of the Detroit Symphony's resurgence. A rich, German born manufacturer (Reichhold Chemicals Inc.) who has fiddled as a hobby, Angel Reichhold, 43, could now sit with more than usual pride in his usual box, congratulating himself that his solvent godchild was also a Manhattan-approved artistic success.

Already this season Carnegie Hall had passed judgment on visiting orchestras from Boston, Washington, Indianapolis, Philadelphia. Detroit invaded Manhattan last week with a new technique. From preconcert cocktails to whopping, colorful programs, Henry Reichhold's Symphony treated Carnegie Hall to a deft, well-planned, super-sales-promotion campaign.

To display its virtuosity, the orchestra ig nored the critics, kept a shrewd eye on the cash customers in selecting its program: Rachmaninoff's Second Symphony, Fernandez' Batuque, Griffes' White Peacock, Strauss's Dance of the Seven Veils.

Credit for the suave showmanship went to Conductor Karl Kreuger, 50, U.S.-born, Vienna-trained, one of the four top native-born maestros in the U.S. (the others: Leonard Bernstein, Werner Janssen, Alfred Wallenstein). Maestro Kreuger had snatched up Detroit's baton late in 1943, whipped his 110 players into shape in record time. Carnegie Hall rewarded his energy with a favorable verdict: Detroit's music is as lush, efficient, unsubtle and breath-taking as Detroit's glamor-drawings of the postwar family sedan.

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.