Most Thrilling: A Student View of the Inaugural Class of the Tanglewood Music Center
In 1940, Koussevitzky's Music Center welcomed its first class of students to the Tanglewood grounds. Students such as Leonard Bernstein and Lukas Foss catapulted to the limelight, but what about the perspective of women students from that first year? What made this music school, where students worked and played with orchestra members, different from the conservatory education of the time? Violinist Frances Breed wrote numerous letters home to her family during her summer at Tanglewood, and offers a unique peek into the day-to-day intensity of practicing, socializing, and soaking in music during that first summer of Koussevitzky's grand experiment.
Note: Transcripts of letters include editor clarifications in brackets.
This exhibit was created as part of the Koussevitzky 150 celebrations at Tanglewood.
Color postcard of the Music Shed at Tanglewood, sent by Frances Breed to her family while she was a student at Tanglewood in the summer of 1940
Everything Most Promising
Frances enthusiastically describes her initial meeting with BSO concertmaster Richard Burgin and the opportunities that await her this summer, but is confronted with a grueling schedule.
July 6-7, 1940
Transcript:
Sat. 10:30 A.M. in drug store
Dear Family,
Gorgeous day & everything most promising. Slept like a log but up at 6:30. Sociable breakfast with Rifenbergs & then to Tanglewood. Met some other students whom I liked & then had delightful & exciting talk with Mr. Burgin. He remembered my playing the Brahms and is really taking an interest in arranging things for me, i.e. quartet, practicing at Tanglewood from 6-8 A.M. - that Mrs. Grant [Music Center secretary] was afraid would be an exception which would cause difficulties with other students so Mr. Burgin himself will take it up with [BSO] Mgr. Judd - and lessons. His rate is ten per but he is sure we can fix it up “satisfactorily for both of us.” I’ll probably play for him once a week from 8 – 9:30 A.M. He has already asked me to play Schonberg’s “Verklärte Nacht” which is only for a small group and the Quartet I may work in will have Mr. [Leonard? Scratched out] - violist of the Roth Quartet in it probably. Now home to practice. I see Burgin again this afternoon to get orchestra parts to look over. More later.
Love, F.
Sat. 8 P.M.
Waiting to drive into Stockbridge to meet Dr. Graf – Stage Mgr. At the Met – with his assistant Byron Kelly.
Sun. 10 A.M.
Just finished 2 ¾ hrs. practicing in garage at Tanglewood where Burgin gave me permission to work early mornings. Another gorgeous day. Have first lesson with him at noon - playing Beethoven. Am now going to rest & get something to eat.
More of yesterday: After I wrote I went home to practice a couple of hrs, had lunch & came back to T. Waited with other orch members – all men – for hr. to see Burgin again & had interesting talk. Got orch. music to look over, agreed on price for lessons – six for fifty – and was asked to play Tues. eve with 32 B.S. [BSO] men for the conductors tryouts Koussev. [Koussevitzky] is holding. Only about half a day. Institute players are doing it. Schedule is roughly daily 9:30 – 12:30 full orch; 2 – 5:30 chamber orch; Weds. eve. lecture on structure & analysis of modern compositions with playing; Concerts Fri. Eve. & Sat. Aft.; Sun. free.
That means I do my own practicing before 9:30 A.M. & Sun. I’ll have to practice orch. & ch. music scores evenings. I went swimming late yesterday afternoon. It was gorgeous. That was when I met Kelly. We had dinner together walked around town a while & then went to S [Stockbridge?]. Graf wasn’t home but I met Mrs. Gr – a charming continental lady. Home about 9:30 terribly tired. I’ve got to get more rest somehow.
F.
The Pace is Terrific
Frances has both good and challenging experiences with members of the BSO. Her opinions about a fellow classmate.
July 12, 1940 ; July 16, 1940; July 25, 1940
Transcript Page 1:
July 12, 1940
Dear Family,
This week has really been thrilling. Tonight we play our first concert so we only rehearsed this morning. Hence I’m home to rest and practice this afternoon.
The pace is terrific. I’ve gotten very tired this week, but am hoping to rest some Sunday, although I play for Burgin in the morning and have a quartet rehearsal in the afternoon.
I’m enclosing our general schedule plus notations. I can’t get to bed much before 10:30 nights we have rehearsals because we’re always late, so I haven’t been getting up before 6:45. I hope to make it earlier after this week now that I know the routine a little.
I’m tickled pink that I’m to do the Brahms’ Clarinet Quintet with Polatchek [sic, Polatschek] - 1st Clarinetist of the B.S.O. [continued on page 2]
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I’m playing 1st violin & all the others are very good. Also this next week I’m playing 1st in Beethoven Quartet, Op. 59 #1. Burgin coaching
Next week K. [Koussevitzky] is conducting us (we think!?) in the very difficult Berlioz Fantastic Symph. & Hindemith is conducting us in a work of his own.
The orch. really sounded well this morning – even K. praised us and said we’d done a lot this week.
I had a chat with him yesterday. I got mixed up on some of the fast bowings in the last mov’t of the Thompson symp. We’re playing tonight so he told me I didn’t have rhythm. He’s marvelous the way he talks to you & gives directions. He’s so intense you feel as though you were the center of an electrical storm. Later he was most cordial to me.
Zighera [Bernard] who coaches or conducts the chamber orchestra is wonderful too, and swell to work under. He’s strict but has a dry sense of humor [continued on page 3]
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which yesterday almost upset our rehearsal.
One of the student conductors, Bernstine [sic, Bernstein], is really fine too. He is handling the Thompson Symph. tonight. The other 2 this week I can’t stand. [see concert program here]
It’s been cold, & rainy yesterday and today. I’m hoping I haven’t caught cold but this morning I got wet before rehearsal and froze for 3 hrs. Would you send my tan wool dress + liberty blouse & jumper & the suede jacket?
I’ve been swimming a lot usually with Byron Kelly [sic, Kelley, stage manager/assistant to Herbert Graf]. Wed. we went at sunset time – the moon was also up – and the lake was also up – and the lake was gorgeous. Last night we went in the rain. It’s a swell pick up after 6 hrs. of rehearsing.
Folk dancing has been fun too. We had that Tues. & Weds. I’ve cut the lectures, or only listened to part [continued on page 4]
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of them as they haven’t seemed too interesting.
I like Burgin better the more I work with him. He made some very interesting suggestions for the Beethoven concerto, which he spoke this morning of my playing the 1st mov’t of with orchestra. That is still to be arranged. I do hope I can do more practicing for him. This week I’ve accomplished almost nothing.
The only person I’ve met so far whom I’d like to really get to know is the conductor Bernstine [sic, Bernstein]. He’s got what it takes and has a very pleasing personality. Give me time and I’ll probably play with him. He’s supposed to be an excellent pianist.
Thank you for the eye drops, etc. The slips came. I haven’t decided about them yet, but I’m not crazy about them. Thank you too for getting the tie for Grandpa. [continued on page 5]
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I may have to quit singing in the Bach Mass, but its [sic] such fun that I hate to give it up. We have a full schedule though.
I’m sorry about the ankle. Did you have the brace adjusted?
I’m very glad about the extra money. Would you send the $50 for the July rent direct, $25 to Boradel to her – or to me for her - & the other $20 to my order? I’m enclosing a check for $4.50 or whatever it was I owed you on the N.Y. trip. I forgot about it earlier.
I don’t know what I’d do without the car here. I simply would be out of all the things like quartets etc. for which you have to be free to get around. I am managing to get lunch & dinners on $1 or less per day. Before I write [continued on page 6]
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up all my time I must get a map.
More tomorrow.
Love,
F
Sorry my pen ran dry.
Transcript for July 16, 1940 postcard:
One of the most thrilling days I’ve ever spent. Rehearsed all A.M. under Koussevitzky himself. What an experience! The orchestra sounded marvelous. All we did was watch him & use everything we had. Then lunch with 7 others – per usual. I drove them down to Lee for a change. Home to spend 2 hrs. looking over & practicing Beethoven Quartet & then first rehearsal on it under Burgin! He is a marvelous musician. The quartet was swell. I played my best & enjoyed it so much. I certainly am going to play quartets next winter somehow. Wish I could do more of it here. Afterwards for usual swim & dinner with Byron. Home early to practice a little.
Last night went to more rehearsals & then for gorgeous walk in moonlight. The lake was so beautiful. It was a marvelous night – so calm & clear & just the right coolness.
This week is better than last for playing because I have no chamber orchestra work – just full orch & quartet. I like it much better but I’m still not getting my own practicing done. More later.
Love, F.
Transcript for July 25, 1940 postcard:
Thurs.
A thrilling rehearsal this A.M. under K [Koussevitzky]. Part of time next wk. will be playing as assistant concert master – fun but a strain because can’t afford to make any mistakes. After rehearsal drove some of the boys to Cranwell to get their bathing suits so we could all go for a swim at 5. They’re a swell crowd & I’m having a lot of fun with them. Out to Johnson’s for lunch with Mr. & Mrs. Kripps [Krips] - he of the B.S.O. - will be playing on same stand with him at rehearsal & concert tomorrow. Home to practice Brahms Clarinet Quintet & to rehearsal on it at 3:30. Polatschek didn’t coach us – just had us go thru it, & was disgusted that it didn’t go. He road me to a fare-you-well – said I couldn’t play it & some more. I’m going to see Burgin about it this morning. The others wanted to walk out on him. The trouble is the ensemble is very difficult & we need to work it out as an ensemble. Just practicing our own parts as I’ve done this week won’t help much. Well I felt like nobody’s business afterwards. We all went for a swim & I took out my disappointment swimming across the lake. I took the boys home, went home myself to dress & went with Betty to Johnson’s for dinner. Spent a pleasant time till about 9 with the Rifenbergs & then to bed exhausted. Seem to have gotten a little intestinal grippe – have felt lousy for a couple of days but can keep going O.K. Am sleeping a lot. More later
F.
We Really Had a Marvelous Time
Frances swims with Sanromá and Hindemith, attends a luncheon party, and watches a film in Pittsfield.
July 14, 1940
Transcript Page 1:
July 14, 1940
Sun. 10 P.M.
Dear Family,
The end of a marvelous day. I practiced Beethoven about 4 hrs. & had a gorgeous afternoon. A gang of us were at the lake swimming. I took Mrs. Rifenburgh’s niece along to give her a good time. Byron & I swam the width of the lake – with an attendant rowboat pacing us – a mere matter of over half a mile. Then we spent a most hilarious couple of hours with the solo pianist of the B.S.O. Sanroma, who was the life of the party. Hindemith – the composer, and some other [continued on page 2]
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B.S.O. musicians. We all got into hysterics. Cracks flew so fast you couldn’t tell what would pop next. Sanroma also supplied some trick puzzles, two of which I was the only one to solve. We really had a mavelous [sic] time.
Then another med student from Hopkins, Byron & I went out for supper. Later I came home & practiced. I never played better. If I could only do as well tomorrow at 9:30 for Burgin!
Yesterday we rehearsed all morning & played the chamber orch. concert at 4:30. It was only fair whereas the concert the night before – for full orch. was a big success. In between I went on a luncheon party hilarious as usual and slept. [continued on page 3]
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Last night I had dinner with several at a boarding house, & then went with 4 of the fellows to Pittsfield to see “All This & Heaven Too”. I enjoyed it keenly. Do see it when it comes to town. We all – and several other carloads – stopped at Johnson’s for drinks on the way home. It was a swell evening although I got home after midnight.
Tomorrow I have to be up at 6 so now to bed.
Love,
F.
P.S. Package from you & watch have come. Thank you for both.
Gems, Fizzles and Titans
Frances expresses disappointment over unwanted romantic advances, criticizes a conducting student, assists an absent-minded English horn player, and is enthusiastic about Koussevitzky's conducting and further performance opportunities.
July 30, 1940
Transcript Page 1:
Tuesday 9:30 P.M.
Dear Mother,
Home from a nice evening marred only by my escorts [sic] two attempts to kiss me, once when we were watching the sunset from a lovely place north of Pittsfield & again when he brought me home. It seems that most of the men I’ve met here take it for granted that if you go out a couple of times with them – even if its [sic] strictly Dutch – as I always make it – that they can kiss you. I never thought I looked or acted like easy game, but it gets annoying, especially when otherwise you can really enjoy a person’s company. There are at present only three men I can be with without having to be constantly on guard – I suppose I should be glad there are that many!
Today has been disappointing. The orchestra rehearsal from 4 – 6 was a [continued on page 2]
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fizzle – due to the inexperience of the 17 yr. old brat conducting us, and was most annoying. Finally the orchestra practically laughed him off the stage despite Chappel’s [Chapple’s] efforts to keep discipline.
The quartet rehearsal I was to have had at 2 was cancelled. Mr. Speyer – English horn of B.S.O., & a delightful gentleman needed a ride in to Lennox to get his hair cut, so I took him. When we got to town he discovered he had no money so I had to lend him a dollar. He’s really a gem, and usually goes swimming with us. After that Joe & I took a dip before the 4 o’clock rehearsal.
This A.M. I practiced 2 hrs. myself & listened to the BSO rehearse the Beethoven first & Harris 3rd. That orchestra is so wonderful!
Yesterday I heard them do the Schumann 1st & the Sibelius 1st. K [Koussevitzky] is a titan.
I’m feeling O.K. now but need too much sleep. Yesterday morning I had the privilege of playing with [continued on page 3]
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Sanroma. We went over the Brahms G maj. sonata. He made some very interesting comments & was swell to play with. He’s a lot of fun too – always wisecracking. After that - I had no chance to warm up – it just happened, but I played well. I came home & slept hard till 4 when the BSO rehearsed. The heat is still making life difficult.
Burgin told me yesterday that I’m to do the Brahms A min. Quartet with [Lehner?] & the B flat quintet (2nd fiddle) under Burgin. I’m thrilled about both. He is also going to have me get experience playing concert meister in some of the orchestra things.
It was Chappel [Chapple], K’s assistant, & conductor of the London Symphony who asked me to do the Beethoven. Burgin did too. I only hope I can [continued on page 4]
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get some time to work on it before the 6th wk. when I play it. I won’t play again for the conductors as their schedule is too full, & I’ll be doing it later with the full orchestra. Wish me luck & a big pick up in vitality so I can work much harder again.
Now to bed -
Love,
F.
P.S. I do hope G’ma is feeling better – I will try to write to them.
It was swell to see H.
Frances describes her attire for attending BSO concerts, mourns a tragedy, assists a fellow student, receives a visit from home, and discusses social dynamics at the music center.
Transcript page 1:
Aug, 7, 1940 Weds. 9:30 P.M.
Dear Family,
This is the first free evening I’ve had from concerts & rehearsals since I don’t know when. The boys tried to persuade me to go to a show but I preferred to have a leisurely dinner, do my laundry & generally get caught up with myself.
This week so far has been terrific! Yesterday 7 ½ hrs. practicing & rehearsing & then playing a concert - which went well – last night. I was invited to a party afterwards but I beat it home to bed instead because I had to play for Burgin this morning. I was up at 6:15 in order to practice a few minutes before I played for him at 8.I didn’t play well, largely because I’ve had almost no time for my own practicing. The “Zefir” which I learned this week was O.K. & he gave me a lot of interesting [continued on page 2]
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things on how to go about working out certain difficulties. That is the approach I’ve been so eager for. I only hope that when I get away from here I can apply it generally to all my playing.
After playing for him I listened to the BSO for a while, had a string section rehearsal, an hour for lunch – at Johnson’s - with the Kripps [Krips] & Ariana [another student]; - full orch from 1:30 – 4; quintett [sic] with Burgin till 5:30, & from then on free. The Quintett [sic] went beautifully. It was really nice ensemble. Mon. we started working out the Mozart G min. for the chamber music concert Sat. afternoon – at which K. [Koussevitzky] is always present. I’m the poorest member of the group – the others are probably the most experienced chamber music players in the Institute. Burgin is coaching us but we are rehearsing as much as possible by ourselves too. The thing has to be good & [continued on page 3]
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its no small job to do it in a week.
Tomorrow A.M. I’m reading some modern sonatas with Sanroma. I just hope I can do a good job. -Then Quintet [sic], B.S.O. rehearsal with Spalding, our rehearsal 2-4, Quintet 4-5:30, & the B.S.O. concert in the evening. So it goes, but its really swell. My only regret is that I haven’t been able to get swimming for a week – just no time.
I haven’t been able to find out yet what day next week I’m to do the Beethoven. I’ll let you know tho. Remember its only for rehearsal, but I’ll probably have 1 ½ hr to play it with the orch.
Enclosed are a few objects of interest, including 2 snaps of me at the lake & the schedule of B.S.O. concerts. I wish Father would come. It would be swell to see him, & I think it would [continued on page 4]
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always be possible to get tickets at the last minute. Be sure to leave a message for me or let me know ahead of time.
The dresses did come. If H brings my brocade & gold flower (from bottom bureau draw in apt.) up to Cornwall please forward them. The evenings here are so cool. I could well use that gown, and the two I’ve got don’t too well cover 6 evenings.
Oh did I get a kick out of dressing up for the first night, & did I get a lot of attention!!! I wore the all white gown & the red cape which is a knockout, with of course the elbow length white gloves. It really was stunning. I’ll wear the same tomorrow. After the concert some of the B.S.O. & other students went out for supper & really had ourselves a time. I finally got home about 2 A.M. Sat. night I came home much earlier. The B.S.O. men I’ve gotten [continued on page 5]
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to know are really swell. They seem to take such a genuine & helpful interest in us students. Its so different from the usual music school type of thing.
The 3 B.S.O. concerts & rehearsal were really marvelous. The Brahms 2nd Sun. afternoon was one of the finest performances of it I’ve ever heard. Even Burgin said it was a rare performance. K [Koussevitzky] was tops. I’m so glad we can hear them.
As you may have seen in the paper Naginski [Charles Naginski, another student] - the young composer who recently won the Prix de Rome drowned Sun. It cast a shadow over the Music Center. In Memoriam K. conducted a Bach Andante at our orch. concert last night. Also our concertmeister had his appendix out last Thurs & is still in the Pittsfield hospital. We’ve raised over [continued on page 6]
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$30 to help pay his expenses & we’re taking turns going up to see him. He’s a refugee with no family here & I guess nobody to turn to.
Last week I had a marvelous time working some more on the Beeth. Op. 59 #1, this time under Lehner [Eugen Lehner], who was violist of the Kolisch Quartet. He is a wonderful musician, & altho I didn’t agree with a no. of things he told us it was really an inspiration to work with him. We didn’t do the Brahms a min. because we didn’t have time – maybe next week. After the first rehearsal he told me I was a fine violinist & good musician, that I played very well & had good sense of ensemble. He was amazed when I told him I’d had no quartet experience. I played well so I don’t think he was just being nice. It was all the antithesis of Polatschek who apparently is getting a different group together. I [continued on page 7]
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hope he likes them better. Apparently he has a reputation for being extremely difficult to work with. I told Kripps [Krips] about it. He said many of the BSO men just couldn’t get along with P. I’m still disappointed though.
It was swell to see H. [Henry Breed, her brother] Sun. I was really very homesick for family that A.M. I do hope he enjoyed himself tho & that he felt it was worth the trip. He made a big impression here, & I made the most of his good appearance & manner. As I’ve been playing around with the crowd of what we call the “Dead End Kids” I was glad to have him so obviously represent my own background & training. Apparently there is a rather dull group of debs & social climbers among the girls, but the [continued on page 8]
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talent seems to lie entirely – or at least most apparently – with the Jewish students of practically no home background, and they are much more fun to play around with. But family makes a lot of difference around this place.
After the concert the Kripps [Krips] – Mr. & Mrs. – & the Zimblers – he's a cellist in the B.S.O. went down to the Red Lion Inn. Its the first time I’ve been there since we all were. We had the same table & the same waitress. As the men were tired from the strain of the series of concerts, & the atmosphere there is stodgy anyway dinner was somewhat on the dull side. They like H. very much though & I imagine we’ll all get together in N.Y. The next time H. comes I’ll take him to Cranwell with the gang for dinner – we've been invited, & he’ll get a violent contrast. I was sorry we didn’t get a chance to swim, but he arrived too late for us even to [continued on page 9]
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go out for lunch before the concert. He seemed thrilled by K. in action though. For the Brahms we were sitting in 1st row center.
I’ve been out to dinner with Sandy Jones a couple of times & have enjoyed his company & musical gossip. He knows a lot. We’re going to try to drive up to Gt. Barrington to see Alphonse Carlos - “Fonsy” - whom you may remember applied for a job at C.H.S. I’m eager to see him again. A lot of the old I.M.A. crowd are in this neck of woods. It makes me feel good to see them again.
I can't write straight any more so more tomorrow.
Love,
F.
Memories Sent Home
A snapshot of Frances Breed enjoying the lake at Tanglewood, 1940
Swimming was important to Frances during her time as a student. She squeezed it into her busy schedule and was disappointed when rehearsals and performances precluded time at the Stockbridge Bowl.
Serge Koussevitzky performing with the BSO in the Shed, captured by Frances Breed's brother during a visit to Tanglewood, 1940
This image is one of the series of photos taken by Henry Breed, Frances's brother, as they watched Serge Koussevitsky conduct Brahms' Second Symphony from the first row center of the Shed on August 4, 1940. Henry Breed (1915-2007) was a professional photographer, physicist, and cellist. At the time he took these photos, he was working as the assistant of the photographer Berenice Abbott, as well as running his own studio near Madison Square in New York City. To view the rest of the images, please visit the BSO's online Historical Images collection here.
Photograph by Henry Breed
A 1938 Time magazine cover featuring Serge Koussevitzky
Frances wrote “You should see him sometime!" on this cover ripped from Time magazine and sent home to her family during her summer at Tanglewood in 1940.