Cultural Conflict

One day last winter, Violinist Isaac Stern got a call from his manager. How would he like to make a quick trip to Reykjavik to play for Icelanders? Stern had just returned from a long tour, and did not like the idea at all, but he listened to the reasons. Then he picked up his Guarnerius and boarded a military plane for a flight to the big island just below the Arctic Circle.

The reasons that made Virtuoso Stern change his mind included the following: 1) Iceland is a remarkable, if removed, place, with 100% literacy and a longstanding affection for the finer things in life; 2) it is a NATO partner, and has an air base manned by U.S. servicemen whose forays into society can give a onesided picture of U.S. culture; 3) Russians had stepped up their campaign of cultural sweetmeats, and Iceland's Communist Party made the most of it.

In Reykjavik Isaac Stern wowed his audience--he had to repeat his recital in the 800-seat theater -- but his success was a mere icicle on an iceberg, compared with the Russian effort. Every year the Soviet Union dispatches culture delegations containing four to ten fine artists, e.g., soloists from the Leningrad ballet, violinists, singers, pianists, even chess players, and once sent Composer Aram (Sabre Dance) Khachaturian to conduct Iceland's national symphony. What makes Russian visits even more effective is the Russian practice of traveling to outlying communities to make music with local musicians.

Before 1954, there were very few U.S. musical visitors. But since ANTA (American National Theater and Academy) started an international exchange program (TIME, June 6), several top U.S. artists, e.g., the Metropolitan Opera's Mezzo-Soprano Blanche Thebom and the Philadelphia Woodwind Quintet, have made the trip. Last week Organist E. Power Biggs was exceptionally well received, and a septet of first chair men from the Boston Symphony arrived for joint concerts and some on its own. Next month another group of Russian artists will arrive, but next fall Icelanders expect to hear U.S. Violinist Ruggiero Ricci, Pianist Julius Katchen, Soprano Jennie Tourel.

For Iceland, the cultural cold war is warming up most pleasantly.

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