Presto

A city of gleaming
palaces,
majestic
towers,
beautiful
lagoons and ver-
dant gardens has
been created on
Treasure Island in
San Francisco Bay
site for the 1939
Golden Gate Inter-
national
Exposi-
tion. This aerial
view shows
the
Western side of
the island in the
foreground.
The
large
concrete
structure at the
far side of the is-
land behind the
theme tozver is the
Fine Arts building.
The music audito-
rium is also on the
far side of the is-
land to the left of
the picture.
TREASURE
ISLE'S
MAGIC CITY
More Than $500,000 Is Being Spent On Equipment And Staff
For The Public Programs At The Golden Gate Exposition
S PART of the special events for all visitors of the
Golden Gate Exposition one of the most ambitious
music program ever attempted by a World's Fair is
planned. This schedule is being" arranged by Mrs. Lenora
Wood Armsby, managing director of the San Francisco Sym-
phony Orchestra and president of the Musical Association of
San Francisco, who has been named head of the Exposition's
Music Coordinating Committee. Assisting as secretary of the
committee is Peter Conley, well known as business manager
of the San Francisco Opera Association and for his booking
of concert features in the Exposition City.
In addition to performances by leading symphonies and
outstanding soloists, many unusual programs are being planned,
particularly in the field of nationalistic music. In connection
with special days assigned to various nations, vocal and orches-
tral organizations will present the music of their native lands.
German, Welsh, and Hungarian singing societies, Swedish pag-
eant groups and three Russian choirs will be active. The Pacific
Coast Singers Society of the Pacific Coast, the Pacific Sanger-
bund, and the National Sangerfest are a few of the vocal
organizations which will appear.
Performances by noted orchestras from all over the world
will be one of the outstanding features. According to plans,
leading symphonic organizations of both this country and abroad
will be scheduled with a variation of prominent directors.
Many of the greatest soloists are slated for appearance. In
addition to the symphonic programs, present plans include the
presentation of choral performances, operas, pageants, stage
shows, and band concerts.
Choral organizations expected to appear include the Mormon
Tabernacle Choir, the Hall Johnson Choir, and the Russian
Cossack Chorus. The Pro Arte Quartet is expected to make
four appearances at the Fair in March, and on May 21 one of
the largest orchestras ever assembled will be presented when
1,500 Junior Musicians of America will play in mass concert.
A
In addition to the symphony performances and the appear-
ances of famous soloists the special events department plans
novel musical presentations such as mass piano, harp, and
trombone effects.
Tito Schipa will be Italy's Ambassador of Music to the
1939 Exposition. Already Italy is making plans to send to
the Exposition an outstanding aggregation of musical talent.
In addition to acting as general manager for this contingent
of vocalists and representing the Italian people in music, Schipa
plans to give several concerts on Treasure Island. As the first
European nation to announce participation in the World's Fair
of the West, Italy is contemplating an elaborate music program.
One of the unusual music features of the Exposition will
be the 44-bell Carillon, which will peal forth from the Tower
of the Sun, the 400-foot theme spire of the Fair. The largest
bell of the Carillon will be the Bourdon, which will weigh six
tons. Low G is the note of this great bell, and, under favor-
able conditions it will be audible for five miles. The rest of
the Carillon will consist of three and a half chromatic octaves,
rising from low C. The total weight of the bells will be
twenty tons and with their frame and equipment the aggregate
weight will be about thirty-four tons.
Music will be used to intensify the atmospheric moods of
the various courts combining with architecture, lighting and
even the scent of flowering vines. This music mood control
will be handled from a master control room. Technicians will
be able to cut in any one of the forty sound pylons on Treasure
Island, or groups of pylons, on recordings or live talent. Four,
perhaps five, selections will play in parallel, each in a different
sector of the island, and outstanding programs will also be
broadcast.
More than $500,000 will be expended on equipment and
staff for the Treasure Island radio and public address pro-
grams, exclusive of talent, which will be sponsored by exhibi-
tors and governments as well as by the Exposition directly.
P
N I N E
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