Elsie Houston in New York. Chronology. (Note: Most of the entries below are based on listings and concert reviews in the New York Times. I've given the actual dates of the concert appearances. Often the NYT would run an announcement the day before and a review the day after. This is list is not necessarily complete. The search index for the Historical New York Times missed some minor nightclub announcements but was generally pretty reliable).
1937
November 19 Concert. E.H. sings at reception in honor of Pierre Monteux,
guest conductor of the NBC Symphony Orchestra, given by the Friends of the
Delacroze School of Music at the Beethoven Association. (NYT)
December 28. Herbert Jacoby opens Le Ruban Bleu.
1938
January 2 Night Club listing. Newly opened Le Ruban Bleu (4 E. 56th
St). E.H. shares the bill with Marie Eve (Swiss mimic) and Jimmy Daniels ("Negro,
singer, late of Paris") (NYT)
January 6 Radio listing. E.H appears on Vallee Varieties (Thursday
Nights at 8 on WEAF). Performs "voodoo incantation to a war god." Shares the
bill with Tommy Riggs (monologist), Sugarfoot and Sassafrass (comedians), J.B.
Priestley (interviewed), Dame Sybil Thorndike (presents scene from "Time
and the Conways")
(NYT) (Tape of show available at Library of Congress)
February 7 Concert. E.H. gives recital at Guild Theatre. Program as
follows: selections of modern Brazilian composers--Guarnieri, Ovalle, and Villa
Lobos; Ravel's "Sur l'Herbe," Barlow's "The Beggar," Satie's
"Dapheneo," "Ariette Oubliee" of Debussy and three songs
by Stravinsky; a group of Indian, Cuban, Jewish and Argentinian folk songs;
Brazilian folk songs. (NYT)
March 4 Radio News. E.H. appears on debut program of new shortwave
channel (W2XAD) targeted at Brazilian public. Program includes messages from
Sumner Welles (Under-Secretary of State), Fernando Lobo (Brazilian Embassy),
L.S. Rowe (director general of Pan American Union), Berent Friele (American-Brazilian
Chamber of Commerce), Luis de Faro (consul general of Brazil). Also, music
by Naomi C. Bittencourt (Brazilian pianist). (NYT)
March 6 Night Club News. Report on Le Ruban Bleu. E.H. "offers
Brazilian and French songs in a voice that is soothing and true and of range.
In Paris and New York she has quite a following which is not shy in asking for
its favorites, including her unusual Brazilian incantation." Others on
bill include Hope Emerson, pianist and singer, as well as Marie Eve, Jimmy Daniels,
and Cyril Walter & Gilbert Bowers (pianists). (NYT)
April 19 Correspondence from Lotte Lenya to Kurt Weill. "Tonight I'm having a dinner party! Elsie Huston (sic), Marie Eve with her girlfriend, and George Davis. Pretty fancy, huh?" (translated by Lys Symonette and Kim H. Kowalke).
April 24 Correspondence from Lotte Lenya to Kurt Weill. "Sometimes they're [the crowds at the Ruban Bleu] loud, but they are with Elsie too." (translated by Lys Symonette and Kim H. Kowalke).
April 26 Correspondence from Lotte Lenya to Kurt Weill. "I'm under the impression that neither he [Herbert Jacoby] nor I can get any more out of this...You can see that with Elsie Huston (sic), who still has the biggest and surest success every night. She hasn't received a single offer from anywhere else...[T]his Elsie has quite a bag of tricks. She has it a lot easier. With all those drumms and strange instruments. Then people think it's really something...Now I'm going with Marie Eve to a concert Elsie is giving tonight in a private home. That's how time flies."(translated by Lys Symonette and Kim H. Kowalke).
April 28 Correspondence from Lotte Lenya to Kurt Weill. "Tonight was one of those noisy nights again. Even Elsie stopped right in the middle, because it was so loud she couldn't go on." [Marlene Dietrich and Cole Porter in the audience] (translated by Lys Symonette and Kim H. Kowalke).
May 1 Le Ruban Bleu closes for the summer.
October 30 Night Club News. Note on Le Ruban Bleu. "Elsie Huston
(sic), possessing a voice of a quality seldom heard in night clubs, sings a
group of South American and French songs." Others include, Mme Morgane
(comic chanteuse), Billy Haywood and Cliff Allen (a wicked couple from Harlem),
Nora Sheridan (naughty verses), Gil Bowers and Cy Walter (pianists). (NYT)
December 2 Concert. E.H. presents "South American folk lore and
French songs" at "bassinet dinner dance" benefit for Alice Chapin
Adoption Nursery. Others on bill include Vincenzo Celli (opera singer). (NYT)
December 4 Night Club news. E.H. continues at Le Ruban Bleu. Also,
Greta Keller, Paloma, Mabel Mercer, Gil Bowers and Cy Walter (pianists). (NYT)
1939
July 16 Night Club News. The "perennial" E.H. continues at
Le Ruban Bleu. Her "singing of Brazilian incantations and songs makes all
her imitators seem as spurious as the 5-and-10 cent baubles they wear."
Also appearing: Vicente Gomez (guitarist), Billy Haywood and Cliff Allen. (NYT)
September 30 New Yorker Listing. Le Ruban Bleu reopens, with E.H. headlining.
October 7. E.H. at Le Ruban Bleu (New Yorker)
October 14. E.H. at Le Ruban Bleu (New Yorker)
October 21. E.H. at Le Ruban Bleu (New Yorker)
October 28. E.H. at Le Ruban Bleu (New Yorker)
November 4. E.H. at Le Ruban Bleu (New Yorker)
November 11. E.H. at Le Ruban Bleu (New Yorker)
November 18. E.H. at Le Ruban Bleu (New Yorker)
December 3 Night Club News. E.H. (with Vicente Gomez, Jack Cole) appearance
at Rainbow Room postponed. E.H. not at Ruban Bleu "at the moment".
(NYT)
1940
February 2 Radio listing. E.H. appears on WNYC at 4:30. (NYT)
March 10 Concert. E.H. appears on League of Composers program at Museum
of Modern Art. E.H. presents songs by Villa Lobos, Raoul da Verneuil, Alberto
Williams and Jayme Ovalle and "a group of folksongs harmonized by various
South American composers." (NYT)
March 16. E.H. at Le Ruban Bleu (New Yorker)
March 23. E.H. at Le Ruban Bleu (New Yorker)
March 30. Long profile by William G. King in New York Herald Tribune.
March 31 Concert. E.H. performs at Young Composers Concert (League
of Composers) at New York Public Library. Composers include: Harold Shapero,
Bernhard Heiden, Rudolf Revil, Robert Palmer, and Donald Fuller. (NYT)
April 6. E.H. at Le Ruban Bleu (New Yorker)
April 7 Night Club News. Headline "E.H...now at Le Ruban Bleu".
E.H. is "back after a brief sabbatical--including a highly successful appearance
with the League of Composers." She is "the most bewitching singer
now performing in the after-dark salons." (NYT)
April 13 Concert. E.H. appears at "Gala Pan-American Concert"
at Town Hall celebrating fiftieth anniversary of the Pan American Union. Also
on bill: Remo Bolognini, A.L. de Olivares, Lina D'Acosta, Natalia Garland, Vicente
Gomez, Granados Trio (Victor Granados, Rafael Galindo, Luis Spielman). (NYT)
April 13. E.H. at Le Ruban Bleu (New Yorker)
April 20. E.H. at Le Ruban Bleu (New Yorker)
April 27. E.H. at Le Ruban Bleu (New Yorker)
April 29 Concert. E.H. recital for the benefit of the Little Red School
House, at Carnegie Chamber Music Hall.(NYT)
May 4. E.H. at Le Ruban Bleu (New Yorker)
May 11. E.H. at Le Ruban Bleu (New Yorker)
May 14. E.H. appearances at Le Ruban Bleu end (New Yorker)
July 13 Concert. E.H. performs at "Gala Spanish and South American
Night" at Lewisohn Stadium. Julio Martinez Oyanguren (guitar) shares the
bill. Frieder Weissmann conducts. E.H. program includes "settings by Villa
Lobos of Indian-Brazilian melodies." (Olin Downes is unenthusiastic about
choice of songs, though full of praise for E.H.) (NYT)
August 22 Concert. E.H. makes World Fair debut at "Brazilian Restaurant."
(NYT)
September 18 Radio Listing. E.H. appears on WNYC "World's Fair
Brazilian Program" at 8:00. Also appearing: Armando Vidal, Brazilian Commissioner
General. Romeo Silva conducts Brazilian Orchestra. (NYT)
October 13 Radio Listing. E.H. performs MOMA "Festival of Brazilian
Music" program on WABC at 2:35. Romeo Silva and Walter Burle Marx conduct.
E.H. program includes: "Bambo do Bambu," an Afro-Brazilian Lullaby,
"Jurutaman," and "Payeras." (sic) (NYT)
October 16 & 17 Concert. E.H. appears on first program of Museum
of Modern Art "Festival of Brazilian Music." Co-sponsored by Armando
Vidal and MOMA, in connection with exhibition of paintings by Candido Portinari.
Also appearing: Walter Burle Marx (conductor), Candido Botelho (tenor), Bernard
Segall, and Romeo Silva's band. (NYT)
October 16. E.H. begins engagement at Rainbow Room. With Jack Cole,
Vicente Gomez, and Eddie LeBaron's Orchestra. Show is called, "Flores de
la Noche." (New Yorker)
October 18 & 19 Concert. E.H. appears on second program of Museum
of Modern Art "Festival of Brazilian Music." Also appearing: Romeo
Silva's band, Hugh Ross (conductor), members of Schola Cantorum, Perry Machado
(violin), Lucile Lawrence (harp), Bernard Segall (piano). E.H. program includes
songs by M. Carmago Guarnieri, Jayme Ovalle (Berimbao), and Villa Lobos (Cancão
do Carreiro). Pablo Miguel is accompanist. [Note: This appears to be the performance
on the Record of Singing that I originally heard.] (NYT)
October 18 Radio listing. Second program of MOMA "Festival of
Brazilian Music" is broadcast live on WJZ at 9:35. (NYT)
October 19 Radio listing. Second program of MOMA "Festival of
Brazilian Music" is broadcast live on WQXR at 4:00. (NYT)
October 19. E.H. at Rainbow Room. (New Yorker).
October 22 Concert. E.H. heard in "brief program" at Hotel
Biltmore for The Philharmonic-Symphony League. With speeches by John Barbirolli
and Deems Taylor. (NYT)
October 23 Concert. E.H. sings nine Brazilian folk songs. A benefit
for Bundles for Britain at Carnegie Chamber Music Hall. Headlining was Sherman
Pitluck, violinist. (NYT)
October 26 Night Club Listing. E.H. at Rainbow Room. Also appearing:
Jack Cole and Vincent Gomez. With Le Baron's Orchestra. (NYT)
November 2 Night Club Listing. E.H. at Rainbow Room. Also appearing:
Jack Cole and Vincent Gomez. With Le Baron's Orchestra. (NYT)
November 4. Photographed by Carl Van Vechten.
November 6 (Wednesday) Radio Listing. E.H.'s Pan American Fiesta on
WJZ at 9:35. With Grezielle Parraga (singer) and Julio Oyanguren (guitar). (NYT)
(Tape of program available at Library of Congress)
November 9. E.H. at Rainbow Room. (New Yorker).
November 10 Interview in New York Times."For the last fifteen
years she has been so closely identified with the music of Brazil that no concert
ever seems possible without her..."
November 16. E.H. at Rainbow Room. (New Yorker).
November 17 announcement. NYT reports that E.H. has "just come
under the management of Willmore and Powers."
November 17 Concert. E.H. recital at Berkshire Museum Theatre in Pittsfield,
MA. (NYT)
November 20 Concert Review. "The lovely voice of Elsie Houston and
the show-stopping guitar playing of Vincente Gomez added beauty and excitement
to the performance, both in their solo moments and in their joint appearances
with the Cole dancers." Walter Terry on the Rainbow Room show. (NYHT).
November 23. E.H. at Rainbow Room. (New Yorker).
November 30. E.H. at Rainbow Room. (New Yorker).
Late November Concert. E.H. to appear at festival of Villa Lobos music
by Kansas City Philharmonic. (NYT)
December 4. E.H. run at Rainbow Room ends. Goes on tour. (New Yorker)
December 15. Concert. E.H. sings with Kansas City Philharmonic. (Daily Capital
News)
December 19 (Thursday) Radio listing. E.H. appears with Rochester
Philharmonic on WJZ at 9:30. With Jose Iturbi (conductor). (NYT)
1941
January 25. E.H. at Brevoort Supper Club. (New Yorker).
January 26 Concert. Wadsworth Atheneum, Hartford. CT. "Places audience under
enthusiastic spell." (Hartford Courant).
February 1 Concert. Joint recital with E.H. and Yella Pessl (Harpsichord)
at Town Hall. Benefit for Little Red School House.(NYT)
(Virgil Thomson in a letter defends E.H.'s singing to a reader critical of
her performance here)
February 1 Night Club Listing. E.H. at Brevoort Supper Club. With
Eddie Mayehoff, Gynia Gray and Norbert Faconi.(NYT)
[New Yorker listing: "Elsie Houston singing weird South American folk songs."]
Februrary 8. E.H. at Brevoort Supper Club. (New Yorker).
February 9 Concert. E.H. sings at "a dinner in celebration of
the twenty-first annual National Drama Week" given at Hotel Pierre, sponsored
by the Drama League of New York. Hiram Sherman is toastmaster.(NYT)
February 15. E.H. run at Brevoort Supper Club ends. (New Yorker).
April 22 Concert. E.H. sings at "A Night in the Americas"
presented under the auspices of the Travelers Aid Society, Grand Central Art
Galleries. Also in program: Francisco Naya (tenor), Trio Charro, Gil and Maria
Luisa Lopez (folk songs). (NYT)
April 25 Concert. E.H. participates in "Red, White, and Blue Ball"
for the benefit of the Soldiers and Sailors Club of New York. Also appearing:
James Phillips and the "Buccaneer Male Quartet" from "Louisiana
Purchase" and James Copp (keyboard comedian). (NYT)
April 27 Record Note. E.H. has song on Victor set: Folksongs of
the Americas.(NYT)
May 4 Record Note. E.H. performance at MOMA Brazilian festival in
October of "Cancão do Carreiro" released as part of Villa
Lobos Set (5 twelve inch records).(NYT) Also favorably reviewed in TIME, May
19.
May 28 Concert. E.H. featured artist at "South American Panorama,"
part of MOMA Coffee Concert series. Program included "songs from Brazil,
Peru, Ecuador, and Bolivia"; "gaucho items from Argentina and...Brazilian
voodoo numbers." Also on program: Alderson Mowbray (piano), Haitian Rada
Group, Belle Rosette (dancer), Grupo Incaico (dancers).(NYT)
(mixed review in Nation, 7-5 issue by BH Haggin)
(Marianne Moore in attendance--"Elsie Houston is such a person, it was
hard for me to really listen")
June 4 Concert. E.H. sings three songs at "Cavalcade of American
Song" held at Town Hall. Benefit for farm workers. Others: Green Mountain
Boys, John and Lucy Allison, Tony Kraber, Leadbelly, Burl Ives, Joshua White,
Harold Ambelian, Aunt Molly Jackson, Almanac Singers, Starlight Quartet, Gerald
Clark's Calypso Singers.(NYT)
(also reviewed in Daily Worker. Slightly critical of inclusion of E.H.)
June 20 Concert. E.H. soloist on Inter-American day. For "twenty-third
Biennial Convention of the National Federation of Music Clubs" in Los
Angeles. E.H. engaged as "leading artist" on an Inter-American program.(NYT)
July 24 Concert. E.H. soloist at concert of South American music at
National Orchestra in Washington. Alexander Smallens conducts.(NYT)
August 16 Record review in Nation. From abstract: "The delightful
art of Elsie Houston, with its delicate phrasing and little cries and glissandos,
is to be heard in a volume of Brazilian songs--mostly enjoyable folk-songs,
and one composed piece, Ovalle's "Berimbau," which the author find
less interesting." (BH Haggin)
August 19 Concert. E.H. participates in Madison Square Garden event:
"A National Emergency Rally" sponsored by the "Council for Democracy."
Also: Admiral Richard Byrd, Justice Owen Roberts, Carl Sandburg, Alexander Smallens,
Walter O'Keefe, Edward Corsi, Gov. Robert Hurley of Conn., Samuel Shore, Mady
Christians, Larry Adler.(NYT)
August 24 Record Note in NYT. "Brazilian Songs." 3 twelve
inch records. Howard Taubman likes it. "The recording does justice to Miss
Houston's wholly delightful and searching interpretations."(NYT)
September 25 Concert. E.H. is soloist at National Symphony Orchestra
in Washington. With Rudolph Ganz, conductor.(NYT)
October issue of Etude features long interview with E.H.
October 9 Concert. E.H. entertains capacity crowd (1500) at Troy NY
Inter-American Week sponsored by Russell Sage College. With Jesus Maria Sanroma,
pianist.(NYT)
November 1 Concert. E.H. opens 25th season of the El Paso Symphony Orchestra.
(2000 in attendance).
November 13 & 14 Concert. E.H. soloist at Detroit Symphony Orchestra
concert directed by Walter Burle Marx. (NYT)
November 18 Radio listing. E.H. on WJZ "Treasury Hour" (Program
(theoretically) available via radiospirits.com). In one segment, "Elsa
(sic) Houston introduces Arthur Wittemore and Jack Lowe (duo-pianists)."
(RadioGOLDINdex)
November 25 Concert. E.H. presents recital of South American songs and incantations
for Musical Club of Hartford. (Hartford Courant).
December 7 Concert. E.H. sings at MOMA concert featuring Juan Jose
Castro (composer/conductor). With Miguel Rajcovich, piano, Remo Bolognini,
Violinist. Program included: "Tres cantos negros" (Ildefonso Pereda Valdes),
"Canciones Cordobesas," (Francisco Luis Bernardez), "La casada
infiel," (Garcia Lorca). Howard Taubman notes they were "smoothly
sung save for marked effort of top tones."(NYT)
1942
January 7. E.H. returns to Rainbow Room. With Charles Weidman, Carmen Caballaro's orchestra, Clemente's rumba band. (New Yorker).
January 14. E.H. at Rainbow Room. (New Yorker).
January 19 Concert. E.H. performs a program of Brazilian folk tunes
at Gimbel Brothers department store. Gimbels ad reads: "She's the most
glamorous, exotic singing star in all New York. And who wouldn't be with a background
like hers, with a repertoire like hers of Brazilian voodoo and jungle chants.
Paris, Rio de Janeiro, New York all know her. Right now she's enchanting audiences
at the Rainbow Room with her weird, wonderful songs."(NYT)
January 21. E.H. at Rainbow Room. (New Yorker).
January 28. E.H. at Rainbow Room. (New Yorker).
February 4. E.H. at Rainbow Room. (New Yorker).
February 11. E.H. at Rainbow Room. (New Yorker).
February 11 Concert. E.H. gives recital at Town Hall (replaces Grace
Moore--E.H. released from her early performance at the Rainbow Room to do so).
Noel Straus gushes: ("offerings were delivered with rare fascination").
Program included: "The Cherry Tree," Stravinsky songs (about magpie,
raven and tchitcher-jatcher), Lully's "Atys," Satie's "Dapheneo,"
Ravel's "Sur l'herbe," Nin's "Villancico Gallego" plus 14
Brazilian songs: Villa Lobos "Carreiro," "Dansa de Caboclo,"
Guarnieri's "Sae Arue," Ovalle's "Berimbao," Lorenzo Fernandez
"Toada pra voce," and "Tu passaste por este jardin" and
"Tayeras." Pablo Miguel, piano.(NYT)
February 14. E.H. run at Rainbow Room ends. Goes on tour. (New Yorker).
March 20? Incident. EH and her "husband" arrested as spies in Charleston,
SC.
April 6 Concert. E.H. performs at "all-out" concert for benefit
of the Citizens Committee for the Army and Navy. Consuls General of Latin American
Republics and their wives attend. With Guiomar Novaes, piano and the Figueroa
String and Piano Quartet. (NYT)
April 14 Concert. E.H. performs at Pan American Union for Pan American
Day in Washington. With Francisco Mignone, composer/pianist and US Marine band.(NYT)
April 14 (Tuesday) Radio listing. E.H. on WJZ "Pan American Show"
at 10:30. with US Marine Band. (broadcast of Washington concert)(NYT)
May 24 Concert. E.H. appears at "cocktail party and dance"
for "The Women's Division of the Russian War Relief Society." Also
appearing: Paula Lawrence, Melvyn Douglas, Rosemary Lane, John Hoysradt, Eve
Arden, Sonya Bogart, Zero Mostel, Igor Schwezoff.(NYT)
May 28 Concert. E.H. soloist at concert marking fortieth anniversary
of Greenwich House, by The New Chorus under Edgar Varese. (NYT)
June issue of The Inter-American Monthly features long interview with
E.H.
June 5 Radio listing. Songs by Elsie Houston (tape available at Library
of Congress) 6:45 NBC White
June 19 Radio listing. Songs by Elsie Houston (tape available at Library
of Congress) 6:45 NBC White
July 3 Radio listing. Songs by Elsie Houston (tape available at Library
of Congress) 6:45 NBC White
July 13 Radio listing. Songs by Elsie Houston (tape available at Library
of Congress) 6:45 NBC White
December 29 Night Club listing. Ad for New Years Eve at "The Casbah"
(112 Central Park South). With Elissa Landi, Paul Taubman, Del Torro, Don Maya
and his orchestra. (NTY)
1943
January 16 Concert. E.H. is assisting artist at New York Philharmonic-Symphony
Orchestra's young people's concert. ("2000 youngsters seemed to like it").
Rudolph Ganz Conductor. "They applauded the comic song "Chiribirbi
qua qua!" so heartily that it had to be repeated. And when the house was
darkened so Miss Houston could sing her voodoo songs, lighted only be a few
yellow footlights, the children gasped an audible "Oh!" Her drumming
and the weird type of song held them spellbound." (NYT)
January 16 Radio Listing. E.H. performance at Young People's Concert
broadcast by WABC, 11:05 AM. (NYT)
February 11 Radio listing. Music of the new world/Songs of romanticism
and sentimentality. (tape available at Library of Congress) 11:30 NBC. With
Margaret Daum, Fred Hufsmith, Phil Duey, Frank Black.
February 14 Concert. E.H. performed at "Night of Americas"
at Martin Beck Theatre, in cooperation with the Council for Pan American Democracy.
Spoken appearances by Margo (the actress), Donald Ogden Stewart (MC), Vincent
Lombardo Toledano (Confederation of Latin-American Workers), Pablo Neruda, Aline
MacMahon. Music by Carmargo Guarnieri (pianist), Charros Gil Trio, Tito Guizar
and Carmen Castillo, the Latin-American dancers, Olga Coelho, and Dorita and
Valero, Alexander Vialta (pianist). (NYT)
February 14 Nightclub News. E.H. signed for an engagement at the Monte
Carlo. Notes "whose singing talents are more readily identified with the
concert halls." (NYT)
February 20. Ends her life with overdose of sleeping pills. Obituaries
in the NYT and New York Herald Tribune on Feb 21.
February 21 Concert scheduled. Pan American Union. E.H.'s name on
printed program.
March 7. Concert scheduled. E.H. was to sing at League of Composers concert for Camargo Guarnieri at the Museum of Modern Art.