Music: Cyrano von Grofe

In the early 1920s, before jitterbugs were heard of, U. S. citizens stretched their legs to a suave, complex and relatively deliberate type of jazz. For this jazz Tin Pan Alley tunesmiths tapped out the melodies, lavishly equipped dance bands swelled the refrain. But the highly technical business of writing out the music, making accompaniments and orchestrations was done by men called “arrangers.” Though the Irving Berlins and the Vincent Lopezes got the kudos and the bacon, it was their hard-working arrangers who actually butchered the pig.

King of Jazz at this time was fat, jovial Paul Whiteman. But the power behind King Whiteman’s throne was a bland, easy-spoken, Manhattan-born Californian named Ferdinand Rudolph von Grofe. As Whiteman’s arranger. Ferde Grofe dressed up many a sleazy Tin Pan Alley Cinderella and made it the belle of the ball. Even the late George Gershwin’s renowned Rhapsody in Blue was a mere sketch until Grofe got hold of it.

Cyrano von Grofe was kept so busy writing out other people’s music that he seldom got a chance to write any of his own. But from time to time he did turn out an orchestral piece in conservative jazz style. Most were more notable for their expert workmanship than for sizzling licks or hip-wrenching tunes.

Last week, Grofe’s latest composition, a ballet called Cafe Society, was given its first hearing in Chicago’s skyscraper Opera House. Choreography by Philadelphia’s Catherine Littlefield, capers by Chicago’s newly imported Littlefield Ballet, helped make it agreeable to ballet fans and tired businessmen alike. A good-natured, showy satire on night-club life, its scene recalled Manhattan’s El Morocco; its main characters were thickly disguised as Heavyweight Max Baer, “Chain-store Nymph” Barbara Hutton, Columnist Lucius Beebe.

In this, his second ballet (Hollywood Ballet, produced in the Hollywood Bowl in 1935, was his first), Grofe had written catchy, adept, U. S.-style music, had added a persuasive point in his lifelong argument for “symphonic” jazz.