Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1868-10-23

MUSICAL. I'VE are llkely 10 nave
a revival of the spirit and practice OF
music in our city. This is very inn
portant improvement and much
needed in our town. Prof. Suffern,
of Chicago, is now in our city con-
dueting Normal Institute of Music,
assisted by /. III. Bum, of this coun-
ty, and Miss Pitkin, of Cleveland, o.
The sessions of the Institute, day
and evening, are held in the Episco-
pal Church. 1t has commenced with
fair attendance, and promises to be
successful. .....
But the citizens fail to interest
themselves in it as they should.
This city alone, ought to furnish one
hundred pupils for the Institute, be-
sides those from the county and
neighboring towns. 1t is a rare
chance for thorough drill and instruc-
ton In vocal music, and it is to be
hoped that the citizens will more
thoroughly patronize and sustain it.
The Methodist Church is trying to
Introduce Congregational Singing
and for this purpose they are holding
reh,a sails every Saturday evening for
the church and congregation, They
have purchased and are now putting
up one of Estey's seven hundred dol
lar organs, with pipe organ top, to
lead the congregation in this part of
their worship. With their facilities
and thorough practice, they can fur
nish in a few months, better music
for religious worship than can be
made" by any ordinary choir.
There is much musical talent i'm
our city, but it has lacked concentra-
ton and full development. We have
a number of good singers, but there
seems to have been no concert of ac-
ton among them-no association by
which they might improve them
selves and interest others. We have
had no vocal culture I'm Cedar Falls
for long time. Several good Plan
lists are giving private lessons to their
pupils, each Zone on her own work, "
but no combination of effort to Guilt
vate the musical talent of the place
or instruct our citizens generally.
Cannot our musicians unite i'm some
general movement for their own and
the public's good? Why not have
some musical society formed In which
their musicians shall come to-
gether aud rehearse and thus develop
more fully their gift of song, and
entertain the citizens occasionally
with their achievements i'm this great
art. From present indications, IL
seems we shall be deprived Of course
of lectures this winter. Why not
have Philharmonic Society, which
will furnish our citizens with a series
Of concerts. They will thus improve
their own power of song, and furnish
the public with healthy, refining and
elevating entertainments. We be-
lieve the public would sustain them
with their presence and money.
The proceeds of such concerts
would furnish fund to fit up q
music hall for the society and furnish
musical facilities for the fuller and
more extensive operations of the
society. We are not musical, but 1t
does seem that all this is practical
If the musicians Of our city would
take hold thoroughly.
Such an arrangement would accom-
plish much as an immediate effect,
but then the children should be
taught music. Here we must lay the
foundation for full musical culture.
Let music be taught i'm our public
schools. Why may not a Prof. of
music he hired for our public school,
as we have an extra teacher of pen
manship, and let all our children be
drilled in the art of singing. Let
them be taught the elements of
music and we shall have the next
generation generation of singers.
We suggest this for the consideration
of our School Board.