The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1888-12-25
ON ADJUSTMENTS.
Our Past and Our
Present.
A GLANCE BACKWARD
Public Appreciation of the
GOOD and Bad.
HOME TALENT AT A PR EMIUM.
Daniels on Deadheads Christ
mas thoughts on Hi It'll
Ontc Matters
A GLANCE BACKWARD
Public Appreciation of the
GOOD and Bad.
HOME TALENT AT A PR EMIUM.
mas thoughts on Hi It'll
Ontc Matters

The year is on tbs Wane, aud the
time is almost b re when we shall again
turn over that thumb, worn new leaf a I'd
look to the future with new aims and
high resolves. The fame of the OLD
year begins to flicker in the socket, and
soon the cry for a new light will go
forth. By the light that yet remains,
let us thread our way back over the road
we have beaten, and endeavor to note
whether our steps have been leading
upward as they went Onward, or
whether our path has taken us down
decline.
Musicallv, we set it down as certain,
our march has been proaouncedIy up
ward. At first blush, if one were cou-
sIdering the question of our musical
progress, he would be apt to think over
the days when Mrs. Careless and Sarah
Olsen re gned in the Tabernacle choir
when all our shades of society could
unite to give the Messiah, when the
triumphant Careless orchestral con
certs knew what 1t was to draw $500
house3-and to decide that tn. present
generation had lit upon very sad days
indeed. Those were glorious times.
there can be no denial, but II we san
the field more closely, VS. will find that
there are signs abroad which show
C JncIusively that our musical develop
ment and taste had not by any means
halted-it had simply taken another
direction. One of our youngest and
most vigorous professors, asked the
other day for his views on our musical
status, put it comprehensively thus:
LAS to our choirs, large societies and
Orchestras, they are worse than they
were ten or fifteen years ago; as to our
musical knowledge, our taste, our study,
the acquaintance and love of the
art in the ranks and files of
society-tney are infinitely deeper
and more widespread than ever"
This is confirmed by the reports our
leading professors give that their clashes
and private pupils were never so numer-
Gus, by the fact that no school is COM
plete now without its musical depart
ment, and by the further significant fact
related of one of our music stores alone,
that it had averaged q sale of one
gan for every day in 1888. and that
every piano on hand had been closed
out during the present holiday rush.
The collapse of the biggest society
with the biggest opportunities ever
known in Utsh-Zion's ChoraI-and
the more recent demise of the
Philharmonic, the adjournment of the
Symphony Orchestra, said by some
of its members-we hope without
foundation-to be tantamount to dis
uersion, all show that our present
tend ncy does not run in the direction
OF large societies. The only work now
done by any body of those unsteady
inclined is the vigorous class and opera
llebor achieved by Mr.. Stevens classes
about 300 in all, though engaged
ON separate tasks-and the quiet
but effective work of the Ladies
Musical Society, headed by Miss
Amy and Miss Anderson. Our choirs,
we regret to say, are doing no fresh and
vigorous work either here or In Ogden
in the latter the name of Tabernacle
Choir has ceased to be anything but a
memory, and both of US could
take lessons from Logan. This is
THE more regrettable and the
more inexcusable that among the Nor
mons singing is INDUCED in both as a
matter of love and of duty, and there
is no excuse to urge Of high salaries to
choir members, as among many other
churches. The Tabernacle choir of
this city could and should number 300
voices, if not more; the great organ,
the building, the fame of the city
everything urges and demands that
that organization should be an ideal
chorus, the nucleus of the musical in
spIration of the Territory, the boast of
all her citizens. That it must come to
this, soon or late, we can entertain no
doubt; that it should be soon, must be
the heartfelt wish of all who claim any
interest in the divine art.
az
As to the drama, it can only be said
that there is an awakening interest evil
dent in all country places over theatre
calrepTesentations and that here, in the
metropolis, our only opponents of the
histrionic art, the Amateur Club, main
tain the high standard they marked out
in their beginning. One noteworthy fact
is 8 seen in the growing critical aDOre-
citation of our audiences which manifests
itself ia an increased attendance at meri-
torious performances, and an avoidance
of the dy by night customers of the
DgIy ilk. That this result is due more
than anything else to our newspapers,
and more than any other newspaper, to
TIE HERALD-iS tacG Cnat mas passed
into tradition When thi3 journal COM
nenced paying attention TO matters
dramatic aud musical by encouraging
the deserving and $50 in tn worth
less. there was some terrific wincing
and squealing. but THE HERALD kept
steadily on its course, confident that
the great public was back OF
II. AS a consequence the pub
lie has come to know that it can
reIy safely on the criticisms of The
HERALp-that if performance is good
It will be called good, and if it is bad it
will be stated--regardless CT fear,
frowns, or the hope of reward. The
nest compliment the course OF HE
HERALD has received, is found IN the
fact that the other papers !olloWeo It's
morning contemporary has lately