The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-09-17

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a continued pedal. can see no reason
for its use. The sheet music published
by Theodore Presser, the publisher of
the Etude, contains the same faulty
method of pedal marking, and this,
too, Notwithstanding Mr. Presser's at
tention has been called to 1t by promi-
nent teachers.
l.. Tt was much interested In your
account of the largest organ in the
world. printed in last Saturdays
Tribune. viii you please say where
the largest organ in the United States
is?
Answer.-The largest organ in the
United States is in the Chicago audi
torium. This instrument Is the fourth
largest organ in the world. 1t was
built by Roosevelt. of New York
Farrand & Votey, Detroit, successors),
in 1889. 1t contains 109 sounding stops,
4 keyboards and pedal keyboard, is
mechanical stops, 20 combination
pedals, 25 combination pistons and 1924
pipes. The keyboards are called
great" "swell," Choir" "solo" and
pedal" The echo" and stage" or
gans (the latter used in accompanying
operate choruses, especially in church
scenes) are played from the solo
keyboard. The organ has the electric
action throughout, and is at the left of
the stage behind an ornamental screen,
none of the pipes, not even the usual
display pipes, being in sight. The
1n a
boards, couplers, etc. is in front of
the stage, the connecting link to the
organ proper being an electric cable.
The instrument was opened by Mr..
Clarence Eddy.
Soma.-In your answer to H. NJ $.
in last Saturdays Tribune you seemed
to be in doubt somewhat as to sing
ers singing in chorus. Why is it that
nearly all the best singers in London
have come from those splendid
choral ORGANIZATIONS like Barnbys
choir of more than four hundred
voices-such singers, for instance. as
Cummings, Bali and Williams. Fran
con Davies, the Welsh baritone, was
a choir boy and sang in the Welsh
chorus in Wales. Again, in Boston,
why do teachers like Adams, Rotoll,
whitney ana a score VI OlutiS VI NhS
best teachers advise their pupils TO
join the Handel and Haydn society,
the Apollo club and the Cecilia club,
and not only so, but have private
choruses of their own that their pupils
may become acquainted with the
splendid choral works of the masters
of the past and present day?
Answer.-If Soma will refer to my
ha will find thai
the opinion expressed with reference
to singing in a chorus contained sew
eral qualifying remarks. sald tha'
"if a singer is careful never TO force
the voice, it is not necessary that any
injurious effects should follow IRON
singing in a chorus" The probapliltS
of voice forcing depends upon th'
knowledge of voice culture possessed
by those who make up chorus, ant
also, and much more especially, upoi
I the ideals of the chorus conductor. l.
he constantly insists upon muslca
tone-qualty, blending and finish, there
need be no restrictions as to singing
in a chorus, except upon those Wh'
have Just entered upon course o
voice culture, and none upon then
after the voice has, in vocal parlance
been thoroughly placed" The answe
given last week applied to the worlC
at large and not to a few musical cen
| tres where musical culture is, ant
ought to be, on a higher plane. Th
choral organizations of London, Bos
| ton and New York are made up o
| three classes of singers-the profes
sional the semi-professional and thos
| who, although belonging to neither o
| these two classes, are constantly IL
| touch with them, and can not fail t
| imbibe a fund of vital principles re
| garding the use and care of the voic
the more so that they are constantly
| under conductors who are musician
| of the highest culture. Under thes
| conditions it is not surprising tina
| students are urged to connect them
| selves with some choral organization
| Aside from the real pleasure one re
| ceives from singing in a chorus, an
| the fact that one is helping to max
| the public production of great work
| possible. there is the benefit derive
| from seeing others interested in then
and the ability gained in sight singins
| all of which can not be overestimate
in their influence upon musical cul
ture.
| Tenor-What church tenor In the