Omaha daily bee., 1902-10-05

ceded g.. A work which bristles with local
color and which c~oniures up tepees. Indian
blankets and the whole catalogue OF 10"
effects.
And THE man lie the son Of an African
negro OF Sierra Leone.
The press has been most encouraging,
indeed. announcements and comments
being cheertully printed and occasionally
an editorial has been written. Following
up this lead then, there lie the fact that
one Of Omaha's most prominent gentlemen
has decided to be one Of twenty who will
subscribe 800 to the festival fund. and one
OF omaha's most distinguished gentle
women has taken charge of the work Of
securing prominent patronesses.
Does II look like a May festival7
OF course we must expect criticism.
There are many people who will come
forward with suggestions Of what ought
to be done and what ought to have been
lone. Such criticisms will be considered
in their proper light, but faultinders will
have no weight whatever with the people
who are interested in the movement, for
the simple reason that the faulthnders
have had several years to organize a
society patterned after their own pet
ideas and they have done nothing, moth
ing.
Now, let them retire and at least give
those who have put their shoulders to
the wheels of progress a chance to carry
out their plans in their own way. 1t IL
somewhat out Of order for anyone who is
not a member Of the organization or who
hasn't subscribed thereto to come to the
conductor with carping criticism. II the
conductor were engaged at a big salary by
a corporation for the public develop
ment, then kicks" might be In order.
These Monday night meetings at the
Kountze Memorial church are a success.
We do not want all the musicians, as
some have suggested. Such a thing is
preposterous. There are planes and planes
in music and we want what we have got
and we who are working the festival idea
know what we want, or think we do and
we have also got what we want. II any
other musicians want to organize a society
with the others whom they want and who
want them, what is that to US? Only,
brethren, let us drop this cant about 'all
the musicians uniting" II is rank. abb
surd, sheer unmitigated nonsense. For q
May festival choir we want people who
have special qualifications, not a monde
script conglomeration Of all musical
apprentices, improvers, specialists, artists
and those who have never studied much.
The best professional musicians in the
vocal line in Omaha are represented in the
Study club, as 1t is now called, the best
choirs are all represented and the musical
brethren have given the scheme much en-
couragement, for which thanks are hereby
extended.
= 4 ~
the professional musicians to drop in and
visit the rehearsals on the first Monday
night Of each month. It will not be pos
but visitors night will be the hrst rehear-
sal meeting Of each month.
Speaking OF musical unity, I remarked
to a banker the other day. when all
the depositors in Omaha do their bank
ing business over this counter, then we
will get all the musical 'depositors' TO
invest their talents in one concentrated
society. Shall you give up this eplendidly
strong institution because other banks get
other depositors? Is not your bank a
leading bank? AS a leading bank has 1t
not the best class Of depositors? Is 1t
an experiment? Are not it's officers
known? Does 1t wait every year to see
II all the other banks will go in with it or
does 1t open its own safe, take out its
own books and carry on its own business
Look upon the musical business in this
way and draw your own conclusions"
I came across the following lines the
other day when reading "The Symphony OF
Life" by Henry Wood and they struck
me very forcibly: THE race is only in its
alphabetical exercises. We are like chill
dren in the early stages of kindergarten
work, molding plastic clay into crude and
grotesque forms. We unwittingly shape
images Of fear. weakness, disorder, de-
crepitude and old age and then fall down
/ before the works Of our own hands and
do them homage and grow into their like
nesses. Our inner vision being blurred, we
see so dimly tina we think God formed
them for us.
THE world is q grand studio and we are
all artists, engaged in chiseling forms
and breathing into them Quickening, pal.
pitating life. In proportion as we shape
these minated things in accord with the
principles of high art we shall be in,
spired by their companionship, thrilled By
their beauty and nodded by their symme'
try"