The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-03-15

I forced to drop pretense to knowledge ant
| experience which he does not possess AMI
| thus risk expression of opinions, and adop,
| a line of control which may expose him TO
the just censure and condemnation of those
| who know better.
| In the case of the church organist, who
| must also act as choir trainer. the real
| trouble is that in his training an execu
| tant pure and simple no provision was made
| for the probability of his being obliged to
| pose both as a performer and instructor.
Few opportunities are given to young stud
| ents TO acquire the art of choir conducting
and it is a great art.
| At best. an intending organist may but
| gather. as well as he can, the mode Of pro-
| cedure adopted with the choirs by other
| orgarists and choirmasters; and how often
1 Is this only case of the blind leading the
| blind! Failing traditional and wider knowl-
edge. metronome marks are taken as an in
variable indication Of correct time.
| More often, on the subject of speed, each
| choirmaster Tor one who assumes to be
| such) is n law unto himself
few stock phrases with regard to vocal
! enunciation are assimilated and adopted as
occasion offers: even a smattering of knowl-
I edge of the singers art may be hastily
drawn from textbooks to suit special &C.
casions.
With this paltry stock of savior-falre. the
novice conductor prepares to address his
anu III reality taxes MS slrSt lesson
in class teaching
TIMIDITY OF MUSICIANS
Those musicians who are most conscien-
tious. painfully aware OF the slippery
ground they tread upon, say as little as
they possibly can-often Now start pleased
and Good evening. That will do being
the extent of polite eloquence In the organ
| loft. More, less scrupulous. carry matters
with a high hand and by ,cultivating a
nd ri
assume a position of command to which
they have no claim.
Hence result 'scamped." careless and
often irreverently conducted choir rehears-
ais. the ruthless exposure of the personal
defects of choir members unable to defend
themselves. and, in short. that general dis
regard for the feelings of others that in
! the end. leaves the offender friendless and
alienated from those whom he might have
made his most devoted allies.
When such conduct is transferred from
the organ loft to the concert room. matters
are still worse.
The morose and Indifferent conductor, he
of the mechanical type. the automa tic
| time beaten. and even the 'excitable or ir-
rltable parsonage who generally only sue
ceeds in making himself a laughing stock
by means of his extravagant or impatient
gestures-all these species of the genus con-
ductor are well known in the musical
world. That successful, lasting or even
satisfactory achievement may be expected
of such is futile.
still more deplorable happening is that
which places the baton Of an important or
chestral or large choral and orchestral So
ciety in the hands of man who, neither
through culture nor experience. IS fitted to
fill such a responsible post
THE REQUIREMENTS.
What infinite knowledge of the different
instruments-of their compass. capabilities
and timbre-what facility and experiences
| in score reading; what presence OF mind in
case of false entries; what intimate ae-
quaintance with the works of the great
masters, and the traditional readings Of