Omaha daily bee., 1905-06-25
Music and Musical Notes

The National Federation of Musical Clubs
has been in existence eight years and has
done a wonderful educational work during
that short time, The fourth biennial meet
ing was held about two weeks ago In Dem
yer, when Mrs. Russell Dorr of New York
was elected president. In her response to
Mrs. McCartney's address of welcome she
told very good story, which might be of
benefit to good many small clubs whose
scope is not broad enough and who find
their work becoming uninteresting: A
Colorado woman wrote to Mrs. Decker not
long ago. She said: II come to you for
help and suggestion. My club is apparently
losing interest and disintegrating. We have
studied just enough parliamentary law to
teach us how to QUARREL we have sung to
ourselves until we are tired and bored.
What shall we do?" This letter came to
Mrs. Decker when she was exceedingly
busy; she simply wrote: Try to sing to
others. My busy day; excuse brevity.
Yours truly" She sent the letter, feeling
sorry that she had no time to really help
the woman. To her intense surprise she
received letter a few months later from
this same president saying: "Your letter
was an inspiration. AS an experiment I
divided my club into five sections and sent
them out into the schools, hospitals and
pOoISI W blIlB tO OlneTb, ana the
result is simply marvellous. Interest has
revived, we are growing In interest and
numbers and. better still, we are worth
while"
This communication illustrates the fact
that the idea Of federation is a fine thing,
and that many clubs which dwindle and die
might be saved II they had the benefit of
the personality and advice Of a strong or
ganization.
The prohibitive admission fees demanded
for the hearing OF good music was also dis
cussed, the conclusion being that it was
not remarkable that the standard OF mu-
steal taste among the masses Of America
was low. Mrs. Mccartney rather summed
up the situation in these words: 1--WE
should be tolerant OF the taste which pre-
fers a cornet solo of The Holy City to an
artistic rendition Of a Beethoven sonata,
when we consider how few can enjoy
broad musical education. though the love
Of music may be as strong as in the more
Fortunate She also spoke a word for SIM
pie music, which she believes has a very
large place in the world. and told the story
OF the little Fresh Air Fund girl who was
sent TO the country. The kind woman 10
whose care she was consigned looked for
ward eagerly to the pleasure which the lit
tie city waif would find in the Joys OF coun-
try life, so great a contrast to her usual
unhappy lot The morning OF her arrival
the child was led into a great field of dais-
les and bade to pick all she wanted. This
did not cause as much rapture as had been
expected, and even a visit to the COW and
calf failed TO rouse any enthusiasm At
twilight when the family were gathered on
the piazza enjoying the peaceful evening
the small visitor was missed and was at
last discovered huddled in a disconsolate
bunch on her bed. weeping dismaIly.
what is II, dear" asked the good farmers
wife, do you miss your mamma so much p
"No-o-o," walled the child, ITS so awful
lonesome here; amt you got no German
bands and no hand organs7"F
Paderewskis chalet at Morges in Sw1tz-
erland. is given this description by corre-
spondent OF the Frankfurter Zeitung:
Chalet in German, means a herdsman's .
cottage; wealthy persons on the Lake of
Geneva, however. when they want 70 be-
tray real modesty. favor this term for
their villas. even when they are worth