The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-03-04
AS TO 9PoPULAR NrUsIC.v


In inaugurating a series of "popu-
lar" organ concerts and recitals-
popular both as to the kind of mu-
sic to be given and the price of admis-
sion-the Pipe Organ association and
Mr.. George Barlow Penny are taking
a step in the right direction and one
which will doubtless result in much
pleasure to the public and eventual
profit to the highest musical interests
of the community.
The Pipe Organ association has Sc
cured a number of high class musical
attractions for Topeka this season
we have had three of the worlds
greatest musical stars and are
promised a fourth-and most of the
concerts have been financially profit
able because the fame of the artists
has been sufficient to draw great audi
ences from motives of curiosity if for
no other reason. OF course there is a
large and constantly growing class of
the musically initiated here who enjoy
and appreciate the best music and are
always ready to patronize art for
itself alone. but it must be confessed
that there is another and larger class
whom the very term Classical music
is sufficient to brighten away from any
an artist who has been very widely
advertised, if only for the pleasure of
knocking on the class of music
given afterwards. but it is believed
that they would also go to concerts
for pure love of such music as they
are capable of enjoying if they were
given the opportunity. Proof of this
is the popularity of band concerts,
where good, popular and familiar mu-
sic is heard. Any of the big brass
bands can draw a big house in To-
peka-an enthusiastic, intelligent and
appreciative audience-and the reason
for this is that they play the sort of
music which the Great Unwashed
(aesthetically speaking) knows and
loves. Band music is popular in
itself. and there have been of recent
years so many excellent Organizations
of this kind touring this country, play
ing for weeks at a time in the parks
of the big cities in the summer time,
and in the theaters and auditoriums
in the winter. that the public has been
educated to a great extent in band
music. Many man who says The
loves music but can't do much for
this classical stuff" is still a fairly
good Judge of a band, knows some
lar with wide range of the best band
music and can discriminate and criti-
cize when it's Interpretation is in ques-
ton. He likes this music because he
has heard it often enough to be ia
miliar with it. He would like all good
music under similar conditions.
The series of popular organ concerts
and recitals in the auditorium has this
aim-to give the best popular music,
the familiar classics which all the peo-
pie love, to introduce some less familiar
numbers, equally good, melodious, and
easily understood, and to familiarize the
people with them and thus widen their
capabilities of musical appreciation and
comprehension. The concerts will all
be given at a popular price-twenty-
five cents-and the programmes will be
limited to one hundred minutes in the
case of the concerts and sixty minutes
in the case of the recitals. No encores
will be given. The patrons may attend
a concert and be in their beds before
ten o'clock
The first recital will be given at the
auditorium next Tuesday evening. Mr..
George Barlow Penny will be the organ
ist and Mr.. ALT Klingenberg pianist, and
Mr.. Ralph WyIie, violinist, will assist
him The programme which is publish
ed today includes many popular favor
ties.
This is the right idea and it ought
to succeed. The people who feel that
they have gotten beyond Mendelssohn's
Spring Song and Schubert's Serenade
and the AIiserere can afford to attend
these concerts in order to encourage and
help others to arrive at their plane of
artistic sophistication The people who
say they love music but don't under
stand the classics can go, and will go if
they are sincere in their assertions, be-
cause the concerts will mean in their
case unalloyed enjoyment. Local artists
who feel that they can do better things
than even the best popular" music,
will still be willing to give their time
and talents to a good cause, and it is
predicted that after a single series of
these popular concerts, artists like Mr.
Eddy, Mr. Ysaye and Paderewsld will
have larger and more intelligent au-
diences in Topeka.
The associations announcement says
that the time and number Of the con
certs and recitals will be determined by
the public demand. For this reason
music-lovers. even if they do not find
it altogether convenient, should show
their interests in this first recital next
Tuesday evening. There is nothing like