The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-04-13
4 GAmbse Of 7he Great
 Feshya/ ANoclahon Chorus We'll Organized Body of SingersProf Grambs Talks Inter estingly About Worl1-Rossni's stabat Mater
 Capably Rendered.

I lessor, when you were chosen to take charge of the chorus"
 | My friends have all been more than 1 kind," said he, "and I have been aston | ished at the cordial manner in which
 musicians and the musical people of the city have responded to the call. At | first many of the class we call croakers,' were very discouraging, but I felt sure that there would be cooperation from every source.'
 "The people of Birmingham have so much patriotism-not that exactly, in this instance-but I suppose you would call 1 1t civic pride and everybody is anxious
 for this festival to be success. It means 1 so much to Birmingham, doesn't it?" I asked
 | "Yes, indeed,"- answered Professor 1 Grambs. Tt means that the musical fes- tivals of the future will be up to the | standard of any in the country. Birming | ham has a great deal of musical talent and the community is filled with music l lovers. l remember when l had charge | of the chorus some 15 or 20 years ago at one of the confederate reunions held here, l I had over 200 voices in the chorus and | Birmingham was only in embryo then" l How many will sing in the forthcoming | festival chorus?" I queried. l "I hope there will be between 150 or 200' said he.
 q notice you number many members | of the Treble Clef club in the chorus" | I observed.
 "Yes, and the members have done splen-
 did work. And let me say one thing right here. One of the biggest things | spelled with large 'B' Is what Mrs I fhA and al l ented director of the Treble Clef, has
 done. She has taken her place with the l singers under my baton and lent her l voice, her energy and her musical abl- l ty in her efforts to perfect the work"
 q agree withfyou that that is what l we would call big, and really magnani- l mous There is so much friction and dis l agreement among musicians that one | doesn't often see one director who Is 1 willing to sing under another. I suppose l the jealousy of musical people is attribua- l table to temperament-as MT. Clyde 1 Fitch makes one of his clever herofnes l say. But at least it is deplorable.," said.
 1 ! "We have had the most perfect har- l mony in our work and 1t has been very | encouraging and I am decidedly pleased
 over the prospect of success" said Pro- | lessor Grambs.
 "I imagine your accompaniste has her l hands full will all the rehearsals and | practice she has to do' l remarked
 Indeed she has, and by the way, Mrs.
 Laura Jackson Davis is one of the best
 of the best, most satisfactory and compe- ] tent accompanistes in the city. She is
 very sympathetic. never loses her head | and Is a thorough musician, in every
 sense of the word," said Professor | Grams.
 "I can easily see that her work is
 worthy of notice and I think so frequent 1 ly accompaniment playing goes unre- | warded, don't you?" I asked. Undoubtedly" said Professor Grambs. | Tt is one of the fine arts and an &C.,
 companiste is born-not made. The re- | quirements for good accompaniment play 1 ing are many. but the first one is sympa- 1 thy" he said
 l 'I heard musician say once that l the best accompan1ste he had ever known | was one who absolutely did everything ]! the singer did-and, indeed, so perfect l was the one in question, that he believed l if the singer were to turn a double somer-
 sault the accompaniste would promptly
 do the same,' laughingly said.
 How often will you hold rehearsals of l the chorus?' I asked the director.
 We are working at present with two l week--every Monday and Thursday l l hall singi@S the beautiful music of the l stabat Mater. from now until the twen- I ty-eighth." Mercy! but you have your 2hands 1 full, professor-with all your teaching and l other musical work besidesT' I remarked
 Well, I feel that the busiest part is l over now. My Easter work completed l feel better satisfied. You know I ar-
 ranged for orchestra and choir the Easter | service which the choir of the Church of 1 the Advent sang, and that was quite & l task in itself." said Professor Grambs.
 q should think SOL I said. But you should certainly be more than compen-
 sated for your work, for l have heard the | Easter mucic at the Advent complimented
 on all sides, and I think that is always
 pleasure. And is the Advent choir mum. I bered in the festical chorus?' inquired
 "Oh, yes," said Professor Grambs Nearly the entire choir is included and they are among my most enthusiastic
 workers"
 with the Damrosch orchestra after their ! arrival?" I asked.
 'That of course, will be determined as ] soon as MT. Damrosch get here. We will l probably have two or three rehearsals. 1 You know the chorus will appear the last evening of the festival-Frday. the ] thirtieth, so that we will have ample
 time for rehearsals."
 The intermission was we'll nigh over
 ere now, and I had to make my adiuex
 to Professor Grambs, who had been kind enough to chat with me about the work
 of the festival chorus and as he raised his
 baton over the hundred voices, and Mrs.
 Davids struck the first beautiful notes
 of the Inflammatus, I was decidedly
 impressed with the idea that Birming- ham will be justly proud of the excel
 lent work that the chorus will present
 at the approaching Music Festival