The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-06-02
ONCE A BARN,
 NOW A STUDIO

l If there ever was a place in which art
 received encouragement to grow. that place is the new studio of MT. and Mrs. 1 William Gussen. Given love of music, | and the capacity within oneself to evoke | the richest of tone poems from violin or 1 piano, one can imagine no more inspiring l place in which to give it free reign than
 this one time barn tucked away among l trees and flowers. The barn has been | touched with magic, not alone the magic
 of music, but of architecture. and where l a feed loft once hung beneath beams placed crisscross high up in the sky, there are now two pianos and a big reading table, and pictures, and busts of Mozart and Beethoven, and easy chairs ard a grafonoa and stacks and stacks of musicI
 Small suggestion does it give of the erst- while Munger barn, nor do the tiny rooms below stairs recall the buggies that used
 to stand In place of pianos, or automobiles
 that later took their places.
 Strolling down Eleventh avenue the
 other evening I passed the beautiful Nun ger corner whose green lawns and roses and leafy trees make a spot of verdure that delights every soul passing that way; lights glowed among the trees back of the motor entrance, and through the trees l and out to the pavements foated the | tones of 8 lovely tenor solo, ringing out l above the delightful accompaniment which
 
 1 sition. The effect was charming. late | moon threw everything in pale radiance; l there was a dead stiffness, and only the tones of the matchless tenor fioated out from the studio back of the motionless trees The fragment of a solo recalled other evenings In the Gussen' home. little
 gatherings of musicians and music lovers
 for an hour or two of delightful enjoy ment Both MT. and Mrs. Gussen are clever hosts--artists this way as well as musieally. Their ne wstudio promises to be Q little Mecca for the music lover on the Highlands. It was established through a sort of inspiration; there had to be some place for them to meet their students after the fire which destroyed their musical treasures so completely last winter. MT. Munger offered-generously and thoughtfully-the use of his garage.
 Rubbish was removed and a temporary musical camp was established. The possibilities of the place for its present purpose, however, soon became apparent,
 and many and elaborate have been the | changes made. There is the living room downstairs, decorated In green and white,
 like the exterior of the cool looking place. It Is inviting with It's comfortable chairs and tables, though later 1t will be more fully decorated. MT. Gussen's small studio | is here, and there is another classroom | with still another piano.
 A straight, quaint little stairway leads | up to the large concert room. which is | Mrs. Gussen's particular sanctum. Hero I are great shelves, heavy and firm, and | very marvel of construction like the rest
 of the securely built place, but especially durable, as on them MT. Munger formerly made his experiments in machinery 1t makes a lovely room with the dropping I beams overhead and has assumed an al- | together cozy and livable aspect, even | though it has not been long used. Cases l of music, systematically audited, line this | big department, as well those down
 stairs, and it is quite workmanlike, though 1 1t will be a splendid place for their in- | formal reetals. Opposite are the charm | ing white and blue living apartments of | Mir. and Mrs Gussen and the two little | girls who tumble about and play all | day long on the lawn and are very much happier now that they are in moments s I reach of Mrs. Gussen, who is charming mother, than they were when her studio duties lured her downtown every day. This barn studio is clever and pie | turesque arrangement, and one which in terests everyone fin its neighborhood.