Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1915-03-24
DRINKING SONG"
FOR MUS|CF
ST|RS CRITICISM
Anti-SaIoon League Rap for
operatio Selection on Big
Newark Program.
SAM WILSON WRITES
OF WISHES CHORUS"
Urges censoring Of Famous
Verses That Are Now Be-
ing Rehearsed.

tlE tNSU6dfSSus
9. Mortimer Wiske, director OF the
big musical festival which is to be
given in this city May 4, and and
cruited from many Of the leading
cruited from any of the leading
church cholrs of the city, have been
much surprised by an article that
appears in the current number OF
The American Issue. The American
Issue is the organ of the Anti-Saloon
article mentioned the director of the
article mentioned het direcor of the
Newark fete is bitterly attacked for
including in his festival program a
drinking song from the kerrnis scene
of Faust" the famous opera by
Gounod.
Samuel Wilson is the editor of the
Issue, which is a temperance publ.
cation, with offices in the Ordway
building here. Mr.. Wilson admitted
today that he had written the criti-
cism of the festival program. He
said he wasn't acquainted with Mr..
Wiske. ''Wiske's Chorus to Sing
Whisky's Praises" Is the title of the
Wilsonian effort. 1t reads In part:
"a great musical festival has been
staged to be given in the city of
Newark May 4, and 6, and the
prospectus claims that there will be
chorus of 1000. This chorus Is
being made up of citizens of Newark,
and a great many young women from
the churches are expected to par
ticipate.
"The musical director has the
rather ominous name of Wiske, and
we notice that one of the items on
the program is the Soldiers Cho-
rus'' from Faust" by Gounod. Be.
low are some of the chaste and clas,
sic words Of this chorus:
"Red or white liquor, coarse or fine!
What can 1t matter. so we have wine?
What If the vintage great be OF
small?
Your jolly topper drinketh OF all.
Student versed in every barrel.
Save the one of water white,
To thy glory. 10 thy love.
Drink away tenightl
sas.SStirne,tk like the above may
have been entirely appropriate IN con-
tinental Europe half q century ago. oi
would be fit to be sung by a chorus
recruited from the underworld. but
unless the announced program Is ex-
purgated there ought to be a great
secession of decent women from this
chorus. and a boycott of the whole
institution by decent citizens OF New
ark"
director wiske, who Is also ar
ranging for a similar musical festival
to be held in Paterson on the nights
of May IL, 12 and 13, made references
to the attack upon himself at the
rehearsal Of the Paterson chorus al
the Young Mems Christian Associa-
tion in that city last night.
Mr.. Wiske said that he regarded
the attack as entirely uncalfed for,
but did not discuss the matter at
length, At first II was regarded as
sort Of joke by members or the
chorus, which Is also recruited from
the choirs of the leading Paterson
churches and includes several hum
dred singers who have volunteered
their services for the Billy Sunday
revival campaign, which opens IN
Paterson on April 4.
AS the evening wore on, however
the resentment OF the singers grew
acute and some sarcastic remarks
were passed relative to "reformers'
and persons who would object to the
singing of classical music from such
q composer as Gounod.
One member of the chorus summed
up the sentiment of the organization
as follows:
II have not seen the article alluded
to ,ut from what have heard it is
the nost asanine thing I have ever
liste ed to. 1t is too bad that some
of the modern reformers that we have
in the country are not fighting at the
front in Europe. They surely would
not be missed and might get what
was coming to them"
Mr.. Wilson was seen today and told
of the stir his article had made In
musical circles. The editor, who is a
retired business man, and said that
he has been connected With the pub
lication for several years, appeared
quite pleased that his arrows mad
reached their mark.
"I am glad" said he, that atten-
tion has been called to the article;
that is what I wrote 1t for. 1t is all
right If a lot of registering men want
to sing drinking song, but when a
chorus Ia recruited from church choirs
1 do not think that a song that hints
at the ravishing OF women is appro-
pirate.
at certainly think that Mr.. Wiske
ought to expurgate his program, as
there is plenty of musical repertoire
he could get without such a song as
he has placed on the program. If he
does not change the program I think
decent people ought to stay away
from the concerts"
That the religiously inclined people
90 tha State have confidence in the
class of music furnished by Mr..
Wiske is indicated by the fact that
George Arnold, president of the Pat
erson and North Jersey Evangelistio
Association, who is responsible for
the securing of BILLY Sunday for
Paterson, is one of the underwriters
of the association.
Even BILLY" Sunday himself is
said to be in sympathy with musical
productions, as he has agreed to cut
short his evening services in Pater-
son so that members of the taberna-
Gle choir may get through in time
to sing with the Wiske chorus.