Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-12-17

III both vocal and instrumental music
and most Sunday churchgoers will
probably have the opportunity OF
hearing some of them.
There is a vast fund of Christmas
music if one is interested and cares
to investigate it. Handels "Mcs-
siah,' and Bach's Christmas Oratorio
and one or two shorter Christmas
numbers are among those larger
forms which treat of the Christmas
subjects and have endured the test of
time. An interesting sidelight upon
composers could be gained through
comparison of the different manner in
which each has treated it.
Mrs. Katharine Baxter (W. FD,
has wonderful idea for spreading the
Christmas cheer on Christmas eve.
The idea' has to do with music, too,
and has the added advantage of not
needing any financial backing to make
it effective and practical, if every
body will cooperate toward its
working out. 1t is such little thing
TO do, and is capable of holding SO
much pleasure. Do you know how
unconsciously everybody responds to
the strains of brass band, which are
merrily waited over the air at the
time Of elections, or parades or some
times before base ball games, as
chartered car swiftly bears the band
over all the lines of the city? 1t isn't
only the people who are close to the
band who will walk with lighter step
and brighter eye for the hearing of it
either, it is often even more gladden.
ing when it is heard in the distance,
Just few strains as the wind catches
them, often bringing smile and
pleasant thoughts and a momentary
relaxation from monotony to the
worker at his desk, the busy house
wife or the drudging laborer.
And how delightful it is, when
seeking relief from summers heat at
the edge Of lake, to hear a voice or
quartet of voices out in a boat, away
from shore, singing. Even on sum-
mer evenings, when a group of young
people join in snatches of song as
they are going along the streets,
there is added share of their pleas
ure to every one who hears them.
Mrs. Bakers idea is simply to re-
vive the old and beautiful custom of
Christmas carol singing on Christ
mas Eve. Little groups of people 60
ing home from church or small
crowds who were willing to get to-
gether for that purpose could not
only have much personal pleasure,
but could also spread pleasure to so
many others, if they would revive
and sing some OF those lovely carols,
such as Peaceful Night, Holy
Night" "Oh Tannenbaum." God
Rest Ye, Merry Gentlemen and
dozen or more similar ones which
have come down to US through the
ages and which we, like Scrooge, in
our pursuit of gain and business"
are liable to have forgotten. For it
is the spirit OF Christmas that counts,
and while some can give large sums
of money in promoting it, others can
assist in other ways, and one of them
is through song. There is mighty
fine feeling that comes from doing
ones little bit.
Mrs. Baxter's idea is that various
informal groups might be formed by
six or eight friends who like to sing,
who would agree upon certain carols
and learn to sing them we'll either
in unison or in two or four-part har-
monies, and then on Christmas eve
go out in their neighborhood or
wherever they choose, and let their
glad voices ring over the frosty air,
spreading joy to whomsoever may
hear them. Houses that are locked
against the cold are not soundproof,
and there is no doubt that the music
could be easily heard. Who knows
how much pleasure some little party
might bring to an invalid or dis
couraged and lonely listener? 1t
would not require any, organized
movement to make this succeed. If
every reader would consider himself
or herself committee of one to pro-
mote carol singing among his friends
and in his neighborhood, it would
insure its success.
Chicago is rejoicing, partly because
its opera company is giving such re-
lndrkdDlc SdtlSl dCtlCll uuuSl lllS DdtOll
OF the celebrated Campanini. During
the first fortnight Chicago heard, six
teen operas againt New York's ten
During that interval, Lucien Mura-
tore, the great French tenor, remem-
bered here as Don Jose in Carmen"
with the Ellis Opera company, has
scored one triumph after another Sc
curing a deserved ovation for every
role in which he appears. Nine. Cali
Curci new soprano, created such
pandemonium of enthusiasm at her
first appearance that she was imme-
dately signed up by Maestro Cam
panini, for the rest Of the season, and
is repeating her artistic successes at
each subsequent appearance, Besides
the operate successes Of our sister
city, the Chicago Tribune has guar
anteed practical financial support to
Glenn billiard Gum, in his orchestral
concerts, given popularity for 10 cents,
Ivy arranging to pay the inevitable
deficit which thus. accrues. This is
great step in the popuarizing OF
good music, by giving II well played
for nominal price The Board OF
Education OF Chicago are also CO.
operating with the Tribune, and Mr..
Gum, and through Jacob Loeb. the