The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-05-07
BY w. j. HENDERSON.


ture. for there are to he several festi-
walls Of importance. one can look for
ward with some confidence to the Bach
festival at Bethlehem. where the first
day Is to he devoted to a performance
Of the Christmas uratorio m the Sec
ond. according TO custom. 10 the Il
minor mass.
OF still greater interest will I've the
Norfolk tCorn) festival. which Is set
for June s. : and s. I.ofller's new SYM
phony entitled "Hora Mystica" will be
heard for the first time anywhere al
the opening concert 1t promises to he
the important work of the festival. II
10 one movement and takes ~forty-fve
minutes to perform. Tho orchestration
is Of the most advanced kind and re-
Quires some unusual Instruments. The
music IL devotional and the work closes
with a "Salve Regina FOR male chorus.
The other novelty written for the
festival will be Percy Grainscr's suite
for orchestra and piano called I'm a
Nutshell" Mr.. Granger will be at the
piano. and In the same concert will
play the T~schaikowsky concerto. The
young Brazilian pianist Guiomar No
.- vacs Ia engaged for one OF the con-
certs and has chosen the Grieg con-
certo. The Brahms Requiem and
Haydn's Creation are on the list and
Kreisier will play the Beethoven con-
eerto.
Those familiar with the festivals Of
the Litchfeld County Choral Union at
Norfolk will see that this plan does
not include the usual number Of new
works composed expressly for these
concerts. The unique feature Of the
Norfolk festivals is the honor accorded
the ompose Musicians are invited
to write new works for the festivals
and to he present to conduct them.
Three foreign masters we're to nave
composed novelties for this years con-
certs and to have crossed the ocean TO
conduct them. Last year Sir Charles
Villiers Stanford contributed a piano
concerto tpiayed by Harold Bauer, and
was to have conducted II. but he dared
not risk crossing the sea. The war Is
again hostile to the arts Of peace. No
one of the three European composers
made the attempt TO have a work ready
for this festival. There seemed to be
no possibility Of coming to conduct it.
Plans for the education OF the
masses to a taste for good music are
continually coming forward and all are
well intentioned, But their practical
bllity is always in need of more def
mite demonstration than it usually re-
ceivcs. Vaguely We are told that some-
thing is to be lone TO lead the ig-
norant or uncultivated or ineNperi-
enced to an understanding Of good
music or much more frequently OF
opera
The educational opera scheme is one
Of the Of public pretences.
Doubtless there are sincere and kindly
people VINO believe that some good
end is 10 be accomplished by teach
ing plain people to wish 10 hear medi-
OGRE singers, badly costumed and i'll
trained. accompanied by an orchestra
generally out of tune and playing like
an offensive army. shouting the more
or less meretricious phrases Of banal
compositions which lend themselves
most readily to rude treatment.
This kind Of education ends in de.
stroyinR all possibility OF genuine mu-
eical taste in the hearer. One nigh,
as well expect to witness evidence OF
real taste anon; the determined bravI
who stand behind the orchestra raj
al the Metropolitan Opera House and
shrek Bravo. Bis" every time some
one on the stage makes an ear split
ting sound or whispers a half audible
pianisslmo.
II there were ever the slightest evi.
dence that hahitual operagoing i'm
parted to any one a love for music |,
would i've encouraging. Rut there i.
no such evidence. II IL all to the
contrary. There are scores OF thou
sands of people who 20 to the opera a,
often as they can and who could no
by any inducement be dragged TO
Philharmonic concert or a song recital
Without the excitement Of the thea
tire II it's accessories. music is a.
dull TO these people as food witi.ou'
sauces and condiments to the jadeC
gourmand. But when II comes 10 6
project for the establishment OF a civil,
orchestra we are confronted with {
scheme which, properly manaSed
might give pleasure to thousands o
peop.e.
The educational influence Of an or
chestra Is hound to he better an,
purer tina that Of opera. But befor,
We can educate people We must in
duce them to wish to receive the edu
cation, and this can he done onl,
by beneficcnt deception. II the peopl
who shun all "highbrow" music as
bore suspect that an orchestra ha
been organized for the purpose o
playing 1t at them till they can TAX
II without pain. they will never g
~herc tbey can hear the faintosf Aph