The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-05-24

| RR11 1NDIvIDUALIsM plays no part in
 a community chorus. The Jeffer- 1 = son County Community chorus belongs to every man, woman and child in the county; it belongs to every club. My part in it has been made possible by l the splendid work of the Music Study club, and the Treble Clef club, by Mrs. l Houston Davis, Mrs. Victor Hanson, Mr. 1 and Mrs William Gussen, Mrs. w J. | Adams, and other eminent musicians of | this city, as well as other clubs. My work is merely a very small link in a very long chain and cooperation is the keynote of whatever success the com munity chorus may achieve"
 In his big, broad, leyel-headed, gener- ous way Mir Robert Lawrence one of Birmingham's most capable musicians, whom MT. William Gussen recently pro nounced 'one of the greatest assets to this community musically," thus ex- pressed himself yesterday in speaking Of the community chorus.
 MT. Lawrence desires no credit person. ally for his part in the promotion and the success of the community chorus He realizes fully that it is not ''one man. proposition; it is too big for that; 1t is not an individual proposition. It is of the people and by the people and for the people that a community chorus is organized, and only thoroughly-sincere and cooperative spirit can make it's ulti- mate success possible.
 Tn looking over the musical field" MT. Lawrence said. such pioneers as Mr. and Mrs RaOfG min Mrs. Gussen, Prof Fred Grambs. MT, kenk, Miss Norma Schoolar MT. Dahm- Peterson, Miss Daisy Rowley, Mr Rienzi Thomas and many others suggest them selves to me as among the most power ful assets that Birmingham has ever had They worked over musical things when It wasn't easy to achieve any sort of success musically They laid the foundation of musical Birmingham, and the community chorus which is now the largest singing organization in this city, owes its existence to the fact that the pioneer work done in Birmingham's early days was thorough, methodical and systematic
 What desire more than everything else, MT. Lawrence continued lis a complete harmony of all musical ele- ments In Birmingham. In other words, monopoly is not to have any part or place in the work of the community chorus. Everybody needs everybody else. when 1t comes to this especial branch of musical activity and without 1t there can De no success. Let me illustrate what I mean The community chorus brings to- gether every element from the masses to the classes; the society leader and the slrl who earns her own living meet on common ground. Let us place the so- pranos together They sing one tone; they unite on that; the altos repeat the same situation, the tenors amalgamate: also the bassos. Then the four unite in one great ensemble. In other words. no one of the four parts of the perfect whole can amount to anything without the other three. Each needs the other Do you get the idea?"
 Every human being has a song in his heart" MT Lawrence said, but how many keep that song silent, often for lack of encouragement-of from lack of opportunity; community singing, a great chorus, where everybody is sub merged into one grand ensemble, where nobody is afraid to let out his voice. is the one great channel for the promotion Of universal music. Is there any musical instrument as perfect as a well trained chorus of voices? There is a certain