New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-05
Nv HERBERT FLINT

..v,sic Of the people, for the people
IA nv the people" is one way Of esti-
81 the result of Arthur Nevin's
.ro wears Of missionary work in Kan
:, under the auspices of the State Uni
yersity.
Indeed, the American composer has
.sds use Of music not as a soothing
nm. but as a constructive civic and
.sItural force. in a novel and effective
w,v that should command the attention
- rural communities as we'll as musi-
.isns the country over. As result Of
~. development Of chorus singing Mr..
y.vin to-day is the inspiration Of half
hundred Kansas communities in be-
half of more and better music.
accidentally, through his work with
-, orgsnized body of volunteer singers
~ ali ages and denominations ana at
v-srticailv no expense TO those bene-
20 no has created increased friend
i.ress and cooperation between the
..am,ilv OF William Smith and Frank
Brown and the various partisan ele-
-,snts of many a small town TO an eX-
.srt that no one would have thought
.ossible That is the tale of communi-
~ chorus work in Kansas during the
last two years
Came TO Kansas in 1915
To appreciate this story one should
know the vigorous brother OF the late
Ethelbert Nevin as he IS to-day
scholarly composer with two American
Indian operas to his credit, an all
around democrat with small "a,
CYNICAL fastener Of the sort that
thinks there never was any place quite
Ike Pittsburgh, which is an lrradlcab!e
anment. You may therefore picture
for yourself the complications possible
when, in the fall OF 1915, Mr.. Neyln
came 10 Kansas at the invitation OF the
educational powers that-be of the state.
They said to him, just as you might
order q steak and onions;
"Your job is to 60 out and arouse
enthusiasm for music in Kansas. Good
by. Good luck to you.' Or words 10
that effect.
without a days experience in chorus
work, lacking the friendly counsel OF
others who have gone into uncharted
musical wildernesses, where music is
bounded by ragtime on the one hand
and Nearer, Ny God, TO Thee on
The other, Mr.. Nevin packed his grip
and commenced taking good music to
a state that was at that time principal
Iv engaged. so far as he could see, IN
buying automobiles and planting an
other crop Of wheat.
Inside OF three weeks the composer
was sick Of his job, thoroughly dlscour-
aged. and making no'apparent headway::
There seemed to be no sure way OF
permanently interesting audiences OF
farmers and small town merchants and
their families in more and better
music. ,.,.-
y, .So children, with instruments or
voices. through the church or the
scbool9 Then one night, in a little
village named Colony, the solution
came. Mr.. Nevin was explaining TO
mixed and somewhat dubious looking
audience that the beauty OF music
often lies largely in the different ways
in which il may be interpreted. Taxing
"Suwauee River" for example, he hrst
sang IL softly, giving the effect OF
music off in the far distance; then he
sang il softly, increased its volume 70
= cTescendo and let it die away again
20 an echo. The crowd looked inter-
ested, for 8 change, and to show them
major effects he made them all initiate
him. ,..
N his problsm. "Old Black joe tot
lowed "Suwanee River" and then MY
Old Kentucky Home" and other old ia
yorites, varied TO show the dIherent
Possibilities. The audience waXed en-
thusiastic. and before the evening was
over the composer had IL organized and
eager 10 continue as a chorus; and to-
1sy he cannot answer the calls he has
for engagements from all parts OF the
state. He will probably have an assist.
ant next year. He has made music OF
the people, for the people and by the
PEOPLE" real institution in Kansas:
AZ the first principle Of a successful
community chorus Nr. Nevin requires
a Simple. democratic and self-managing
crganization such as he soon WORKED
cut. his own personal contribution pc
ing the effort Of making each member
OF the chorus feel that he Is indivldu-
ally needed 10 make the enterprise a
success. A..
Now each chorus has a constitution
and set OF bylaws unueI "HISH ~
elects q president, vice-president, secre-
tary, treasurer, librarian, musical d.
rector and a board Of ten directors
FIVE men and FIVE women. The director
Of music is independent Judge OF the
music 10 be sung, being subject to the
board Of directors only in financial
matters and in regard to dates for con-
eert..