The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-04-13
MEN, WOMEN
 AND THINGS
The Community Singing

 If you don't believe 1t, here is bit
 port of an effort made in New York city
 to bring the people out into one of the
 parks for community singing: Annie Laurie? Sure we know de lady,!
 Who is she?" What's she look like?"
 A stiff breeze from the East river tossed
 about these and sundry similar humorous
 expressions emanating from the youth of New York's proIetariat one of the pa
 pers says. To John Jay Park, which
 graces the eastern extremity Of central
 Manhattan, they came on this particular
 remained to sing. For sing they finally
 did; at first with timidity, then, grad
 ually, submerging self-consciousness and
 making among themselves that peculiar
 and often touching natural harmony | which thrives, uniquely enough, only in
 the beehives of urban life.
 Again when the New York community
 chorus sang in Central park. a new
 policeman on the park beat said to Mrs.
 Kenneth Muir, member of the executive
 committee of the chorus and one of the
 most faithful distributors of song sheets
 at the Sunday gatherings, this goes to
 my heart it does indeed. The old songs | it gets a fellow to be hearing them
 again. I like it. Ragtlme, pere today and I,ot heart the same at all You folks keep l it up. You're doing pretty fine thing getting folks to sing together like this" I So far in the public singing here on l the streets of Birmingham undoubtedly Nearer My God, to Thee has led the { list of favorites for community singing. Among the American sings the favorites
 seem to be "Old Black Joe' "Suwanee ] River" "Old Kentucky Home," Long, Long Ago" while Ireland contributed "Kathleen Mavourneen' and Let Erin Remember"
 But now 1t will be the patriotic songs. Mrs w. J. Adams, who is doing so much to make community singing go in Bir-
 mingham, says:
 To-day the gulf is being bridged be- tween the individual who does his devo- tions at the shrine of Bach, and the one who asserts I don't know anything about music, but | do know what like And the change has taken place so quiet ly and rapidly that the devotees of mu- scal exclusiveness and the man who can't sing any tune but Dixie are equal ly unaware that today America is finding its national voice."
 She further says:
 "The community singing is of compar-
 atively recent origin, but it is sweeping over the country. gaining momentum
 every day. The idea originated in the east, and the greatest exponent of it to- day is Harry H. Barnhart. who directs the New York community chorus. The community chorus movement means that the nation has awakened and arisen to find its voice. Everywhere, in New York. in the great cities, in the remotest towns. assemblages from the 97 per cent of the people who never hear operas or con- certs or recitals are gathering to sing and play together. It is great wave sweep ing the land"
 The great biennial will be opened with community singing on Sunday afternoon at Capitol park at o'clock.
 The movement in Birmingham has the
 sponsorship of the Music Study club, and
 hard work is being done to make a fine showing. The chorus is being trained by Robert Lawrence, and 1t is probable will
 consist of over 400 voices. That the chorus itself will give good account goes without saying, as this organization has appeared on the streets from time to time and rendered excellent music. The singing will be under the direction of Arthur Farwell, one of the inaugura- tors and promoters of the movement. The possibilities of arousing large groups of persons to an active instead of a pas sive part in musical life were grasped by Arthur Farwell in his early work in the New York Music School settlement. To Mr. Farwell, as to other musical leaders whose lives are in close touch with large masses of people. came real ization of the need which existed for welding together the socially disorgan- ized masses, fusing them into the unity of a common ideal through group eX- pression in song.
 May Stanley says:
 Roughly grouped, the community mu sic expression has fallen into three, classes music in which all the people of the community take part, as in patriotic gatherings, church services or concerts made up of familiar songs which all may
 sing; music which, although produced by paid artists, is, nevertheless, an express
 sion of the will of the community as
 whole, and music produced by gifted and highly trained members of the com munity for the pleasure of all." community singing in Birmingham After we have our ears filled with songs of the great artists who are to be our guests next week, let's get together and have music boosters week. and see to it that | this great city stands by and supports those who are striving to bring the people | together through song.
 "a