Omaha daily bee., 1917-05-27

under the auspices OF the Omaha Re-
tailers' association, giving instead oi
two single concerts one joint pro.
gram.
The installment Of the magnificent
new organ in the new First Presby-
terian church is also an important
musical event of this season, and
brings with it possibility of severa!
interesting organ recitals when the
full majesty OF the instrument may
be heard in all its impressiveness, and
thrilling grandeur.
An appeal for musical patriotism
has been issued by the Civic Music
association of Chicago, and takes the
form of letter signed by Fannie
Bloomfield Zeisler and John Alden
Carpenter. 1t suggests that the "in-
ability of the American people to sing
on public occasions has been due in
the past to lack of patriotic ardor
on the part of the people in general
and to the lack of interest in these
songs on the part of musicians. The
war has stirred our emotions and we
are now seeking utterance-snatching
at fragments of half learned, half for
gotten songs. 1t now remains for the
loyal musicians to consecrate them
selves to the right singing of this
material. Let US learn the words with
all our patriotic fervor, and the music
with all our muscianship." The letter
asks help in training community
choruses in all parts of Chicago in the
correct singing from memory of
America" "Star Spangled Banner"
Rattle Hymn of the Republic"
columbia the Gem of the Ocean"
"Dixie," "Illinois" and the "Old
Folks at Home"
By the way, | wonder how many
musical people of Omaha know the
words and music of even three or four
of these from memory? How many
should the occasion arise, would be
able without previous notice, to lay
and sing, or even to play or sing
them through? Whether we approve
of them or not as either music or
poetry has nothing to do with it. The
point is that they are, with the ex-
ception of illinois" national songs,
which have won their place in the
nation, and which hold for its people
a certain patriotic and emotional
significance, and for this reason, the
agile should each and every
one have them securely in mind and
be ready at a moments notice to use
them.
The Musical Leader appears this
week in a handsome special spring
issue, celebrating its seventeenth an
niversary. Reviews of the Chicago
Grand Opera Association season, The
Chicago Symphony Orchestra and the
concert season are given prominent
places in this issue, interspersed with
editorial and educational articles, musi-
cal notes from different parts OF the
country and cuts and stories OF vari-
GUS professional artists. Among the
editorials is one upon the Abuse OF
the Red Cross" which says in part:
"a cardinal imposition is the current
Red Cross Fund concert now spring. |
ing up over night like labeled drag
on's teeth. The Objectionable Red
Cross concert we have in mind is
given by obscure musicians who, para
have seized upon this noble
war-charity as a means of gaining for |
desirable publicity. A
graver side to the unofficial Red Cross
concert is that in many cases there
IS room for legitimate doubt whether
the Red Cross fund benefits from the
money spent at the box Office, so easy
it is for inscriptions amateurs to pad
the incidental expenses statement. In
England the British authorities rigor-
ously interdicted Red Cross fund con-
certs without an official permit and
an official auditor, for it was found
these concerts had been given by ir-
responsible persons whose integrity
IS by no means like unto that
IF Caesars wife"
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