The Washington times., 1917-03-09
Columbia University's Summer
School Concerts Have Deep
Significance.
PRINCETON MOVING, TOO
Presentation of New American
Opera Also Is Step
Forward.

A survey OF the increased music
opportunities the United States is Of
fering its musicians and students
just now. has brought to light q num-
Der OF vital facts that attest the ever
charging interest that we, as a peo-
pie, are giving to the best In music.
1t was not so very long ago that
American audiences were considered
assemblies to be played down to-"
Today the opinion of an American
symphonic, or in the realm of the
other arts, Is a judgment to be
awaited.
First and foremost among Amer
icas new opportunities in music
comes the announcement made by
Columbia University that its next
summer session will include a season
of grand opera, in the regular six
weeks schedule. Manifestly the
statement requires some elucidation
as to why this. radical departure has
been determined upon. As Musical
America says, the giving Of grand
opera by a university within its own
walls was never attempted in the
past.
The project will be included In the
department OF choral and church
music, and will have as musical d.
rector, Eduardo Petri, director OF the
chorus school of the Metropolitan
Opera, himself a master of arts OF
Columbia
Columbia in its summer session,
attracts 5000 or more students-from
all over the country. "It Is desired" :"
says Mr.. Petri, "to attract not only
these students, but also that part
of the music-loving public which re-
mains in the city during the summer
months"
The Summer Season Grand Opera
Company, as il is called, is not yet
complete as to members, nor is Mr..
Petri ready at present to announce
the operas that will be performed.
The director, 1t is said, has been as
sured OF the sympathy and co-opera-
tion of the Metropolitan Company.
The Columbia gymnasium, which
Is to be used as an opera house,
will accommodate about $500 per-
sons. Special scenery will be paint
GU Nhc OpCl dH- NOhNcIlFs
and other musical events will be
given Rt Columbia as in past years
Princeton Has Novel school,
Through the bounty OF Henry c.
Frick, multi-millionaire and member
OF Princeton's board OF trustees, the
new music school at Princeton, en-
dowed by him, is inaugurating a
novel music education scheme, with
the aim of fulfilling what Mr.. Frick
designates as his wish to do some
thing which would aid this country's
cause of music in general.
Teaching college men how to
listen to music" is the way Kenneth
s. Clark puts IL in Musical America
Mr.. Clark says that Mr.. Frick has
had the benefit of the advice OF S.
Archer Gibson. his private organist.
whom Washington heard recently at
the home OF Mr.. and Mrs. w. S. COrby
at Chevy Chase, and who some years
ago had charge of the training OF the
Princeton Glee Club.
Music appreciation Is the keynote
OF the project. Through Alexander
Russell, who has just been chosen as
the university's organist and director
OF music. the plan is to be formulated.
Mr.. Russell has been and will continue
to the be the concert director of the
Wanamaker Auditorium in New York.
The work along the lines OF crea-
ting positive music lovers has alreadv
begun with a series OF twenty recitals
every Saturday afternoon on the Frick
organ (another bequest of Heay C..
Frick) in the beautiful environment
OF Proctor Hall. THE latter part OF
these recitals will be in the form Of
music talks, illustrated at the organ.
Mr.. Russell thus defines his plan:
suppose that while ! am on my way
TO a philharmonic concert encounter
friend. whose acquaintance with
good orchestral music has been CON
fined TO what he hears in the hotels
and at the better class OF movie
houses. Although he likes such music
when he runs across II, II would not
occur to him to seek 1t out at an
orchestral concert. for such a thing
Is clearly beyond his horizon.
Lets suppose, now, that ! take
him with me to the concert. II tho
program does not happen to be too
stiff for him. he is likely, on his own
initiative, to go to another similar
concert After he has listened to sew
erai OF these concerts intelligentIy,
he IL transformed from a negative to
a. positive music lover.
'"It Is such a process that we expect
to institute among Princeton men"
Mr.. RusselTs concluding phrase
directs attention TO the value our
leading institutions of learning are