Omaha daily bee., 1918-10-20
By HENRIETTA M. REEFS.

BY HENRIETTA M. REES.
FORTUNATELY the musica
n season is starting rather late
= and it has not been necessary
to rearrange Omaha dates OH &C
count of the influenza situation. YET
in many other parts OF the country
festivals, concerts and innumerable
tecitals have been postponed or can.
celled to conform TO the health reg
ulations.
III 1t is sometimes a wonder to musi-
cal writer's, though, that there are
not more epidemics and local con-
tagions than there really are, which
can trace their cause to the dead
air at indoor gatherings. But few
halls are we'll ventilated, and
those which are, are seldom thor
oughly aired, before and after a
body OF people have been there, II
the proprictors of halls, and the
promoters OF musical affairs (and
all other affairs where people must
Acongregate for that matter) would
cooperate with the health authori-
ties and with each other, and take
it upon themselves to be sure that
the hall is thoroughly aired before
the meetings, and that the atmos-
pierre is fresh and sweet, people
would be more eager TO patronize
them.
No matter how great an artist may
be, nor how vital the message lie
may bring, it is not fair to ask listen
ers to sit in hall where they have
no choice but to breathe in stale,
dead air while hearing him.
4 Dead air dampens enthusiasm, and
many times drowsiness sweeps over
an audience, or ali annoying cough
ing, not because the music is not
Interesting, but simply because OF
the air in the hall. 1t is not al
ways warm air, either. Every
body knows It is much harder to
Iheat dead air than fresh. so it is
mot economy, even in cold weather.
The main trouble is that no one
lpays any attention to it. The
artists who gives the recital trusts
the manager, the manager trusts
the proprietor Of the hall, the pro-
Iprietor trusts the janitor and the
.janitor trusts to luck. As result
1t is usually not done and the pub
lie must endure as best they can
ii they would attend. Yet it is
eyerybody's business, 1t is the
artists if he would do his best work;
it is the managers, if he would have
the business details correct; it is the
proprietor's, if he wishes his hall
we'll spoken OF, and if he desires to
please both the performer and the
people; it is the business OF the
health commissioners, and 1t is the
business Of the people who desire
TO attend, to know that at least they
have a fair start at the beginning
with the air they take into their
lungs. 1t is my business, too, for |
have to attend to these affairs. and
/ for one rebel against the custom
ary conditions. The air | breathe
is Of Just as much Importance TO
INV welfare as the food eat If
tliose giving musical affairs want
me to give them an enthusiastic
review, it is up to them to give me
a fair cfanye to enjoy their work
The Music Department OF the
Omaha Woman club announces
its program for the year. Its pro-
'fessional course of concerts comes
up to expectations fully, and with
out the appeal of patriotism. these
concerts by local artists will be well
worth far more than the price OF
the season tickets. On alternate
Wednesdays programs will follow
the chorus rehearsals and an out
line of these with headers appear
further down in this column. Fol
lowing is the list of professional
,recitals given by local artists:
November 26--Edith l.. Wagner
and Robert Cuscader. .s.
December 17-Cecil Bergman, J.
Edward CarnaI and Mabel Wood
worth Jensen.
January 9-Martin Bush. Mrs. A.
|, Root and Emily Cleye.
February 15-Corrine Paulson,
Hazel Smith Eldridge and West
Sisters.
February 2S-Louise Jensen Wy
lie, Louise Shadduck Labriski and
Jean P. Duffield,
March Della Robinson or Hen
All at the y. w. c, A. Auditorium.
Following is the list Of programs
with date and leader, which will
follow the chorus rehearsals on al
ternate Wednesdays:
October 50-"Colonial,' Mrs. w
Shafer.
November 6-"Russian,' Mrs,
Ray ]. Abbott.
November l5-"Plantstion," Mrs
Edward Thomas.
December IL 49, "Scotch-Irish,
Miss Edith Miller.
January ls-"French," Mrs. John
Travis.
January 29-"Italian," Mrs. NJ
Heptonstal.
February 12-"Modern America,
Mrs. Ward Shafer.
February 26-"lndian,' Mrs. Ray
]. Abbott.
March l2-"Scandinavian," Mrs
Edward Thomas.
March 26-"South American
Miss Edith Miller.
April 9-"Japanese,' Mrs. John
Travis.
April 23-"English,' Mrs. NJ
Heptonstal.
First chorus and program Octo
Der 80, if influenza order is lifted