The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-09-15
CZECH SONGS FILL
ANCIENT CL0ISTERS
Music of Oppressed Peoples Wakes
Long Silent Echoes Somewhere
In France.

This letter from an American
aviator in France depicts "A phase OF
the training life among the American
Cree hoslayes in a clustered billet
somewhere in France"
There is TO my mind hardly any
thing more romantic than ancient
clolsters They are the browning
glory Of this monumental old pile
which has been nay home for the last
four months and ! have grown to be
very tond OF them,
Sing Their Own Anthem.
Il early conceived OF filing their
classic shadows with light and life
and color and music am happy to
say that This thought developed into
wonderful reality. | expressed my
thought ii Mishka one day. and he
talked with his comrades the Czecho
slaves, in the French military school.
They worked for several weeks on
their program. You remember my
speaking of having dinner with their
song leader to arrange some details
They We're anxious to sing for the
Americans, because We were interest
ed in their music and because the
relations have been very cordial. 1t
was plannd to have the stage in the
open court, but 1t rained, and we put
It in u corner of the cloisters. and
arranged the seats in both sides OF
the angle.
The stage was brilliantly lighted
and there was color enough in the
festooned flags of the allies. There
was life. because all the Americans
all the Czechs, all the French officers
and as many French soldiers and
civilians as possible were there. Hav-
ing already heard their program, |
gave myself UP to the enjoyment of
the dream come true the ense IN BILE
remember once in St stephen
cathedral IN Vienna that / walked
about in The aisles and nave while
the service was in progress. 1t was
a most colorful religious service ]
tiptoed around among the mighty
pillars and arches for the most won
derfnl aucoustic effects in my life
As ] moved the sound of the boom
ing organ and he high soprano notes
of the boy ebbed and flowed and
eddied in the old gray church.
siav History Eechoed in Songs
4 had the same effects here when
walked about my cloiSters. The
reflected sounds were softened with
each contact with the chalky stone,
and stray wisps of music went whis-
pering in the interminable dark cor
ridors. I went across the court where
! could see the singers and. sitting
| in q shadoWy window. | watched and
! listened, Their music is sombre
Their happiest songs are tinged with
| sadness. They are a proud people
T, who have suffered the loss of their
! liberty Their history is in their
tsengs and they have a passionate love
/ of their land which they strive to ex-
/ press in music. Their march songs
are incom parable They beat a SPLEEN
/ did rhythm that lightens the road
and swings them along. l beliece you
/ cannot stop men who can sing as they
sing.
Their orchestra played Dvorak's
I 'Humoresque They worship Dyorak-
who was q Bohemian. you know
They sang The Star Spangled Ban
ner' in our honor and the first bar
brought every American to his feet,
standing rigidly at attention and
holding the salute until the last note
1t has never thrilled me more except
NJ my first Retreat Then they sang