Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-07-10
CARRY MUSIC TO PEOPLE.
PLEA OF CITY MUSICIANS
oud Teach Children Cultivate Liking for Works OF Best
Composers-TeH What They You'd Do With Endowment

EDUCATE the children of today II
- you want musical city and coun-
try.
That was the answer, given In
various phrasings, by more than
dozen of Philadelphia leading musi-
clans when they were asked what they
would do to improve music conditions
here II they had n 800, ,0OO, 900 endow-
ment to work with, such as left by the
late Augustus L. Juilliard, of New
York.
Several suggested free schools of
music; others suggested a. building that
would house the Philadelphia Orches-
ira, operate productions of local or
ganizations as we'll as Conservatives
and Offices; others said free concerts
for the people and all Of them believed
that the big thing was to carry the
best music to the people In general at
the right time and the right price.
"successful as the Philadelphia Or
chestra has been" said Arthur Judson,
manager of that organization. reaching
MS It does audiences of 5000 each week
Of the musical season, it touches only
about 10000 new people each year.
The same people come week after week
and the new faces are few. 1t means
VIC reach about one-half per cent OF
the population of Philadelphia through
those Friday and Saturday concerts.
What Philadelphia must do, and what
every city of the country should do, is
to wake up and carry the good music
straight out to the people-where they
can reach 1t at a moderate price. Prices
are too high. We have proved to our
own satisfaction that people do want
music and would be only to happy to
have it if they could afford it. We need
plenty of auditoriums in the right parts
Of the city; more concerts; more artists
and more teachers of music.
"Thcre should be determined effort
to supplement the musical education in
public schools by concerts. should lik,
to see a million dollar income used for
defraying the expenses of string quar-
tets, orchestras, pianists, violinists and
singers in giving such concerts to chill
dren. If this country is ever to be
made musical it will have to be done
by reaching the school boys and girls il
the right way"
Form Musical League
Mr.. Judson believes that the first
step in the betterment of music con
ditions here would be the co ordination
of all musical organizations into q
league. 1--WE would know then wha,
we have and we need" he said
Philadelphia is an ideal place for tn,
country's seat of musical learning, IL
the belief of Gilbert Il. Combs, hcat
of the Combs Conservatory of Musi,
at 1881 South Broad street.
"Philadelphians have a keener ap
probation of music than any grouI
of citizens in the country. believe,
he said. ''Therc is no reason why {
VI "oulu HOI pt Sut
cessful here. And l believe n 500,
900, 900 endowment could be used t,
great advantage. There should be frs
of all an endowed building that woulc
house the conservatory of the Philadcl
phia Orchestra, grand opera produc
tions and amateur productions of tn
better class.
"And 1 greatly favor endowe,
schools of music. have always beer
against free scholarships. ! beiive
in nine cases out Of ten, free scholar
ship breaks the pupil-brands him a
pauper and makes him lose confidenc
in himself. But if we had endowe
schools the tuition fees could be less
cned and the schools would be open t
men and women who lack extensiv
funds to carry on their musical educa
ton.
philadelphia is too conservativ
and too modest. She has world o
musical talent and should stand fort
above many other cities that are calle
music centers.
Optimistic About Future
"I am most optimistic as to the mu
sical future of the city. The war ha
done much to increase love and tru
appreciation of the value Of music. Ma
tions all over the world recognize 1t
mower. Our soldiers are returnin
with a greater knowledge and love fo
the art. A few years ago l woul
have been astonished to hear that 300
people would sit on City Hall plaz
night after night for a Wagnerian con
cert. But today it is common an
inspiring sight. The crowds tha
gather there demand the bHit music
They like it, -,
"NIuch of this, think, is due to ii
schools and the thousands of commu
nifty choruses organized all over til
country when the war started. Tf
, greatest artists of the country gay
their time during the war to singin
and playing for the boys, many I
whom had never before had chance
hear such music. 1t has given the
the taste for the best
Nothing in the wide word but natur
growth can help Philadelphia musical
r in the opinion of Constantin Won SterI
berg, noted pianist and instructor.