Omaha daily bee., 1919-09-21
By HENRIETTA M. REEFS.

TIT AVE you ever noticed how
ri dragged out you feel some
times, after going to tn,
"movies?" Half the time it is be
cause it is poor movie, loose il
its moral tone, and slow in dra
matte action. But the other half O.
the time it is really good movie
but the fault is with the organist
He doesn't phrase we'll, and the
long, continuous, even organ tone
with never breathing space wears
one out nervously almost as much
as the merciless humping of the
mechanical piano of other days.
The phrase marks are the breath.
ing points in instrumental music. A
listening audience always subcon.
sciously breathes with a singer or
player, and a movie audience more
or less subconsciously breathes, no,
only with the action of the play,
but with the phrasing of the organ
ist All the changes of registration
in the world cannot make amends
for poor phrasing, nor Indifferent
rhythm. The jaded nerves of Nle
tired worker who seeks a brief
space of recreation in the movies
are even more jaded when he comes
away, and if he analyses the reason
at all, he usually thinks it is be-
cause he does not like pipe organs
anyway. If it is movie theater
where an orchestra is~also employed,
he/feels wave of relief when the
orchestra begins to play, for it re-
leases the tension and gives him
something different for awhile,
something in which rhythm at
least is a necessity.
Music has great place in the
movies. When it is good, the whole
production is enhanced, and the in
terest and effect increased accord
ingly. When it is bad, the enjoy
ment of the picture is modified, and
many of the more sensitive persons
in the audience go home, tired and
unsatisfied, without really knowing
why. The organ has won a new
field for itself in the motion pic
ture house. But slovenly organ
playing, lack of taste in phrasing
and poor rhythm do more than any
thing else to "kjll the goose that
lays the golden egg Fortunately.
there are a few organists who play
in th1aters who have the under
standing, adaptability and education
necessary to make their playing a
delight, but unfortunately they are
only the few.
An interesting editorial in a re-
cent Musical America comments
upon the lack of art songs in roper
tory of the talking machines. Opera
IS splendidly represented-certain
'avorite arias having been recorded
by dozens iof stars, and ensemble
numbers are available by whole con-
stellations of stars; not to speak of
overtures galore by bands and or
:hestras." The editorial points out
hat perhaps those who make
he selection of material for our talk
ng machine catalogues are not rnu-
'ical authorities. IF they will let
heir fine artists record for them
some Of the songs which they sing
n their recitals, before many moons
lave passed they will linda distinct
public demand for these records and
hey will have the satisfaction of
that they are contributing
mother important item to the de-
of musical appreciation in |
his great country"
Henry Theophilus Finck, in re-
ent issue of the New York Evening
POST, truly declares that atmosphere
S created by the opportunity to hear
he greatest soloists, the finest opera,
he best performances of oratorio, of
'iano music, of the great symptom
es. And then ne reminds US that |
he presence in this country of near
y all the greatest soloists in the |
world, together with the musical or
that we have, our SYM
'hony societies, our societies for |
hamber music, our opera companies,
ford the student and musical anna
eur the finest opportunity for mu-
ical development ever afforded by |
NY nation in the history of music
iusical America.