Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-03-29
THE CRITIC TALKS
TO MUSIC LOVERS
Weekly Comment on Thing
Musical in Discriminating
Philadelphia

For some reason not clearly defined they
seem to have been abandoned, and this
Is to be regretted, as they formed an
important feature in the musical life
of the city. At that time these recitals
were given in many of the smaller as
well as tho larger churches and they
undoubtedly played a leading part in
the cultivation of sound musical taste.
The reason for the discontinuance OF
many of these recitals Is, as has been
said, not apparent There seemed. at
the time. to be a sufficient amount OF
popular interest taken in them to war
rant continuing them. This interest may
have been more apparent than real, or
IL may have been diverted by the rapidly
multiplying number of concerts of
more pretentious nature. Then again
the matter Of expense may have entered
into the question, for they were all free
and the expense, while not excessive
but amounting to considerable for
season, had to be borne by the churches
in which they were given. However,
it Is the condition which exists and not
the reason for this condition which
should be considered.
TNHE fact that an organ recital must
i be given in church or on some
large organ Is in itself a guarantee of
its merit. Any one can rent a hall and
give song recital or one on the piano,
violin or other solo instrument, but an
organ recital must be given by the Or
ganist of the church, who must neces-
sarily be a good musician in order to
secure and hold such a position or else
by some one with whose abilities the
organist of that church Is familiar.
This 10 necessary to get permission to
use the organ, for the average organist
is about as sensitive about having his
particular instrument played by a
stranger as the average string player
IL about his violin or cello. These, in
turn, are few degrees better than the
wood-wind players, at whose flute, oboe,
clarinet pr bassoon one may look, If the
look be thoroughly respectful, but un-
der no circumstances may touch.
The great point of these organ re-
citals was that they not only gave pleas
ure to thousands of persons, but that
they also did a great work in the culti-
walton of public musical taste, especially
in sections far removed from the con-
cert center of the city. The best music
was performed, and it was interpreted
by fine musicians. Organ recitals given
by such men as Henry Gordon Thunder,
Ralph Kinder. Henry s. Fry, Philip II.
Goepp, Rollo Maitland, S. Wesley Sears
(to mention only few of our leading
organists) are we'll worthy of the at
tendance of all music lovers in the city,
professional musicians as well as nom
professional.
TT is to be hoped that the organ recital
i may again take it's proper place in
the musical scheme of Philadelphia. For
the organist, it involves a lot Of work
with little or no compensation except the
playing of the masterpieces of organ
composition before an appreciative audi
ence. Under these circumstances it re-
fleets great credit upon the organists
of the city that SO many of these free
recitals have been given. But some
plan should be worked out by which the
organist should get something out of
his work besides the thanks of a more
or less grateful public, which are all
very pleasant to hear but which will
not go very far in satisfying the rapa
cious landlord, coal man. butcher and
others who infest alike the path of the
artist and the layman.
The recitals which were given were
under the auspices of the American
Organ Players Club, which, by the way
is the Oldest organization of its kind in
the United States. The present officers
of the club are DR.. ]. ME. Ward, presi.
dent; Henry S. Fry, vice president
Bertram P. Ulmer, secretary, ant
Herbert S. Drew, treasurer. The mem.
bership includes virtually every gooC
organist in the city. and the club has
done excellent work in furtherng the
cause of organ music in Philadelphis
and its vicinity.
TT is growing rather late in thu
i musical season for any new enter
prises to start or former ones to b,
resumed, but it is to be hoped that il
the fall Gf it be impracticable now,
these recitals may be begun ant
continued for the great good they &C
complish. There are many fine organl
in Philadelphia as we'll as many organ
lists of the first rank and the moderI
church organ. with its enormous variet.
OF registers and consequently of ton,
color, is probably the most perfect o
all instruments for the expression of tn,
powers of the performer
Unlike the violin or the cello, It doe
not require the accompaniment of al
orchestra to perform the largest work
written for It, and, therefore, introduc
an element over whicfa the soloist ha
no control, save that acquired by re
hearsals and a general unAerstandinI
with the conductorsas to how the ac
compartment shall be played. TIL
organSis in the hands Of single player
and therein lies one of the chief ele
ments OF its greatness as a solo instru
ment
Now that the days of the coal famin
and the s"fu," both of which played a,
important part in the discontinuance o
the organ recitals. are gone, let US hon
forever, the American Organ Players
Club and all those interested in orga
music can do no more beneficial wor
for the music of the city than to re
store these events.
nURING the last week, confirmatio
- has come from New York of tn
report printed in this column last Sal
urday to the effect that at the clos
OF the present season, Louis Bailly, viol
of the Flonzaley Quartet, would leay
that organization to play the same in
strument next year in the, Berkshir
Quartet. AS mentioned in the sam
article, he will be succeeded in th
Flonzaleys by the original viola playe
of the quartet, Ugo Ara, who has ius
been discharged from the Italian arm,
after a creditable service of about tw
years.
The viola player of the Berkshir
Quartet. Clarence Evans, will leave this
organization to take IAN important nos
tion," probably. that of solo viola. wit