Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1919-11-09
M u S | c


portionate difficulty of the music
went to the eighth grade pupils o
Lothrop school, who presented ;
group of four-part songs under Mis-!
Eta Young, teacher. This was TIN
only group where every eye was OF
the teacher and the attention seemed
customary and not just for the occa
sion. The parts were we'll brough
out, and there was a finish O
phrasing, attack and balance o
parts truly remarkable in public
school music.
In all of the work there was flint
rhythmic feeling from the tiny one
up, a delightfully."- clear enunciation
and excellent intonation.
There was no loud shouting, sucl
as one might expect from exuber
ant youngsters, instead there was
great deal of soft tone, if the bal
ance was in either direction, it wa
in favor of too little fortissim,
rather than too much. Miss Julie
Nc Cune, supervisor of the Public
School of Music in Omaha, preside,
at the piano, and great credit is du,
her for the serious work which thi.
demonstration showed is being done
in this direction in the Omaha pub
lie schools.
Miss Barr, who was formerly So
prano soloist at AllSaints church, i
now demonstrating the Victrola ant
she showed how this instrument
may be used in public school music
to assist in the study of apprecia.
ton.
Space prevents an extended re-
view of the inspiring talks by Pro-
lessor Dykema of Madison, Wis,
and of Supt. w. H. Morton of Fair
bury.
Professor Dykema presented seven
tendencies in public school music, all
serving to illustrate the greater i'm
portance which will constantly be
given to musical study through the
schools. He asserted that the aim Of
education was to make socially ef-
fcient members of society, and he
placed music next toereading and
writing and the ability to compute
simple problems in attaining the de-
sired results. He predicted an ever
increasing study of instruments in
the schools, under competent sys-
tens, and laid stress upon wider
opportunity for singing for the peo-
pie of the different communities,
and the study of musical compost
ton.
Superintendent Morton spoke
about what superintendent may ex-
pect from music supervisor, and
incidentally displayed remarkably
broad conception of musical values
for business man, or even an edit
Gator in other than musical subjects.
Usually the customary type of per-
son not unsteady educated does not
distinguish any difference between
music as an entertainment and music
as an art. He does not recognize
music as an Interpretation of life
and All intelligent emotional ex-
preston, but merely as tuneful
tickle, or an abstruse science of
sounds, and he dismisses it from his
notice with a more or less con-
temptuous sniff accordingly. But ST.
perintendent Morton. while he adj
nits that he knows nothing about
music, has certain definite ideas
about its importance. He has con-
yinced himself that music has place
in the curriculum, that it is teach
able subject, just as any other OF the
subjects now presented. In fact, he
agrees with Professor Dykema that
outside of the fundamentals music
is the most important suJect for the
schools. According to his observa-
ton. there is too much of the mathe-
mates Of music usually taught in the
public schools, rather than of the
art of music. Too much of the do re
mis-, and not enough of the joy of
the singing. Mr.. Morton has excel
lent ideas and insists that results
and numerous definite results should
be obtained by the music supervisor.
Would there were more like him,
who were as keen and rational in
their musical observations.
Professor Dykema directed some
community singing which was done
for the most part in very nice and
refined way by the audience, which
did not wake up to it until he en-
ployed an old-fashioned "round,"
the audience first into two
parts, and then into four parts for
the singing of it, and then gradu
ally increasing his tempo until it
was impossible to keep up. The
round" is a simple form of poly
phonic music in the form of canon,
but wouldn't the average audience
of community singers hate one if
he told them so. they would feel that
they had been inveigled unwittingly
into actually enjoying something
which might have classical music
or something. Not the
music supervisors, however.
The comparatively small audience
of the music section meeting sang
rs if they would perhaps have been
interested to hear it, if they didn't
happen to know it, but not especial
ly enthusiastic about it.
But to come back at last to the
work of Miss Kinscella.
1t is unfortunate that every