The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-03-17
SHORTER CONCERTS

tFrom an article in The Times
@..- Of ,Londonr)
) se- 'sr-s4s ,1ln@.. be, bEtst.s4 s y S<r-
caflxl 1used to ny, Wnsn fhs Awhfe.
excellent woman. began q story, and
ne would repeat the <admonitiou dur
ing the course OF the tale One OF
the few survivors of the evenings In
remembers the irritation
caused by these interruptions. For
Mrs. Carlyle could tell q story ~ we'll
a. she could write one In = letter. But
the principle, OF course, was worthy
OF the sage. had 1t been emphasized
at the right moments. How wall would
It be, how very we'll, were some
prophet always at hand to cry ''Be
BRIEF to the tellers Of musical stories
for instance-that lis, to the makers Of
programs Of music! -
Dreary. yes, are tiaoss duets BY
Jones, those trios by Trottar-Whiker.
those unending groups Of SONGS BY
Breadbasket, ana the bakers dough
school, with their artificial euFrants
and their ''ersatx'' raisins. And dan
gerous. For they may generate =
prcjudice In the pilgrims heart against
concerts Of tho "all- British" school.
and he, fearing to be fed on char. my
even among the British tares there -
good corn to be found.
Even II the program 10 not blame
worthy because mediocrity disguised
in the clothes Of cleterness has been
allowed to intrude among the real
Simon pure0-if the centerpieces OF
the scheme are. IN truth. works OF art
made by the immogtals. It 10 still very
possible that thoro may be too many.
So, be brief. Sir Cor Madaxn) Concert
giver. Cut them out. even though to
You they are AZ apples Of gold set IN
pictures OF silver. Everybody who
goes to admire Chinese faience at
South Kensington. or autographs,
when the Morrison collection 10 ex-
posed at 1otheby's. knows the weari-
ness which masterpieces can infiict.
They can and do induce that state
when. as Sir Henry Taylor used to
say. at IN impossible to enjoy Joy"
And 40 It In at the concert. What.
said Edward Fitzgerald, can equal the
WEAKNESS Of two oratorioS? Now any
concert Of modern music - surely as
great a tax upon the brain n any two
of the old oratorios. Yet Fitzgerald
could pound through old Handel by
himself and preferred Champagne
Charlie" to Mendeissohn, 50 that he
was a real musician. and must be be-
lieved.
Away with the pretense that pro
grams should be long in order that
people may have their moneys
worth" IL the commercial principle
ever to plant her ugly foot in our
concert rooms?. Would not
guinea for one hours entire felicity
rather than half that sum for two
hours of mixum -gatherum VIII not
Mr.. Fisher see to 1t that the doctrine
Of quality. not quantity. Is taught in
the schools. rather than Fl want more,
and as much a. I can get?"
Away with the argument that some
OF the performers at the chamber con-
cert must have solos to play or else
they won't play" The unheard mel
odies made by such artists will GER
tainly sound sweeter to the true pill
grim than those which are heard be-
cause pride or vanity say they must.
and which tand to dull his enjoyment
OF the quintet which Il coming.
Away with the false notion that
variety fbiessed maiden that she 10
in her right p1ace} Ii the one SOW
ereign virtue OF \ program. She has
her kingdoms over which she II SOW
ereicn. But congruity - tho grace
which should preside over programs
dear, modest, moderate congruity.
Let the program be fashioned like tho
paragraph Of me prose. each sentence
born from the last and carrying on
the hereditary quality TIL the full stop
comes Let the sAlutary knife be
used to prune awy what 10 redundant
or mot In character" BE brief. Let
our entreprenuers learn this golden
rule and they will got larger audi
ences. Tho impatient ones will not
tread upon our toes in their efforts to
escar No, Ae<oro the end We shall all
get to our tea. all catch our omnibus.
all 20 home uplifted and not wearied.
The yearly interest on the public