Omaha daily bee., 1920-11-28
Nj u S | c.
BY HENRIETTA M. REES.


piano,
1T is wonderfully artistic" ex.
claimed one professional musician
"One could almost imagine himself
standing Oh a busy corner in China
town. so remarkably has he con-
veyed the impression"
1T may be skillfuI. but it isn't
art" said another. Art is not
merely imitation, and the reproduc-
ing of characteristic sounds. 1t
takes a deeper quality, to make a
composition art, the attribute OF
beauty should enter into it."
When we spoke to Mr.. Ornstein
about this compositior after the con-
cert he said: II wished to write my
impressions of Chinatown, and
found that could not do it with the
customary musical medium. So
had to discard that and find means
by which ! could properly express
my ideas of it"
at is certainly out of the ordi-
nary" we said, "and if your aim was
to present a picture Of Chinatown
as it seems to us of different en-
vronment. you have succeeded for
it sounded just as Chinatown seemed
en- a cursory visit But having
heard your composition once, | do
not think wo.ld care to learn it,
nor to hear it played every day any
more than I should care to live in
Chinatown"
Indeed not" replied Mr> Ornstein,
"nor should | care to play whole
recital of just that kind. And if |
were to write a souata, should
write in the customary sonata form.
But this number, and my Wild
Mans Dance I found I must write
differently to express properly what
| wanted in them. When l tried to
write my Wild Mans Dance in an
ordinary scale it wasn't wild at all. =
But does the Impressions of
Chinatown" which was heard here,
have the necessary elements to make
it work of art? Most of us agree
that it takes more than clever work.
manship in expression to make a
work Of art in music. 1t takes a
touch of poetry in the conception,
or of human sympathy which must
be clearly enough portrayed through
the writing that those who interpret
it and those who listen may hear
and understand it. 1t is something
which must permeate clever work
manship and lift it above the in
Vulnerable other compositions which
have been written we'll, but not as
Significantly.
The wages of sin is death. and
the wages of musical composition
or Interpretation without the touch
of art is just the same. Therefore
it must be sin to write or per-
form music without it. Those who
do are sinners. According to re-
ligious teachings the wages of the
sinner do not stop with death. May
be certain kinds of sinners go
somewhere where an Ampico, with
all its perfection of interpretative
reproduction, makes them listen to
their own music.
But music which holds the touch
of art endures. If these "1mpres-
sions" have that contrast, variety
and balance of form which make
for beauty or poetic expression,
they will hold their own, and gain
in popularity.
1t is hard to Judge a work in a
new medium upon one hearing. 1t
did not seem to me to be especially
beautiful, nor the impression of any
thing which had much beauty in it.
self. 1t did not seem to have much
contrast, but the glimpse | had of
Chinatown did not have much con-
ttrast either. 1t was consistent, in
the impression it gave and striking
in its consistency. 1t seemed also
to contain certain humor. and
humor itself is more or less closely
related to the feeling for art, I'd
like to hear it again, with my ear
especially keyed for aesthetics, or the
art urge not so much in the sounds
as through them, yet I'd hate to
have to listen to it again, for the
sounds as sounds were continually
more or less peculiar.
Mr.. Ornstein is distinct per-
sonality, and he has a great future
. before him. He is quite young
man, but vital and enthusiastic. and
to follow his development for the
next few years will be interesting.
1t shows a great fiath in their
instrument when company which
makes or sells reproducing piano
players has the temerity to present
an artist like Leo Ornstein and the
product of their machine in repro
ducing his Interpretation side by side.
But this was what Nickel Bros. did
last Monday evening and it was be-
cause of their assurance in the AM
pico that this recital was given with
out charge to their invited guests.
The result was a splendid recital with
Just enough exploiting Of their instru-
ment to make it interesting, but not
to mar the artistic features. The
Ampico has much in its favor. It
reproduces with a slight mechanical
whiring and it plays heavier than the
artist, but it succeeds in reproducing
many of the niceties of the perform
er's style and Interpretation.
J. s. Helgren told the musical edi-
tor informally that Omaha would
have the opportunity OF hearing the
wonderful St. Olaf choir in the near
future. This choir went from a
small town in Minnesota to New
York and quite startled the intro
spective musical colony there by its
remarkable singing. Further an
nouncement will be made later.
-
Musical Notes.
Mrs. J. Stanley Hill, director OF
music at the North Side Christian
church, announces a special program
of Thanksgiving music at the NORTH
Side Christian church, Sunday eve
ming, November 2S, Among the
numbers to be given are duet by