The New York herald., 1920-12-05

songs of such masters were embraced in
the liberal scheme, and to these were
added part songs, either sacred or
worldly, of modern writer's.
Instrumental music appeared often on
the programmes. Compositions of Bach
and other writer's of music not for the
inexpert were given as interludes be-
tween the two parts of the vocal pro-
gramme. The concerts cost money. For
a time this money was forthcoming but
toward the end 1t began to look as II
only the members of the society would
furnish the requisite pecuniary founda-
ton. Eugene Delano, president of the
Musical Art, set out to raise 100000.
He died before his purpose was accom-
plshed. What he had obtained was not
sufficient to finance the concerts. The
question then was whether the directors
should continue to go around, hat in
hand, or to retire from the field.
Future of Choral Singers.
In view of the fact that enormous de-
mands are now made on patrons of
musical activities for funds to support
great orchestras it seemed unlikely that
anything could be done for the Musical
Art. The income from the incomplete
endowment fund will be applied to train
ing choristers at the Institute of Musi-
cal Art, conservatory which already
has all the necessary machinery in op-
Grafton.
Just what these choral singers are go
ing to do cannot we'll be told. This is
not prosperous period for choral music
The population of Nav York is COM
posed of heterogeneous elements, almost
none of which has been nurtured on
choral music This population asks
chiefly for opera, next for virtuoso per-
formance (but only of the highest type).
and third for orchestral music. A small
percentage of the people of the city love
the most pure and chaste forms of cham
Der music.
The Oratorio Society makes no attempt
TO supply the kind of programmes sung
by the Musical Art Society. The Schola
Cantorum enters into the field, but it's
achievements are bound to differ in some
measure by reason of the difference in
the constitution of the two choirs. Pietro
Yon has a small choir which specializes
in church music of the Roman type, but
is rarely heard In the concert hall. The
Russian cathedral choir energies from
the sanctuary at intervals and reveals
the splendors of the northern worship
canticles The choir of the Cathedral of
st. John the Divine has once performed
q similar offiCe Tor the treasures or the
English church.
The cessation of the work OF such an
agency for good as the Musical Art
Society could never be more deplorable
than at the present time The rise of
sensationalism TO supremacy began early
in the history of music. and there has
always been need OF some combating
force, something to keep the noblest
architectural forms of the tonal art be-
fore the public
At this day we are almost smothered
under orchestral concerts. In the COM
ing week for example there will be
seven in four days. But no one who is
awake 20 his surroundings can be misled
into the fancy that the numerous
audiences go only to hear the great
works of the composers nor do public
spirited citizens subscribe guarantee
funds to support impersonal orchestras.
The audiences and the guarautors alike
are for the most part absorbed in the
personalities of prima donna conductors
The virtuoso of the baton can achieve
no conquests with the "lmproperia" Ol
Palestrna or the "Tenebre facta sunt'
OF Michael Haydn. That is perhaps one
reason why such an organization as the
Musical Art Society retires from the
field The condition is not encourag-
ing. The travelling opera company
tlourishes Possibly in the course of