The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-03-10
For the Good of
 the Community
D IRMINGHAM is in a fair way to be

IS said to pc ample uuluoVolOpcu tS1lCn@ here to provide voices for large choruses and also to take the leads in high orator1os and other musical programmes.
 The Choral Society organized by MT. Forrest Dabney Carr last fall has given two or three performances which re- flected credit on the able director who has been able in six months to develop raw material into a smooth-going body of men and women whose voices blend Tn the sweet and entrancing notes of the great masters.
 The oratorio presented at the South Highlands Presbyterian Church last Sun day night was something of revelation to those who heard it. MT. Carr, suffer ing with sore tonsils, was unable to sing, but his substitute, with only a day s notice, and the other soloists, acquitted them selves creditabIy, as did the chorus of over fifty.
 MT. Carr stated some time ago that he hoped to build up a chorus of 500 voices in Birmingham, and in the six months he has been working on 1t he has enlisted over 100 who give every evidence of coming up to all requirements for this character of work.
 It is the intention of MT. Carr to put on a great musical event some time in the spring, presenting one or more important oratorios. Under his training those so far joining the Choral Society have advanced far enough to convince their leader that they can be depended upon in whatever role they may be cast.
 The oratorio presented at the South Highland Presbyterian Church will be re- peated at the same place on Wednesday night of next week, March IF. The church auditorium was packed with an appre- ciative audience last Sunday night and there is no doubt but even more people will be on hand for the performance next week. The creditable manner in which the members of the Choral Society ac- quited themselves on their first preten- tious effort at public oratorio work be speaks even greater success at succeed ing performances.
 Birmingham some years ago boasted quite musical colony, and each season high class artists and musical organizs tions were brought here for one or moTe performances. The city is much larg ger now, and is growing. It is not likely tlsaES there are fewer music lovers, or fewer persons with musical talents, either as vocalists or instrumental performers, than few years ago. The apparent les sened interest may be due to lack of 9 leader or leaders
 There may not be in Birmingham M Higginson or Taft to finance and prO mote great symphony organizations, 1Rst tits hardly conceivable that in a collection of over 200, ,000 people there are not m4sic lovers enough to warrant the organization of at least one club, or society or body, pn large scale.
 The fact that such artists as Frieda Hempel and such organization as the Gin cinnati Symphony packed the Jeffefsbn theatre at prices ranging from tvs3 to three dollars shows that high class music, products of the masters presented by fiFsst rate talent, is not unappreciated in Bir- mingham. With few more such perform ances the interest would increase, and Il would be but a short time until Birnalng ham would be classed as music center of considerable importance.
 The citizens should encourage MT. Carr and his choral society, not only m words, but by patronage. It takes money to or p9n1Za nul1ir and maintain a musical gar-