The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1921-09-22

What made you do tit" With
reference to his directing the orches-
ira at Moore's Rialto Theater during
an entire week.
Why shouldn't do It? 1t was
q fine idea of Mr.. Moore's, and I'm
heartily In favor OF doing 1t. Why
shouldn't II" he reiterated.
You see, we are dependent In this
country on private enterprise to take
music to the people-the best music
Ito make them like II, to make them
know It, And Mr.. Moore Is doing
this.
''If only the Government here
II seemed signally propitious-as
Mr.. Herbert glanced out of his vim
eminent buildings that housed the
President, the State, War and Navy
Departments, and at close range the
Treasury-that a great composer OF
grand opera, Of mora successful bght
operas than any composer hVing'
should have chosen Washington as
the place in which to make his debut
as conductor of a motion picture
orchestra.
eff only the Government took some
little share in advancing the arts
how much faster we'd get along.
wouldn't WEI"
= Use Education Plan.
Someone ought to say for music.
rs they do for education:
This is for you to know-now
hear this, learn this
Just as they do for ysur lunch"
And here Mr.. Herbert gave one of
his contagious laughs. They didn't
ask the boys in camp II they liked
beans. They gave them beans.
Dc, and
both Of them from Victor Herbert
himself. built up a Utopia that the
advent of this artist into the big
world of Movie-land and Movie audi
ences should do much to realize.
Managers talk about what the
public wants.
Children didn't want their Latin,
did they? But they learned to read
their Ovid"
And then Mr.. Herbert told an in
teresting Rossini anecdote that
brought out his opinion on modern
music.
Rossini, the early Italian writer of
delicious tunes, to mere broken-chord
accomplishments. was taken q man.
uscript Of Berlioz' whose iconoclastic
music had a great influence on the de-
velopment Of the modern orchestra.
Rossini looked over the pages care
fully, and then exclaimed:
How can J say anything about the
music. when there Is no music here!
So Mr.. Herbert decries the modern
cacaphony, the modern noise partic-
ularly Of the dance music.
On Composing for Films.
Victor Herbert is conducting. all
this week, an overture arrangement
Of his own works as his contribution
TO the making of more musical
American public.
But he talked about writing for the
film, and brought into hfs argument
some comments that should be seri-
ously considered in our evolution OF
this tremendously potent influence In
modern life and thought and taste.
Il wrote the music for one Tim;
you know. 1t was that splendid
drama The Fall of a Nation. But
what happened to my music?
at went admirably at the first,
but what did 1 find later? Why, in
New York and other cities. ! found
they wanted to lessen the time Of
the film, so they took great scissors
and cut here and there"-Mr. Her
bert shipped with those invisible
shears Hciously. They didn't tell
me, however. oh no. So what hap
pened?
II was still playing a love theme
when tramp, tramp, tramp. the pic
ture was dashing on to something
else.
1.-TWO minutes isn't much to ask
for q love theme" the human Irish
ness Of Mr.. Herbert twinkled at the
thought. "But two minutes OF q
film Is a long time.
Yes, I'd like to write film. but
with changes, with more oppose,
more time for music themes.
Take Europe. Max Reinhardt has
done some great work for artistic
films, and the leading orchestra con- !
ductors have played for them.
But In Europe they give the or
chestra months rehearsals. II nee !
essary. Here ny score was played !
with a single rehearsal!'
Composer as Conductor.
Mice players at the Rialto" Mr..
Herbert dashed off on another theme,
scarcely using his own allotment Of !
two minutes to a subject. Mr..
Sokolov played excellently, then the
harp-he was with pe once. you
know. I've had five Of the Rialto
players in my orchestra. Nice oboe,
excellent flute"
The influence Of Victor Herhert's
mastery over an orchestra should
mean much to us. The writer told
him so, tried to express appreciation
Of his forceful personality.
They can learn" he was back
ut the subject OF his players, offering
his vast experience that younger
musicians should gain thereby.
Yes, and the public can learn from
such a man. How he whipped up his
opening bars of Mile. Modesto" with
what rubato he played the Dream
Waltz 1t was really splendid the
way the orchestra responded to the
true Irishness Of his opera Eileen"
with its reel and its Colleen's song.
There are few composers who are
also conductors. In that Is an added
value TO the gifts Mr.. Herbert has
brought us, and to be chosen as the
city first to receive Victor Herbert
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