Evening star., 1921-10-16
Musical Mention

Walt Whitman's prophecy. Il see
and hear America go singing to her
destiny" formed the keynote Of an
inspiring address made by John C..
Freund at the recent inauguration Of
a new series Of free concerts for the
people of New York city. Eight
thousand persons crowded the Hip
podrome and an overflow audience OF
from five to ten thousand were gath
cred at the Mall to listen to the first
Of the concerts directed by Charles d.
Isaacson and sponsored by one Of the
great metropolitan dailfes. The vet
crap musical propaganda of Amer
lea, Mr.. Freund, said in part:
This vast audience which has come
together to hear good music rendered
by noted artists voices the great cry
going up all over the world to-day.
We want a better life. We want a
ministry of fine arts, such as the older
nations have had for centuries, and to
make music and the arts no longer
dependent upon private munificence,
but supported, as they should be, by
the dollars and dimes OF the people.
We want national conservatory Of
music and art, SO that our young
talent may not be forced to go to
Europe for their educat ton. We want
it known that the day has come for
our musical and artistic independ-
ence in the sense that we will stand
squarely for our own talent on It's
merits and no longer be obsessed
with the insane prejudice for every
thing foreign whether it has merit or
not. Too long has this great art with
its divine mission been considered the
sole province OF the critically elect
NJ n hnC
been exploited as part and province
Of life of leisure and pleasure:
Too long has its devoted teachers and
exponents been regarded as parasites
instead of being welcomed and hon
ored as pioneers Of intellectual and
spiritual progress.
1T may interest you to know that
music has become an important ac-
tivity in the industrial life Of the
nation. that 1t has been shown to
increase production by sustaining the
morale Of the workers.
do you know that music has been
introduced into some OF our post
offices. into the factories Of the great
American Banknote Company, the
American Biscuit Company. the Amer
i!s, iean Can Company. the American
the Bethlehem Steel Company. many Of
the great automobile companies, and
numerous other similar corporations?
We already spend $900.000,000 a
year-think of it-for music. for nlu-
sical education. for musical instru-
ments. more than the rest Of the
world put together Our orchestras
are the best. We give the best opera.
Our musical industries lead the
world in quantity as in quality.
Music is in the air today-music,
which begins where words end. which
whispers to us of Immortality"
The galaxy of celebrities contrib
uting their artistry to this event
were Frances Aida, soprano; Giuseppe
Danise. baritone; Rosina CALI and
Giuseppe Bonfiglio. leaders of the
Metropolitan Ballet: Tom Burke,
tenor: Samuel Gardner, American vio-
linist; Alfred Mirovitch. pianist;
Clara Elena Sanchez, soprano, and
Frank A. Brantley. baritone.
The Friday Morning Music Club.
which for more than three decades
has been notable factor in the mu-
inaugurate the season of 1922 with
a business meeting of active members
to be held at the Cosmos Club No
vember 4. There will be no meeting
November II. as 1t will be Armistice
day.
Mrs. Charles W. Fairfax. the chair
man of the program committee, an
nounces Joint recital by Mrs. Marian
Cannon Bennion, soprano, and Helen
Corbin Heinl. pianist, with Claude
Robeson. accompanist. at the Cosmos
Club November IS. For November 25.
at the knickerbocker Theater, the
program will consist of community
singing. talk and memory tests by