The New York herald., 1921-04-03
Recent Programmes at the
Manhattan Frank Appeal
for Special Interest.
ny ". J. HENDERSON.

music III the Manhattan Tho
atre suggests renewed com
ment on the present state ot public
taste. II il ungracious to find fault
continually with the public especially
since il is also quite futile. The public
IS tho jury in al matters Of art and
its verdicts are final II il signifies
that it no longer cares for choral com
positions the only thing 10 DO is TO
lay such music away on the library
shelves and let the dust gather upon IL.
The music festival need not be Gov
cred with any disguise. II was frank
appeal for special interest. The same
concerts given in the regular course
in Carnegie Hall would not attract
wide attention. People 90 only 10 hear
The Messiah" Hence it became nee
essary 70 superimpose on the series
the veneer OF novelty This could
not be accomplished by the produc-
ton Of entirely new or unknown works.
II Mr.. Damrosch had offered at his
FIRST concert ] new orstorio or cam
tata by some distinguished European
master ~ would have been confronted
by rows Of empty seats.
He could have assured him-alf OF a
crowded house b. the simple expedient
OF announcing "The Messiah" But
that would have destroyed his artistic
purpose. and. what is much worse,
would have robbed the Oratorio So
ciety's chief support of some OF It's
value The Oratorio Society has lived
by Handels masterpiece for years. and
the composition must be kept as the
organizations stock In trade.
The st. Matthew Passion" OF Bach.
which was reserved for the second con-
cert, has never been popular. 1t would
have been something amazing IL ii had
heen. Mr.. Damrosch could not Wei
give that at the first concert. He Sc
lected Picrnes Crusade OF the Chit
dren,' which IS a charming work ri
requires tho services of several huc
dred chlldrer who must be trained
thoroughly. Naturally they must learn
their parts by heart. since il would be
idle to expect to find three or four
hundred sight readers in the public
schools.
These children might be regarded as
the real drawing card OF the con
cert. Doubtless they did their ful share
In sending proud papas and mammas
70 the entertainment, but they did not
III the house. There were empty seats
too many Of them indeed
Bnch's .st. Matthew Passion"
Some comment was made in this
~ ln
the fact that the "St. Matthew Pas
SION Of Bach was heard by larger
audience than Pierne's crusadin.-. in
rant choir. which might be supposed
10 make wider popular appeal But
ior one thing We must not forget the
mighty power OF advertising. The
science of advertising-for it has risea
10 the dignity or 4 science-teaches Us
the important distinction between ad-
Nertising quick and slow ling and
short y would not take more than
two days 70 advertise big prize fight
the time and place where Il was to
take place. for example
Why2 Because every one" y sitting
up waiting for just that information.
No ono Is sitting up waiting 10 find
out where and when some one is going
10 play Bach's toccata and fugue. II
YOU wish 10 make that fact known 10 i
tai ~ uuuDeI OF people YOU must ad-
veftise Il long and loudly. You must
treat i as the elder James Gordon Ben
nett said newspaper should treat i'm
portant news make a biz fuss about
It,"
II you wish to have every ono in New
York know that YOU are going to give
performance Of The Crusade Of the
Children you must spend q lot OF
money in advertising. because compare
lively few people ever heard Of Perne !
cantata. Because Baca's ''St Matthew
Passion" has been before the world
muck longer that the Frenchman's can
tata, and because Il has been insistently
PRAISED by commentators and musicians
all over the world. a great many more
people know about 1t than know about
the Cantata. Hence when Mr. Dam
rosch performed Ii the other night al
his second festival concesg he had j
larger audience than lie confronted on
the opening evening OF the festival.
There were some piquant differences
OF hearing among the professional re-
corders tho next morning. The writer
OF these lines found himself holding 4
view diametrically opposed TO that OF 4
confrere whose iudgmen, he respects
The difference OF hearing was directed
TO tho delivery OF George Meader. who
sang the music Of the narrator. One Of
the two reporters heard him sing Il too
sentimentally and the other did not hear
him sing K that way at all.