Arizona republican., 1921-09-18
TELLS IF GROWTH IF
 MUSIC IN AMERICA

Speaking of the development Of music in recent years and especially in Phoenix, Walter Hastings Olney, head of the voice department at the Arizona school of music, gave most interesting talk before the members of the Rotary club at their luncheon last Friday at the Y. M. c. A. Mir. Olney paid a high tribute to Mrs. Shirley Christy for her part on mak- ing Phoenix a musical center and in the remarkable growtl of the Arizona school of music since she started it in modest way IS years ago. MT. Olney spoke as follows:
 MT. Chairman and Fellow Rotarians:
 In order to cover the points I wish to make in very limited space of time, I must scan a big subject, and you will pardon jumps, even though
 my remarks start and stop like freight engine.
 In the year of 1900 there was a dearth of musical compositions. Italy, land of romance and music, consid cred that something must be done
 about it. A large publishing house 1n
 Milan offered a s10000 prize for, the best opera produced by a certain date. Some splendid compositions
 began to take shape. At the appoint ed time these were produced, the first
 prize going to Mascagni, who wrote l "cavaleri Rusticana.' and the sec ond prize was awarded to Leoncavelli for "Pagliacci." These new operas made the world sit up and take
 notice.''
 l About 1910 a movement was on foot l in America to see what would be done in our own country. A National Federation of Music Clubs was 1 formed, and this federation made an offer of $10,000 for the best opera to be sent in by given time. It WAS surprising how many excellent com 1 positions poured in. The judges awarded the prize to Horatio Parker, dean of music at Yale university. MT. 4 Parker wrote the opera Fairyland.' which was produced in Los Angeles at a cost of $65,000 Alfred Hertz, former conductor at the Metropolitan Il opera house in New York, was en- | gagged to whip the wonderful music Il into shape. Four of the big stars I from the Metropolitan took the leads, 4 75 voices made up the chorus, and the Los Angeles Symphony orchestra
 supported the voices.
 !, Music in the old countries has long T been counted necessity, but until , recent years we Americans have looked upon music more as pastime Il This country began to awaken to the fact that music was more than 3 pastime before the world war, but | when war was actually declared we turned our attention to music. Com } munity sings" were held in every city and town. Masses of people turned out to sing the old songs in public 5 parks and large auditoriums. oui : boys went away singing, went into
 battle singing; in fact, Europe often spoke of America's singing army" 7, Many men in various lines of busi- ness. if asked the question "What is
 E a musician?" used to answer readily enough: "A freak" There is a type of musician who comes under thai } classification. The long-haired mar : and the bob haired woman, who know ,, 1, nothing but music and assume eccen- tricities.
 3 The serious musician, however ! must. be physically fit and mentally s rounded out. An exclusive study oi ] any subject is apt to make a mar ! lopsided.
 g The voice is the most delicate in. t strument imaginable The training : of the ~voice means training the mine : and body. Voice" boiled down to it' Fl final analysis is: Thought vibration ! sent across the vocal cords, backed t up by muscular support and breati
 control There is a portion Of th'
 brain that is affected entirely D,