The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-06-24
Artists, Concerts, ,CountryPZdces

One of the most delightful fea- lures of my recent vacation" in New York. was the touch of home life" which was infused into 1t. the surroundings of the exclusive and comfortable little hostelry where I stayed 'Le Marquis" at Fifth ave- nue and Thirty first street. being responsible for it.
 After all. New York Is precisely like Birmingham, Kalamazoo. Osh- kosh and Winesburg, Ohio; you get tired of the turmoil and the glare and flare. and now and then you want to get off to yourself and be quiet and let your think tank" work-and sol found my pleasant environment most suspicious.
 Mine Host" at "Le Marquis" Mr. T. V. Barton, is a southern man; from Chattanooga, and has hundreds of friends throughout the south-hav- ing been for many years the manager of the old Lookout Inn; his late wife was the lovely Virginia Jarvis of Chattanooga. great belle and beauty during her girlhood days.
 MT. Barton has taken with him to busy, bustling, gay, New York, his southern manner and southern hospi- stality, and at this charming little 'Le Marquis hotel his guests, most of whom live there year in, and year out, bespeak the quality of his hos telry-elegant, refined exclusive.
 Incidentally "Le Marquis" Is one of the few surviving American plan hotels"-the Knott System" of ho- tells of which family it is a member H .l T q xa deliciously delectable 'menus' served "home style" from the "eosomme" to the "deml- tasse"-a menu which the best Eplcurean in taste would en- joy
 Musical Genius
 One morning bright and carly that awful daylight saving" rous- ing you out of bed before you'd gone to sleep, most--I dropped in to see my good friend Mir. John C. Freund. editor of Musical America
 It was one of the week end" decoration day holiday fairs where people leave town on Friday for the country and return the next Wednesday (after Tuesdays holiday and so I was disappointed, but the affable little secretary asking me to leave my card and address said MT. breund would call me later
 This he did, and invited :-e to come to see him and nice visit was my reward.
 Of course you remember Mir. Freunds visit to Birmingham sew eual years ago in the interest of mu- sic, and of how many friends he made by his graciousness and cul- ture, and when I tell you that al- though he has recently celebrated his seventy-fourth birthday, he Is still as young and vigorous and as greatly interested in the future of music in America as he ever was
 Sitting at his desk in his big offices at Fifth avenue and Forty second 1 street, Mir. Freund said:
 'I have been speaking from three' to four times day for the past year in cities throughout the country in behalf of music, and l have been | hard at work also on the plans in | New York for a National Conserva- | tory of Music, where deserving, but | poor students can be given advant- | ages This is taxing on my .strength | as we'll as my mentality, and it has l taken all my strength to accomplish | it, but l am glad to say we are look Ing forward now to the eonsumma- | ton of our fondest desires.'
 Continuing Mir Freund, who has | probably done more for music and ] it's advancement that any other one | individual in America, "pfoneering." not only for music as an art, but | "pioneering" as the publisher of a 1 musical papers when 50 years ago i such an idea seemed anything but feasible, he added;
 America is now the land of the l greatest orchestras, the greatest | choruses, the maker of the finest pianos and other musical instru- ments, the inventor of the talking | machine and the player piano and Of that wonder of the times, the radio"
 Mir Freund also took up the ques- tion of the need of getting rid of | the absurd craze for everything and | everybody foreign which had miIi~ | lated dsastrously to our own talent. | The time had come when it was im- l perative that we should stand up for | our own people not only in music but l in art, encourage them as the older | nations had long done. It was a | shame that we should pay hundreds Of thousands of dollars to foreign talents simply because they Lad a foreign hallmark but who were often allowed our own talent. of superior character, to starye In our midst | through lack of recognition
 He especially stressed the fact that the business men in every communi- ty as well as all civic organizations should stand "squarely in support" of their musical institutions orchestras, l teachers, composers, choirs, com munity sings, music clubs, concert | managers, and all worthy local mu- steal enterprises, since that is the | only way to make a community musi- cal. -
 MT. Gunster's succ ,ss
 Among many old friends who are making New York their home none is more pleasurable to write about than Birmingham's own Frederick | Gunster. popular tenor. who has just returned from five-weeks tour with Geraldine Farrar.
 Mir Gunster was acclaimed every where as one of the most finished pleasing artists in America, his singing being infused with his charming epersonality and his al ways gracious manner.
 speaking of Miss Farrar's popu- larity MT. Gunster said:
 '.Eyerywhere we went the world was at her feet. the beloved Ger | aldine being the most popular singer in America today She is radiant beautiful personality, and the most I charming of artists to work with 1 She has the happiest nature and the | sunniest disposition. always laugh ing and telling a good story and | when off duty she is just like a | child--so sweet and happy and en- | thusastic,'
 "on private ear with a con cert company for five weeks, sing l ing four nights week, is trying | situation and we get to know peo- pie very well and l must say that 1 the more one knows Miss Farrar and |