The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1922-04-09

OF THIS CITY are GRADUATES VI oHS
which the wise and puissant authori'
So of course these same wise mi
charge of the planning and deyelopn
New York out of the depths OF m
which it is now wallowing. No music
lover can doubt for a single moment
that when Mr.. Hylan and his City
Chamberlain set to work we shall
have a real music school, where stu
dents will be able to learn things
never before taught In the lame and
impotent institutions now shambling
through a mean and contemplate
existence within the limits of the
greater city. No more hidden
geniuses will have to be discovered
by kind ladies and sent to Europe
to study.
Piano I'm Every Home.
And lie the good Mr.. Kahn has his
way they will all have pianos A
piano in every home in the United
States is Mr.. Kahn's beautiful dream.
OF course Mayor Hylan and the City
Chamberlain will teach the "pee-puT
how to play these pianos. Possibly
some of the Vermont farmers will be
difficult to manage. They already have
phonogra phs, electric lights. telephones
and other simple delicacies in their
homes. not to speak of the ever faith
full car at the door. Perhaps they may
not desire also to have pianos.
But let US not worry about the YER
mont farmers. The East Side boy Is
our care. According to report every
Eas. Side boy is potentially a musical
genius, and at present New York, ac-
cording to that unimpeachable author
ity the City Chamberlain, does not
contain a musical conservatory At to
train him. He must be sent TO Europe
that Is, IL any one will pay his ex-
penses. If Mr.. Kahn would abandon
his IDEAS about pianos and devote
himself entirely to raising money to
educate talented East Side boys and
girls, without doubt the city would
save money by the establishment of its
music center. for IL 1t did not provide
such a place OF musical education 1t
would have to start a steamship line
TO carry all its young geniuses to
Europe.
Now In the name of all that Is
sensible what is the use OF all this
incessant prattle about the need OF
places in which to educate young
musical talents? The plain and simple
truth is that there are altogether too
many such places now. There are too
many musicians. There are far too
many music students. There Is too
much announcement OF hopeless me-
diocrity. There is too much done
toward urging young people into mu-
steal careers for which they are un-
fitted and in which nothing awaits
them but bitter disappointment.
If Mayor Hylan and Mr.. Berolz-
heimer wish TO do something really
worth while with the educational part
ar their music center, let them make
Il a clearing house for young aspir-
ants. Let them establish standard
and an examining hoard and when
youth or maiden aspires to enter upon
course OF music study let the can
didatc be obliged TO pass an eKamina-
ton before properly constituted
hoard at the music center, and u
found talented receive a permit to
atudy. and IL found untalented be for
hidden to do so.
Perhaps such scheme cannot be
worked out practically, but IL 1t could
IL would do more for the cause OF
music in this town than all the emo
tional oratory and sentimental bum
combe that greeted Mayor Hylan the
other day. 1t was officially announced
that there was no opposition to the
Man 10 establish a music center. OF
course there was not. Who Is going 10
oppose such a scheme? Any one who
does must at once be accused of cher
5shing a personal interest in the mat
Ter. The writer OF this department or
this newspaper shamelessly confesses
his interest He wishes to save him
self from hearing more pitiful fulfill
ties on the concert platform and tie
aperatic stage, disastrous failures who
do not know they are failures because
cowardly friends naturally take the
easiest way and praise them and tell
them to go on to glory.
Not a week goes by that the profess
slonal writer OF musical criticism does
not nave 10 Httenu tns PUBIC ucdln u
fondly cherished hopes. TO witness the
hurial OF the expectations OF a life Of
artistic activity. The friends" Of these
young singers and players never tell
them the truth. The newspapers never
tell more than quarter OF II. News
paper criticism of music has one great
and objectionable offense to answer
\. for. 1t Is too SNUG, TO mealy mouthed,
too arniably dishonest.
The poor young creatures who APP
near In concert or opera without