The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1925-05-04

posers doing for us and for the
| world?
The permanency Of music to a
! large extent depends upon the
soul stuff as well as the tone"
| out of which it Is made. lis it
| inspirational?" No amount of
mere brain work can replace that
one touch of God-given power.
| So It is in this spirit of rever-
ence that we bid farewell to our
American women composers. 1t is
in grateful "reminiscences that we
recapitulate their gifts to us.
Appreciation and praise must be
given, too, to the soloists and the
fine organizations who interpreted
this music.
Mrs. Beach and Harriet Ware.
Mrs. H. H. A. Beach is always
touched by inspiration in what she
gives. She. brought us new
dawn in her new Stella Victor
is" written as an unusual suartet
for voice, violin, cello and piano.
There was a true glow to the mys.
tic tone picture and high mood
of this music, with a marvel of
a climax. 1t is a new thought In
tone combinations, also, the instru'
ments being as individual as the
voice. But this and her Mirage"
has been mentioned elsewhere, with
its artists, the composer at the
piano, and Gretchen Hood, Henri
Sokolov and Margaret Day.
The Rubenstein Club deserves
special praise for its rare singing
of Mrs. Beach's two chorouses for
women's voices. THE Sea Fairies"
and Peter Pam" with the COM
poser at the piano and Claude
Robson, conducting. They are
rich contributions to colorful choral
works, with vagrant haste or whis-
pered retards, with a nursery touch
in gay staccato, a richly harmon
lied Praise To God"
Fairy.like Harriet Ware again
becomes a sea nymph in her chorus
l"Undine," of the waves, that flows
in delightful varying rythms, undu-
lating like the tides around a
Chorus of women's voices that
IBound like water-fairies now in
alive and lovely. She has orches-
piano an expressive part played
richly by Mildred Schulze. Solo
voices of Gretchen Hood, soprano,
and Warren Lee Terry, tenor, carry
the poem picturesquely, while there
Is laughter and signs of chorus
. and solo. To Miriam B. Hilton
the unity Of the chorus is due and
these fresh young voices should
stay together, so full of lovely tone
is their singing. They were from
the Monday Morning Music Club,
the Wilson Normal Glee and the
studio of H. Leroy Lewis, with
orchestra by the Marine Band
Orchestra under. Taylor Branson,
second leader.
Variety Among Composers.
Gena Branscombe's male chorus
1.-THE Phantom Caravan" was given
by the Dawson Glee Club. John
Monroe, director, though Miss
Branscombe gave them OF her zest
by conducting the chorus with
electric personality. Gena Brans-
combe's songs have the same broad
sweep. Mary Howe's short choruses
were given by the Washington
Choral Society under Charles Wen
gerd. She and Miss Brauscolnbe
both have violin sonatas to their
credit
Their name is legion! Think Of
this, you singers OF songs ana
players of Instruments! There was
that perfect writer of songs, Mary
Turner Salter; there was Karolyn
Wells Bassett who sang her dainty
songs any one of which is q gem
for an encore; Ethel Glenn HER. in
Chamber Music Suite, reveled in
dissonance with bizarre use of IN
struments; Helen Sears came with
breadth and novelty in her orches'
trail and piano works, the latter
played forcefully by Agnes Hope
Pillsbury.
Mrs. Lawrence Townsend was
represented by an orchestral waltz
of Tilt and melody; Frances Ralston
had a Sonata Creole" for violin,
played by Henri Sokolov, but she
mis-caught the Creole. making it
negro when it means essentially the
French of the South.
Among Younger. Set.
Phyllis Fergus. in her poem-set-
tings, which she reads charlningIy
at the piano, revealed an attractive
pianist-composer who has given a
wealth of child-lore. but she also
has set in atmospheric music sew
eral Of the Psalms and a descrtD.
tive background for Alfred Noyes
1.-THE Highwayman." Feeling the
music in words, might be her i'm
pulse for this unique work, which
is creative and very pianistic.
Uric Cole come with forceful
piano compositions. She is the
baby of the group and an excellent
pianist, though her works need
more of variety and more of tone
color. Elizabeth MerZ Butterfield,
Florence Parr-Gere, Virginia Roper,
Mabel Wood Hill complete the list
of composers.
The singing Of Harlan Randall
the accompaniments Of George Fl.
Wilson which were most artistic,
and an ensemble Of Clayton Lind
say, flute: Silvio Onofry, oboe:
Henry c. Stephan, violin; Lewis
Bilek, viola; Fritz Mueller, cello.
with Glenn HER, completes the
list of musicians of Washington
who contributed to these recitals.
When we realize that never be-
fore in the history of music have