Evening star., 1925-08-23

AHC ILly cACelIeuI ptIiOI1IeTS Oil d
keyboard are by no means limited to
the organ. The pianists Of the Capital
would be found capa BILE of providing q
program Tuesday afternoon OF most
artistic character. A group could be
selected, each to give a concerto or
suite during the afternoon.
The evening could be devoted to the
first OF the choral programs. There
are number of well trained women's
and mems choruses in the city such
as the Rubinstein Club, the Chami-
made Glee Club. the Interstate Male
Chorus (under the direction of Chair
man Aitchison of the Interstate Com
merce Commission, one of the most
enthusiastic patrons of music in the
city,, the Dawson GIee Club and the
Almas Temple Chanters. There are
many male quartets of high standing
and ability. These various groups
could be combined for an evening Of
women's and mems choruses.
In order that those unable to hear
The opera Monday night might have
Company could repeat the opera on
Wednesday afternoon.
Wednesday night might be devoted
10 an outdoor concert by the massed
bands of the city at Griffith Stadium.
This would be one of the outstanding
events OF the program. The seating
capacity of the stadium and the posi-
hilities for echo work would assure
large crowd and an effective program.
= x
A festival would not he complete
without including a program by
stringed quartets, with or without a
piano. The new hall at the Library
of Congress, which is being built ex-
ff, &c. hA
excellent location for the program,
which would be held Thursday after
noon.
Thursday night, returning to the
Auditorium. the symphony orchestras
of the Marine, Army and Navy bands
and of the Army Music School could
each play short suite or symphony.
Friday afternoon. like Monday aft
ernoon, could be given over to organ
recitals. with vocalists as the soloists.
Friday night would be the big event
Of the festival--the huge combined
chorus. This chorus could be dedi-
cated to the annual production of the
work of some American composer,
rather than to the singing of THE
Messiah" or Creation" works that
have been associated from time i'm
memorial with great choruses. They
are both too long, and an average au-
ulenCe WearleS or them before they are
completed. To those to whom they
are familiar, their familiarity makes
them tiresome before completion, and
TO those to whom they are not famil.
lar they are too heavy fare for a
single meal.
A short oratorio. such as Bucks
Sorty-siXth Psalm which requires
about 40 minutes for performance, or
a cantata of equal length, could con-
stitute the first half of the program
For the second half and the finale of
the festival secular cantata, such as
Cadman's Morning Of the Year."
would be best.
A festival of this character would
present q greatly varied program, and
If good Judgment should prevail and
the various programs be kept within
an hour and a half. none would find
them tiresome.
This outline could be greatly i'm
proved upon, of course, and would be
during the discussions of arranging
the festival. 1t is merely offered as a
starting point from which to begin
discussions.
The organization backing the festi-
val should be permanent, under the
name of THE Washington Music Fes-
tival Association" or something sim
liar.
IL could be launched, for instance,