Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-08-15
America and the Eisteddfod

organ rnCitas. but the attendance
was discouraginglN small.
W hat the reason was is hard to
+ determine. a series of reCitals by
: local organists was held in the audi.
torium at the Library of Congress
and on the nights of two Of them, at
least, overflow audiences were on
hand, and many We're forced to turn
away without gaining admission This
shows that following for organ
music is to be had here.
IT may be that one reason why IN
;erest in music lags here is that
in the musical program for a season
there is too little music to be had
which lies halfway between the elias
steal and the popular music. If an
occasional light opera or comic opera
could he heard. or if. when the orches-
tras come TO Washington. some of the
modern works that are played in
New York, Philadelphia and Chicago
would he given. it might he that there
would be more interest in music gen
orally.
Too often the performer or director
is inclined to criticize the audience and
say that il is inattentiVe and even per
hapS sometimes little impolite. 1t
might he that if he stopped to con.
slider. he might find that the fault
lies at his own feet for non playing
or singing things that will hold the
audiences interest. After all, the au.
dience pays to he entertained and up
lifted. The performer owes it TO his
audience to give them what they want
in return for their financial support
a nd pffnrt " rnD1il1tr ~,
x 4 x
II is the same old story of trying
to educate" the audience and to dis
play Eirtuosity. Organists, for in
stance. are prone to fill up a large
part of their programs with Bach,
which in all proba bility fails 10 APP
peal to more than a very small per-
centage of those present. AS a dis
play Of deXterity Bach is marvellous.
but for actual appeal To many in an
audience it is of small value
An organist has such AN infinite
variety of combinations possible in
the use of his stops that good judg-
ment in the choice. of "A program could
make an organ recital one of the most
popular forms of musical entertain,
ment. The possibilities in tonal col
oring are so iimitless hat no progra NJ
need ever become bOreSOme II the
various numbers are we'll selected
1t would be a fine thing If some. ar
rangements could be made for a
series of Sunday afternoon organ re-
citals at the Auditorium during the
winter. \ Vesper hour program
would have a great appeal. One
series in another city is recalled which
began about 4:30 o'clscll in the after
noon. No lights in the church were
turned on. and as the Winter sun
sank early away. the church beCa me
gradually darker until near the end
of the program only the light on the
console broke up the hlackness of the
auditorium. The oreanst arranged
his program so that the color Of
The music corresponded with inc fad
ing daylight, and for a finale he played
a brilliant work, at he climax Of
which the lights in the auditorium
were turned on. building UP with the
music to a great finish. The recitals
were Very popular. for the audience
was entertained q all times. There
We're no long stretches of heavy
music to cause uneaSineSs among the
less musical of the auditor Some
such thing as that might catch popu-
lar fancy here and bring big in
crease in public support for organ
music.