The Monmouth inquirer., 1926-05-20
SINGING % bE sog pFpdRTs CHURCH DRAMA


contribute to the imperfections of radio, and Mr..
Adams believes that the listener himself to
tain extent is responsible
We have five major senses sight, hearing,
touch, taste and smell-generally thought of as
distinct functions operating altogether independ-
emily of each other This is wholly natural Each
has highly specialized purpose to perform, and,
equipment, an individual set of end organs
for converting received impressions into nerve
impulses, nerves for transmitting these, and brain
centers for converting them into sensations. Each
sensation as it is finally registered is distinct from
every other, and the fact that these five facul-
ties are even remotely Nco-ordinated perhaps never
much occurs to us till cold brings home
the reminder that taste depends on smell for
large measure of it's effectiveness.
But these are not the only senses to be CO.
ordinated. The functions of all are bound up one
with another many times more intimately than
we suspect and most conspicuous Of all sight and
hearing
1t is altogether logical that these two should
be- They handle by far the greater bulk of all
impressions receive, and were they not
ordinated their combined efficiency would be far
less than 1t now is. But it is the effect of this
coordination. particularly hearing, with which
we are concerned, and this is astonishing even
amusing sometimes.
For example quartet appearing on small
town chautauqua program found itself forced to
present its afternoon concert in street clothes be-
cause the trunks containing their costumes had
been delayed in shipment. The response of the
audience was only perfunctory. BY the time the
evening program presented however, their
trunks had arrived. and, appearing in costume, the
quartet received an emphatfcafy enthusiastic ova
ton. Their singing better than it had been
in the afternoon. If anything, that In the after
noon was somewhat the better because they were
trying harder The audience merely responded
without thinking to better appearance
&I.fe
coordination be carried. Vionists to cite an
other example, in playing selections with pianis=
simo endIngs often raise the bow clear of the
strings when they have reached the point where
they cannot play more softly and go draw
ing it back and forth. The audience continues
to hear something as long as the bow is seen to
move and the violinst receives credit for mas
terful ending he did not actually play
1t will be seen, then, that under most cond-
tions coordination makes sight very real and
practical part of hearing But let us consider
the situation this coordination faces In the
of listening in on broadcast speech music
Here there are no costumes movements Of
performers to be seen-nothing visible which
proceeds concomitantly with or as part of the
music and it's setting-onIy the unchanging loud
speaker and the music issuing from It Vastly
changed conditions are accordingly confronted by,
say, habitual concert goer who enjoys particular
" the Raehmannoff preludes.
He has been accustomed TO nearing them In
spacious concert hail. lights turned low except
on the stage, revealing shimmering piano, tie
artist seated at 1t, hands and in swift, sure
movement back erect, head Intent the faint fustIe
Of programs nearby, whispered comment on SONS
passage, faces and shrtfronts standing out in
the dimness. the thunder of applause the numy
Der is finished. OF what does this prelude consist
BY radio? The same notes, played with the same
skilled artistry, but with only the lights of a lv-
Ing room revealing the cone or horn of loud
speaker for visual background
1t is small wonder then that the concert goer
protests In disfnay that this is the same music
he heard ID the auditorium. That radio has left
something out he Is right Radio has left some.
thing out-the visual component to which he has
SO long been accustomed. not to mention the usual
background Of concert hall sounds