Evening star., 1926-11-28

ME Otner Gay man SdlQ II
was his opinion that the
giving of so much music over
the radio would cheaper its
value. lessen the public's interest i'll
music and prove generally detri
mental. To the writer this sugges-
ton seemed illogical. 1t is true that
many so-called popular tunes may
become tiresome even to the COM
paratively unframed listener. But
real music can never be killed by so
mechanical an instrument as the
radio. People will always love
music; they may not always prefer
the same type OF musical entertain
lnent, they may not spend a great
deal OF time going about talking
about how much they like music, but
thew will ALWAYS listen TO music, and
that, after all. is the real test.
There are many who feel that they
have the radio to thank for an in
crease in broader musical apprecla-
tion on the part OF people at large.
At least the radio has brought talk
about music and musical compost
tions much more into the public eye
papers. magazines, and the public eN-
positions OF the instrument itself.
The radio has caused a certain
amount OF uneasiness among concert
artists and is blamed, too, for lessen
ing attendance at orchestral con-
ccrts. Yet from all reports artists
such as John Mccormack. Josef
Holman and Nine Schumann-
Heink never suffer less than stand
ing-room- only audiences. because Of
the fact that they may also be heard
over the radio. Surely the audience
Of more than 5000 Washingtonians
that listened to the Philadelphia
Symphony Orchestra last Tuesday
was increased in size rather than
diminished over the audience of pre-
vious seasons. and the same was also
true of attendance at the perform
ance the previous week given by the
New York Philharmonic Orchestra.
= = x x
TERTAINLY there is one field
~ that can never have even the
shadow OF competition suggested by
the radio; that is the field OF opera.
To me there is one dominating quail
ity in the operate excerpts that |
have heard "over the air" and that
quality is pathos. The attempts to
convey tho dramatic and even melo-
dramatic beauties OF most operate
works are pathetic and often result
in becoming even ludicrous. And
opera, is. after all, the real music of
the people. 1t is a paradox-opera.
At one and the same time it is the
most expensive form of musical en-
tertainment and the most popular.
When I say most popular | do not
mean in America especially: rather
i'll Europe, although the popularity of
opera in America is increasing by
leaps and bounds. The success Of
the Metropolitan Opera Company in
New York and OF the Chicago Civic
Opera Company in the Illinois me
tropolis have made other cities take
heart and build and rebuild, until now
there are opera clubs and opera COM
panies here and there i'll many, many
American communities.
Among the newest developments
internationally i'll opera are the fol-
lowing: Under the sponsorship Of
French committee of outstanding fig
ures in the operate world and Of
All American committee OF distin-
guished patrons of music and art,
New York is having its first season
Of French opera comiquc by All all
French company. beginning last
weck-also a unique aspect Of the
performances lies i'll the alternating
cast OF American singers to sing the
same French operettaS in English;
in England, attempts having failed
10 create permanent grand opera.
there has been started a move
ment for mon grand opera which,
independent OF the rich mans
purse. is expected to enlist the
pubiic's support and. since the
Countrv-wi attention attracted by
a preliminary season OF this type
of opera-something between grand
and comic opera-seems listed for
real success. The unconventional
repertoire OF this company includes
such works as the English adapta-
tion OF Mozart's "Cosi ian lutte"
Purcell'S Dido ct Aeneas." c. Vii
lers Stanford'S The Travelling Com
panion," Vaughan Williams The
Shepherds OF the Delectable Noun
tain" Manuel DeFalla's "Puppet