Evening star., 1926-12-05


ing popularity Of choral concerts.
More choral music in professional
as we'll as amateur circles is GER
tainly with us than was true at the
end of the World War or even two
years ago. Probably nobody knows
the exact date when the first group
OF people in pagan times assembled
to lift their voices in choral unison.
Certainly in the life of the early
Jreek music was largely vocal. and
the Greek chorus comes down TO
us today ss "a, tradition. In these
days, when 4. has become the smart
thing to offer prizes for everything
and have contests of various kinds.
IT is interesting to reflect that in
Athens one Of the oldest art struc-
turcs Of small proportions that is
still standing was built. to house a
tripod awarded. the. famous -Athe-
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. by HIN for
organizing a choir" of,.ytnng. men
which won the prize in vocal music
in one of the games OF the fourth
century. B. C. In the age. of Peri
cles, quits apart from the athletic
contests in Olympic games seontests
in oratory,. poetry. and music were
hS'df: . - : :, H..
MISS ESTHER LINKINS. %presi-
"A dent of the District of Colum-
bia Federation Of Music Clubs. sends
out general announccmefM that
the next biennial convention: of the
National Federation. to be held in
Chicago April Is to g. will be
known asa-the Singing Biennial"
aud clubs are invited fo go.en masse
and participate in the 4huges chorus
there. Also, chg Dayton Westmin-
ster Choir, .wtaeh gavt such .:aede
lightf,il program at CentratE High
School "Wednesday night, Will Be an
honorcd choral group at this con
vcntion. Two books OF. chotal music
have been especially prepsted called
Musical Rt,rat for Clubs and As
scnbly Singing. Collection' and
"Massed Chorus Concert Collec-
ton. Miss Linkin,s' has cdpies of
these books and will gladly. show
them to any Washington singers
who may be interested.
** **,.
AS for the Dayton aggregation
"a that is doing such, wonderful
~hora singing under John Finley
Willjamson. it cannot be over
r~ais"d. It is Significant that the
Rev. Dr. ]. K. Dufheld of the Fedora
tion of Churches in Washington
found in response TO his suggestion
AZ the concert Wednesday that 1000
pledges to attend a concert by, this
choir next wear, if presented in this
city, were turned IN from among
those in the audience that night.
The choir gave a special perform
ancc Thursday morning at Central
High School before the capacity au
dience OF that huge institutions
student body and found a warmth
and understanding in the response
to their efforts that was surprising.
coming as it did from an audience
to sing 20 mNutes ard the program
lasted An hour. Dr. F.. fC,Rarnes
Of. the puhGc' schools. head q, -tlte
music departmcY r. pre- sided. andsDr
Duffield was presents~ Mr.. Walftar11
son. the choir dircctoh: Mrs: Talbot,
chief sponsor, and NJ H Hanson.
manager all spoke a few words 4
from different angles hf the choral |
problem to the Young people. MIR. |
Hanson especially stressed 1.-The /
founding in the. Natiotia Cal pital of
IN organizatienssWith thespTinae 'pur- |
pose of fostering. better chora al,uinsic
throughout the United States. Sure
w.. after finding what amazing
things Mr.. Williamson is doing with
religious choral music offhe highest
kind and chorns OF people typica
Of the inhabitants of any American
community, it makes one pause to
think OF the possibilities along
choral lines generally. Also, the
general public's' response to a pro
gram Of such 6ne music supremely
we'll sung by the Dayton organiza-
ticn is another: underhning empha.-
sis on the fact that so-ca!led World
wise and "hard-boiled' managers are
too often liahle~to underestimate the
public taste
Y Y
IN New York. City something Of
1 this type OF choral group. is+er-
gar,zed under the leadership, 6f H.
7. y
Chorus OF New York Inc, II ,origi
mated in January 1916, and .ssnce
then the organization has developed
and the members participated in
patriotlc. national nd phlanthropic
events Of public interest. Only a
handful OF people who liked TO sing
started this organization. Now there
are more than 500 members. All
who like 10 sin & and want TO de-
velop not only singing ability. but
also faculty in reading music fluent
ly--a most important thing for all
who would be truly musical-are al
ways welcome to loln this chorus
Or. r.NHcnry Van Dyke is the hoiiors
arv chairman. and he SAYS:
1T seems to me that the practice
of choral music among the people is
ono OF the factors which promote
Intelligence, good will and happiness
in the life Of the community"
$.* +,
ONE OF Washington's own large
~ choral organizations will give
program Of music next Thursday
night that fooks most promising
a. detailed elsewhere on THIS page.
The group IS the Interstate Male
Chorus the conductor is Mr.. Clyde
z. .Aitchjson. This chorus and the
.Almas Chauters. also NJ the District
OF Columbia. formed part OF that
huge chorus oi 2.500 voices which
sang in tho Sesquicentennial audi
torium November y. presented un-
der the auspices of the Associated
Glee Clubs Of America.
- =
ITO return again 20 the old days
Il Il