Evening star., 1927-03-13

TO this branch of musical interpre-
tation is the radio. The time was,
in much earlier and less nerve-taX-
ing days, that after dinner the men,
bcrs of the family who played the
harp. spinet, violin or sang, natural
ly turned to their music to help the
rest of the family and friends pass
pleasant period Of time. Even
farther back, in the days of early
barbaric banquets, the bard and his
harp entertained the feudal lords
with his music.
During the past couple of decades,
in America i'll particular, the de-
veiopment of more interest III out
door sports-baSe ball. tennis and
golf-has taken people into the open
air away from indoor occupations
until dark and then the motion pic
ture houses have made a strong bid
with novelty and always bigger
and better movies for audiences,
offering entertainment which re-
quires no strain of mental OF phySi-
cal effort on the part of the audience.
As a result. the American people
generally have fallen into habits of
entertainment. and indeed living
generally. that require the least pos
Sible effort. They cat canned food,
have their clothes washed by laun-
dries or washing machines. have
their houses cleaned with vacuum
cleaners, play music on the phono-
graph or listen to ii over the radio.
sitting at ease i'll an armchair or
even lying in bed, and patronize mo-
tion picture plays that, in their new
est phase even offer canned human
speech or music as accompaniment
to the pictures.
Although the public in general in
America may still use their minds
to earn their daily bread and employ
the physical exercise of typewriter
or some factory machine as physical
effort, when entertainment time
comes, except for the youngest set,
who dance. people more and more
arc coming to rely upon the medium
of machinery to secure their enter
tainment. 1t would not be surprIs
ing it, sooner or later, they would
lose ability to provide their own en-
tertainment, except for one thing
and that is the basic natural law OF
supply and demand. Where few
hundred people could hear single
program of music at one time before
the radio was invented, now several
million NAV hear that same program
simultaneously. The result is that
more people soon tire of the same
performers, unless they are the
highest grade artists, and also they
tire of the same selections being re-
peated over and over. This means
that the artists have more oppor
tunity TO develop initiative for pre-
senting novel fresh programs and
that more artists will have a chance
to be heard widely. Also, there is al
ways the underlying truth that even
the least ambitious person has some
desire to do something they con-
stantly hear or see other people
doing-a good initiative for the
renaissance of real amateur music.
not mere diiettantism. but sincere.
earnest effort for pleasure and not
professional compensation.
The radio is giving the finest
artists and groups of artists in
orchestral and choral works. This
presents the highest standard of
achievement for which millions Of
people will acquire All appreciative
taste. The radio also brings the
whole family together again into a
home circle, from which the mem
bers of families had learned to scat
ter to an alarming degree. From
listening TO Josef Hofmann playing
over the radio, it is an easy step for
mother to say to father, Il think
Alec has a real talent for the piano;
don't you think we ought to start
his lessons seriously again." And
father will reply, Sure. I'll foot the
bills if he'll really study. but ! don't
want him to give US any half-baked,
sloppy playing" And Alec will prob
ably say. "Aw, ] couldn't play like
him, what chu think am. anyhow" I"
An interim of reinsurance and dis
cussion. Then. Well. I'm willing to
try it if you give me teacher who
will give me something real TO work
on and have competitions and medals
for those who do best like Johnny
Wheeler's teacher does, but | don't
want to study with that woman
again who gives everybody the same
little old pretty pieces"
# X ~
IF with such indications OF high
4 standards, there should be a re-
turn TO the days of real amateur
music, there will be no need for a
bored attitude on the part Of the
audience. A German author in the
magazine Neue Musk Zeitung is
quoted as tracing the honorable past
OF amateur music in the days when
the performers were principally stu
dents directed by some noted musi-
clan. The members OF these or
ganiZations studied earnestly and
seriously. But Mr.. Abendroth de-
plores the latter model of amateur.
He says; The typical amateur of
today has none of the cultural i'm
portance, the modesty or discipline
of his predecessors. Yet, there are
signs that real dilettantism may re-
vive and again find its place in the
development of music
Another strictly American attitude
on this subject OF the revival of
serious, worthwhile amateur music
was presented by Miss BERTHE
Bachus. principal OF the Powell
Junior High School. when she said
so enthusiastically and hopefully,
after the fine demonstration orches-
tral concert under George +. Hurt !:
THE boys and girls are as eager over
prscticing their music as they are
over athletics A few silver cups
for accurate. careful interpretations
i, of music would not go amiss in
squirting the American youth into
efforts that, when they have de
veloped with post-school days. may