Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-12-18

in field that is so limited that many
students of singing, even with hne
operate possibilities might as well
step of a precipice when they are
ready for grand opera debuts as cX-
pect to land IN an opera company.
where they can continue to devel op
in experience and knowledge
Another group with opera training
ideas Is that organized by Rolln
Bond almost as long ago, and par
ticularly dwelling upon the phase of
singing opera in English This group
has become especially known for its
light opera productions.
And still a third. and smaller effort
in numbers at least. is the operate
training class that EStelle Went
worth and her late husband, Albert
Parr. trained 10 the point where they
put on scenes from different operas
very well, indeed. and provided re-
markably good chorus for produc-
ton of Madame Butterfly" directed
by Jacques Samos>oud last year.
x
NOV. Just in time for their
~ trumpetS 10 resound in the gen
cral celebration of Christmas with
music. the United States Navy Band
is the second Of the service organlza
tons to return home to the National
Capital. Like the Marine Band
the NAVY organization has been on
countrywide tour and reaped
weighty laurels OF appreciation
everywhere that it has played.
Lieut.. Renters fine band and band
orchestra need no publicity in Wash
mgton; their worth is widely known
and recognized 1t is interesting to
find deep. glowing headlines in clip
pings that come from Dayton. Ohio;
the Illinois State Register, Bloom
ington. ILL.,. Springfield. the Glencoe
News. Evanston Big Rapids. Mich;
Minneapolis. Des Moines, Iowa
Cleveland Quincy Marietta, Ohio
Terre Haute and Nincennes, Ind,
and Louisville. Ky, and lengthy &C
counts setting forth the abilities and
the fine programs given by the
United States Navy Band in its con-
certs. In Terre Haute and Vim
cennes the audiences totaled 5000
and 1000 persons. respectively.
And now the boys are back in
Washington and will play with the
United States Army Band group in
the United Service Orchestra at the
Pan-American Union Tuesday night.
x <
IT is to be wished that there
L might be space to include on this
page. complete. the extremely inter
esting paper on christmas Carols
and Their Origin" that was pre-
pared so carefully by Mrs. John Mil
ton Sylvester. we'll known Washing
ton choir director, and read at a
meeting about 10 days ago of the
American Guild of Or2ansts. AS,
however. owing TO its length, this
seems impossible at this time, the
first part. devoted TO the very be
ginning and early development OF
the carols. will be quoted here. and.
possibly. if the space allows. more
of the article will be given on this !
page next week.
Mrs. Sylvester stated:
"A carol, be it known from the /
beginning, has a character OF its /
owns not a part-song or hymn, /
but something quite distinct.
"Dehnitions-Carol: Cd A song of |
10Y. exultation or cheerfulness. ~ !
A song of religious JOY. especially a
festival song to be sung at Christ
mas. CD A dance, performed in a
circle; also the song accompany
ing it.
Hymn: O A song expressive of
praises, alteration or lofty emotion.
% A metrical composition, intended
to be sung in religious worship-the
hymns of the ancient Hebrews being |
technically called Psalms. CD A re-
ligious or patriotic ode, song, lyric |
or other poem expressive of feeling. |
In restricted sense, poem or song,
not from the Bible, used in worship |
as opposed to Psalm. Philips mean
ing of the word carol evidently is |
that of the second part Of the second /
definition
Music there had been for hundreds |
OF years. in pagan ceremonial and in
the temple worship, but the very
first Christmas carol ever heard by |
mortal ears was that which was sung
by the angels over the fields of Beth /
lehem when our Lord was born
Glory Be to God on High, and on
Earth Peace, Good VIII Toward |
Men from which, in the course of !
many years, was evolved our Gloria /
in Excelsis, which, strangely enough, |
is almost never used in many |
churches, save at the service in COM
memoration of the death and passion |
of our Lord. Of these words there |
were many settings. and scattered |
here and there in different countries |
there were other carols OF the |
Christs birth, but the first carols |
to live and grow. and. by the vita
spark that was within them, to burn |
and multiply in the hearts and on |
the lips Of the people, were sung in
tiny Italian village called Grecia. |
near Assist. more than l,200 years
after the angels song.
and this is the story: A great
heresy called Manicheism. brought
from Asia Minor into Bulgaria in the
ninth century. had spread over all OF
Southern Europe. This heresv de-
MED many of the teachings held sa-
cred by the church, notably the .
virgin birth OF Christ and the doc
trlne OF theincarnation. Now the
good St. Francis Of Assist. that great
mystic Of the Middle Ages, was
heavy of heart because Of the cold
ness OF the people. and he pondered
much on how he might bring to their
minds knowledge and true under
standing of the birth OF our Lord /
While iourneying from Rome, in the I
year 1923, to stay over Christmastide /
at Grecia, near Assist, suddenly the |
way to do this became clear to him, /
and when he reached Grccia, having