Evening star., 1927-05-29

x in Washington during the
| D late Spring evenings are pre-.
0 senting choral and instru'
mental programs, All the high
schools separately and the grade
schools and music community cen
- ter groups collectively either have
given or are about TO present
orchestral and choral combination
programs. 1t is at such programs
that parents and the portion OF the
citizenrv OF Washington who are
really interested i'll the development
OF musical talent may get con-
crete ideas as 10 what is beng done
in these lines.
Last week the Rubinstcin Club ap-
peared to really fine advantage un-
der the direction OF Samuel Richard
Gaines, American composer and
choral conductor of wide experience,
and repute. Also the colored choral
group. the Coleridge- Taylor Choral
Society OF Washington, gave re-
markably good production of that
composers "Hiawatha." The Cham
made Glee Club gave an unusually
good program during the week and
The Rollin Bonds launched their ex-
Ieriment in opera costume recltals.
The middle of May saw the en-
couraging work of nearly 700 Wash
ington singers banded together vol
chorus under John Finley William
son, the choral conductor who made
the Westminster Choir OF Dayton.
Ohio, and who has learned so COM
plctely through his own efforts and
personal research work the most
ccmmon-sense way to teach people
htw to sing simply. effectively and
always correctly. 1t is interesting
in this connection to quote para
graph or so from Mr.. Williamson's 5
remarks while giving his course of
five talks to nearly 100 local choir
directors and organists. He said,
with other things:
"The great need of American
music is conductors. Good directors
need to take care Of the simple de-
tails. Give the mass of people an op-
portunity for self-expreSsion.
81 Rhythm is not accent or pulsation
The dictionary defines rhythm as "a
regular recurrence of accent" That
is not rhythm Rather is rhythm
balancing and controlling of accents.
Accent is merely the skeleton of
rhythm, which is a vital part of in
depreciation. There must be a stand
ard for Interpretation. Choir and
choirmaster do not want to "feel the
music" 1t is their business to make
the audience feel it. That is the sole
task OF the choir and conductor
Most choirs never get past the point
of reading music. The conductor
must learn his music before taking
up the question of Interpretation.
Select music for the purpose for
which it is to be used. Both clergy
and choirmaster must study the
psychology of emotions and rhythm.
Study the music rather than the
text Several books are recon-
mended: The Five Books of the
St. Olai's Series. published by the
Ogberg Co. of Minneapolis, MINI,
by DR.. Christensen, written for a
capella choirs; books published by
Stainer & Bell of London, repre-
sented by G.. Ricordi, Forty third
street, New York S. Schirmer, Boyl-
ston street, Boston. publishes the
New Anthdr, Rodk, f,eslitsf'by Drs.
Davidson and Foote; Modern Eng
lish Anthems Kerwin Co. of Lon
don, through Presser Co.. Novello
Co., H. w. May & Co.: The Choir
masters Guide by Dickinson"
Particularly interesting is Mr..
Williamson insistence on careful
selection of voices for each choral
organization. He says:
"In selecting voices build desire
to get into the choir; establish
waiting list and then select your
voices. Don't use vocal standard /;
go by the expression under the eyes.
Use rhythmic test and tone test.
Every conductor must have rhythmic
sense and pitch sense. In the choir
keep the sopranos near the BASES
and the altos near the tenors to pre-
serve balance. Sopranos are the
steeple and the basses aie the
foundation"
** **
IT is quite encouraging in looking
4 over the programs of the past
years musical activities to find three
distinctly juvenile yet highly worthy
programs. Just before Christmas
there was the initial of several pres
cntations of the Vipivoce Club, that
organization of earnest youngsters
under the direction of Frances Gu-