Evening star., 1927-07-17

choir does arrive, it will give free
concert for the school children and
include in the program those special
numbers, with the children who
learned them participating, too, in
the singing of them.
TT would seem as though in Wash
ington those who have real talent
and have worked up something diff
ferent in music especially suitable
for children to hear might occasion
ally-even once year III one
school-give very short program
for the children. The writer OF this
column remembers distinctly when.
in the graded schools here, the NIT
sic hour was always looked forward
to with extra anticipation by the
children, and the two or three occa-
sions in the years spent at Western
High School when singer or IN
strumentalist gave programs stand
out as high lights of memory. Prob
ably those performers were not ar
tists-certainly they were not world
famous-and it is more than likely
that they were quite young. though
seeming very mature to the high
school student, but the response OF
the audience at large to their efforts
remains always as an important and
impressive thought.
There are those who play De-
bussy's "Children's Corner" suite, !;
there are those who sing children S
songs; there are many who could
give simple explanatory recltals OF
very important and beautiful music
for even the youngest children.
When a person has seen the remark
+ able success that Ernest Sehelling
has with his concerts in. New York
on Saturday mornings, when Aeolian
Hall is always filled with eager, at
tentive youngsters and a screen and
little program book of concise ex-
plantations complement the playing
by the soloists of different instru-
ments, which are described and ex-
planned to the audience. the impor-
tance of such work cannot be too
much stressed. Mr.. Stokowski has
been doing similar work, and, OF
course, Walter Damrosch, pioneer IN
such labors of love in music, has
done much along such lines, not only
for the children, but for their elders,
even right here in Washington, IN
the same general way.
Participation is the answer every
time. Why are cross word puzzles
still widely populare Why are ASK
Me Another" questions enjoying a
vogue? Why are music festivals in
creasing in their scope in commu:-
mites all over the world, where IN
MANY instances whole towns OF peo-
ole turn in and take part in one way
or another in getting ready and put
ting on these festivals! The answer
is-partieipation.
4 CCORDING to some statistics
IA drawn up by the Government
comparatively recently, the organ
and stringed instruments are gaining
in popularity with students in this
country and the piano is losing.
Qassifcations supplied by the Bu-
reau of Census of manufacturers' re-
ports for 1925, in comparison with
those of the previous census Q923)
state:
"A slight decrease in the number
of parlor and baby grand pianos was
more than offset by big falling off
in the production of upright pianos,
Government figures showing de-
crease in piano production of II per
cent. The value of pipe organs ex-
ceeded previous production figures
by more than $3,000,000.
Reports covering other musical
instruments showed an increase in
production of more than 80 per cent,
the value of string instruments man
ufactured being over 100000 in ex-
cess of production figures for the
earlier census reports. Sheet music
and music books showed an increase
of about $350,000.
Many see in these evidences of
musical tendencies the far-reaching
influence of radio. Government re-
ports show steadily increasing pro-
duction in high-grade radio sets.
One of the largest producers, A. At
water Kent, who turned out his mill
lionth set last Fall, reported an in
crease of more than 500 per cent.
THE effect of the radio has been
in the nature of musical renais-
sance, according to reports, the
tendency being to arouse increasing
numbers to the development of their
own musical skill along vocal and in
strumental lines, with lessening of
interest in canned music. The
Government reports show the pro-
duction of Photographs in this
period to have fallen away more
than 40 per cent.
These Government production
figures are said to be unmistakable
indications of the musical tendencies
of the American people, as practi-
cally all musical instruments used
here are made in America. A notable
exception in this year is said to
have been the importation of more
than 100000 harmonicas, the sale
of which has also been augmented
by radio.
"The effect of this musical renais-
sance is said to be further evidenced
in the growing number of concerts,
orchestras, bands and glee clubs and
the rapid improvement in the quality
of orchestral music in motion picture
houses in recent years."
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