Evening star., 1927-05-01
NJ u SIC
BY HELEN FETTER.

Capital. With the colorful and
highly successful Metropolitan Opera
performances ending the regular
professional season, last week pro-
vided a comparative lull for breath
and sleep recuperation, and the week,
beginning today, ushers in that
period of local musical endeavor
when recitals by students of voice,
piano, violin and dancing pile upon
each other with lengthy programs
and astounding volume. Quite ap-
propriately this first week in May
is the chosen Music week for 1927
and the National Music week COM
mittee has sent out much literature,
quiz booklet, etc, heading the
leading pamphlet with President
Coolidge's comment that Music is
the art directly representative of
democracy. If the best music is
brought &c the people there need be
no fear about their ability to appre-
ciate it,
This comment invites its COM
panion thought that the best music
also must be given the best presen-
it to Their hearts, for that great au-
dienoe of varied minds and types of
living takes no personal sides for the
performe's of music any more than
for the actors i'll plays or the play
erS in a big league team; the
singers and musicians must give of
their best, and to A degree that is
obviously 'top-hole" to even the
most castal observer if the best COM
positions of the art they serve are
TO be thoroughly appreciated and in
dorsed tN their audiences. These
are not the audiences made up of
parents ard friends who have seen
the hours Of practice and drudgery
that preceted the stage appearance.
Becaase, Of this state of affairs. a
star system of cultivating the big
talents Yaltne in musically gifted
young America has temporarily
starved thu people generally of that
great opportunity, that is, participa-
tion. ItYf the aim of the Music
week, being celebrated, in more than
1000 Anglican communities this
week, TO restore that opportunity to
the public at large. AS efficient and
entertaining as the radio and phono-
graph hav proved to be, they alone
cannot provide this boon to Ameri-
can citize8. Both of them can help
greatly bJ giving the work of lead
ing artistS for examples for the stu
dents all over the country. Lis
tening t, music may be a most
happy occupation. but it is not going
TO make America the music-loving
country that European countries
have ben for centuries. No pleas
Sre enjoyed exteriorily gives the
real 100 per cent appreciation and
enthusia that actual personal
participation contributes to the
human ioie de vie"
~ ~
IN this connection it is interesting
L to hfd that piano dealers, in par
ticular, are sprucing up on this prop
osition .of public participation in
musicas production. There are, GER
tainly. without taking the trouble to
refer y the exact staggering statis-
tics, nDre pianos in American homes
than sny other musical Instrument.
Also, equally without referring to
statistics, it is safe to state that there
Is an appalling percentage of these
pianos already established in Ameri-
can hmes that are used merely as
pieces of decorative furniture or
stand; for lamps and vases of flow
ers and not for regular musical pro-
grams that are the more delightful
for being informal and only for the
family or friend who has dropped
IN for f1e evening.
AS a result of the widespread
recognition of these facts, the piano
compannS. feeling that something
must be done about it, are instituting
contests Tor students of the piano
ElSewhee on this page story
about tie ready response of more
than 80 applicants within the past
week toan initial mention of a grand
piano Prize contest, TO be held in
Wsshinrton next November. shows
healthy revival of interest in ac-
tually ,ring this instrument.
Il predict that within another 10
years ths. American people will be a
nation OF musical performers rather
than muical listeners" said Edwin
{. Boykn, executive secretary of
the National Association of Piano
Manufacturers, in an interview re
garding the recent publication of
Government statistics showing the
musical rend as evidenced in the
report of musical instrument manu-
facturers' Before that time has
elapsed he piano will see greater
glory than ever before in the history
OF musical appreciation.
"Neveribefore in our history have
so manylboys and girls been study
ing the 5iano; 10000 music teachers
are instfucting over 100000 children
in the study of the piano, the basic
musical instrument"
Such famous musician as Walter
Damrosch recently said: Every
child in our country should learn
how to seig and how 10 play upon
a. least lone musical instrument.
Among taese the piano is perhaps
the most practical for musical cul-
tural purposes. Nothing should
crowd OUT the opportunity for self
eXpressio4 which comes TO those who
can play The piano with some degree
OF mastety."
n y
THE piano is indeed the logical in
\ strmment with which to start a
childs musical education; however
it is nodnecessarily the best instru-
nlent fofi every child to continue to
use, sinde the choice OF a musical in
strument for advanced development
and training depends upon the
talents Of each particular child. Ir
the most advanced and progressive
schools children are taught their
basic harmony and melody and
rhythm with the piano as the basic
instrument and also combining aIono