Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-07-03
NJ i SIC
BY HELEN FETTER.


\ American Guild of Organists
held its sixth annual con-
So vention in this fair town and
tie problem of what The public
wants in organ music" was among
the most important OF the subjects
discussed during the sessions when
actual organ recitals did not speak
louder than all the words OF all the
speakers put together to exemphty
several phases OF that problem prac-
ticaily
Tuesday. the first day OF the con-
ven1ion, had three recitalS sand
wicned between business meetings
during the day. The first recital. III
the morning. was given by one or
gauiSt. In the late afternoon two or
ganists were listed to share one pro-
gram.
In the initial business session
Tuesday Frank Healy OF New York
City. warden OF the organization.
stated that the fact must be recog-
niced that organ recitals are not as
generally popular with people as
other types Of recitals. He gave as
one argument the suggestion that
most people consider the organ as
all instrument for. ecclesiastical
music primarily. This same thought
was followed up by another speaker
when the discussion was opened by
his saying that it was much more
difficult TO get people to attend an
organ recital in a church than in an
auditorium. In the theater people
can applaud and the whole atmos-
phere is quite different.
Rollo Maitland, brilliant organist
OF Philadelphia, stated. during the
discussion, that he felt the public
was not very interested in anything
which was completely free. That
one community pointed out to the
people that although they did not
have to pay specific amount to at
tend an organ recital, still they paid
in their annual taxes toward such
entertainment. This suggestion
seemed to place the matter in a
different light and was highly sue
ceSsful according to Mr. Maitland.
He also quoted reports from radio
stations as to successful organ re-
citals when only melodious, familiar
works or improvisations on well
known tunes, were given. Other re-
ports, he said. showed that many
"hsteners-in" were exceedingly an
tagonistic to the works of modern
composers, such as Debussy, Stra-
whisky and Ravel, and protested
against their being put on radio pro-
grams. Mr.. Maitland also suggested
that perhaps some organists lost
sight of the possible wishes of their
audiences and made up their pro-
grams just to suit themselves.
Louis Potter, formerly active in
local music circles but now OF
Charleston, w. Va. gave specific in
formation as to how carefully han
died publicity and the working out
of balanced programs which gave
plenty of familiar, melodious music,
had brought about very satisfactory
audience conditions in his conf
munity.
OF the six recital programs, aside
~ from the special dedication serv-
ice, presented during the convention
in Washington Tuesday and We'd
nesday, there was one that received
apparently unanimous praise by all
the organiStS for the compositions
presented and the manner of their
presentation. This was the program
given by Charlotte Klein on the
beautiful little organ in the Library
of Congress.
Miss kleins program was excel
lently balanced for light and shade;
in theme, type, mood, and was played
entirely from memory. Also. it was
the one program that came within
an hour in its length; a most signif-
cant fact. This, to the mind of the
writer of this column, is the first es-
sential in any musical program. Peo-
pie do not like to have to listen to
any one instrument in recital more
than an hour at time. In warm
weather it becomes almost intoler-
able and any pleasant impression
from the presentation by the musi-
clan is overshadowed by personal
WEAKNESS and discomfort.
Second to shortness, an organ re-
cital should certainly have variety
in the mood of its different COM
positions. A fugue should not be
followed by another very compli-
Gated contrapuntal work, such as
movement from a toccata; light,
dreamy number should be followed
by something vivacious instead of
another short work in somber color !;
there should not be too many SHOW
pieces" replete with technique, on
one program.
One very popular young organist
attending the convention, when
queried along these aforementioned
lines by the writer, admitted that
very few organists know how to
make up program and balance one
piece against another" He added
that he himself did not realize how