Evening star., 1928-12-30

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country to carry on" in intelli-
gently organized choir training as
ministers of music" for better
church music in America. The
second of the three -choirs which
Mr.. Williamson has been training
will then become the first choir
for touring appearances.
Still again the widespread. care
fully outlined plan to build one
unit we'll and then scatter the in
dividuals throughout the country
to carry on" with similar train
ing-an essentially American way
of going about such efforts with
system and forethought-iS being
used in the training of high school
orcheStraS and bands throughout
the country. Moreover the three
service bands-the United States
Army, Navy and Marine Bands
on their tours are trying to help
in this respect. There are compe-
titionS and organized learning Of
certain compositions for compari-
sons to strengthen interest on the
part of the young musicians
throughout the country.
In this connection it might be of
general interest to state that the
writer has it on good authority
that the United States Post Office
Department has stated that it is
estimated by them that notice of
a new contest" on one subject Or
another is brought to their atten-
ton SO frequently that they
reckon a new contest is started
somewhere every 80 minutes.
X x y *
A S for the audiences and their
= training for music apprecia-
ton. That, too, is being consider
ed by many authorities. Dr. Walter
DamroSch, as related more in de-
tail elsewhere on this page, is
throwing all his personal efforts
into interesting lecture recitalS
over the radio to be given for
adults and also for school chill
dren. There are others doing
similar fine work but not, perhaps,
on so large and pretentious a
scale.
1t is interesting to find that
Lenore Uric, the famous stage
star, has suggested in an interview
printed in the recent issue of
Musical America that she has
much faith in the possibilities for
musical education through the
medium of the popularity called
"speakieS." She is quoted as say
ing:
81 believe that the synchroniza-
ton of sound and sight in motion
pictures, making it possible for
the multitudes to get a clear vision
and clear addition of the great
musicians doing their bit is one
of the mightieSt instruments for
good that has been slipped into
the hand of music for many q
year Think what it will mean to
the legionS of music lovers, many
of them living miles away from
any center of musical activity,
many of them poor, to hear and
see Schumann- -Heink, Gigli, CALI
Curci, Hofmann, KreiSler and
ever so many more-just by going
to the movies! We hear a great
deal of talk about what ought to
be done to improve the musical
taste of today'S children and the
general musical conditions sur
rounding them. Here's the best
solution yet. Let's see now how
effectively it's going to be utilized"
EARLIER this month Dr. J. Fred
- Wolfe, director of one of the
earliest and most valuable eStab-
lished musical traditions in this
country-the Bach Choir of Beth
lehem, Pa.-had the great salts
faction of seeing his hard work
recognized by the imposing cele-
bration of 80 years of this choir'S
existence under his exclusive di-
rection. Such recognition dur
ing his activity as it's head is a far
worthier memorial to DR.. Wolle'S
efforts than ton of wreaths and
towering mountain of monu-
mentS after his death. DR.. Wolfe,
the members of his organization
and those of the little community
which SO modeStly supplies the
background for this fine institu-
ton deserve the very best of all
wishes for the new year and for
the new decade they are starting
now to add to the three already
accomplished. It is such efforts
that build for lasting, growing
musical culture in the United
States.
THE year 1929 is starting music
ally in Washington with Janu-
ary as an unusually busy month.
There are Is outstanding profess
sional events listed after the short
breathing spell of the current
week to ring the carols out with
the old year.
Among the attractions listed
for the National Capital in Janu-
ary are: The second Sutro morn
ing musical program to feature
Henry Hadley; American COM
poser and conductor, and InCz
Barbour, soprano, in Hadley COM
positions, January 7; the first New
York Philharmonic Symphony
concert this season here, under
Willem Mengelberg, January s,
with another the end of the
month, January %, under Arturo
| ToScanini; Mrs. TOWnSend'S first
morning program since the hOli-
days, presenting Paul Kochanski
and Felix Salmond jointly, Janu-
ary 9, with other artists in the
January list of morning programs
to include Ruth Townsend, So
prano; Beniamino Gigli, Metro
politan tenor; Myra Hess, pianist;
Yelly dAranyo, violinist, and Bea-
trice Harrison, violoncellist; the
KoSloff Ballet, January 10; Yehui
/ IMenuhin. bow marvel viOliniSt, and