Douglas daily dispatch., 1928-03-18
MUSIC
CLUB WORK
MUSIC ROOM CHATS

proved himself to be not only a real
artist but real gentleman and O real
Catholic as we'll He has been in the
public eye for many years, and his
record is one to be proud of. That
it should have been recognized at
Rome is only natural and to be ex-
pected Characteristic of Mccormack
was his remark upon the receipt of
news of the title conferred upon him.
Il have become very much excited"
he said, when I think what Joy and
happiness it will bring to my mother
and father in Ireland!" 1t is not
every man who would think first of
his mother and father on such an
occasion. Mccormack is one of them,
and perhaps the whole-hearted SYM
pathetic understanding of others is
one of the things that have made him
such popular favorite the world over.
Charles D. Isaacson is the new music
critic of The New York Morning Tele-
graph. His contributions are sound
muSically, but in addition they make
a popular appeal because they COM
binE news with criticism and refrain
from the kind of technical dissection
which interests only negligible per-
centage of the readers of any daily
newspaper. A new Isaacson book
called "Thc Simple Story of Music" is
about to issue from the press. Tt
should be boon for the tired busi-
ness man who thinks that Bach is
merely mathematics and that Wagner
wrote most of his music loud in order
to keep the Somnolent business man
awake when he is an unwilling listener
at the opera.
The Academy of Arts and Sciences
presented John Philip Sousa with q
gold mcdcsA last week-the first award
of the kind ever made for music by
this organization. Sousa is highly
worthy of the honor and the praises
showered upon him by the speakers at
the accompanying dinner had fine
truth as their basis. He is one of the
most respected and beloved musicians
Of our day.. AS one of the orators
remarked: John Philip Sousa, your
fame will keep step with your music
as both march unforgettably down the
tuneful corridors of time"
= Music in America also is able to
fling its personal patriotic yawp across
the waters to Europe. The boast OF.
our tonal circles is that the congress
sional library at Washington possesses
as fine and complete musical divi-
sion as there is to be found anywhere
in the world. Best of it all, the
claim is true.
There is no one better suited to sing
the leading role in the new Strauss
opera, "The Egyptian Helen" as its
world premier on June 6, next, at
Dresden, than Elizabeth r e III b erg.
Strauss was anxious to have Miss
Rethberg sing the first performance
of his other OPERA "Intermezzo," all
honor which the metropolitan opera
singer was obliged to forego owing to
her engagements in New York. Not
to be daunted, Strauss stipulated that
he would let Dresden give the latest
opera it's premiere in June providing
Rethberg could do it. After long
negotiations this splendid artist has
been able to set aside all concert and
opcratio dates for the brilliant occa-
sion Immediately after the premiere
Miss Rethberg will sail for America to
rejoin the Ravinia Park Opera COM
pany, her next engagement after that
taking her to San Francisco for opera
there After that the 1928-29 season
in America continues for the much
in-demand singer, SO that she will
have little or no rest between times.
Tito Schipa is to go to Rome at the
y vitation of Premier Mussolini for 10
performances of the newly opened
Royal Opera.
With Grace Moore, a southern girl,
a recent metropolitan entrant, Mildred
Sieba, Florida girl and prize win
ner of the Caruso foundation for two
years in Italy, Maizie Waugh Parish,
a Texas state scholarship winner, and
1O-year-old Giula Bustabo, remarkable
young violinist, America has an in
creasingly brilliant musical horizon.