Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-10-07

" " winch possesses SO au-
thentic a national sig
nif1cance as the Chamber Music
Auditorium in the Library Of Con-
greSS.
This hall was established and
appropriately endowed by the
Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge Foun-
dalton. It was made possible by
the cooperation of the United
States Government and marks a
towering milestone in the musical
development of our Nation. It is
the first effort toward ofIlcial
recognition by the Government Of
this country of the existence Of a
native musical art.
Ever since the little hall was
built in the Library of Congress,
Mr.. Carl Engel, chief of the music
division of the library, has been
faced with the difficult problem OF
how best and most impartially to
distribute the necessarily limited
number of tickets for this audi
forum, which seats 511 persons.
The excellence of the music
and the unique artistry Of the in
dividualS or organizations pre-
scented in programs in this hall
have proved uniformly supreme.
They can not be eXcelled any
where in the world. Naturally the
requests for tickets to attend each
event far exceeded, even the first
year, the seating capacity OF the
hall. Congressman, diplomats,
music patrons, musicians, and a
general public that, with radio and
monographs, is rapidly awaken
ing to appreciation of the higher
types of musical entertainment
besieged Mr.. EngePS Office.
Plan after plan was considered,
in several cases tried, and re-
jected. At last, with Mr.. Engel'S
announcement which appears
elsewhere on this page, happy
solution would seem in sight. Mr..
T. Arthur Smith, long established
as a leading manager OF musical
events in the National Capital,
will handle the tickets for the
Chamber of Music concerts at the
Library of Congress this year. Thu
seats will be numbered and can be
ordered reserved at a modest fee.
Fuller details are given in the
official announcement above men
toned.
It would seem highly suspicious
that the first concert OF 1929 in
In the Library of Congress should
be given by the admirable Roth
String Quartet of Budapest, Hun
gary. This quartet was the SEN
Sation of Mrs. Elizabeth Coolidge'S
special anniversary festival in her
Temple of Music in the BerkShireS
a couple Of weeks ago, when the
quartet made its American debut.
DISTINCTIVE personalities are
always interesting, and the
"reminiscences of such individuals
usually have interest for others,
too. Going up into the BerkShireS
on the train with DR.. William G.
Carl, distinguished organist, who
is head of the Guilmant School OF
OrganiStS in this country, it was
very interesting to hear his remi-
niScenceS on the subject OF the
first festival ever given on South
Mountain. Antonio Sawyer, the
manager, also chimed in with
memories of those early days when
the Temple of Music was first
opened on the outskirts of Pitts
field, Mass. DR.. Carl was doing
special historical research in VIII
Jamestown that Summer. The IA
nous French organist, Joseph
Bonnet, also was doing similar re-
search work, and he and DR.. Carl
shared the three organs Of VIII
Jamestown turn about. They mo-
tored over together for Mrs. Cool
tdge'S first festival and had many
difficulties with deep muddy rutS
in the road and cold wind, with
knife-edged Steely rain to bap-
tie the youthful venture. DR..
Carl said the SeatS--the old pewS
which had been turned into con-
cert seats for the revitalized barn
had been so newly vanished
that none of the assembled COM
pany dared to sit down at first
for fear they might never arise
again. Programs ruined the var
niSh but protected the audience
and the rain was quite as perSiS-
tent as in Sadie ThompSon'S town.
Oddly enough, on the tenth an
adversary Of that festival, identical
weather conditions welcomed the
returning music pilgrims. But
CHEEKY, comfortable red cushions
lined the pewS and shaded lights
lightened the gloom Of the early
Fall afternoon. Then, with the
initiation festivities completely
recalled, Jupiter Pluvius turned
his dampening looks elsewhere
and the rest of the recently con-
cluded festival presented sun
nier aspect, with ideal weather
conditions for the picnic the third
day.
To return to DR.. Carl: He had
only just landed the previous day
from the boat which brought him
from France, where he spent much
Of the Summer in Paris and en-
virons. He had been first in
italy, and later went to SwitZ-
erland, but it was in France that
he fingered longest, spending
much of the time on the beautiful
estate of the same Joseph Bonnet,
near Paris, with private grounds
for hunting and fishing and a
charming chateau residence.
r X \ +
A LSO on that train going to-
ward Pittsfield for the festival
were Marion RouS, who is one OF
the most successful pioneers CIV
ing lecture recitals on modern mu-
sic, and Marion Bauer, leading
critic for the Musical Leader
and a composer of much ability.
The two Marions were filled with