Evening star., 1928-09-09

Herman, with Prof. Eugene S
Costa director. Both Mr.. Herman
and Prof. Costa are well known in
local circles.
TT is quite the appropriate time
1 of year for the publication of
such a volume as Musical Ameri-
cas- Guide. which, in revised and
enlarged form, has just been is
sued from the press. It is, indeed
as the editor says, "a new, bet
ter and bigger guide" 1t is the
eighth edition, and is the first to
find itself so artiStically clothed in
a rich, red limp leather jacket.
The paper, while thin, does not
have that annoying quality of
making the reader of one side of
a page irritatingly conscious that
there also is printing on the re-
verse side. Most of the type is
large size and black.
Undoubtedly, the most unusual
feature of this volume, one that
is really unique, is the we'll spaced
and nicely arranged engagement
calendar, which certainly should
"flll long-felt want" and, with
one reader, at least, will be in
constant use"
This guide is particularly we'll
arranged in the sequence of ma
terial, the indexing, the list Of
libraries of music as we'll as pub
fishers, the section devoted to
first performances" the birth
and death dates of famous COM
/ posers, the scholarships, schools,
festivals both here and abroad,
orchestraS and artists and teach
ers.
There is only one query that
finds no answer. The index an
nounces a list of musical activities
in American cities" and another
for Canadian cities" After all,
strict accuracy must admit that
the adjective American" belongs
not only to the United States, but
to two whole continents, compris-
ing Canada and the United States
in North America. with a number
of totally separate other countries
in Central America and again in
South America. To completely
fulfill it's title, the Musical
Americas Guide" really should
have some of the detailed materia.
OF these other countries musical
activities as we'll as the North
American between it's gay covers.
Music is not only principal form
of entertainment in Central and
South America. but also might al
most be termed leading industry
Of those countries, so widely is
the population interested in writ
ing music. engaging in musical
nrogramS and listening to music.
Some of the most beautiful opera
houses in the world are located on
the South American continent.
and North Americans generally
have no conception of the amount
of both native folk music and
native chamber music available
in those countries.
VXTASHINGTONIANS who have
w enjoyed the privilege of at
tending some of the distinctive
programs of chamber music given
IN the Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge
FOundatio auditorium in the
Library of Congress may be in
tereSted to hear of the special an
nlverSary festival of chamber
music that Mrs. Coolidge is giving
September 10 to 81 in her Temple
of Music on South Mountain in
PittSfleld, Mass. It was there
that Mrs. Coolidge, who not only
is an ardent patron of music as
an art, but also is a thorough
musician herself, first inaugurated
her festivals in 1918. Only 10
years ago, yet what a great step
has been encompaSSed in that
interim! Finding the wide inter-
est and response to the oppor-
tunitieS she made possible to
chamber music musicians in these
early programs, in 1925 Mrs. Cool
idge had achieved the co-opera-
ton of the United States Govern
ment, and the fine little audi
torium that has become a Gov
ernment institution was eStab-
lished in the Library of Congress.
It is the first occasion in the
musical history of this country
that marks the recognition and
sponsorship of music by the Unit
ed States Government. It is the
first step toward the uniting of
music with the other fine arts,
represented in the collections IN
paintings, prints and sculpture in
the art galleries here, and with
architecture, as Syn1boliZed by the
Lincoln Memorial, toward the
making of Washington the real
National Capital, artistically as
we'll as politically.
In the first festival of chamber
music of the Fall of 1925, formally
opening the Library OF Congress
auditorium, again in the second,
held in the Fall of 1926, and in the
Spring festival held there last
April, 1928. always a combination
of the best and ,neweSt efforts
both of American composers and
artists and of the world at large
was presented before invited au-
diences that represented the
United States, with music creators
and critics from coast to coast
and north to south. and also in
cluded international artists and
| dinlom9tS.
Carl Engel. chief of the music
division of the Library of Con-
greSs. deserves particular mention
for the wisdom and managerial
artistry he has shown in bringing
to this country for the first time
for debuts in this auditorium at
the National Capital such marvel
Gus and renowned organizations
as the English Singers, the So
| ciatv nf Apripnt Music Of Paris