Evening star., 1928-09-23

Music Festival was ceIe
brated today, on a date a.
near the anniversary of its birth
day-September is, 191S-as prac'
ticable, in the picturesque SettinE
in which these festivals of cham
Der music were originally held
under the auspices of Elizabeth
Sprague Coolidge-Mrs. FrederlcE
s Coolidge-who, in Washington
D. c.. is known chiefly as the spon-
sor of the project which MADE
possible the chamber music audi
torium in the Library of Con-
press. Mrs. Coolidge is recognized
throughout the world as an ar
dent patron and benefactor OF
rrusical enterprises. Her interest
has been practically shown all
over this country and also IN Eu-
rope.
Just three years ago this Fall
the Congressional Library's excel
lently equipped little auditorium
was opened with the first OF the
South Mountain festivals to be
transplanted. as it were, to the
National Capital. The reason OF
this is obviouS-WaShington is the
logical place in the entire United
States for the musical center OF
our country in time.
However. at the time of the first
chamber music festival in Wash :
jngton in 1925 there were many OF
the out-of- town guests who sur
prised and rather hurt the feel
ings of some of the Washington
ians by protesting at the change.
They wanted their festival music
left to South Mountain and not
brought into the heart Of smart
civilization. At that time the
writer of this article was un-
Initiated to the particular charms
of South Mountain, and, along
with many others, wondered
whether the attitude of the pro-
testants might come under the
heading of sour grapes" or
whether there really was reason
for their complaint and grumbling.
Now. after only half day in
PittSfeld, with two hours Of thot
time spent in attending the open
ing program of the tenth ami
versarv festival in the quaint au-
ditorium on South Mountain, 1t Is
quite possible to see clearly the
reason for the protest and to SYM
pathize with those who protested.
However, it would seem as though
a compromise might be effected
and the auditorium in the Ma
tional Capital might serve a pur-
pose that the auditorium in South
Mountain could hardly ever be eX-
pected to encompass. In Wash
ington both dignity and the au-
thority of the United States Gov
ernment hang shining canopies
above the activities of the feSti-
walls held in the Elizabeth Sprague
Coolidge Foundation Auditorium.
In PittSfield the musicians can
revel in the chatty informality
that such a wealth of tradition
and geniality has built around
both the intermissionS of the pro-
grams in the South Mountain au-
ditorium and, even more, around
the after dinner conversation
groups in the lobby of the Maple
wood Hotel. This hotel is more
than Just a hoSpitable Colonial
style mansion which spreads it's
long white wings wide on either
side of a tall columned portico: 1T
is a veritable institution" and in
order to attend one of the South
Mountain festivals to the best ad-
vantage, with complete equipment,
as it were, one should stop at the
Maplewood. Everybody does, as a
matter of fact, until even the at
tic cubbyholeS overflow with dis
tinguished composers or the in
strumentaliSts who are going to
take part, or other writers OF
music or on music. Roomy busses,
taxis and private cars convey the
host of guests that cram the ca
pacity of the auditorium back ana
forth TO programs.
A s for the South Mountain au-
"A ditorium, it needs whole sec
ton of mention devoted to itself
alone. The automobile road that
leads conveniently up to its very
back door winds through long
stretches of woodland with strip
ling trees like clusters Of plumed
gigantic pencils as their dominant
characteristic. The auditorium
faces over a vista of valley with
higher Berkshire Mountains roll
ing their curtains high into the
skyline and the miStS on such q
day as today suggest ghostly camp
fires as signals of long-departed
Indians. The mountains are deep
blue, with the green valleys in be-
tween accented by the fans OF
flaming red or gold trees already
painted gaudily by the futurist
Supreme-Jack Frost.
Inside the auditorium suggests
It's original purpose with the loftl-
ness of barn and auSterely paint
ed gray walls. Long, graceful
windows of Colonial style with
arched tops break the wall thai
faces the view; a tiny, unpreten'
tious entrance hall gives egreSS tt
the covered driveway at the rear
During a concert automobiles o.
all descriptions dot the sloping
grassy banks. The small platform
is fianked patriotically by two
American flags and the seats arr
converted church pews Cf church
pews can be said to be convert
ed"O, comfortably cushioned II
cneery red-toned material an'
vanished a glossy dark brown o
black. Rose-colored shades adj
another protest against the stern
ness of the gray walls. The tre
mendous height Of the building i
impressive, and the acoustics ar
excellent. 1t is indeed a happ,
place in which to hear goo'