Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-07-01
NJ y S &c
BY HELEN FETTER.

But do intelligent people cal
all this rot about everything IL,
art being the finest because it Is
/ American? I have never heard
them. Personally, I believe that
all this discussion of American
talents has been tremendous
asset in keeping the subject before
! the public who are thus made TIC
realize not only the sterling worth
of our native material but the
benefits to be derived in support
ing it."
1t is true that there have been
many protests made to Mr.
Adams plan for placing American
students in European opera houses
for thorough routine yet only as
recently as within the month
Washington had an example of
local singer, Emma Redell, who
went through the routine in Ger
man opera houses and, although
Miss Redell is still young and has
not yet reached the zenith of her
career by far. nevertheless, she
shows a thorougneSS in work with
a great variety of roles achieved
through hard work in the medium
of that routine"
A splendid thing for Americans
to do to help young singers would
be to build small, but adequate
opera houses al over the country
and work out a system, perhaps
under the direction of community
cultural groups, to give young
Americans places in which TO gain
that valuable routine right on
home territory and under the
guidance of American impress
SarioS. This would neceSSitate
the building of orcheStraS which,
in time. might grow to symphonic
proportions, and also would pro-
vide experience for young Ameri-
can conductors.
~
CPEAKING of Americans being
- given a chance. A recent an
nouncement made by the Bee
.hoven Symphony Orchestra states
that three American composers
are to be commissioned by that
organization to write works to be
played in the second half of the
coming season. The. American
compositions committee. aSsocia-
ted wththe orchestra, will deter
mine the winners. In addition
TO possible competitors, other
American composers are requested
to submit score to the orchestra
for consideration during the Sum-
mer months. It is announced as
the intention of the orchestra to
include at least one American
composition on every program Of
the 100 concerts to be given dur
ing the coming season.
THE idea of the need for an
i official recognition by the Ma
tional Government of the cultural
interests and advancement in this
country, including music. is not a
new one, or is it an idea that has
fallen upon entirely barren
ground. But such ideas take time
and much REPETITION to start
growth. When one considers that
a famous clown once said he
found that to win thorough ap-
probation and applause from an
audience for single gesture
meant to be comica1, he had TO do
it six times in close REPETITION, tt
is easy to realize why big idea
that must have wide support is
so slow to gain practical con-
sideration.
One of the most recent ex-
ponents in public of the cause of
the establishment by the Federal
Government of a national con-
servatory of music, a national or
chestra. and a national opera, is
Gov. Richie of Maryland. He
spoke on the subject of Music
and State" at a convention held
earlier this month in New York
by the National Association of
Music Merchants. Gov. Richie
said:
Music is the one international
language We have the right to
expect every great national gov
eminent to aid and nourish it, and
every one does. save only the
United States of America"
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