Evening star., 1928-06-04

When one thinks Of the role played
| by flowers In poetry It Is surprising
that they have not been used more as
the titles of musical compositions.
Yet survey of music will show that
surprisingly few operas or songs are
named directly after flowers. compared
to the total number of compositions in
existence.
We got to thinking of this the other
day while considering the practica-
bility OF naming a comic opera after the
gladiolus, king of Summer Towering
bulbs.
THE Gladiolus Girl" we thought,
would have furnished the late Victor
Herbert with good title, especially II
pronounced in good American fashion,
with the accent on the letter 90
From this beginning we tried to re-
call the names of operas either grand
or comic. with flower names. Much to
our surprise, only two came to mind
Mascagnfs Iris and Richard Strauss
'Rosenkavalier.
The immortal composer of "Cavalleria
RuSticana," however. did notsname his
opera so much from the flower as from
the name of the Japanese heroine
That name came. OF course. from the
old Greek word for rainbow after
* X n
The names of most flowers. both per-
ennials and ANIMALS, as we'll as various
shrubs are musical in the extreme.
Take the sweet pepper bush, as 1t is
popularity called. The scientific name
for this is "Clethra Alnifolia." There is
harmonious combinationi
1t might be used as a girls name with
destination Alntfnlio
tin. for instance, would have a name
different from other girls, at the same
time rejoice in one that had sound to
It, How utterly commonplace some
names are! But certainly no one could
say that of Clethra (the 'e" pronounced
as In Eve).
The scientific names of plants con-
tain many such pleasant syllables. In
view of this. 1t would seem that par
entS are too conservative In naming
their little ones. Why should one stick
forever to Mary and Jane. when there
is such pleasant name as Clethra
waiting to be used?
The rose. queen of all flowers, easily
takes the lead in song writing, No
other flower can touch the rose when
1t comes to use In songs. Musicland is
filled with rose songs, although even
tilC nulllnC1 VA iAiCoC Will pLOfC oui =
prise.
Perhaps Sne should begin with "The
Last Rose of Summer" Thomas Moore S
song. TO which Flotow set the music
in his famous opera, Martha" This
piece proved to be the hit" of the
opera, which stands midway between
the grand and comic varieties.
This melodious composition has car
ried the fame OF the rose around the
world, II anything were needed to
carry its fame. which Is not The more
one works with the rose. the more he
studies 1t, the more he comes to appre-
ciate and love it.
1t Is not at all surprising, therefore.
that 1t figures in musical composition
more than any other flower, just as it
does in history Even the lily plays
second fiddle to the rose.
X
Love Sends Little Gift of Roses
is one of the better known of the grace
full rose ballads of recent years. Loves
Garden of Roses" is another.
A melodious South American tune,
named "A Bowl of Roses" generally
crops up as a marimba or xylophone
solo, and Is knockout" from every
earpoint.
Who does not recall Chauncey Oh
colts My Wild Irish Rose? 1t is not
bad tune at all, even today, although