Evening star., 1928-12-16

Music Clubs has realized that the
backbone OF a good music festival
is an excellent chorus of several
seasons training. Another is that
the same organization is starting
more interest in establishing
music interests in the home life of
WaShingtonianS, encouraging the
home group movement.
The latest practical idea pro-
jected toward this end of making
Washington the leader it should
be in musical matters, as well as
other affairs, was announced and
seemed to receive favorable re-
SponSe from the group of repre-
sentative folk, largely drawn from
local music circles, attending the
meeting last week. Nine. Olga
Samaroff, famous pianist and
writer on musical subjects, and
Miss Frances A. WiSter, a noted
Philadelphia muSicologiSt, were
guest speakers of the afternoon.
The actual event is chronicled
in the concise, matter-of- fact
statement issued officially by the
Library of Congress-:
"A first meeting of the newly
organized Friends of Music in the
Library of Congress was held
Tuesday afternoon at the resi-
dence of Mrs. Richard S. Aldrich.
THE organization is planned to
have a national scope. The preSi-
dent is Nicholas Longworth. The
vice presidents are Harold Bauer,
Mrs. Walter Bruce Howe and
Leopold Stokowski.
"The aims of the. society are
broadly threefold: To furnish a
bond between music lovers all
over the country by linking them
with our National Library, to fur
niSh the means of acquiring rare
editions and manuscripts for the
music collection of the Library,
and also to further the perform
ance of unusual programs"
** 4 X
A MOTHER addition to the many
ideas that are being worked
out in musical endeavorS in Wash
ington this season was begun by
Rose and Ottilie Sutro, when they
presented their first of series of
three morning programs done in
the informal setting of European
salon style. but aiming to stress
the values of American composers
and their works. The ultimate
hope of the Misses Sutro is to Gre
ate a center in Washington to
which the living native composers
will flock, just as politicians navi-
gate toward the Capitol lobbieS
and seekers for the rareSt volumes
of information on many subjects
come from all over the world to
the Library of Congress. Also they
aim to create an audience inter-
ested in hearing American music
and assisting the creative Ameri-
can whether he be composer,
sculptor, writer or painter.
The idea is not unlike that OF
Mrs. Edward MacDowell, widow OF
one of the finest of American
composers, who turned her large
estate of about 600 acres into
constantly improved colony, with
so studios for Americans gifted in
the creative arts. This colony pro-
vides a place at very modest rates
where talented Americans OF little
means may have several weeks
each of undisturbed, regular liv-
ing, giving plenty OF time Tor
working out their ideaS-adding
the 90 per cent perSpiration TO
their 10 per cent inspiration that
has been given as a recipe for
genius.
1t was the friendship for
Charles T. Critics. a most gifted
young composer. who died before
he was 80, due to having to work
in the daytime at routine job
and driven by his talent to burn
ing the candle throughout the
night with his music composition,
that first planted the seed for this
idea in the minds of the Misses
Sutro.
Formerly Baltimoreans. them
selves. they have returned after a
lengthy stay abroad to Washing
ton, instead, to make their home
here and build for their establish
ment of a recognized center here
for American creative talent.
Henry Hadley will be the COM
poser featured at the second of
the three morning programs they
present this year. He will be as
sisted by his wife, the soprano,
Inez Barbour, and other American
artists, in program January z.
Mrs. Beach, who was featured
in the initial program, sailed for
italy last Monday, following din
ner given in her honor by the
members of the Woman Compos-
ers' Group, in New York CITY. The
day before she had the privilege
of hearing two new works given
premieres in st. Bartholomew'S
Church. in New York, when a
"Benedictus" was played at one
service and choral work on the
subject of st. Francis of Assist
sung at another.