Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-10-21
NJ u S &c
MERE is no doubt about
Washington having oppor-
tunity to hear fine musical
BY HELEN FETTER.

- programs by leading, in
many cases world-renowned, ar
lists during the season 1929 80
The season has been a little slow
getting off to professional start
Teachers and professional artists
have fingered longer abroad and
elsewhere on vacations, and the
usual state of readiness to start
the seasons work October l has
slid along nearer to the 18th for
everything to get really under
way. Usually the first formal
concert program is launched in
Washington about the middle of
October. This year the first of
any professional series will be
given Thursday night of this week
by josef Hofmann, when he gives
the initial program in the new
Co = operative Artists Concert
Course, and DR.. Harold Dudley
will make his first appearance as
a manager of musical events in
the National Capital. Once the
season is fairly launched, however.
the musical boat will have to keep
a level keel, indeed, not to get
submerged beneath the unusually
heavy waves of an ocean of
events. AS mentioned once before
In these columns, Washington will
have music morning, noon and
night.
The PuritanS, who played a con-
siderable part in settling an early
portion of this country, undoubt-
edly would hold up their hands IL
horror at the varied, colorful
music programs to be given in
Washington not only on week
days, but in double-barreled
series of "a programs, most of
which will be presented on Sun
day afternoons. The season now
opening certainly has the most
elaborate and multiple plans
unsteady that have been made in
the history of the city.
Fortunately, the various ru-
mored music festivals planned
seem to have subsidized for the
present at least. 1t is to be hoped
that some day, with sufficient pre-
liminary preparation, Washing
ton may have a music festival of
which the residents and the whole
nation can be justly proud. Any
one with a yearning to start a
really successful music festival
should note the significance of
the fact that in the case of such
an established organization as the
Bethlehem Bach Choir, DR.. Wolfe,
director, called the first rehearsal
for the festival to be given next
May, on october /. Also, the choir
will rehearSe for two hours each
week until nearer the date of the
festival, when more rehearSalS
will be held. Already 300 singers
were registered to begin the re-
hearSalS the first of this month.
The program assigned for this
festival features both the "St.
Matthew Passion" and ''The Mass
in B Minor" to be given May 10
and II, respectively.
X ~
Josef HOFFMAN,, who gives the
recital Thursday night, open
Ing the new season, says that
playing a recital is like tuning up
a high-powered racing car; it is
a trial to determine just where
you stand"
This is a profound truth that
the public does not always recog-
nize. No artist really can know
until after a performance how
that performance will go. He may
feel exceedingly fit when he goes
out on the stage, yet, upon play
ing, find that the proper mood is
lacking. 1t may be that the audi
ence is difficult; the lack may be
in himself. On the other hand,
he may go to the stage in a black
mood and Immediately when he
commences find that he gives a
performance that even satisfies
himself. Naturally a great artist,
or even much less gifted musi-
clan who is really sincere, is his
lown SevereSt critic and a pretty
good Judge Of the values of his
own performance.
A great artist diSciplines him
self constantly so as to give his
ipublic the best that is in him, IN
spite of personal mood, temper or
petty annoyances that are liable
to arise unexpectedly and need
emergency control.
Even the best audience is liable
10 be very selfish and exacting and
ealso ignorant many times of the
small things which may make or
break an artists appearance. If
the artist has a great enough per-
sonality and sufficient practical
experience to overcome any OBJ
stacleS, his audience acclaims him,
but If he is at a loss for a second,
no matter how much he deserves
sSyInpathy and special conSidera-
ton, it is a gamble as to whether
sshe will get it or not.
Oddly enough, especially in the
case Of singers, it Is other singers
who are the first to condemn in
stead of condoning and Sympa-
thizing with the performer who
has been placed at disadvantage
and not had sufficient worldly eX-
perience to overcome the handi-
cap with correct psychological re-
action, but has rather been
,swamped by the natural impulse.
n X y
DROKOFYEFF, the young Rus
i sian composer, who has, as a
clever new book on Modern Rus
sian Composers" written by Leo
mid Sabaneyeff translated from
the Russian by judah A. Joffel
states, restored to Russian music
the Jest and irony, the satire and
laughter" will be represented on
Mr.. Hofmann's program in a
March"
Perhaps it would interest many
to quote here the entire chapter