Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-05-12
M u S
BY HELEN FETTER.

anew and anticipated work fol
the lyric stage. Composers do not
turn their works out by the yard
with the precision Of musical
comedy score writers. Not a few
composers are noted for seeking
absolute seclusion, so far as hui
manly obtainable, while writing
new works. Probably they all
would like to work in uninterrupt-
ed solitude if circumstances per-
mitted.
However this may be, it was the
good luck of the writer to catch
Americas most promising operate
composer in the matter-of- fact
surroundings Of his office several
blocks east of Fifth avenue, New
York City, about two weeks ago.
The composer was Deems Taylor.
The object of the interview was
news concerning Mr.. Taylor's i'm
pending opus which was commits
stoned by the Metropolitan Grand
Opera Co. some time ago. In fact,
the time limit for the evolving of
this opera was generously ex-
tended.
When finally uShered into the
presence of this twentieth century
composer in his Office on the top
floor of a tall Office building,
Mr.. Taylor was found to be as pro-
saically engroSSed as any news
paper man in checking up on
"cuts" and "layoutS" for the next
issue of the magazine of which
he is editor-i n-chief - Musical
America. Probably no other COM
poser of equal renoWn has had a
less picturesque setting for inspi-
ration than this typical office of
coop-like dimensions, bounded on
three sides by plateglass and wood
partitions, with the fourth side
devoted to huge window with a
typical metropolitan view. Mr..
Taylor's desk was strictly utili-
tartan and Uttered in authentic
journalistic style. The man seated
before it was slight and Wiry in
build. His alert grayish eyes
twinkled Shrewdly behind spec
tacles. His reddish hair was trim
and well behaved. He wore the
style of clothes prescribed for
AlllE11Cdll
screwed the Stubby point of a
chewed pencil into the visible
portions of the green blotter on
his desk as he talked just as most
of us do when waiting for
central" to get the right number
on the telephone.
Poised yet nervous, Sensitively
imaginative while practical, gra-
ciouS but thoroughly busineSs-like,
is Deems Taylor. He clips his
phrases as he talks and joins them
neatly and swiftly together in the
fashion of man used to assem-
bling words for immediate concise
expression Of ideas that shape
themselves in his brain with
lightning rapidity. He is obvious
ly a writing man. His music has
proved that he is equally gifted as
a musician. The composer of
1.-THE Kings Henchman" is no
dreamer, but a hustler among
business men, as well as the
weaver of tapestry OF beautiful
sound.
After the usual comments on
beautiful weather, mutual friends
and good health had been dis
posed of, Mr.. Taylor said:
You know, everybody is want
ing to write my opera for me. I
can't meet a friend in a concert
hall or elsewhere that he or she
doesn't have some suggestion to
offer about it. They tell me what
I must do. They tell me what I
mustn't do. They suggest how
something can be done, and they
vehemently mention what simply
must not be done in this opera"
The interviewer sympathiZed as
gracefully and conservatively as
possible, then suggested that, of
course, the most interesting queS-
ton was-just what was Mr.. Tay-
lor himself planning to do in
working out this opera? The
libretto, it was understood gener-
ally, was to be that of the play
street Scene" written by Elmer
Rice, which was one of the out
standing plays of the past Winter
in New York. Mr.. Taylor agreed
that this was, indeed, correct.
It might be interesting at this
point to digreSs long enough to
"Street Scene" for those who are
unfamiliar with the play. 1t is
American in the melting pot
sense. 1t is realistic, Sordid as the
suppressed tragedy of the poverty
stricken jewellers in narrow side
streets, with only the faint ro-
mantle fragrance that comes from
a delicate love flower crushed to
death in the crannied wall just as
it is family tinged by the reflected
sunlight that never quite reaches
these side streets.
The action takes place on what
is known, in preSent-day Ameri-
can parlance, as a Sizzling" hot
day and night in June, when
the people in the Squalid build
ings of the poor quarter lean
from their windows painting for
breath. There is the wife of a
Sullen man who, in sheer despair
of any betterment, tries to con-
sole herself with cheap affair
with a milk collector. The hus-
band discovers the pair and kills
them both. The daughter of this
Murderer has realized that she
Nes a young Jewish poet, but her
wisdom, born of sorrow, makes
her negative any hope of her
loves fruition. The girl, crushed
and totally disillusioned, but
courageous in her determination
to hold to her belief as to what
is right to be done, departs from
the scene and the boy finds the
mystic essence of his dream dis