Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-04-06
SYMPHONY Chief
OUTLINES HOPES
Beautiful Redwood Music
Room Is Added to Frost'S
Home In Capital.
Bx GRETCHEN s. SMITH.

To the beautiful home on Norman
Zone Drive, on O hill overlooking Rock
Greek. Frank B. Frost, formerly treas
Urer Of the Standard on Co. Of New
York, and now president Of the Ma
tional Symphony Orchestra, has added
o wing, containing a spacious music
room and an office IN which the bust
neeS and correspondence Of Washing
tons recently organized symphonic or
elaestTa Is carried on.
The music room was planned and
designed by Mr.. Frost after many years
Of observation and study of rooms,
balls and auditoriunS throughout the
world, In which are held concerts and
musical gatherings with the most sat
&stactory acouStical results. A room
similar to this In his new Washington
home was built by Mr.. Frost in his
homo in the Ojai Valley Of California
: and used for recitals, concerts and
practice gatherings Of some OF the fore
most musicians on the West Coast.
Ceiling OF Special Design.
Ia Che house on Normanstone Drive
Ehe music room Is built entirely Of red
wood brought from California. The
walls are paneled with 12-inch boards
untouched by oil, wax or artificial prep
arationS, but beautifully finished so as
10 show the natural grain Of the wood
70 itS best advantage A vaulted CELL
ing, II feet high, has been specially
designed by Mr.. Frost to permit no
sharp edges; whereby pockets might e71-
1St and produce sound interference.
This room Is a great improvement
over the one In California" Mr., Frost
said. "as there the ceiling was timbered,
and found that the projecting timbers
interfered greatly with sound. I have
tried In this room to have certain
element Of decoration, preserving at the
same time a fat surface for walls and
ceiling"
The natural grain and coloring Of the
redwood gives most pleasing finish to
this beautiful room, which. AZ feet long
by 81 feet wide, Is large enough to
comfortably accommodate the SYM
phony orchestra If desired.
THE Congregational Choir, consist
ing Of 90 members. held a rehearsal
here one day." Mr. Frost said, and
the room was only about one-third
filled"
Since coming to Washington a year
ago the former Standard Oil official
has been Untiring in his efforts to
help local musicians and to make a
success of the newly born National
Symphony Orchestra.
Hopes All May Enjoy Treat.
"The men comprising this orchestra
are giving their services at great Sacri-
nee to themselves" the orchestras
president remarked. Many are giving
up lucrative hours formerly devoted
to teaching to orchestra rehearSals. I
feel that if we could get the message
Of this symphony orchestra and its
beautiful music to the $4,000 Govern
the working classes, who due to the
high cost Of tickets are unable to at
tend symphony concerts and operas
and charge a low rate of admission to
the concerts that Washington would
be assured of success for its symphony
orchestra. Why, have seen the Holly
wood bowl outside of Beverly Hills filled
with thousands Of persons on SYM
phony orchestra nights" he continued.
They came from the hills and the
plains, from the farms and from the
factories, and one reason for this great
attendance was because they could af-
ford admission which was only IS cents.
But they would not have come, If they
had not loved music There are as
many music lovers In Washington am
sure, who would attend the symphony
concerts If the charge of admission
were made possible for them. But we
need the support of everyone in Wash
tngton. the great organization in par
ticular, as naturally the National Or
chestra cannot survive without support ;"
Sees Radio as Help.
It is Mr.. Frosts opinion that the
radio should prove a help to the future
popularity Of symphony orchestras.
People will grow tired of the jazz
music after they hear it constantly over
the RADIO" he said, and at the same
time, the radio will help to educate the
taste Of the public for good music. by
the concerts of more serious music
which are now broadcasted."
Mr.. Frost declares that he has been
. lover of music since he can remem-
Der, and as boy of 8, he loved to play
tunes on small violin.
II played so much as little boy" he
laughed, that one day, my father
took my fiddle away from me and locked
it up, saying he wanted me to grow
up to be a business man and not a
fiddler. However, I soon got another
one, because when was given a shotgun
the following Christmas, I traded it off
to q neighbor for a violin, which my
father permitted me to keep, when he
saw my love for the instrument"