Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-12
NJ U S I c.
BY HELEN FETTER.

United States, which has such
fine orchestras elsewhere, and to
present always at least one Amer
lean work on every program.
II think that Is the way that a
country should grow musically,"
said Mr.. Schueller last Monday,
Through its composers. One can
only hear them and judge them
by giving their works perform
ance. AS soon as we are sum-
GENTLY organized, shall invite
composers from all over the coun-
try to send me compositions for
consideration. The most iYnpor-
tant message that we have to de-
liver is the message of the Ameri-
can composer, always giving one
in each program"
y
AT that second rehearsal, Mon
- day-as at the first, Sunday
one of Americas most eminent
composers was present, modestly
yet keenly attentive to every note
in the first two rehearsals here Of
his New England Symphony"
Pink faced, smiling genially be-
hind his academic glasses, pat
ting his white hair absent-mind-
edly when he was particularly
absorbed in the reading Of some
more involved passage, Edgar
Stillman Kelley stepped softly
about in his long-tailed, schol-
arly style coat or sat with folded
arms among the musicians as
they went over phrase after
phrase of his work, which Is to be
featured in the first concert the
end Of January.
AS DR.. Kelley explained, this
symphony, which has been played
by all the established orchestras
and was first given at a music
festival in New England, is based
upon an old New England hymn.
It is given most effective treat
ment in the largo movement. DR..
Kelley happened to be in Wash
ington, en- route to New York
from the West, and he stayed
over a couple Of days to hear
these rehearsals of his work,
which had been chosen by these
men for the honor place on their
first program. He expressed
amazement, even with his long
years of intimate experience with
skilled and talented directors, at
the immediate and intelligent
grasp that Mr.. Schueller had up
on the inner meaning OF his mu-
sic in this symphony. Mr.. Schuel-
Ter had never seen the score be-
fore Saturday night, yet by Mon
day noon there were not a few
places where smooth, rich inter-
probation was given the truly
beautiful phrases of this music.
In his informal remarks and an
swers to questions addressed to
the writer during rehearsal in
termiSsionS or pauses for correc-
tions, DR.. Kelley would murmur,
"Diffcult" and That's right.
with q cherubic smile spreading
as phrase after phrase was con-
quered by the Washington musi--
clans and their earnest leader.
The first program also is to in
clude the overture to Wagner'S
"TannhauSer," which Mr.. Schuel-
Ter admitted with pleased sur
prise the local musicians already
had well in hand; the "Preludes"
of List and Suite l. Arlesienne,"
by Bizet.
FRANK FROST, a truly repre-
sentative American musician;
who became q brilliant business
man. winning. success in the min
ing industry, and who, in spite OF
his wealth, still gets keen enjoy
ment from playing the viola In
chamber music groups, is among
the musicians organized into this
symphony. Mr.. Frost has been
elected the president Of the group
governing the personnel Of this
orchestra. Mr.. Frost says:
1.-THE very sporting attitude OF
these musicians in their pledge to
cooperate in every respect for
this orchestra appealed definitely
to me. I think that II we can
give three concerts this Winter
and make them successful, we
should not only merit but secure
the decided cooperation OF the
public, so as to make weekly con-
certs and many other events
practicable for next Winter. This
Is the only great capital in the
world without a symphony Or
chestra-in a Nation which has
outstandingly fine orchestras, too.
It Is up to us TO. remedy this in
a practical fashion, and believe
that these Washington men are
going about 1t in the right way"
It really looks as though the
dream of many Washington mu-
sicians stands a chance of coming
true in the near future. The eff
fort on the part of these 80 Wash
ington musicians, by their actu-
ally getting into action co-opera-
lively on this plan, deserves the
limit of support and good will on
the part Of Washingtonians.