Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1932-06-12
MUSICAL NOTABLES
DISLIKE GROOMING
Walter Damrosch Hopes Ru-
NOR 1t Is Dying Out
Is True.
~ROONING, If you accept the
judgment Of Americas fore
I most musical authorities, is but
~ a passing fancy, almost certain
To 90 the NAV of the dOd0 bird

ROONING, II you accept the
judgment Of Americas fore
most musical authorities, Is but
~ a passing fancy, almost certain
to go the way of the dodo bird.
Although there is no doubt whatever
this type of singing. yodeling. or what
ever they term It. has created ire
mendous radio audience during the last
few years. the old school Of musicians,
abomination.
A symposium of the views of a score
of musical notables on this controverted
subject was undertaken by Musical
America, professional musical publica-
ton. and the results have just been
announced. Grooming is caustically
stigmatized by the majority Of 20 mu-
steal notables." the publication said In
announcing the result
Walter DamroSch, conductor OF the
N. B. c. Symphony. was brief IN his
denunciation. Grooming" he said. rs
a perversion of the beautiful emotion
of love- I am told that it is dying
out and hope that this rumor Is true.
Grooming has nothing to do with music.
and !, therefore, as musician, cannot
claim to be an authority regarding it.
Called Accumulation.
"A year or two from now the crooner
will be as dead as the dodo.' said
Harvey Gaul, critic and composer. He
is a poor ephemeral bird, bleating his
heart out for imbecile shop girls"
Said Eugene Goossens. conductor.
Cincinnati Symphony: Grooming is an
abomination. whether via the micro
phone or the megaphone. 1t is not
only, in itself, menace to the fine
art of singing. but is usually heard in
conjunction with songs Of a type CAL
culated to upset ones digestive equa-
nimity for weeks on end. A little more
of it and popular music will die Of per-
niciouS anaemia."
"Supine sinking into the primeval
ooze" was the way Will Earhart. d.
rector of music Of the Pittsburgh
schools. put 1t.
William S. Brady. voice teacher, said
grooming is AN offense against good
taste" Nikolai Sokoloff, conductor Of
the Cleveland Orchestra. asserted that
when he first heard grooming over the
air 1t made me sick at my tummy' 1"
declared he objected to the "cheapness
and artifciality" of grooming and felt
that it would have little or no effect on
the future of American music"
Reisman Defends Grooming.
If We wish to retain infant minds
in adult humans" said Ruth Halter
Getaway. president Of the National Fed
Grafton of Music Clubs this so-called
music known as grooming is valuable
mental exercise If We wish to develop
nation of musical illiterates. let us
continue to countenance grooming over
the radio and everywhere else. If this
grooming of the cake-eating. anaemic
youth is a true expression Of the Amer
lean soul, God save America"
To the defense of grooming came Leo
Reisman, jazz orchestra conductor. He
said he believed the type Of singing
done is entirely dependent upon the
mood of the composition. Mrs. Ethel
bert Nevin. wife of the composer, said
grooming gives a great deal Of pleasure
to thousands who heretofore cared for
no music. Nine Schumann- Heink
said she liked Rudy Vallee and regretted
there we're not more like him.