The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1936-01-16

IA SuggeSGtOH yO HSItS WIZ
preserving the daily music
themes: Many teachers OF
music appreciation GdUtSe their
pupils to clip and paste each
of them on 3r5 filing cards NTH
the composers name a. the top
and file them in alphabetical
orderJ
The grim reaper again cuts a
wide swath in the music world:
Mr.. C. H. Meltzer, opera librettist
and music critic; Mr.. Arthur Had
ley, noted violoncellist (brother of
Henry Hadley, composer and con-
ductor); and Mr.. Theodore
August Metz, who wrote "A Hot
Time in the Old Town Tonight,
have passed away this week.
Mr.. Meltzer, like Deems Taylor,
was a newspaper correspondent,
editor, music critic, and trans
lator of opera librettoS. In 1908
he served as assistant manager of
the Metropolitan Opera Company.
which position he held four
years. While serving in this
capacity, he became convinced of
the desirability of grand opera in
English. Later he was commits
stoned by Mrs. Edith Rockefeller
Mccormick to translate % stand
ard operas into the English lang
uage. Had he lived a short time
longer, he might have heard one
of the first foreign language
operas to be given in English,
Johnny Schicci," which will be
performed within month.
Few think of Benjamin Frank
lin as the inventor of a musical
instrument. In 1857 he saw per
formers in London playing on mu-
steal glasses. He thought tn e
hand method too slow and cum
brous, so he devised a keyboard
mechanism with which to play
the tuned glasses. He called it
the "armonica." This instrument,
which has not been played upon
for over 100 years, is being re-
furnished at the Metropolitan
Museum of Art, New York city,
in preparation for Franklin an
niversary broadcast over N.B.C.
networks Friday.
The Musical Art Quartet, which
made such hit Monday night
at Town Han, New York city. in
presenting the more or less comic
Mosaic Quartet" by Henry Cow.
ell, described as music written
with a pleasing insolence," was
on its dignity yesterday morning
at the Mayflower Hotel. T h e
perfectly proper Quartet in G
Major" (Kochel 38D, by Mozart.
was presented to the delight OF
the audience.
A delicacy of beautiful tone
emanates from this ensemble
which makes one forget the me-
chanical contrivances which are
used in interpreting the compoS-
er's thoughts. The quartet showed
that rare feeling which comes
only with years Of constant re-
hearsing together.
Mr.. Ernest Schelling, pianist,
composer. and conductor, gave a
group of piano numbers that
relied upon careful expression
rather than upon pyrotechnics to
gain attention. His own compost
ton, "Nocturne a Raguza," drew
special applause. The piece is
somewhat modern in construction.
the melody often built on odd in.
tervals, and with intriguing
rhythms.
Moment Musical" (Schubert) i,
the theme of which is shown
above, will be included on the pro
gram of the first three students
concerts to be given by the Ma
tional Symphony Orchestra this
afternoon at $3.50 o'clock at Cen
trail High School, Friday at East
ern High School, and Monday at
Western High School.
In order that music teachers
may have an opportunity to re-
view the numbers to be presented
by the U. S. Navy Band Sym
phony Orchestra young peoples
free concert next Wednesday
afternoon at 4 o'clock at the Navy
Yard Sail Loft, the program is
presented herewith: Overture to
Midsummer Nights Drea m"
CMendelssohn); cello solo, Song