Evening star., 1937-11-28

announcement has now been given out,
that the best music and the finest
musicians that the world can produce
will be heard during the progress of
the fair
The Music Committee, of which
Marshall Field and Mrs. Vincent As
tor are the vice chairmen, and DR..
Walter Damrosch, chairman of the
Program Committee, includes with
others of equal Importance, Edward
johnson, general manager of the
Metropolitan Opera; John Barbirolle,
conductor of the New York Philhar-
monic; Walter Kramer, head of the
Galexy Music Publishing Co.; Carl
Engel; Hugh Ross, conductor OF the
Schola Cantorum of New York and
of the National Choral Union of this
city; Olin Downes and Oscar Thomp-
son, music critics and writer's on
music; David Names, Albert Stoes-
sci. Samual Barlow, Mrs. August Bel
mont. Mrs. Charles Guggenheimer
and Nine Olga Samaroff -Stokowski.
The first meeting of the committee
was held recently.
nR. DAMROSCH prefaced the out
line Of the general plan he pre-
sented by saying: The New York
Worlds Fair, 1889, provides an un-
precedented opportunity whereby a
great international festival of music
may be realized in this country. The
summer of 1899 will find New York
a magnet for all the nations 1t will
be the scene of the greatest inter-
national gathering in all history. And,
of all the languages to be represented,
but one will be comprehensive to all
alike-that of music. Here, for once,
Is a real opportunity to demonstrate
the unifying influence Of this foremost
OF the arts.
In way the meeting today is his
toric. We have gathered here repre-
eentatives Of those several important
musical institutions for which New
York is already famous. For the first
time I feel we have come together to
unite our efforts in a single purpose.
We are going to prove not only that
there, on this island, is located the
financial capital of world industry, but
also that New York is cultured and
that here is centered the musical life
of the world asw ell suXZB g.
OF the world as well.
1T seems only proper, therefore,
that a program should be formulated
which will be without precedent in the
history of New York City-a program
In every way worthy of the high ideals
actuating the general direction Of the
fair iteslf.
THE general plan which DR.. DAM
rosch submitted covered every de-
partment Of music and aimed to please
every ones taste as should be the OBJ
ject of such a gigantic affair as the
fair promises to be. He suggested
pageants of all descriptions, musico-
dramatic presentations. both grand
and light opera, oratorios, folk songs
and folk music, orchestral concerts,
choral and glee club programs. ballets,
chamber music and various forms of
popular music, as well as opportunity
to hear the new trend in music COM
position. This diversified program had
as its aim Ito break down the imag-
irative barriers existing between So
called high-brow' and low-brow music" I"
To this end, famous artists in their
special line from all over the world
will be presented, and all important
musical organizations are asked to as
sist in working out the problem OF
arrangement
Here is an opportunity that comes
once in lifetime to reach all classes
OF people through the art of music
and, if properly handled, the result
can be far-reaching. In the first
place, every one attending the fair is
IN receptive frame of mind for all
sorts of entertainment and just as
willing to 60 to symphony concert,
perhaps, which they would not pa
tronize in their home town, as to go
anywhere else. To hear the best that
music can offer will perhaps inspire
them with respect for this art that
formerly meant to them nothing more