Evening star., 1939-07-09


most widely acclaimed cultural
movements ever conducted in Wash
ington was written last night as The
Evening Stars music appreciation
campaign formally was brought to
a close.
Scheduled to end week ago. the
campaign was reopened Thursday,
Friday and yesterday to handle the
deluge Of last-minute requests which
came in last Saturday after the sup
plies of some of the recordings had
been exhausted.
The special booth in the lobby of
The Star Building remained open
| for an hour longer than usual last
night to fill more last-minute orders
for recordings and record players.
Throughout the day, hundreds of
music lovers crowded the counter,
anxious to obtain the symphonic
masterpieces before the unusual
| offer was closed
Nearly $4,000 Sets Distributed.
Although no final figures were
| available last night, officials in
charge of the campaign said the
number Of record groups distributed
since the movement was launched
would be near the $1,000 mark.
When the booth closed Friday
night. a total of 1881 sets OF re-
cordings OF the 10 symphonic works
featured had been obtained by music
lovers here and elsewhere. In addi-
tion, more than 4,300 record players
were distributed.
The symphonic compositions fea-
tured in the campaign were Schu-
bert's unfinished Symphony" Bee
thoven's symphony No. in C
Minor" Mozarts symphony No. 40
In G Minor" Wagners preludes to
Die Meistersinger" and "Parsifal, :"
Bach's "Brandenburg Concertos Nos.
2 and 3d. Debussys Afternoon of
Faun." Clouds" and Festivals;
Haydn's symphony No. SO in E
Flat Major" Tschaikowsky's Sym
| phOny No. 4 in F. Minor Brahms
Symphony No in d Major" and
Franck's Symphony In D Minor
Ran for Is Weeks.
Launched exactly l8 weeks ago
under the sponsorship of commit
tee OF distinguished leaders in the
heldS OF music, education and pub
lie service, The Stars campaign pen
etrated virtually every walk of life
in the Capital and attracted the
interest OF music lovers in scores of
other communities throughout the
United States.
1t even reached 5000 miles across
the seas to a little town in South
Africa to aid in the education of
pupils in a school for the deaf and
dumb. The superintendent of the
school obtained a complete set OF
the recordings on a visit to WASH
lngton to use in teaching the handi-
capped children an appreciation OF
rhythm, accent, expression and
phraSlng in speech.
One of the most interesting and
important Sidelights of the project
was the overwhelming enthusiasm
with which educational leaders ana
schools themselves joined actively in
the movement. The Board of Edu-
cation unanimously approved the
program and authorized co-opera-
ton by the schools Then, Supt. of
Schools Frank w. Ballou wrote
letter advising principals and music
teachers to bring the drive to the
attention OF students and conduct
special studies of the symphonies
and composers featured in the re-
cordings.
Schools Obtain Recordings.
Scores of schools obtained the re-
cordings themselves or through their
parent-teacher organizations and
MADE them an integral part of their
music appreciation courses. This
participation had the active and
Wholehearted support of DR.. Edwin
N. c. Barnes. head of the music de-
partment of the public schools.
Other valuable support came from
the District of Columbia Congress
of Parents and Teachers, the Junior
Board OF Commerce, the Federation
OF Women'S Clubs, the Washington
Music Teachers Association, the
CNeVy CnaSe ana PetWOrth WOmenS
Clubs and numerous other organ
lzationS.
DR.. Hans Kinder, conductor of the
National Symphony Orchestra and
one of the most ardent supporters of
the campaign, of which he was
| sponsor, wrote series of highly
interesting and educational articles
about the symphonic masterpieces
included in the program. Miss Alice
Eversman, music editor Of The Star,
also wrote series of human inter-
est stories about the great COM
, poSerS.
Programs Over TMAL.
Programs featuring the SYM
phonies and symphonic works were
presented over WMAL every Sunday