Evening star., 1946-11-26
This and That
Bu Charles E. Trace,oeu.

Black1e, the cat, on the BOOKCASE,
peered out OF the high windows at the
sparrows in the top of the lilac bushes.
The birds were putting on one OF
their midafternoon songfests.
They perched at fairly regular in
tervals from each other, making festoons
and streamers Of birds, as they voiced
their satisfaction over the return OF
sunfower seed to their diet.
Nothing satisfies like q good meal.
We can recall the old days when we went
to concerts regularly. In those days,
great figures OF the concert world began
work at o'clock In the afternoon.
This was supposed to catch the Gov
ernment clerk.
But for hard working reviewer 1t
was q poor hour, because it left him
right in the middle between lunch and
supper.
Empty-unless he had the courage Of
his inner convictions, and went and had
himself meal at o'clock.
Nothing, we found, put one In tune
for good music SO well as platter OF
pancakes with butter, and cup Of
coffee with plenty OF cream.
In those days, of course, even the
poorest restaurants and lunchrooms
gave plenty Of good butter with wheat
cakes.
It was always somewhat Of a mystery,
how the worst dirty spoon" place
managed to have such good pancakes.
Could it have been that the age Of
Is years had something to do with it?
X
We were at the National the afternoon
the inimitable Fritz Kreisler gave his
first local concert after war had been
declared. (Tflis was 1917, remember9
The shadows of men with long rifles
loomed behind the scenes. We wondered
at the time, and have since, what would
have happened If they had started
shooting into the audience.
Our personal reception Of a young
whipper- snapper by the name of Heifetz.
as many then thought him, was spoiled
by the fact that some one had left a
door open to the right.
Effort to get out Of the draught caused
us to mix up personal Inconvenience
with lack Of appreciation for great
artist.
We still think, however, after all these
wears, that KreiSler was the greater
artist OF the two, although not as perfect
a technician.
We discovered that even the greatest
music was helped by a full stomach.
Many concert performers have found
out the same thing, and get bite to
eat before they appear on the stage.
Ak* X
Common sparrows, being astute be-
yond their years, know all this by in
stinct. They always eat before they
sing. To those listeners who take their
opinions ready made, and who therefore
may have swallowed the harsh criticism
of some who have called the noise
made by sparrows as q harsh chlrp,
we recommend listening to Saturday
afternoon song session by these birds.
First, a good meal must be put out
for them. SunfoWer seed and bread
crumbs suit them nicely.
It is only after they have eaten their
fill that they retire to some vine, and
sing together in full thanks for the
food so graciously given them this day
It is real singing, of sort to amaze
the aforementioned persons.
One can be just, in listening, just as
one can be just in every day life. When
one listens truly, without prejudice, 1t
is easy to hear how we'll these birds
sing, how their notes are not harsh but
sweet, and how well they blend with one
another.
There is sort Of rise and fall. q
gathering together of the notes and g
surge upward, gradual falling away
and then full stop, cut off instantly
with all the electric appreciation OF q
magnetic conductor of q symphony
orchestra.
IT'S easy to call it just twittering, Of
course. Some people say Of great
lyric soprano, that she screams. Well
maybe she does, and perhaps the spar
rows "just twitter," but good listeners
know better.