Evening star., 1948-03-14
New Proposals
Focus Interest
IOnMuSiC
By Alice Eyersmon

While the customary contests and
awards continue to encourage the
promotion of music interests, some
new ideas are in the process of de-
velopment that have at least the
value of novelty. One of these is
the announcement made late in
January of World Fair of Music"
to be held from July 10 to "a in the
Grand Central Palace, New York
City. The other is small brochure
sent out by Ralph Huberfeld of Los
Angeles advocating an International
Musical Olympiad. The worlds
Fair of Music" sponsored by George
Wiener, president OF the Grand and
Wemar music publishing companies,
is already organized bat Mr.. Huber
fields plan still remains in the form
of a suggestion.
Serving as sponsors of Mr.. Wien
er's "fair," proposed as an annual
affair, are DR.. Walter Damrosch,
James Melton, Ogla Samaroff -Sto-
kowski, Mrs. Frederick Steinway,
David Even, Jean Tennyson and
others. The reasons for the fair"
as explained by Mr.. Wiener are Ito
integrate, inform and generate in
terest in music in all its diverse
forms 1t will further serve as a
meeting place for the manufacturer,
the general public, performers,
critics and educators as well as pa
irons of the arts" The Hospitalized
Veterans Music Service will receive
a portion of the proceeds.
Music will be represented through
radio, television, motion pictures,
symphony and jazz concerts, re-
cordings, the dance and recitals.
Invitations to participate have been
sent to foreign governments with
the idea of making the programs
as nearly universal as possible. Two
concerts a day will cover all fields
of music and following each there
will be an analysis by professional
musicians and critics.
Olympiad Stresses Youth.
Mr.. Huberfeld's Musical Olym-
piad" is patterned somewhat on
that of the Olympic Games in that
it also would be international in
scope with groups of young
musicians from various countries
competing for honors. Designed
primarily for the youth of all coun-
tries, the author feels that there is
a relation between music and sports
that should be exploited, and that
music presented on this basis would
be an incentive to those less music
ally inclined.
In his pamphlet he states: Il
sincerely believe that we could not
perform a nobler service than by
setting up the proposed mechanism
whereby boys and girls of the pres
ent and future generations could
have the opportunity and privilege
of representing their respective
countries in this type of competl-
ton. For those who were fortunate
enough to make the teams the ex-
perience would be unforgettable.
The others would have improved
themselves in their efforts
Among the several purposes and
benefits of the projects are ITO en-
courage good will among the ma
tions of the world by friendly COM
petition in musical attainments"
and ITO help those countries max
ing the poorer showings in the COM
petition develop themselves mu-
sicaly so that they may improve
their standings in future competi-
tons"
Music Is an Idea Medium.
1t cannot be denied that these
ideas have good points and that
whatever is done in furtherance OF
musical knowledge is of the great
est value. Yet there are so many
angles required in music that can
only be gained by inner develop
ment. This side is rarely men,
toned, the main objective remain
ing skill in performance. No one
has come forward with a course by
which the intellectual and spiritual
progress of musicians could be for
Warded so that they would appre-
ciate that music is an art through
which ideals and ideas are to be
expressed. The trend of the time
is away from this thought which
is regarded as sentimental yet which
influenced the creation of the great
music of history. We speak of mu-
sic as an international language but
it will never be that until all those
concerned have a humanitarian
outlook. One can deride such a
viewpoint as much as they wish but
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