Evening star., 1950-11-19

The memory of the late Hans
Kinder is being preserved in
many ways. in the city where
he played such an important part
in cultural life. Not long ago, the
programs he selected for the Ma
tional Symphony Orchestra dur
ing the 18 years he was at its
head, were given out in book
form. Recently, bust of
Kinder by the Finnish sculptor,
Kalvero Kallio, was unveiled with
appropriate ceremony in the pub
lie library of George Washington
University. Once a week during
the month of October, recordings
made by DR.. Kinder and the Ma
tional Symphony were broadcast
by WCFM and guest speakers re-
viewed the conductor contribu-
tions to the cultural development
of Washington. A book is in the
process of being compiled dealing
with his life and associations.
One of the best suggestions to
perpetuate the memory of DR..
Kinder was made by Anita
Schade in a letter to The Evening
Star on October %. She wrote:
What finer tribute could be made
to the memory of Hans Kinder,
our late beloved conductor and
creator of the National Symphony
Orchestra, than to start a move
ment to build a long-needed con-
cert hall with a stage suitable for
performances of operas and bal
let's and, last but not least, for
symphony concerts, and name
this building-dedicated to music
Hall"
No Efforts Made to Date.
The building of such a hall
would be very much in keeping
with DR.. Kindler's own wishes,
often expressed publicly. Naming
it after him would keep alive In
the minds of coming generations
the man who did such notable
service for this city. 1t would en-
courage the continuance of the
music life on a par with that
established during his lifetime and
would offer the means of expan-
sion of which he, no doubt, had
visions. Perhaps now is not the
time to put the idea into action
but start could be made toward
that end. 1t takes time to gather
the necessary money together and
If a beginning were made now,
world conditions might be bettered
when enough was accumulated to
begin formulating definite plans.
The question of a suitable con-
cert hall is as much a concern of
the city fathers as it is of the mu-
sicians. To have an appropriate
place that could be used for vari-
GUS large-scaled purposes would be
good business. All this has been
spoken Of time and again. Prac-
tically everyone is In accord with
the need and the desirability of
such a gathering place, but not
the faintest effort has been made
toward its realization. Evidently
it will have to wait some more
years before it can be given con-
sideration again, but at least a
start toward it could be made
right now.
Symphony Should Be Fostered.
However, in all the planning to
commemorate DR.. Kindler's work.
the fact that he left a monument
to himself in the National SYM
phony is receiving less and less
attention. Had DR.. Kinder not
established the symphony, his
name would not have been so
Indelibly associated with Wash
Ington's musical growth. He
founded it, he fought for it and
worked for it, he made it known
throughout the country. He put
Washington on the map also as a
music center. 1t continues today
under Howard Mitchell'S able di-
rection. One had merely to see
the attendance of the Constitution
Hall children's concert last week
to realize how deeply the seeds of
DR.. Kindler's work have been
planted and how they are coming
to fruition.
Were the Natioaal Symphony