Evening Star Newspaper, December 30, 1928, Page 51

MU BY HELEN HE beginning of a new year always invites one almost instinctively to pause a moment and glance down rare perspective that only time makes possible, then to look around at present conditions and consider the possibilities of the near future. Musically, this is not an uninteresting task. In the Fall of the year the time seems Jogical to “take stock™ of the actual musical events listed fc: the imminent season. In the late Spring, those who are influenced by the fascination that statistics possess for some people, busily en- gage in checking up on what has happened during the season end- ing and comparing the figures with similar ones of earlier sea- sons. The first of January, however, would seem a time to take stock #f more clusive and at the same time, more permanent qualities. This is the time to face conditions squarely, to note just how far we seem to have come musically as a Nation and to think of the ten- dencies leading to probable prog- ress in after years which may be inspired by current events. In the first place, it is high time to stop talking about the United States not being a musical coun- try. It may not be a musically advanced country yet but it cer- tainly is spending too much time, energy and money in many direc- tions leading to musical develop- ment to be any longer talked about in a negative, disparaging way. Washington, as the natural, logical center of the country for all endeavors, is becoming swiftly the music center of the country. New York, it is true, doubtless will remain the market center for musical enterprises but increas- ingly the finest artistic effort and most worthy musical events find their way to the National Capital. Moreover, many of them have their debut in the United States in Washington, instead of in New York. In a recent article written by & staff writer of the Associated Press, entitled, “New York Attracts the Best in the World of Music in 1928,” the writer indicates that the metropolis has unique attrac- tion for the finest musical efforts, which is not quite true. It is true, that all the events mentioned in a long list in this article including many distinguished musical indi- viduals have appeared and at- tracted much attention. Yet it is equally true that with the excep- tion of the two newest operas presented at the Metropolitan Opera House and the appearance of Yehudi Menuhin, child wonder violinist, not one of the people or . events mentioned in this list has not appeared in Washington and received warm _acclaim_ here. Moreover, the famous English Singers, who created one of the outstanding New York sensations, # had their debut appearance in this country at the Library of Congress as the feature of one of the Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge Foundation festivals. As for the others mentioned, Mr. Toscanini, Mr. Stokowski, Dr. Damrosch, Geraldine Farrar (in her famous concert “come-back”), and even the revived “Norma” with Rosa Ponselle, all have appeared in Washington. Little Menuhin is scheduled to appear here early this month. There is no reason why there should be rivalry between New York and Washington for the first is obviously equipped to be the music - market. of the country, whereas the latter is just as ob- viously the place for the general cultural center, although the equipment as to concert halls and an opera house is still in a state of deplorable deficiency. * k X ¥ o take a general glance over the progress of the United States in laying solid foundations musically, the survey meets with amazingly satisfying plans. The composer, who should be the first consideration for build- ing a national school of music, is ¢ coming speedily to the fore. En- ;tirely aside from the many con- ftests for works by American composers, such as the particulgr- ly fine offer of Musical America which awarded the $3,000 to Ernest Bloch, naturalized citizen, for his symphonie epic, “America”—there is an especially admirable move- ment started at the Eastman School of Music to give practical assistance by actual performance of works by American composers. In an article printed elsewhere on this page, more details of this effort are presented. The recent Atwater Kent second radio audition brought to atten- tion one of the outstanding efforts to find and give practical assist ance to young Americans with beautiful voices and sufficient in- telligence and persistence to en- able them to cultivate them suc- cessfully if given opportunity to study with established teachers. A Washingtonian won one of the two first prizes. Similarly the American Opera Co., Vladimir Rosing, director, is offering practical “laboratory” ex- perience to young Americans who are obviously destined for operatic careers. They also are laying low the bugaboo about not being able to sing opera in English for thev do so excellently, and make a highly entertaining show out of a formerly stodgy, Victorian style of nresenting opera. Moreover, the American Opera Co. has plans which it is unfold- ing slowly but surely to train these young people to go to commu- nities all over the country eventu- ally and there establish units to develop national opera in the United States and in the languag? of the audience, as all Europe has had it ever since overas were first native countries and tongues. r mson who for three year illed the same group of 69 young people in Dayton, Ohio. both in the actual singing of the finest church music and in the proper conducting of such singing. The Westminster Choir, which, s the plan of John Fin- | THE SUNDAY STAR, WASHINGTON, D. ¢, DECEMBER 30, 1928—PART 4% SIC FETTER. followed by a disbandment of this first choir to go to long-dated-up positions in cities throughout the country to “carry on” in intell gently organized choir-training as “ministers of music” for better church music in America. The second of the three choirs which | | Mr. Williamson has been training | | will then become the first choir | | for touring appearances. Still again the widespread, care- fully outlined plan to build one unit well and then scatter the in- dividuals throughout the country to “carry on” with similar train ing—an essentially American | of going about such efforts with system and forethought—is being | used in the training of high school ; | orchestras and bands throughout | the country. Moreover the three service bands—the United States Army, Navy and Marine Band: {on their tours are trying to help 5 in this respect. There are compe- | titions and organized learning of certain compositions for compari- sons to strengthen interest on the part of the young musicians throughout the country. In this connection it might be of general interest to state that the writer has it on good authorit that the United States Post Office Department has stated that it is| estimated by them that notice of | a new “contest” on one subject or another is brought to their atten- tion so frequently that they reckon a new contest is started somewhere every 30 minutes. Rk x AS for the audiences and their training for music apprecia- tion. That, too, is being consider- ed by many authorities. Dr. Walter Damrosch, as related more in de- tail elsewhere on this page, is throwing all his personal efforts into interesting lecture recitals over the radio to be given for adults and also for school chil- dren. There are others doing similiar fine work but not, perhaps, on so large and pretentious a scale. It is interesting to find that Lenore Ulric, the famous stage star, has suggested in an interview printed in the recent issue of Musical America that she has much faith in the possibilities for musical education through the medium of the popularly called “speakies.” She is quoted as say- ing: “I believe that the synchroniza- tion of sound and sight in motion pictures, making it possible for the multitudes to get a clear vision and a clear audition of the great musicians ‘doing their bit’ is one of the mightiest instruments for good that has been slipped into the hand of music for many a year. Think what it will mean to the legions of music lovers, many of them living miles away from any center of musical activily, many of them poor, to hear and see Schumann-Heink, Gigli, Galli- Curei, Hofmann, Kreisler and ever so many more—just by going to the movies! We hear a great deal of talk about what ought to be done to improve the musical taste of today’s children and the general musical conditions sur- rounding them. Here's the best solution yet. Let’s see now how effectively it's going to be utilized.” * %k ¥ % JEARLIER this month Dr. J. Fred Wolle, director of one of the earliest and most valuable estab- lished musical traditions in th! country—the Bach Choir of Beth- lehem, Pa.—had the great satis- faction of seeing his hard work recogriized by the imposing cele- bration of 30 years of this choir’s existence under his exclusive di- rection. Such a recognition dur- ing his activity as its head is a far worthier memorial to Dr. Wolle's efforts than a ton of wreaths and a towering mountain of monu- ments after his death. Dr. Wolle, “Tristan und Isolde” Added To German Operas Here "THE German Grand Opera Co. from Berlin, which will present Richard Wagner's four Nibelungen Ring operas in Washington late in January and early in February, has added a fifth operatic performance to its Washington repertoire—"Tristan und Isolde"—ac- cording to an announcement by Mrs. Wilson-Greene, under whose local man- agement the German Grand Opera Co. will appear. All five performances will be given at Poli's Theater, beginning with the pes formance of “Das_Rheingold.” Wednes day afternoon, January 23, at 2:15 o'clock. The repertoire will include, in addition, “Die Walkure,” Monday e ing, February 4, at T:45 “Tristan und Tsolde,” Tue: February 5, at 7:45 o'cloc] Thursday evening, Februa ock, and “Gotterdammerung. day evening, February 9, at 7 ocl Marked interest has greeted prelim- inary announcements of the German Grand Opera Co.'s Washington “season” and the series of five performances promises to be brilliant. Walter Elschner, who has been en gaged o direct the German Opera Co. performances at the Manhattan Opera House, New York. early in January, has reached the metropolis and shortly will begin scenery and lighting rehearsal A Philadelphia appearance will follow the New York engagement of the com- pany, with Washington scheduled as the third city to be visited. Band Orchestra Dates U. S. MARINE BAND ORCHESTRA. ']‘HE three programs planned for the current week by the United States Marine Band Orchestra, Capt. Taylor Branson, leader, and Arthur S. Wit- comb, second leader, will be given in the Marine Barracks auditorium to- morrow at 4 p.m., Wednesday at 8 p.m. and Friday at 4 pm. The usual stand- ard of classics, combined with a few more simple, popular numbers, will be maintained. The feature number tomorrow will be a quartet for trombones, “The Heavens Resound,” by Beethoven, played by Musicians Robert E. Clark, Hervey J. Clark, Albert Bennert and Edward Gummel. = Wednesday there will be a cornet solo, “Serenade,” by Toselli, played by Musician Nicholas Cichese. Burgmein suite, “Le Roman de Pierrot et Pier: rette,” will be another feature. Friday Ansell's ballet music, “The Shoe,” will be included in the program and also grand scenes from Richard Strauss’ “Rosenkavallier.” SOLDIERS’ HOME ORCHESTRA. The orchestra of the United States Soldiers’ Home Band will give programs Thursday and Saturday, at 5:30 p.m, under the direction of John S. M. Zim- merman, leader: Anton Pointner, second leader. The progarms will feature both classical works and the lighter types of composition, and will be given in Stanley Hall. There will be no concert Tuesday, as is ordinarily customary, due to it being New Year day. Organ Recital Thursday. ’l‘HE following program will be given in the organ recital Thursday night at 8 o'clock at St. John's Church, Lafayette Square, by T. Guy Lucas, or- ganist and choirmaster: Bach (1685)— Christmas chorale. “In “ Pastorale, from the “Christmas Oratorio.’ The New Year chorale, “In dir ist freude. n e, “The People That ulei jubilo.” in Darkne: Haendel (1685)— 4 Recitation. “Comfort Ye My People. Aria, “Every” Valley Shall Be Exalted. From essiah,” 3 ”_‘l:\‘;\;nl(ud Smith. Becthoven — Slow movement from the “Fifth Sym- pheny.” o0 u Bambino.” -Elert— deste Fideles.” arol— % “In dulci jubilo Wiltred Smith. Haendel— 10— the “Overture Op. 52."* The next recital in this series will be given Thursday, February 7, at 8 p.m. A recital by Fernando Germani will be presented Monday, January 14, at 8:30 p.m. Prague Chorus Sponsored by Distinguished Committee NATIONAL group of men and women, headed by Walter Dam- rosch, makes up the committee of sponsors for the Prague Teachers’ Chorus of Prague, Czechoslovakia, which is to make its first tour of the United States early in 1929. Prominent music lovers from all parts of the country have expressed interest in.this unique chorus of Czechoslovakian grade school teachers. The Hon. Ferdinand Veverka, Min- the members of his organization and those of the little community which so modestly supplies the background for this fine institu- tion deserve the very best of all wishes for the new year and for the new decade they are starting now to add to the three already accomplished. It is such efforts that build for lasting, growing musical culture in the United States. THE year 1929 is starting music- ally in Washington with Janu- ary as an unusually busy month. There are 15 outstanding profes- sional events listed after the short breathing spell of the current week to ring the carols out with the old year. Among the attractions listed for the National Capital in Janu- ary are:- The second Sutro morn- ing musical program to feature Henry Hadley; American com- poser and conductor, and Incz Barbour, soprano, in Hadley com- positions, January 7; the first New York Philharmonic Symphony concert this season here, under Willem Mengelberg, January 8, with another the end of the month, January 29, under Arturo Toscanini; Mrs. Townsend’s first morning program since the hol days, presenting Paul Kochanski and Felix Salmond jointly, Janu- ary 9, with other artists in the January list of morning programs to include Ruth Townsend, so- prano; Beniamino Gigli, Metro- politan tenor; Myra Hess, pianist; Yelly d’Aranyo, violinist, and Bea- trice Harrison, violoncellist; the Kosloff Ballet, January 10; Yehui Menuhin, boy marvel violinist, and Angna Enters, individualistic dancer, in rival programs the afternoon of January 11; Jascha Heifetz, January 15; the first of the Franco-Belgian festival pro- grams offered by Miss de Sayn, January 18 and a second one the 31st: the Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra under Ossip Gabrilo- witsch, January 22: Martinelli in song recital January 25; and the Boston Symvhony Orchestra ui der Mr. Koussevitzky, January 30. Also, within the month the first of the four operas in Wagner's “Ring” will be given, to be fol- lowed, in February, by the other three, and a more recently an- nounced performance of “Tristan und Isold The German operas * oK k% ister of Czechoslovakia to the United States; Gifford Pinchot, former Gov- ernor of Pennsylvania; Robert E. Speer, secretary of the Presbyterian Board of Missions; John H. Finley, editor of the New York Times; Ossip Gabriolwitsch, conductor of the Detroit Symphony Or- chestra, are on the national committee. Others are Clarence H. Mackay, Hamilton Fish, Mr. and Mrs. Otto H. Kahn, Gen. Tasker H. Bliss, C. C. Birchard of Boston, Miss Mabel T. Boardman, Washington, D. C.; Prof. Hollis E. Dann, New York; Dr. Archi- bald T. Davison, Cambridge; Prof. Peter Dykema, New York; Carl Engel, chief of music division, Congressional Library, Washington, D, C.. Zdenak Fierlinger, Czechoslovak Minister at Bern; Dr. George G. Gartlan, super- intendent of music in the schools of Greater New York; Mrs. Adella P. Hughes, manager of the Cleveland Or chestra; Ernest Hutcheson, New York; Mrs. John Meekes and Victor Sincere, Cleveland; Mrs. Edgar S. Kelley, presi- dent of the National Federation of Music Club: Serge Koussevitsky, con- ductor Boston Symphony Orchestra; Mrs. Edith Rockefeller McCormick, Earl V. Moore, director of the University School of Music, Ann Arbor; Prof. Lewis F. Mott, New York; Harry F. Payer, Cleveland; Frederick A. Stock, conductor Chicago Symphony Orches- tra; Dr. Herbert J. Tilly, Philadelphia; Mrs. Lawrence Townsend, Washington, D. C.; Herbert Witherspoon, president Chicago Musical College; Rudolph Wur- litzer, Cincinnati; Prof. F. Melius Christiansen, Northfield, Minn.; Charles R. Crane, New York; Cyrus Curtis, Philadelphia; Dr. Clarence Dickinson, New York; Dr. H. A. Fricker, Toronto; Mme. Esperanza Garrigue, Mrs. Christ- jan R. Holmes, New York; George F. Lindsay, St. Paul, Minn.; Dr. Ernest McMillan, Toronto: Prof. William Mec- Phail, Minneapolis; Mrs. Alice Gar- rigue Mott; Mr. and Mrs. Frank A. Seiberling, Akron, Ohio; Albert Stoessel, New York; Mrs. H. E. Talbott, Dayton, Ohio; Dr. John Finley Williamson, Day~ ton, Ohio; Dr. F. J. Wolle, Bethlehem, Pa.; E. L, Carpenter, Minneapolis., ‘The Tuesday Evening Music Club pre- sented its second program for “shut- ins” at Gallinger Hospital Thursday night. These institutional concerts are sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of ‘Washington. will be presented by an opera company entirely of German art- in Berlin. This should be 4 great attraction for Washingion: Within recent years, except for those for- e enough to be able to go to Beireuth or Munich to attend th ‘estival performances abroad, o scattered performances at the Metropolitan in New York, entail- ing the expense of four separate trips—at least a week apart—have under his tutelage, has become fa- | all will be given in the Beireuth | brought this great cycle of music- mous, is booked for a European tour manner, though perhaps with 3 dramas within the reach of this Summer which will be some slight cuts in the length, and American. citizens, as a cycle. ists said to have been assembled | {sang in the hospital and also caroled YEHUDI MENUHIN. A SENSATIONAL child prodigy will| make his concert debut in W: ington this month when Yehudi Menu- hin, 11-year-old genius of the violin,who already has amazed great audiences in New York, Paris and San Francisco with his juvenile virtuosity, will appear at Poli’s Theater Friday afternoon, Jan- uary 11, at 4:30 o'clock, under the local management of Mrs. Wilson-Greene. Yehudi's Washington concert debut is listed to occur 11 days before his twelfth birthday. Yehudi Menuhin made his now his- torical appearance in New York last season, playing Beethoven's concerto with the New York Symphony Or- chestra at Carnegie Hall. His appear- ance in recital at the same hall fol- lowed shortly. The applause which greeted the boy violinist was remark- able. The New York Times called it “an extraordinary demonstration,” while the morning World spoke of Yehudi as “a mnew violinistic meteor.” On the boy's third pearance in Carnegie Hall, every available space had been sold out a week in advance, includ- ing 300 extra seats on the stage, while police reserves had to be called to maintain order outside. Although Yehudi was born in New York in 1917, he was taken to San Francisco by his parents when still an infant and his delight at a performance of the San Francisco Symphony Or- chestra gave his parents the first clue to his musical genius, which they promptly encouraged. Yehudi's first MUSIG 'HE vested choir of 40 voices of the Church of the Epiphany, G street northwest, will sing a service of Christ- mas carols tonight at 8 o'clock. The program will include French carols, Slovakjan carols, a Spanish carol and an English carol, as well as several organ numbers. A New Year greeting song is to be broadcast by Radio Joe's artists, to President and Mrs. Coolidge. The exact date and time of broadcasting is not yet ready for announcement, but will be duly given in the radio columns of the paper. The quartet choir of Foundry M. E. Church will present a program of Christmas music tonight. The com- positions will be well known works of Dudley Buck, Tours, Gounod, Dvorak, Barnby, Yon and Malling. ‘The choir is composed of Mary Sherier Bowie, soprano; Ritchie Mc- Lean, contralto: J. F. M. Bowie, tenor, and J. E. S. Kinsella, bass, with Anton Kaspar, director and violinist, and George H. Wilson, organist. A Festival Te-Deum in A flat minor, the reccnt composition of August King- Smith, organist and choir director of St. John's Church, Georgetown parish, which was sung for the first time Christmas day, will be repeated at the service this morning. In this, his latest work, the composer has endeavored to provide appropriate musical setting for the words of the text and yet have a composition not too difficult for the average church choir. The incidental solos were sustained by Harcourt Son- taag, tenor; G. A. Johnson, and Master Robert Conlyn, soprano. In accordance with the annual cus- tom the rector of St. John's, George- town, the Rev. F. Bland Tucker, with the choir, visited the Washington Home for Incurables, on Wisconsin avenue, and held Christr eve services for the patients and their friends. Mina Church Brann, chairman of motion pictures for Monigomery County Federation of Women's Clubs, who is interested in promoting mus ciation in motion picture theaters, fur- nished a selection of Christmas music to be used by the organists of the Stan- ley-Crandall theaters in making up their Christmas programs. Since the inauguration of this plan these, organ- ists have been giving hearty co-opera- tion, and many of the selections played during the regular performances are taken from these lists. Ida V. Clarke, organist of the Earle | Theater, who is a talented artist on the piano-accordion also, contributed to the entertainment of Mr. Crandall’s Christmas parties for the newsboys Wednesday at the Merropolitan Theater and to the orphanages of the city Thursday at the Tivoli Theater. ‘The Institute of Musical Art enter- tained friends December 21 with a “musical evening.” An interesting program was rendered, consisting of piano, violin and vocal | numbers, The following took part in the pro- gram: Piano, Frances Griffin Villaret, Martin A. Dowd and Glen Carow; voice, Janet Shepherd, Dewitt Feeser and Mortimer _Davenport; violin, Flora Clayton, Virginia Cureton and _the Cramer Quartet, consisting of Ford Cramer, Everett Pugh, Nouris Thies and Hanna Booth, After the music a pleasant soclal hour was enjoyed. The Claviarco Music Club, George Francis William: gave a program of Chris the Tomeopathic Hospital Christmas_ eve, then Soldiers’ Home, gram in the Mrs, counselor, as carols at | at 4 o'clock | went to the | 'V gave a pro- | Later they | mess in the open air outside the homes of many friends. Ralph Williams took his violin along and accompanied their joyful tidings. Fifth Baptist Church, at Seventh | and E streets southwest, will present an evening with the choir tovight. A pageant in two scenes, with musical numbers illustrating - the first Christ- mas, will be given. The. first. scene. predicts. the coming public appearance was as soloist with the San_Francisco Symphony at the age of 7, and the following year he gave a concert at the Manhattan Opera House in New York. Thén his parents took the boy abroad for further studies with Georges Enesco, celebrated Ru- manian violinist, and while abroad, Ye- | hudi appeared with the Lamoreux Sym- phony Orchestra in Paris and achiev- ed a success so phenomenal that his New York appearances of last season followed. On his eleventh birthday, Ye- hudi played before a San Francisco audience of 10,000 people and a month later he played before an even larger gathering as soloist with the San Fran- cisco Symphony Orchestra. Although of Jewish parentage, Ye- hudi Menuhi is Anglo-Saxon in appear- ance, with fair hair and blue eyes. He appears at his concerts in a short-sleev- ed white blouse and black trousers that barely reach his knees, a chubby 11- year-old boy. Yehudi is calm in the midst of the enthusiastic demonstra- tions that his playing arouses. Although Mrs. Wilson-Greene has made repeated efforts to obtain a Wash- ington concert appearance by Yehudi, the tremendous demand for the com- paratively few concert engagements it is possible for this youngster to fill had made these efforts unavailing until last week when an opportunity for bringing the boy to the Capital was accepted. Seats for this concert are on sale at the concert bureau in Droop'’s, 1300 G street northwest. RAPHS of Christ. The second scene is the birth of Christ. ‘The solos in the various anthems will be sustained by Mrs. L. H. Windsor, Mrs. Alvin Richards and Mrs. Bernard Duglas, sopranos; Mrs. G. E. Dement, Miss F. B. Fallon and Miss Beverly Newton, altos; Dr. A. L. Simpson and E. G. Obryhim, tenors, and John Ryan, ass. Those assisting in the pageant are Dona May Sparks, Margaret James, Austin Conklin, Joseph Newton, Forrest Neal, Lemuel Windsor, W. E. Mooney and Dr. A. L. Cummings. The members of the choir include: Thelma _O. Pilcher, Mrs. Elizabeth Clagett, Ruth Brown, Mrs. Grace Mooney Richards, Mrs. L. H. Windsor, Mrs. A. E. Grigsby, Mrs. A. W. Cummings, Mrs. Elsie Jones Douglas, Ella Purks, Gladys Speakman, Betty Hume, Clara Belle Sparks, Katharine L. Dunn, Thel- ma Albea, Margaret James, Mrs. W. E. Mooney, Mrs. J. O. Tune, Mrs. Bertie H. Dement, Beverly Newton, Frances B. Fallon, Herbert Reamy, Ben W. In- gram, E. G. Obryhim, J. H. Ingram, Joseph Newton, Ross James, John Ryan, L. C. Handy, Henry C. Ashford and Austin Conklin. The choir is under the direction of Dr. Arthur L. Simpson, with Mrs. E. L. Carpenter at the organ. The program for the Friday Morning Music_Club this week will be given by Elsa Raner, violinist; Mabel Duncan, violoncellist, and Alice Burbage Hassel- bach, pianist. They will play trios by Arensky and Brahms. Miss Raner also will present some solo selections by Bach. The meeting will be, as usual, at 11 am. in the auditorium of the Cos- mos Club, Katherine Riggs, harpist, assisted by Herbert Fuchs, a boy chorister, gave a short program under the Christmas tree for the cifiidren of the Children's Hos- pital Christmas eve. Mrs, Weller, in charge of recrea- tional work in the hospital, states that the children listened to the music with rapt delight, so much so that they gave no heed to the gifts which were set be- fore them. The senior class of the Master School of the Piano held its monthly meeting Friday. Grace G. Gilchrist, director of the school, conducted the meeting and |gave a talk on “Beethoven, the Master of Masters.” Those present were Marie Adams, Gertrude Gilchrist, Jeannette Rosen- berg, Mrs. Eva Mendelssohn-Rosenberg, Loretta Ryder, Mr. and Mrs. Willlam Clarke, Mrs. India Shockey, Mrs. Charles J. Cassidy, Mrs. Clara Cohen, Haskel i Milstone and Gustav Weckel. The junior class of the school had its meeting Saturday. Miss Gilchrist was present., The meeting was con- ducted by Gustav Weckel. Students present were Betty Jane Cassidy, Mar- garet Murray Cassidy, Fannye Kressin, Mollie Hersom, Shirley Greenberg, Ar- lene Schoenberg, Josephine Bertolini, Betty Ray, Doris Klesner, Antoinette Klesner, ~Catherine Coulon, Mildred Meyer, Berenice Stein, Hannah Stein, Rosalie Michaelson, Frances Pittiglio, Americo Pittiglio, John Brennan, Leo Ofenstein and Vincent Weckel. Little Betty Jane Cassidy, smallest member of the class, distinguished her- self by her first performance, Elena de Sayn, well known musiclan here, who will present a Franco-Belgian festival of three concert programs, to be given in January and February at the Willard Hotel, announces a long list of both musical and social patrons and patronesses for these events. The music to be presented will be works by Cesar-Auguste Franck, Achille Claude Debussy and Camille Saint- Saens. ‘The dates are January 18 and 31 and February 18 at 8:45 The children’s vested choir of the Takoma Park Presbyterian Church will give a program of ancient carols at the morning service today. The selections will include three old Freach carols, one Belgian carol and works by Johann Se= bastian Bach and Praetorius. At St. Patrick’s Roman Catholic Church the Christmas music will be re- peated tonight. The choir will give & recital- of Christmas carols and.other Philharmonic Orchestra Series at the National A NNOUNCEMENT is made from the ‘T. Arthur Smith office that the sub- scription sale for the Philharmonic series closed December 31. ‘This famous organization, which visits ‘Washington annually, bas behind it 85 consecutive years of musical history and tradition. Included in the list of con- ductors are such famous names as Emil Paur, Carl Bergmann, Leopold Dam- rosch, Theodore Thomas, Anton Seidel, Henry J. Wood, Felix Weingartner, Wassily Safanoff, Richard Strauss, Gus- tave Mahler, Josef Stransky, Willem Van Hoogstraten, Wilhelm Furtwaen- gler, Sir Thomas Beecham, Willem Men- gelberg and Arturo Toscaninl. The orchestra’s appearance this year at the National Theater is expected to test the capacity of the theater, which may result in increasing the number of concerts for next season. Willem Mengelberg, the eminent Dutch conductor, will open the series January 8. The two following concerts, January 22 and March 5, will be under the baton of the famous Italian conductor, Arturo Toscaninl. The remaining- seats for the series may be obtained at T. Arthur Smith Concert Bureau, 1330 G street. . Koslofz Ballet—J anuary 10. I‘HE ballet group organized by Alexis Kosloff of the Metropolitan Opera House has just been announced to make a Washington appearance at the ‘Washington Auditorium Thursday night, January 10. This ballet is composed of a group | of splendid dancers, featuring Xenia Makletzova, the famous ballerina of the Russian Imperial Ballet and the Diagiloffl Ballet Russe. She was brought to the Metropolitan last season by Otto Kahn and has received much praise from New York press writers for her exquisite dancing. The company sup- porting her is said to be an excellent one, all the members being solo danc- ers of a high order. Alexis Kosloff's name stands as a trade mark in the world of dance. In his ballet all the arts of the stage are combined. There are magnificent color. exotic settings, lovely girls, beautiful costumes and appropriate music. A Heritage of War. THE Symphonic Band of the Royal Belgian Guards, which will arrive in this country March 17 for an American tour, arranged by special permission of King Albert of Belgium, owes its exist- ence to war, Its birth came with the campaigns in 1830 and '31 during the war for Belgian freedom; its early years coincided with the military fortunes of Belgium, and in the World War_ it won for itself a glorious place in history. The “father” of the Regiment des Guides, which has in turn fathered the symphonic band, was the famous free company, the “Cossacks of the Meuse,” formed in Brussels in 1830. The word “Cossack” calls up a picture of dashing cavalrymen—bold fighters who mount the fastest of horses and rush to any scene of danger. Such were the “Cos- sacks of the Meuse,” made up of pett officers and soldiers of the Cuirassiers and the Dragoons who had left the Dutch army. They immediately took part in the fighting, especially in the capture of Venlo and the blockade of Maestricht, famous battles in the his- tory of Belgium. They were later made a regular unit, which won its first citation for attack- ing brilliantly the Dutch infantry in the battle of Kergypt. In 1833 the company was called the Regiment des Guides and received its first flag from the hands of King Leopold I. From that time until the outbreak of the World War, the regiment was sta- tioned in Brussels as escort and the guard of honor for the King and foreign sovereigns passing through Belgium. With the World War came another exciting period in the history of the regiment. It was cited for bravery in the battle of Haelen, took part in the violent fighting on the Gette, Yser, and in the big Flanders offensive during the last month of the war, the regiment pursued the defeated and retreating enemy, and was cited a second time at Burkel. Today the flag of the regiment bears, in golden letters, the names of “Haelen” and “Burkel.” When the armistice came the regi- ment spent a year with the Army of Occupation in Germany and again 'n the occupation of the Ruhr district. Later it returned to Brussels to serve as the special regiment of honor for the King. During the early fighting days of the Regiment des Guides, back in the thirties, the regiment had nothing but trumpets. Slowly this group grew into the famous symphonic band of the Royal Belgian Guards. Individual members of the band saw service during the World War, too, when the unit was reorganized and went into campaign with the Regiment des Guides. The regiment also went on errands of mercy —giving concerts in hospitals—and it journeyed to Paris to play at the Tuileries together with the world re- nowned Garde Republicaine, which is attached as an escort of honor to the President of the French republic. ‘The Belgian band's greatest moment came on Armistice day in Paris at the ‘Trocadero, when it appeared before vast threngs to celebrate Belgium delivered, triumphant. Again on the day of vic- tory the Guides’ Band, led by its famous conductor, Capt. Arthur Prevost, took part at Versailles in the guards’ tourna- ment with musical organizations of the allies—the French Garde Republicaine, the band of the Royal Italian Navy, the band of the Royal British Regiment and the band of the Thirty-first Regi- ment of Infantry of America. . Contrasting Characters. IN “The Divine Lady,” Corinne Grif- fith's special production, the star has the role of the celebrated Lady Hamilton, whose life and loves con- tributed to the making of English his- tory. She wears costumes which cost many thousands of dollars, and the mammoth and spectaculag ballroom sets, palace interiors and thrilling scenes of naval warfare of the famous battle of Trafalgar have put this pic- ture in the class of million-dollar pro- ductions. In “Saturday’s Children” Miss Grif- fith plays the part of Bobby Halvey, an average present-day working girl— a private secretary who gives up her economic independence to marry the man of her choice earning $40 a week. Instead of influencing the history of three nations and being the last word in the modes and manners of her time, as in “The Divine Lady,” in this most simple story of intimate middle-class life, with its petty but universal do- mestic problems, Miss Griffith changes from Gainsborough hats and empire gowns to kitchen aprons and simple little house dresses. Instead of the lavish splendor of court balls and parties at which Lady Hamilton was the cynosure of all eyes, hobnobbing | with lords and ladies—even kings and queens—Bobby's diversion is a bus ride down Fifth avenue or a stroll in Cen- tral Park, ealing peanuts with her selections appropriate to the season at 8 o'clock under the auspices of Miss Jennie Giennan, organist and director. ‘The quartet is composed of Edna Hillyard Howard, soprano; Clelia Fiora- vanti, contralto; Royden J. Dixon, tenor, and James Nolan, baritone. Rosa_ Polli-Jarman, _mezz0-5oprano, accompanied by Elizabeth Gardner Coombs, sang at the luncheon given in Dr. Damrosch WITHIN the next three years Walter Damrosch has stated that he ex- pects America to be “the most musical country in the world. The radio is the influence that he relies upon to bring prosperity to the musical profession. His ideas on the subject are given at length by Graham McNamee in a current issue of a lead- ing American magazine. Graham McNamee, famous as a radio announcer, is a concert recitalist and a sincere student of the problems of the musical field. He speaks sympathetically of the aspirations and aims of Mr. Damrosch’s plans to build up a bigger and better audience for music of the 3 osch proposed to give three experimental conceris a year ago on the radio to see if schools were inter- ested to promote musical education by radio,” says Mr. McNamee, “The re- sults of those concerts were so amaz- ing that the broadcasting company, without waiting for anybody to finance the plan, decided to make Dr. Dam- rosch its music councilor and to start him off this year with 24 concerts as the really mature section of the Mu: cal University of the Alr. “After the experimental concerts let- ters poured in on Dr. Damrosch. They came 25,000 strong from colleges and from crossroads village schools. His concerts had converted thousands of schools and millions of children into one st schoolroom in music. Down in Florida with the sun shining briskly, out in Minneapolis with a near blizzard piling a white snow against schoolroom doors, up in Portland, Me., with a wind roaring in from the Atlantic: way down in San Antonio, Tex., all e part of a single class in music, with the in- structor and his musicians in New York. And did the children love it? One little boy wrote from Iowa that he had always wanted to know what an oboe was, and he was delighted to have heard it and recognized it in that piece - 2 Is Dean of “University of the Air” A boy of 11 wrote Dr. Damrosch that he was glad he had broken his leg not long before because it forced him to remaia at home, where he could hear the concert, whereas, had he been in school, he would have missed it because the school had no radio set. “That was true in the vast majority of schools. It is still true. In one city 4,000 children were marched to the city hall, where there was a large audi- torium and a fine set, because there was no school in the town with a radio re- ceiver. In many cities public-spirited citizens supplied the sets for that day. “In New York City over 200 schools with 200,000 pupils ‘sat in’ at_this great music class. In Washington, D.C., when Dr. Damrosch broadcast his con- cert for high schools and colleges 16,000 high school students listened in. Hardly had the last notes of the first concert faded out of the ether before the tele- grams began pouring in from all over the country. In one day 1,400 letters arrived, and the stream continued for ‘weeks."” Mr. McNamee makes a plea to citi- zens all over the country to help the schools acquire the necessary equip- ment. He concludes by saying: “It is well that this new ‘air’ univer- sity should begin with music. Already radio has done wonders for the musical taste of our people. When I first began announcing programs 80 per cent of the music broadcast was jazz. The demand was for jazz. But that is no longer true. Now 75 per cent of the requests are for the better music, and 75 per cent of the leading programs give better music. Dr. Damrosch once mentioned to me his own observation of this: ‘Without any friction,” he said, ‘the bad has given place to the better music, the better to the good, and in some cases the good to the best. Millions dwelling in the lower depths and dark- ness of accepting mere rhythmic noise as a substitute for music, have now learned something of the inner significance and about the entrance of the little fawns. “But here was and still is the rub: emotional power of music as a& lan- Suage” 'HE Eastman School of Music of the University of Rochester will con- duct five American composers’ concerts this season, as announced by Dr. How- ard Hanson, director of that school. ‘These concerts will continue to give op- portunity to native composers to hear adequate performance of their works, and also will serve as means to a de- termination of orchestral works that are deemed most suitable for publication. The school will continue to sponsor the publication of selected works. ‘The Eastman School, under inspira- tion from Dr. Hanson, entered this movement on behalf of American cre- ative music, as a pioneer. There is now wide co-operation in the movement. Prominent orchestras are including American works in their programs; the Beethoven Orchestra of New York, as an avowed policy, plays one American work at each concert; Albert Stocssel has featured a large number of Ameri- can works in his concerts at Chattauqua and included an all-American program in the Worcester festival; music maga- zines encourage by prize awards the composition of American orchestral works; the interest in the development of native creative music is alive as it never has been before. The first concert in the Eastman School of Music American composers’ series was given in Kilbourn Hall, No- vember 27. Dr. Howard Hanson con- ducted an orchestra selected from the Rochester Philharmonic. Compositions featured were Leo Sowerby’s suite, “From the Northland;” Aaron Cop- land’s “Concerto for Organ and Orches- tra,” and the first performance of Ran- dall Thompson's new “Jazz Poem for Piano and Orchestra.” The accomplishment of the Eastman School American composers’ concerts in the past four years is herewith pre- sented in lists of composers and compo- sitions and a list of the compositions published by the school: Ernest Bacon .. _Prelude and fugue. Two songs with orchestra. e PhOGIE poem. “The Return of Sone.” John Beach . Ballet;, ~The Phantom ls.bl;;?' Cantat 4B s 1 ‘antata-opera. " unset Trafl.” Joseph “Clokey.. “When the Christ Chiid Came,”™ for ‘chorus, orchestra and solo voices Aaron Coplan . an_unpublished, 5 Prelude from “Music for the Theater.” Rdward Delaney,, = = oot i uite, e, Coustant Couple. Erfc de Lamarter... The Betrothal Suite.” “The One H and Forty-Fourth orchestra. ‘Cortege Macabre,” from allet Psalm,” for voice and Herbert Elwell Ballet suite, “The Happy Hypocrite.” e | relude and ballet from “A Forest Play.” “The Lament of Beowulf,” for chorus and orchestra. Walter Edward Howe Symphonic poem, “Outside the Tent.” R e aante 1 finished symph ndante from an unfinished symphony. Herhert Inch. . Variations on a model theme. Frederick. Jacobi Nocturne from Symphony_No. 1. A. C. Kroeger. . Symphonic poem, 8. P. . 8. Bernard Kbl of sketches for archest Uite of sketches for or : Wesley Ii-l X‘Ol-"‘! A [“l‘ :: 'j s “In Memoriam,"” Armistice ', 1919 Charles Martin Loeffler i3 ki “Canticum Fratris Solis” (Hymn of St. Francis). . Otto_Luening ..Symphonic_poem. Three sonéi- {6} Soprano nd orchesira: enade for three hOrns and. strings. George . McKay | oo and strines Syibhony. “From the Black Hills" first movement. Leopoid Mannes ... Douglas Ml‘;o"P ¢ “The ‘Pagean Harold Mortis -+ oe: Quiney Porter. .. Ukral Wallingford Riegger 2 f ‘aprice for ten Bernard Rogers.....Symphony. Adons Soliloquy for flute and string orchestra. Edward Rl]ryt'! ‘one poem, “The Fire-Bri ” Mark sijver” ® B P lymphonic poem, *“Peace and War." Leo sO";‘!h‘;!...l P t of Fmar Ironics.” edieval poem, organ stra. Metvitie Medieval oem, organ and orchesira “The Weeping gan, chorus Alexander Lang Steinert 2 one poem, William_Grant Still. Edwin Strenan T win Stringham ¢ Randall Thompson & S S— ymphonic T Epnonlt e e Piper at the “Pierrot and Cothernus.” prelud Diny by Edna_ Vincent Milny. o0 0 * Donald Tweedy..Symphonic stud: .Suite for orchestra. rth* for orchestra, or- tenor. Southern Night “Darker Americ uite “Antiqu Eastman School Has Given Works by 43 Americans David van Vactor ....Chaconne for strings. F. M. Warnke = Suite, “Impressions of & Mountain.” Adolph Weiss......Tone poem, “I Segretti.” Mark Wessel Scherzo-burlesque for piano and orchestra. Concertino for flute and orchestra. Paul White .... String_quartet. Emerson Whithorre . ‘Saturday's Child.” Works published by the ogers. kranian Suite for Strings,” by Quincy Porter. T. edieval Poem for Organ and Orches- a,” by Leo Sowerby. “‘The Pageant of P. T. Barnum,” by Dous- Moore. by Leo Sowerby. arker Africa.” by Willlam Grant Still “The Betrothal Suite,” by Eric de La- marter. re. our Ironics. Mlcrop]'mnes for All Voices OPRANO, contralto, tenor, alto and bass microphones are new develop- ments in the sound-film production field, permitting more accurate and smoother voice registration. This sym- phonic assortment of recording instru- ments was perfected by acoustical en- gineers at the Paramount research lab- oratories in Hollywood upon the re- quest of Rowland V. Lee. Lee is directing “The Wolf of Wall Street,” in which the star, George Ban- croft, has a robust voice, easy to record. Baclanova, on the other hand, has a voice of delicate softness that requires a “soprano” microphonic adjustment. ‘The voice of Nancy Carroll, rich and musical, offered another problem. Paul Lukas, Brandon Hurst, Arthur Rankin, and others in the cast demanded in- dividual handling. The same system will be used in mak- ing all Paramount 100 per cent dialogue gtclmées to follow “The Wolf of Wal! reet.” 3 . . “ Smg; mn Wcary River. CAME’RA work having been com- pleted on the silent version of “Weary River,” the First National fea- ture starring Richard Barthelmess, preparation has started for the talking sequences, which will be an innovation in Barthelmess pictures. ‘These will be the first sequences made at First National's own Burbank studio. In addition to the voice of Barthelmess, which is said to be ideal for talking | pictures, the voices of Betty Compson, George Stone, Louis Natheaux and William Holden will be heard in “Weary River,” which is the story of a singing convict. Barthelmess talks, sings and plays the piano in this picture. Go Int;}—le—Noiay Shadows. CHAH.L!:S KING, a musical comedy favorite, featured in “Hit the Deck” and “Present Arms,” seems to have deserted Broadway indefinitely. Word comes from the coast that he has signed a long-term contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, with whom he made his screen debut in “Broadway Melody,” an all-talking picture. King is now playing the male lead opposite Marion Davies in “The Five O’Clock Girl,” adaptation of the musi- cal piece in which Mary Eaton and Oscar Shaw were co-starred. Other adidtions to the cast of “The Five O’Clock Girl” include William Austin, English comedian, and Joel McCrae, 18- year-old California college athlete, who recently signed for a long term. The feminine lead in “Dynamite,” Ce- cil B. de Mille’s first talking picture, at the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studios, has been given to Kay Johnson, well known Broadway actress. This selection fol- lows closely that of Charles Bickford for the masculine lead in the new film, which is planned as one of De Mille’s most ambitious efforts. Neither Miss Johnson nor Bickford has ever before appeared in pictures, Crosby Gaige is out with the an- nouncement that he intends presenting the Thomas Mitchell dramatization of Vina Delmar’s novel, “Bad Girl,” i February. STUDIOS OF SOPHOCLES T. PAPAS TEACHER OF honor of Mrs. Virginia White Speel at the Hotel Roosevelt yesterday by the Federation of Women's Clubs. The music at the Christmas party held recently at the home of James H. Baden_was furnished by the Slattery Trio—Margaret, Mary and Eugenia— playing harp, violin and piano, with vocal selections, too. The trio was assisted by Mr. Baden's three talented children, Jim Henry, Mary Adele and Tom. ‘The program featured Christmas mu- sic and also music from some of the fa- mous’ operesy Banjo, Mandolin, Guitar Hawaiian Guitar and Ukulele Personal Instruction NSEMBLE PRACTICE WITH THE COLUMBIA 8BS, |_CONN. AVE. DECATUR 737 WALTER T.HOLT School of Mandolin, Guitar and Banjo. Hawaiian Guitar and Ukulele Established 1894 Ensemble practice with the Nordies Clubs 4801 Columbia Road: N.W., Col. 946/ SMUSICAL= WASHINGTON PIANO PLAYING JAZL sz SAXOPHONE, BANJO UKE, Etc. FREE LESSONS 1t ¥ Volce Culture, P1 Harmony Stutio 3854 Sth st Tekoma Eare B! . Ph ieorgla_3233 VIRGILIO VILLATICO CLARINET AN XOPHONE INSTRUCTION Studio 1224 13th St. N.W.. 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