Evening Star Newspaper, May 19, 1929, Page 54

MU THE SIC BY HELEN FETTER. HE music-festival spirit is spreading steadily and find- H ing root each year in new places in the United States. Canada, too, has felt its magic. The famous “handicraft festival” of Quebec has found an echoing counterpart in blossoming festi- vals this year clear to Vancouver on the west coast. The literature for European Summer festivals is assumxnf time-table form and piling high on the music editor’s desk, now that May is here. Yet, with it all, the lucky pil- grim who 10 days ago was privi- leged to enter Packer Memorial Chapel, on the campus of Lehigh University in Bethlehem, to hear the twenty-third Bach Festival, may well feel that he, or she, has tasted the cream of all festivals for the current season. It is amazing how, in this Amer- ican “little town of Bethlehem,” the unhurred spell of the true fes- tival spirit exists. No chamber of commerce gives bigger and better Bach festival luncheons. There are no badges and no dele- gates. There are neither sight- seeing busses nor souvenirs. This festival has no promotion com- mittee. In spite of the lack of the usual propaganda, the Bach Festival, this year, was quite the most suc- cessful to date. The 1,200 Ameri- cans who came from nearly every State in the Union, as well as from Canada, to fill the seats available, with several additional hundreds turned away from fes- tival and hotels, were people who were representative of the finest cujtural ideals and who were, in many cases, distinguished, even famous, citizens of the United States. They assembled quietly and in dignity, with a delightful spirit of informal comradeship, to hear the trombone choir play be- fore each session of the festival. They participated generally in the singing of the chorales during the “St. Matthew Passion.” Through their interest and practical sup- port of such an artistic group as the Bach Choir, these people are laying the foundation for a New ‘World culture. * % X X ETHLEHEM, Pa., has a happy combination of contradictory qualities. There is the simple quaintness that suggests the Old World atmosphere, such as one finds in Salzburg, or perhaps in Bayreuth and Oberammergau. At the same time, every item that supplies this particular quaintness ethlehem is essentially Amer- ican. Although the laboring groups for the factories that have brought wealth to Bethlehem have a_veritable melting-pot of nationalities, the backbone of the population of the town, which has provided the 300 members of the Bach Choir and the initial spon- sors of the festival, is made up of American pioneer stock. A new pilgrim to a Bach Festi- val might be pardoned for having carried a pre-view mental picture, imagining Bethlehem as a grimy, prosaic center for ugly steel fac- tories. Such a visitor receives an astoundingly pleasant surprise upon his arrival in the town. As he ventures on any one of the eight graceful concrete arms of that amazing structure, the Bridge of Bethlehem (which cost $3.- 500,0000 he finds the cool, well ordered waters of the Lehigh River running sedately and deeply beneath. A little farther on they break into white-crested falls and rapids as they swirl down to where the famous steel works, which produced 65 per cent of the munitions and arms for the allies during the World War, raise a small army of tall chimneys. At the distance from the beautiful bridge that lies in the heart of Bethlehem proper, these chimneys assume all the soft charcoal lackness with a background of gray clouds and occasional spurts of flame that would distinguish a Pennell drawing. “As for Bethlehem itself, it is a town of peaceful winding streets with tidy, well ordered homes perched primly on their hilly slopes. All the buildings nestle at the feet of a circle of protect- ing mountains, just as swallows content.edlfl huddle together in miniature hills of sand. The hills of Bethlehem are green, making an emerald geode for this town. Bethlehem was founded in 1741 and christened by the leader of the American group of Moravians, Count Zinzendorf, on Christmas eve, in honor of the Nativity. The town has had music since its earliest days. In fact, it was the playing of the trombone choir one chilly Christmas dawn, play- ing the Christmas chorales, as was their custom, that turned back & band of Indians bent upon destroying the village. The In- dians, speeding down the river 1n their canoes, heard this unusual music coming apparently out of the upper air (the choir was sta- tioned, according to tradition, in the tower of the First Moravian Church). The Indians decided that it was a warning of the Great Spirit to leave this settlement alone so they turned their canoes around and departed. Thus it was that Bethlehem was named and saved on two Christmas days. The Moravians brought with them the German’s love of music. They established among their earliest organizations in this country a Singstunde (hour of ( singing) at all their services. At first th’ orchestral accompani- ment was merely of stringed in- struments and French horns. In 1754 trombones were introduced and have been used ever since. They first were used at the Easter sunrise service in the graveyard. The Trombone Choir has a spe- cial place in the church ritual. In days of sadness or i:)y the chorales are sounded by this choir from the belfry of the church and form a dominant feature of the serv- ices and other customs. At the death of a member of the Morav- ian faith, people can tell from the particular chorales which are played by this choir whether the one who has ‘Famd on is man, woman or child, married or single. Bethlehem achieved musical significance even before the Revo- lution. Stories told relate how George Washington, Benjamin Fra and members of the first American COngIess Same 10 al- tend musical events in Bethlehem. Bethlehem's Philharmonic Society, organized in 183V or soon there- atier, produced oratorios of na- tional 1mportance and endured until after the Civil War. Today this tiny village in Pennsylvania has a Bethiehem Symphony Or- chestra. * % k x 'O one who is not a seasoned attendee at the Bach Festi- vals, perhaps the most remark- able feature of the entire event is the excellent training of the dif- ferent sections of the choir, so that the entire ensemble is as re- sponsive to the slightest gesture or expression on the face of Dr. Wolle, the founder and leader, as a huge, beautifully toned organ would be under the manipulation of a great organist. Interest centers, first of all, in this master of Bach. J. Fred Wolle organized his first chorus in his home town of Bethlehem when he was only 18 years old. This was the Bethlehem Choral Union. He conducted it until he went to Munich, Germany, in 1884, to study the organ. He was there 18 months and returned to Amer- ica filled with the deepest admira- tion for the tremendous works of Johann Sebastian Bach. He de- termined to give this chorus of his Bach to sing. He conducted them in the first performance in Amer- ica of the “St. John Passion,” June 5, 1888. This was followed by the “St. Matthew Passion,” in April, 1892, the first of only six perform- ances of that work ever given by a Bethlehem chorus under Dr. Wolle. The sixth performance was that given May 10 of this year's festival, the fifth by the Bach Cholr. Dr. Wolle became so absorbed in the beauties and possibilities cf the works of Bach that he f{elt a great desire to present Bach's greatest work—the “Mass in B Minor’—which is probably the greatest piece of music in the world. His chorus, however, balked. They felt this work was beyond their capacity. Dr. Wolle, firm in his intention and enthusi- astic in his desire, refused to lead this chorus in any other musical compositions. It was the Mass or nothing. The Choral Union was disbanded. Five years later, real- izing the great talent that Dr. Wolle possessed as a conductor and reluctant to let such a great gift lie unused, 80 leading singers of Bethlehem banded together and promised to rehearse and sing the “Mass in B Minor” if Dr. Wolle would lead them. He ac- cepted the offer. The newly or- ganized Bach Choir rehearsed for 14 months, weekly and sometimes oftener, until the difficulties of this most difficult of scores were overcome. The mass was present- ed Tuesday, March 27, 1900, in the auditorium of the Moravian Church by this choir of 80 voices and an amateur orchestra of 30. Dr. Wolle conducted from the or- gan bench, at times playing the organ accompaniment. A com- ment made at the time by a writer was: “The choir was letter per- fect and Prof. Wolle has done wonderfully well.” No critics were at that first performance, but the news of its success spread, so that when it was known that there would be a three-day festival the following year prominent critics of leading newspapers were pres- ent and wrote of the event in glowing terms. No festivals were held while Dr. Wolle was in California (1906- 1912), where he was director of the department of music for the University of California. It was Charles M. Schwab, the steel mag- nate, who was a patron and lover of music, who visited Dr. Wolle in California and persuaded him to return to’Bethlehem and resume the Bach Choir performances. Since then all festivals have been held in Packer Memorial Church by courtesy of the Lehigh Univer- sity authorities. Always the “Mass in B Minor” is the feature of the Saturday per- formance of the festival. This last performance, said even by “old-timers” to have been the most superb of them all, was the twenty-second annual perform- ance. Given in the cool, religious quiet of this lovely church, with its high rafters making for per- fect acoustics and its stained win- dows and orderly pews for dig- nity, the Bach Choir presents the power of a great dramatic truth exemplified in music. Supple- mented by the rich organ_tones and the 40 pieces from the Phila- delphia Symphony Orchestra, the voices of the choir ring out with vivid inspiration behind the pre- cision of perfected practice. ere are great effects that even the finest and largest of a cappella choirs could not achieve. It is the experience of a lifetime to hear the Bach Choir on its native heath in this stupendous Prot- estant mass. * ok ok k LOCAL choir directors may be interested to take a glimpse at Dr. Wolle'’s method in prepar- ing these works, as set down in a little booklet compiled by James Robinson. He says: “The rehearsals, which last from one and a half to two hours every Monday night from the beginning of October until May, when the festival is given, are $aken very seriously by all the singers. There is no humdrum method of re- hearsing. Dr. Wolle avoids all serious drudgery by making his rehearsals attractive. His method is unique. He will take, for in- stance, a few bars, perhaps at the end or in the middle of a selec- tion, skip about, piecing together here and there, until, before the singers are aware of it, they are able to sing the whole selection in an incredibly short time, without feeling it is an irksome task. ‘When he comes to putting expres- sion into the singing it seems as if the choir can never satisfy him or reach the standard he has set. * * * He leads his singers on as a musical Pied Piper to greater achievements than they ever thought possible.” Mary Melen Howe is entertaining the members of her music group at an in- formal tea this afternoon from 4 to 2L i lSchool Music Classes Give Demonstration ‘HE music department of the public schools of the District of Columbia, Dr. E. N. C. Barnes, director, announce that a demonstration of community | instrumental classes both for orchestral Central High School in the auditorium | Saturday night at 7:30 o'clock. public is cordially invited; there is no admission charge, and it is earnestly hoped that all not fully acquainted interested will attend, The intergrade festival chorus will as- sist with a group of part songs. There will be selections by an orchestra of students who have studied in these classes. There also will be solos, duets and other selections by violin, &axo- phone, clarinet. cornet, trombone, drum and plano students. The orchestral work is under the| supervision of Laura F. Ward. The plano supervisor is Edith B. Athey. Both are assisted by corps of able teachers, Catholic U. Glee Club Completes Busy Season "HE Catholic University Glee Club, completed its season this year with | a concert for the alumni of the Roman | College of Rome, given on the univer- sity grounds Wednesday. The club recently sang over radio | station WMAL, and, to judge by the volume of favorable comments made, | was enthusiastically received. The club also put on a program for the seventh annual senior night at the Catholic Untversity in honor of the Ambassador from Germany to _the United States, his excellency Herr Friedrich W. von Prittwitz und Graf- fron. An Expressionisdc Dancer. ANNE MIDDLETON. MUCH Interest is: being shown in the program of dance numbers to be presented Thursday -night at the Con- gressional Country Club by Anne Mid- dleton, a dancer new to local audiences. Miss Middleton terms her style of dancing “expressionistic dancing.” stat- ing that she “utilizes the medium of motion to express the design and mood of the music.” Until recently Miss Middleton was teacher bf rhythmic dancing at Prince- ton_Conservatory of Music, Princeton, N. J. She will do several groups of dances during the evening, giving a Chopin group, a group to music by Beethoven, and a group with Debussy music. Assisting her in ensemble interpreta- tion of these compositions will be Kurt Hetzel, well known here, as pianist. Dance interpretations which attempt to visualize the music make special re- quirements of the instrumentalist, too, in order to secure a unified interpreta- tion from both artists participating. instruments and piano will be held at | ‘The | with the merits of .class instruction and | | is ‘The first group of dances probably will be given about 9 or 9:30 p.m. "HE choir of the Vermont Avenue Christian Church not only is con- sidered locally as a leading choir of the National Capital, but distinguished leaders of this denomination who have | visited Washington and heard this choir sing claim it is one of the best in the country. For several seasons now the choir has been organized in a male quartet, a women's quartet, a solo mixed quartet and chorus. W. E. Braithwaite is the leader. The organization has won much favorable repute for its monthly musical services given during the Win- ter scasons for several years. The chofr also has appeared in quite a few rt programs. Last year concerts were given in Martinsburg, W. Va., and other places adjacent to Washington. The choir has the full support of the pastor of the church, Rev. Earle Wil- fley, and the members of the board of officers, all of whom encourage the bet- with religious worship. Mr. Braithwaite, in addition to his work as director, also is tenor soloist of ter church music program in connection!at the Boulevard Methodist Church. the choir. He has diligently studied the subject of church music. He took #pecial interest in a course of lectures ~ SUNDAY STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C. MAY 19, LEADERS IN DANCE RECITALS IR Lisa GARDINER- A STRIKING feature of the annual | recital programs of the Tcherni-| koff-Gardiner Dancers to be given Fri-| day and Saturday evenings, at 8:30 pm., | at Wardman Park Theater, will be a| group dance done to the “echo” of mu- sic. Dances entirely without music are | not new, but in this number the key to the rhythm is given by the music | which alternates with the dancing all through the number. ‘Two other unusual selections are the | interpretations of a Negro spiritual and the “G-Major Prelude” of Rachmani- noff, presented by Miss Gardiner. Mr. Tchernikoff has arranged two little heard preludes by Debussy—"The Danc- ers of Delphi” and “Veils.” "They are to be given original interpretations. Part of the “Carnival Suite” will fur- nish the musical background for & group of varied dances. The classic dance is represented by a | new ballet with masks, danced to music by Chopin. In this ballet the poet PAUL TCHERNIKOFF Alfred de Musset is shown struggling | to express the half-formed ideas that appear so beautiful in his mind. he reaches for them, he sees them dis- torted and grotesque, and is about to despair when the muse of poetry ap- pears to him and touches him with her inspiration, He then perceives the poems in ail their beauty. The first “Arabesque” of Debussy is to be repeated by request. Mr. Tcherni- koff will present two newly arranged , numbers, “Harlequin,” to music by | Goosens, and & “March” of Tchaikow- | sky. “Jota Aragonesa,” an original dance | of Spain and a feature number on the | program, is to be done to Spanish folk tunes brought back from Spain by Miss | Gardiner last Summer. This dance was done with great suc- cess at the “Despidida” given in honor | of the Army Band before they left for | the exposition in Seville, Spain, this ! month. Spring Recitals ‘WO recitals, the first Thursday | evening and the second Sunday afternoon, June 2, will mark the end of the season at the Lovette School of Music. Both occasions will include receptions. Eva Whitford Lovette will | present 20 senior and junior students of piano, voice and vocal expression. Assisting will be the Lovette Choral Club, directed by Mrs. Lovette; Oscar Levine, violinist, recent music contest winner selected to enter the national | contest at Boston, and Elsie Crammer, accompanist. The recitals will be given in the drawing rooms of the Misses Stone’s School, 1626 Rhode Island ave- nue. Mrs. Lovette also is head of the vocal department of this school. Those taking part as soloists Thurs- | day night will include Nell Duree Nor- and Hattle Noel, readers; Helen Clopton, Audrey Koons, Ella Mintz, | Lorena Stockton Gawler, Jeanette Valck, Nellie Barber Brooks and Ethel Lynn Fast, sopranos; Fay Moler. dancer; Oscar Levine, violinist; Ethel ‘Thorpe Kamm, mezzo-soprano, and Mury Templin, contralto. | At the musical tea on Sunday, June 2, the following students will be pre- | sented in addition to several assisting | artists of the semior group: Gonzalo | Arango, baritone; _Margaret Edson, | Stewart Harter, Tone Moler and| Beatrice Warsaw, planists; Fay Moler, | piano and dance; Rachel Niedomansky, | soprano, and Virginia Kaufman, reader. Peter Pan Troubadours of the N. F. M. C. will have their annual re- cital June 13 at the Women's City Club. | ‘This club is a juvenile one and its| activities feature alertness as to what is musical in Washington. The recital will include exhibition | of an antique instrument from the fa- | mous collection of Hugo Worch. | ‘The club numbers 21 and has as| councilor R. B. Chopin Keith, A usual song_recital was slxs{l[ tinued on Twelfth Page.) at Chautauqua, N. Y., presented by H.| Augustine Smith of Boston University. Mr. Braithwaite had thorough training under well known vocal teachers of this city, and he was for several seasons tenor soloist of the National Mixed Quartet. He is director and second tenor in the popular Columbian Male Quartet. He has directed different choral organizations in Washington within the past few years, in addition to his work as director of the choir of this church. Mrs. B. D. Shreve, soprano soloist of the choir, took private lessons with Halstead Hoover. Later she studied for @ year with Irene Dieterick of New York City and previously of Germany. Most of "her vocal training has been done with Florence Butterworth of this city. Mrs. Shreve has held solo positions here with the exception of two years— one in Atlanta, Ga., where she was soloist at the Park Street Methodist Church, and one year in Richmond, Va., She has been soprano soloist in several Washington churches, among them be- ing Western Presbyterian, Trinity Methodist and Mount Vernon Place Methodist. For the past six years Mrs. Shreve has been sololst of the Vermont The Potters Give Recital. LOUIS POTTER, F. A. G. O. FFHE American Guild of Organists, District of Columbia Chapter, will present Louis Potter, F. A. G. O, in an | organ recital, assisted by Ruby Potter, Iyric soprano, at Calvary Baptist Church, corner of Eighth and H streets north- west, Tuesday at 8 p.m. ‘The program will include: Choral, “Glory Now to Thee Be Given,” Bach; First Symphony, Vierne; soprano, “I Know That My Redeemer Liveth” (“Mes- siah”), Haendel; pastorale, “The Tumult in the Practorium,” Maleingreau; so- prano, “I Will Extol Thee, O Lord" (“Elf"), Costa; prelude to “The Blessed Damozel” (arranged by Palmer Chris- tian), Debussy; minuct, Haendel, and Finale in B Flat, Franck. This recital will be free and open to the general public. CHURCH SINGERS OF WASHINGTON—VERMONT AVENUE CHRISTL/ Avenue Christian Church. Helen Turley, a newcomer to Wash- ington, is the contralto soloist. Mrs, Turley is a teacher of voice. She was graduated with the degree of bachelor of music from the University School of Musie, Lincoln, Nebr. She is a mem- ber of Sigma Alpha Iota, a national professional music sorority. She has coachad for opera and leider with El- mer Zoller, New York: studied language and diction with Luther Mott of New York; coached for song and oratorio with Charles Baker of New York: wa: contralto soloist at St. Paul's M. Church, Lincoln, Nebr,, for nine yea: minister of music, Christian Church, Lincoln, Nebr., four years; soloist for Dutch Reformed Church, Elmhurst, Long Island, and St. Mary the Virgin Episcopal Church, New York City; also soloist over Station WJZ, New York City, on Estey Organ and Aeolian hour during 1926, 1927 and 1928. Mrs. Tur- fey is director of the junior choir of | the church, in addition to her duties as contralto soloist. She already has made a name for herself as one of the outstanding scloists of the city. Plans are being made to introduce Mrs. Turley in musical Washington at & re-l cital early in the Fal. v 1929—PART 4.’ Woodridge Students Giving Numerous Entertainments NDER the direction of Mrs. Grace Hazard Wormelle, the junior mem- bers of the Woodridge School of EX- | pression and Music are giving & num- ibel" of entertalnments during the | month of May. | A benefit entertamment for the | Mothers' Club of the Mount Rainier | Christian Church. one for the building | fund of the Brookland Baptist Church, | one for the Mothers' Club of Mount | Rainier, St. James Catholic Church, | which were largely attended, and, as | the final one. a program to be given | Friday for the Parent-Teacher Asso- | clation of the Brookland School at Masonic Hall, Brookland, 7:30 p.m. Schul;; };;og‘ra;; Please. MILDRED KOLB SCHULZE gave a | series of three student recitals last | week thet presented this gifted pianist and accompanist as a teacher of marked individuality. _Something unique in | music appreciation for children was the | toy orchestra_recital of Gunston Hall School, when Mrs. Schulze demonstrated for the first time novel ideas in bring- ing the best music into the child’s own personal experience. Some 45 children of Gunston Pre- paratory School, from 6 to 12 years of age, formed this toy orchestra, whose two “conductors” also were students of the class, Helen Louise Baldwin, age 12, and Lucile Sheppard, age 9. Toy symphonies are not new, but Mrs. Schulze's treatment of this toy orches- tra demanded & knowledge of the music that was accurate as to phrase and color, as well as rhythm, accurate even as to note value. The children played from memory. Individual talent as well as ensemble | work had been developed. Two very | young children " had _orchestrated | Becthoven's “Turkish March,” using the | dozen or so instruments in “choirs” | that made their entrances and exits | with clean-cut precision, astonishing in its surety. One felt that these | children ~ knew well the quaint | “Amaryllis” of Louis XIV time, while | a “March of Little Lead Soldiers” | brought forth a concert-master solo and | a modern idiom that delighted all real ‘As | musicians. A “Mother Goose” incident, with 11 | costume episodes, brought the kinder- | garten and first-grade classes in as actors, while the orchestra played and sang the nursery rhymes the children {llustrated. Babyhood made its debut into a real musical background, as Mrs. Schulze at the piano held the musical idea together. The striking thing was that this “toy” music was | authentic and quite letter perfect. Mrs. Flora McGill Keefer and Miss | Octavia Marshall were artist soloists, Mrs. Keefer singing some Mozart songs after telling their stories inter- | estingly, and Miss Marshall played | Schubert’s “Hark, Hark the Lark” | after one of the older children had | given the poem. | © Mrs. Schulze's junior class gave a | piano recital at her studio Saturday, in which one felt again a stressing of the individual in the making of musical l youth. One heard excellent legato. Also there was evident a keen sense | for modulation that proved the players at home with their instrument. The soloists were June Harris, Betty Joe McNarney, Betty Emerson, Virginia Clark, Jean Smail, Sylvia Gilbert, Ruth Lamborn, Blanche Heyser and Norwood { Albion. | Thursday evening the senior class piano recital presented as soloists | Madeline Aughinbaugh, Margaret | Becker, Clare Garrity, Marion Heyser, Nancy Jennings, Bernice Jones, Robert | Mattern, Mary Frances Parker, Phyllis | Stephenson and Myrta Williams. J. MacB. | [ “ “ The Dcluge. T HE DELUGE,” which will be pre- sented at Hemline Methodist Episcopal Church Tuesday, May 28, is | considered one of the besi works of the | great. French composer, Camille Saint- | Saens. This oratorio, which is to be performed for the first time in Wash- ington, ‘will'be sung by a chorus of 50 | voices and a solo quartet, with accom- | paniment of orehestra and organ, under | the direction of John H. Marville. The work; which is divided into | Ihree contrasting parts, has a prelude | that is very well known, and in fact a universally popular piece. It com- mences in_a severe, austere manner somewhat like Bach; after a few in- trodyctory bars, a theme of an ex- pressive and melancholy nature is treated as a fugue, which leads to a lovely melody played by the solo violin, softly accompanied by the other strings. ‘This beautiful prelude, remarkable for simplicity and feeling, in & way pre- sents a synthesis of the entire work, which was suggested by a passage in Genesls, “And God repented having created the world.” The first portion of the oratorio is | scored for strings only. The composer | reserved the full force of the orchestra | for the second part, which contains this the composer paints an effective picture of the rise and overflowing of the waters. The third part portrays God's promise and covenant with man. CHURCH CHOIR ‘The bass soloist in this organization is Wilbur G. Sindell. Mr. Sindell | studied with 'George C. Weitzell of | Pittsburgh, where he served as director {ond bass sololst at the Lincoln Avenue | Methodist Church, He has sung in the best churches of Reading, where he also | served as organist in the People's Meth- odist Church. Before coming to Ver- mont Avenue Christian Church Mr. | Sindell sang at the Calvary Baptist Church of this city, | In addition to the above soloists, Mrs., H. C. Littlefeld, soprano; Mrs. Leo ‘Tooley, contralto, and Thomas P. Russell are serving as soloists in the two quartets, respectively. | Mrs. H. C. Grimes is the very capa- | ble organist and accompanist. She | studled organ under Bischoff, who was |a well known organist in this city for a number of years. Mrs. Grimes is & member of the music teaching staff in the public schools of Washington. The soloists and leader of the church choir will be found in the second row from the bottom in the above picture. They read, from left to right: Mrs. Leo Tooley, Mrs. H. C. Littlefleld, Rev. Earle Wilfley, Mrs. Grimes, Mr. Braith- waite, Mrs. Shreve, Mrs, Turley, Mr. Sindell and Mr, Russell, 7 symphonic description of the flood. In | P MUSIG IVIARGARET LOUISE O'BRIEN pre- | sented a musical program last| night at the Portland Hotel in honor of Mme. Josephine C. de Lagnel. Miss O'Brien has a lyric soprano voice and is well known as a recitalist in Rich- | mond and Baltimore, where she has| given several concert programs. She sang in Washington at the World Con- | gress of Music and also at the recep- | tion to Dr. Thomas Healy of George- | town University, held at the Carlton Hotel by the International Association | of Arts and Letters, | Others on last night's program, which was presented before an audience | of 100 invited guests. were Mortimer Davenport, tenor soloist at the cathe- dral; Kurt Nothnagel, another singer: | Eleanor Colborn and Victor Neal, | planist, and Bruce Wallace, violinist. i ‘The principals and faculty of Gun- | ston Hall Junior School issued cards for a particularly interesting student demonstration of a children's symphony at_the school last Wednesday at 5 p.m. The school also is sponsoring a pro- gram of rhythmic dancing to be given this Wednesday afternoon at the same | hour at 1647 Thirtieth street northwest, Georgetown. Catherine A. Passero, soprano, as- sisted by Elizabeth Gardner Coombs, planist, gave a program of songs last Sunday afternoon at the Women's City | Club. She sang well known compo- sitions and included the air “Knowest Thou That Fair Land” from Thomas' “Mignon.” Mrs. Passero made a favor- able impressipn with a soprano voice of pleasing quality, and indications | point to her being one of the promising singers of Washington's younger group. Pearl Hauer, organist at the Bethesda ‘Theater, co-operated with Mrs. Mina Church Brann, chairman of the motion picture department of the Women's Club of Bethesda, in presenting two se- lections by eomposers of classical stand- ing, in short recitals each day of Music week. Works presented in- cluded numbers by Chaminade, Tschai- kowsky, Brahms, Victor Herbert, Saint- Saens, Kreisler, Gounod, Moszkowski, MacDowell, Mascagni, Mendelsshon and Schubert. ‘The National Music Week activities sponsored by the Women's Improvement Club of Silver Spring, Md., were ar- ranged under the auspices of Val Wil- son. A program given at the Seco Theater had as the soloists Mrs. Walter H. Oliver, John C. Marsh, Richard Reinohl, Evelyn G. Randall, Helen Tucker and Harlan Randell, with, as accompanists, Mrs. Harbin, Mrs. Hartman and Albert Havenner. The Silver Spring Community Band geve a concert, featuring American music under the direction of Mr. Browning. ‘The East Silver Spring School had a special musical program on its “Visit- ing day.” ‘The music section of the Women's Improvement Club itself gave a pro- gram in connection with the regular meeting_when the soloists were Mrs. Robert Langley, Mrs. J. W. Maddox, Mrs. Walter Oliver, Mrs. Grace Bout- well and Mrs. Roy V. Leasure, singers, and Mrs. Ralph Gault, pianist. e chorus also participated. Oba Jan Gibson, iyric soprano, was guest soloist at the Park View Christian Church last Sunday evening, when spe- clal services were held in honor of all of the chapters of Royal Arch Masons of the District. “Betty Lou, or the Dream Girl,” the operetta presented some weeks ago by the chorus of the Mount Pleasant Con- gregational Church, and, by request. repeated for the patients at Walter Reed Hospital, had its third presenta- tion last Tuesday in the parish hall of All Souls’ Church, Fifteenth and Harvard streets. The pi of this performance will go toward the ex- penses of the Washington Life Adjust- ment Center, which will resume its sessions at the Mount Pleasant Congre- gational Church next Autumn. Tuesday 30 of the 50 members of the chorus, which is directed by Nor- ton M. Little, with Claude Robertson and John S. DeForest, organist, will have character parts. The part of Betty Lou will be taken by Mary Apple, contralto, who will be supported by other members of the church quartet, Herman Fakler, bass; Willlam Sha han, tenor, and Elsie Schulze, soprano, and by the chorus ensemble. Mary Helen Howe, coloratura so- prano, has returned from Frederick, Md, where she was soloist for the National Music Week exercises with the Baker Park Orchestra, under the direction of Maud W. Dittmar. Miss Howe was enthusiastically received by a capacity audience at the opera house. She sang “Elegle” (Massenet), “Le Nile” (Leroux), “Spring Song” (Weil) and “I1 Baclo” (Ardit). Mrs. Dittmar has made the Baker ark Orchestra a feature of the musi- cal activities of Frederick. Among the numbers played on this occasion were dances from “The Bartered Bride” (Smetana), “Neapolitan (Zamecnek), “Desert 8o berg), “Old Colonial Marc] and the overture from “Galathea” (Von Suppe). Miss Howe has been invited to make | a return engagement to Frederick later in the seeson. Helen Pisk Torrey was hostess to the Washington Alumnae Club of Mu Phi Epsilon Wednesday evening. Isabel Baldwin, pianist, from Pi Chapter at Appleton, Wis., was received into the club as a member. A program was given after the busi- ness meeting by Inez B. Miller, mezzo soprano, and Charlotte Kiein, pianist. ‘All inactive “Mu Phis” are cordially invited to attend the meetings; they are requested to communicate with Charlotte Klein, secretary, 3217 Wis- | consin avenue northwest. ‘Wednesday, May 29, the final recital of the season under the guild's auspices will be given by Cherlotte Klein, A. A. | G. O., at the Church of the Epiphany, 1317 G street northwest, at 8 pm. On this occasion Miss Klein will play from memory the entire program which early next month she will present at the gen- eral convention of the guild at Mem- phis, Her convention recital will be her { Simmons, solo dancer. RAPHS Phi Epsilon, during the month of May include two events. One was given At the anniversary at home of the Meth- odist Home for the Aged Wednesday, when a program arranged by Clara ‘Wolfe was presented. Those partici- pating were Helen Lyon, violinist; Clara Brown, soprano: Dorothy Russell Todd, planist, and Clara Wolfe, accompanist The ‘annual banquet of the sorority will be held at the Manor Club May 27. It is to be followed by an inter- esting program, to be announced Iater. On the musical program for the me- | morial service to be held at the Abbey Mausoleum next Sunday at 3 p.m. the Cantabile Chorus will sing “Ave Maria” and “Thanksgiving,” by Alexander Hen- neman. director of the organization. Another number by this local com- poser, entitled “Refuge,” will be sung by the Washington Quartet, the mem- bers of which are Mrs. Frederick Rice, soprano: Edna Jones. alto; Mason ‘Willis, tenor, and Ranold Comley, bass, with Mrs. George Thomaldes, accom- panist. The public is invited to attend the | memorial service. ‘The D. C. Chapter of the American ‘War Mothers announces that a musical program was given at the home of Mrs. John Deeds, 4125 Harrison street, Chevy Chase, last Thursday night and was |{ much enjoyed. The Glee Club of the Epiphany Branch of the Girls' Friendly Society is presenting a Spring novelty tomor- Tow evening at 8:15 o'clock at Epiphany Parish Hall, 1317 G street northwest. The Glee Club will be assisted by Katherine Moritz, violinist, and Joseph There also will be & pantomime presented by a group from Trinity Branch, G. F. S. The program will be followed by dancing from 10 to 12 pm. The officers of the Glee Club are Imo- | gene B. Ireland, director and accom- panist; Mary Hartley, president; Edith Langsford, secretary; Frances Scott, treasurer, and Mabel Byler, librarian. Mary Monico, mezzo-soprano, will be the guest soloist today on a program to be given by Mr. and Mrs. Sophocles T. Papas at their studios, on Connecticut avenue. Miss Monico is a sister of Mrs. Papas and is in Washington for a short visit, probably returning to England in July to flll various concert and radio engage- ments, Mrs. James E. Colliflower, vice presi- dent of the Cantabile Chorus, enter- tained for the chorus at the Manor Club Tuesday night. Music of the evening was presented by George E. O'Connor, accompanied by Matt Horn; Fred East, Bob Thomas, the Washington Quartet, composed of Mrs. Fred Rice, Edna Jones, Nason Willls, Roland Comley; Mary O'Donoghue, the winner of sec- ond honors in the last Washington audi- tion of the Atwater Kent contest, and Nellie Ronan. Dr. Alexander Henneman played some original compositions by request and the rrnlogue to the moving picture, “Sabiola,” which he also composed. ‘The Cantabile Chorus gave a group of selections, directed by Dr. Henne- man. Mrs. George T. Thomaides as- sisted at the piano. Elena de Sayn will teach in Wash- ington this Summer and has announced a special course for young teachers. There also will be a course for begin- ners, in,which the mechanical prin- ciples which govern good violin playing will be imparted. The Cosmopolitan Club held & me- morial service at the Carlton Hotel Thursday, when Ethel Holtzclaw Gaw- ler rendered a soprano solo and the program was closed with a duet by Mrs. Fred Rice and Edna Jones. Mrs. Gzo&(e T. Thomaides was the accom- panist. ‘The musical program presented at the breakfast in honor of the 1929 gradu- ates in the Mayflower Hotel last Sun- day under the auspices of the Interna- tional Federation of Catholic Alumnae included: “Refuge,” a composition by Dr. Alexander Henneman, sung by the Washington Quartet; ‘‘Mother Ma- chree,” sung in honor of Mother's day by Nellle Ronan, and a group of songs by Mary O'Donoghue. Mrs. George T. ‘Thomaides and Dr. Henneman assisted at the piano. Mrs. Martin A. Morrison, director of the Washington Pilanists’ Club, will en- tertain Saturday afternoon in honor of the members of this club who recently took part in its festival of pianoforte music. Mrs. Waldo Schmitt, pupil of Mrs. Alice Burbage Hesselbach, and Katharine Morrison, pupil of Felian Garzia, who were prepared to act as emergency substitutes had any been needed in the recent series.of recitals, will furnish the program. Mrs. Schmitt will play works by Bach, Chopin and Moszkowski. Miss Morrison will play works by Bach, Grieg and Schumann. ‘The club will not resume r m;:unn until the last Saturday in Oc- tober, ‘The compositions of R. Deane Shure, Washington composer, are being more widely used throughout the country each year. Recently the Music Clubs of Lakeland, Fla., and Amarillo, Tex., de- voted entire programs to his works. A New York publisher is just issuing his “Bermuda Suite,” for ergan, and a Bos- ton publisher is bringing out his Christ- mas oratorio, “Dawn in the Desert.” This work will be heard in Washington at Christmas time with a chorus of 200 voices made up of several choirs of this city and Baltimore. The combined chorus also will sing the work in Balti- more. Singers in Washington who enjoy this kind of choral singing are invited to join the chorus, which will not be re- stricted to church singers. The Composer’s Club of Washington once a vear demands of all its members a musical setting of a selected poem for joint criticism. One of these was the poem by Lew Sarett entitled “Refuge.” Alexander Henneman pre- sented his offering in the form of a mixed quartet. This number will be sung by the Washington Quartet at the third appearance in a concert capacity, and marks her as the only woman or- ganist {n this country who hes appeared in this role more than once. | Activities of Rho Beta Chapter, Mu | meeting of the club at Edward Potter's home Tuesday night. The other performers, as previously announced, are the National String (Continued on Twelfth Page.) sMESTEATS STUDIOS OF BESSIE N. WILD Voles Culture. Piano and Harmony Studio 6824 5th st. Takoma Park, D. O. Phone_Ge 323! Sophocles Tfi’apar Banjo, Mandolin, Guitar, Ukulele 1221 CONN._AVE. CATUR 131 WALTER T. HOLT! School of Mandolin, Guitar and B Hawaiian Guitar ind Ukulele tablished 1894 Ensemble vractice with the Nordles Clubs 1801 Columbia Road N.W., Co 6 Herman’s School of Music 3t B, 3, G B m o line Fiane. Mandolin, Guitar, “Tenor Banjo. - Saxophone, Trumpel, Clari- WASHINGTON L. Z. PHILLIPS Teacher of Cornet and Trombone 1618 H St. N.W. 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