St. Stephen's Choir to Sing
Cantata Tomorrow Evening
The cantata, "The Star of Bethle
hem," by F. Flaxington Harker, will
be sung by a choir of forty voices
under direction of Alfred C. Kushwa,
organist and choirmaster in St. Ste
phen's Church to-morrow evening at
_7.30 o'clock.
The cantata was to have been given
last Sunday evening, but on account
of heating trouble had to be cari
celeed.
However, it is peculiarly appro
priate for this Epiphany service in
that the Biblical selections have been
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MUSIC H
Troup Building 15 S. Market Square
doing to-n^fT^
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SATURDAY EVENING, * HARRISBURG TELEGRXPH . _ JANUARY 5, 1918.
chosen in reference to "The Star and
. the Wise Men."
A beautiful organ number, the
"March of the Magi," divides the can
tata, which is arranged as follows:'
Part I—Prophecy of the Coming.
Part ll—The Advent.
Part lll—The. Annunciation and
"March of the Magi."
Part IV—Herod and the Magi.
Preceding the cantata an organ
number, "Offertory on Christmas
Hymns" (No. 2), by Guilmant, will
be played.
The postlude will be "Alleluia," by
Faulkes.
The soloists will be Master Ross
Paul, soprano; D. L. Bowers, tenor,
and Clarence H. Sigler, bass.
THE MUSIC
By JOHN W. PHILLIPS
Everybody is a music critic. There
is no other form of human endeavor
that lends itself so easily to criti
cism as music; and the multitude in
cludes: The amateur who plays or
sings and has a little musical knowl
edge, the "cultured" person who
blandly tells you they have heard
all the big artists, and srre there
fore posted on everything musical
that has happened since Nero play
ed the fiddle; the one who used to
have a good voice before it went
back on them; the one who used to
sing in the Choral Society or some
other free-for-all organization; the
one who knows absolutely nothing
about it, and so on ad infinitum,
Then, of course, there is the one
who knows —the real critic—and in
the larger musical centers, most cor
dially hated. Ho is disliked because
he has the uncanny knack of picking
out. the shortcomings of the artist
or musical composition. Many art
ists get along finely in a concert un
til their eye lights on the music
critic; then it is only by a supreme
effort that the mind can be kept on
the performance of the music, be
cause there are visions of the morn
ing paper wherein will be written
victory or R. I. P.
If the latter soothing inscription
is inserted in the write down, (you
can write an artist up or down) the
artist, the lady artist especially,
wants to set her lingers in the crit
ic's hair, (now a critic usually
hasn't any hair) and accuses him of
not knowing musical artistry when
he hears it, and winds up by call
ing him a sour old dyspeptic.
Artists Unreasonable
Seriously, many artists are un
reasonable in this matter of criti
cism.. They want applause and
praise, anything else gives them in
digestion. Some of them, however,
are beginning to take a common
ser.se view of whatever is written,
and the result is arUstic growth and
broader musicianship.
Candidly, the critics have been
awfully kind to some who have
achieved considerable fame and
wealth, although possessed of only
fair ability. Twenty singers could
be named offhand who are sadly
overrated; not only do they lack well
produced voices, but interpretative
ability as well. First class singers
are still scarce, and so ofttimes the
mediocre is accepted and placed on
a higher pedestal than it deserves.
The critic on the large metropolitan
daily hears much music. He gets
musia tired and it is sometimes a
difficult matter to explain in print
the qualities and finer distinctions
that separate mediocrity from ex
cellence.
Coining New Phrases
Of course, there are critics that
vie with each other in coining new
phrases or injecting new and un
heard words into their articles.
They are more interested in writing
a clever article than a true, analysis.
It can bo truthfully stated, how
ever, that the professional critic has
compelled a higher standard of mu
sical art. He has striven constantly
to eliminate the bad and to uphold
the good, but when all is said and
done we heartily agree with Gilbert
and Sullivan that "the critic's lot is
not a 'appy one."
Let us turn now to the other
kind of music critic, the one who has
heard through curiosity Paderewski
and Caruso, and through necessity
the Ice Man. This sort of critic, at
tending a concert in a small city,
finds mannerisms, and other faults
not directly affecting the music, and
condemns the whole program. This
critic could make better headway
writing up the Ice Man. Another
finuo that one certain high note did
not quite meet expectations. An
other could not understand all the
words. Another is peeved because
the sugar-coated "Rosary" was not
given a3 an encore. Now. this is not
criticism; it i 3 just "picking." These
self-appointed critics are thousands
of leagues away from real musical
appreciation, and their entire stock
of genuine musical knowledge and
Insight could be stored in a half
ounce bottle. Anybody has a right
to their opinion, and to express It,
but remember that It immediately
•effects one's taste, and reveals to
a great extent the fact as to whether
that opinion is based on ignorance
or knowledge.
More in Churches
There are more music critics in
churches than anywhere else. Ev
erybody takes a hand in it. It seems
to be a Christian yirtue to biff the
choir. As a diversion from these
"days of real sport," the minister
receives a few uppercuts, but the
chief target of the barrage fire is
the choir, and so the choir loft has
come to be known as the war de
partment; not entirely because con
gregations criticise, but also because
choir members take on a beautiful
green color and artfully criticise
each other.
This would all be humorous and
Interesting if it did not bring so
much dissension and heartache.
Jealousy is a human weakness that
oven Christian thought and teach
ing seems unable to overcome, so
we may look forward with unabated
joy to the unending stream of ran
corous vapor from jealous choir
singer 3 and the insipid twaddle from
the inl'ated music critic.
Constructive Criticism
Worthy, constructive criticism re
quires musical knowledge—vocal
and instrumental—musical training
in several branches of the art; abil
ity analyze; ability to interpret;
experience in listening to music of
all kinds; imagination; absolute
fairness in passing judgment on both
artist and music; ability to write so
that anybody can understand; abso
lute independence of thought, and
keen enough insight to ( tell why a
concert is bad. mediocre or good.
Now friend, if you do not have
the above qualifications, put on the
soft pedal when making a musical
r.ttack. You may love music, and
can probably recognize many
pieces" when you hear them, but it
is a t long, long trail" before you
can say with the authority that is
bora of knowledge, "i know."
Church Music
MARKET SQ. PRESBYTERIAN
Morning—Prelude, "The Swan,"
Stebbins; "Communion," Batiste;
offertory, "Reverie in G," M. C. Bald
win; postlude, "Grand Chorus,"
Guilmant.
Kvening Prelude, "Toccata,"
Mailly; "Sunset," Demarest; offer
tory, "A Song of Joy," Frysinger; so
prano solo, by Miss Jean Ranch,
"The Palace of the King," Sheldon;
postlude, •Allegro" (from* suite),
Demarest.
BERRY STREET U. R.
Morning—Prelude, "Andante Con
Moto," Baptiste-Calkin; anthem.
Praise God in His Holiness," Ber
tholri-Tours; offertory, "Intermezzo,**
Delibes; postlude, "March Nuptiale,"
Callaerts.
Evening—Prelude. "Andantino."
Tlio. Salome; anthem, "Hark! Hark
My Soul!" Shelley; offertory, "Chan
son Triste," Tschaikowsky; postlude
"Marche," Salome.
BKTirivEIIKM LUTHERAN
Morning Prelude, "Meditation
Serleuse," Bartlett; anthem, "How
Excellent Is Thy Loving Kindness,"
Bissell; quartet, "I Will Give You
Rest,' West; offertory, "Romance,"
Benoist; postlude, "Grand March,"
Salome.
Evening—Prelude (a) "Cantilene,"
Demarest, (b) "Vesperal," a'Avery;
quartet, "Spirit of Peace," Buffing
ton; solo, "Hold Thou My Hand,"
Gounod, Mrs. Bumbaugh; offertory,
"Offertory," Hauser; postlude, "Tem
ple March," Vincent.
ZION LUTHERAN
Morning—"Preludio," Bach, solo.
Miss Nellie J. Bennett; offertory solo,
"Andante," Beethoven; offertory]
<> Praise God," Htainer; postlude,
Recessional," Plaisse.
Evening—Prelude, "Processional."
Delgroot: quartet, "My Faith Looks
I p to Thee," Buck; offertory solo,
"Evening Star," Wagner; tenor solo,
Mr. Zarker; postlude, "March,"
Parker.
SALEM REFORMED
Morning—"Andantino in D Flat,"
Lemare; Gloria, from "Mass in B
Flat," Farmer; duet, soprano and
contralto (requested), "My Faith
Looks Up to Thee," Lachner, Miss
Seibert and Mis Cassel; soprano
solo. "I Hear Thy Voice," Edith
Lang, Miss Hazel Seibert.; selection
from '"Lohengrin," Wagner.
Evening—"Duetto" (song without
words No. 18), Mendelssohn; "Agnes
Dei" (from "Mass in B Flat"),
Farmer; duet for soprano and con
tralto. "Jesus, I My Cross Have
Taken." Ries, Mrs. Myers and Miss
Cassel; "March," Salome.
PINE- STREET PRESBYTERIAN
Morning—Prelude, "Andanto Con
Moto," Calkin; anthem, "Arise.
Shine, For Thy Light Is Come,"
Maker; offertory, "Versit de Mag
nificat No. 3." Salome; anthem,
"Art Thou Weary?" Chadwlck; post
lude, "Oltertoire in F," Wely.
Evtming—Organ selection at 7.20;
"Grand Chorus" (Gregorian Tonal
ity), Guilmant; "Prayer," Guilmant;
anthem, "I Need Thee Every Hour,"
Berwald; offertory, "Choral Pre
lude," ,T. S. Bach; solo, "Judge Me,
.O God," H. Alexander Matthews, Mr.
Sutton; postlude, "Fugue," (Saint
Anne), J. S. Bach.
After February First
—THE PRICE—
0£ Singing Lessons
WILL ADVANCE
The Phillips Studio
;
121 STATE ST.
The present rate will apply to all old students and those
who begin before February 1. ,
$101,000,000 YEARLY FOR
MUSIC IN ONE CITY
The city with the record of SIOO,-
000,000 annually expended In the in
terest of music is Philadelphia. This
figure has been arrived at after a
painstaking investigation involving
weeks of research and hard work, by
the Music League of Philadelphia.
One interesting item in the total of
commercial receipts was 190,000
spent last year by the churches ond
theaters of the city for pipe organs.
Musical Recreation and lCducattoii
The $13,000,000 spent by the city
for its musical recreation and educa
tion yield the most significant indi
vidual items. The Philadelphia Or
chestra, ranking with the world's
best musical organizations, gives one
hundred concerts yearly at an ex
pense of $3,000 a concert, or a total
of $3,000,000. The income from the
sale of tickets for grand opera is
about $200,000. Twenty-thousand
students attend the twenty-five con
servatories of the city, bringing them
an income of over $500,000 a year.
Altogether nearly 100,000 persons
in the city are taking music lessons,
this figure not including, of course,
the thousands of students in the
schools who receive music instruction
as part of their course.
No less than 750 "society" musi
cal functions are held annually. If
THE WIRELESS PIANO
\... • /'V: ' -I, r
H'--- : ''''
The wireless piano aboard the y acM "Hlrondelle'* belonging to
Prince Albert, the ruler of Monaco, the principality in which Monte
, ,'°„ is BlU,ated . O" which Operator Bouteville played the "Star Span
gled Banner" as a farewell to America, when the yacht passed out at
Sandy Hook, recently. The piano is not only wireless; it is keyless as
welii that is, in the oridlnary sense in which we associate a piano with
keys, octaves, sharps and flats. The operator sits at the usual wireless
sending key.
As yet, wireless music is not intended for every day use. Without a
wireless receiving apparatus which is attuned for the receipt of the mu
sic that can bo sent two hundred miles, no one can hear the rendition
of Operator Bouteville, who by the way, is the only wireless piano play
er, there being no other wireless piano in existence.
Church Music
GRACE METHODIST
Morning—Orgnn, "Elegy in E flat,"
Schnecker; "Meditation in C Major,"
Baldwin; anthem, "The Lord is
Mindful," White; organ, "Offer
toire in G," Wely.
Evening—Organ, (a) "Allegro con
brio," (Sonata in E minor), Rogers;
(b) "Sunset Meditation," Biggs; (c)
"The Answer," Wolstenholme; solo,
"My Ain Countrie," (by request),
Scotch, Mr. Phillips; organ, "In
Moonlight," Kinder; anthem, "Ring
Out, Wild Bel's." Gounod; organ,
"Overture to St. Paul," Mendel
ssohn.
FIFTH STREET METHODIST
Morning Prelude, "Prelude,'
Dubois: trio, "Praise Ye," (Attila),
Gounod; Mrs. Harder, Elias Wag
ner, Harvey Wagner; offertory,
"Prayer," Dunham; postlude, "Post
iude in E Flat." Abernathy.
Evening—Prelude, "Meditation,"
Lernaigre; anthem, "Sweet Is Thy
Mercy," Barnby; offertory, "Evening
Song." Schumann; postlude, "Post
lude," Nicode.
TO GIVK ORGAN IJKCITAI,
The first of a series of organ re
citals under the auspices of the Ilar
risburg Organists Association will be
given in St. Stephen's Episcopal
Church Thursday evening, January 17,
at 8.15 o'clock. The organization has
for its object the promotement and
advancement of better organ and
church music.
An offering will be taken to be de
voted to this object.
Those who will play are: E. J.
Decevee, organist Zion Lutheran;
Frank A. McCarrell, organist Pine
Street Presbyterian; W. R. Stonesifer,
organist Grace Methodist; Alfred C.
Kuschwa, organist St. Stephen's, and
Miss Ruth Krayblll, organist Stevens
Memorial.
VAIJIJEY HAIL/WAYS ELECTION
Lemoyne, Pa., Jan. 5. —Directors
will be elected at the annual meet
ing of the stockholders of the Valley
Railways Company in the company's
offices on Monday morning. January
14, between the hours of 9.30 o'clock
and 11 o'clock. Other corporate busi
ness will be transacted at the meet
ing.
all the events, including dances, wed
dings, etc., at which more than five
musicians are employed are counted,
the total number of such functions
rises to 15,000. One of the popular
hotels alone spent $75,000 a year on
music.
The city's great community chorus,
which in October last mustered out
150,000 persons for a patriotic sing in
Fairmont Park does not represent
a large financial expenditure, but is
no small item in the musical prestige
the Pennsylvania metropolis has
gradually won for itself. In this
respect, however, as well as in the
number of music students and music
events, many smaller cities are mak
ing as good a showing, relatively, and
some c&ses a better one.
It is no longer a matter of sur
prise that the country "consumes"
more than half a billion dollars
worth of music a year. We have long
known that we were taking a place
more worthy of us In the musical
world. But, all things considered,
Philadelphia has apparently corner
ed more than her share of the na
tion-wide progress. Her record in
the musical field should not be en
vied, however. It should serve rather
as an inspiration to ail other for
ward looking cities to "go and do
likewise."
AMERICA TO BE A
SINGING NATION
Plans Being Perfected to Hold
National Song Days to
Promote Patriotism
To promote patriotism and spirit
ual preparedness is the purpose of
the National Community Song Days
recently instituted by the National
Council of Women. The first of
these Song Days was observed last
week in Washington, when great
crowds met at an appointed hour in
the churches and school buildings to
sing together the songs of the ages
and the songs of the hour. It is
planned to hold similar meetings in
the near future which shall tak*
place simultaneously in cities and
towns and villages all over the coun
try.
Program of the First Song Day
The program of the original Song
Day was divided into Hour parts.
First came the Songs of the Nation,
represented by the "Star Spangled
Banner," then a group of beloved
American melodies like "Old Folks
at Home" and "Dixie." The division
of Community Songs included the
well-known "A Perfect Day," the
waltz music from the Chocolate
Soldier and other standard compo
sitions that have found their way
into tills category because of their
lasting popularity with community
choruses.
The best feature on the program,
in the opinion of many participants
at least, was the Songs of the
Trenches. These gave everyone a
chance to join in the rollicking
chorus of "Smile, Smile, Smile" and
to voice his pent up enthusiam in
"Keep the Home Fires Burning"
and "There's a Dong, Dong Trail."
Wide Interest Aroused in the Move-
The plans of the National Council
of Women have found an immediate
iind hearty response on the part of
p.-ominent men in military and civic
life. A singing army and a singing
nation have in them the spirit of vic
tory. Both Raymond Fosdick and
Lee F. Hamner, who are working
for the improvement of camp life
and the entertainment of the draft
ed man in his leisure hours, have
promised their co-operation in pro
moting .song rallies for the sol
dleis. David Jayne Hill, of the
American Defense Society, has ex-
T.res.se.d himself in favor of the Na
tional Song Day, as has also the
president of the New York City
Board of Education. Prison and
hospital boards throughout the
country are much interested also.
Practical assistance of great value
will be given by some of the largest
film companies who will put the
songs on the screen wherever the
sings are held.
Mrs. David Allen Campbell is
chairman of the Community Music
Department of the National Council
of Women, and to her will fall a
large share of the task of arranging
tho future Song Days. But the init
ial effort has already been success
fully made. The movement will un
doubtedly advance of its own mo
mentum from city to city and state
to state. America may soon indeed
be u singing nation.
' • ' ' #
"It's Time for Every f
Boy to be a Soldier!" "
This number and "What Kind of an American
Are You?" are two brand new, up-to-the-minute
patriotic songs which appeal to your Americanism in
rousing words and with crispy music. One is a solo
the other a quartet number, and together they make
a splendid new double-faced Victor Record.
Victor doablc-faccd Record 18300. Tea-inch, 75c.
"My Own United States" and
"We'll Never Let the Old Flag Fall"
Two more stirring patriotic songs on one record.
Raymond Dixon and Male Quartet sing the first,
L'dward Hamilton and Male Quartet the second.
Victor doable-faced Record 18293. Tea-inch,
Come in and hear these and the rest of the
New Victor Patriotic Records
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f"OPEN EVENINGS"
Spangler
Music House
2112 N. SIXTH STREET
BKIjTi PHONE 4012-.T
{ ulnmhln 1 g J
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Price *llO
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