47
MUSICAL COURIER
March 2 9, 1923
MUSIC AND PUBLIC EDUCATION
Thursday, March 29
Philharmonic Society of New York, evening..........Carnegie Hall
Margaret Northrup, song recital, afternoon..........Aeolian Hall
Friday, March 30
Anthony Meli, song recital, evening.................Aeolian Hall
Saturday, March 31
Erno Dohnanyi, piano recital, afternoon............Carnegie Hall
Sunday, April 1
Jascha Heifetz, afternoon..........................Carnegie Hall
Fritz Kreisler, evening............................Carnegie Hall
Monday, April 2
Virginia Myers, dance recital, evening.............Carnegie Hall
Louis Chartier, song recital, evening...............Aeolian Hall
Tuesday, April 3
Philadelphia Orchestra, evening..............׳.....Carnegie Hall
Consuelo Escobar and Constantin Buketoff, evening...Aeolian Hall
Wednesday, April 4
Oratorio Society of New York, evening..............Carnegie Hall
Deeks, soprano, and Rudolph Bochco, violinist, accompanied by Vito Carnevali. Mr. Bochco opened the program, playing Korsakoff-Kreisler’s Hymn to the Sun and Popper-Auer’s Spinnlied. Mr. Gigli sang the aria, Una Furtiva Lagrima (from Elisir d’Amore), and a group by Gluck, Donaudy, Buzzi-Peccia and Flotow. The dramatic singing of Quando il mio diavol nacque met with marked approbation. Many encores were added. After singing the Paquita, by Buzzi-Peccia, Gigli roused the audience to wild enthusiasm by bounding out upon the stage and kissing the American flag first and then his native flag. Clara Deeks was much enjoyed and her numbers were well selected. She sang a group by Strauss, Liszt and Delibes and a second by Schindler, Curren and Edwards. The accompanist was Vito Carnevali.
Local Pianist Wins Prize,
At the musical contest held in Newark, sponsored by the New Jersey Federation of Music, Marion Parsons, among the best piano soloists in South Jersey and member of the Crescendo Club, was the winner of the second prize. Miss Parsons has many friends and admirers in the Crescendo Club and has been heard favorably in many musicales and recitals.	J. V. B.
By GEORGE H. GARTLAN Director of Music in the Public Schools of New York City
SONGS FOR YOUNG CHILDREN
A Review of the Material Used in the Schools and the Homes—The Effect on Children
this direction, and not have the outstanding feature of discouragement always in his path.
The Presentation of Material.
After the importance of the song has been established and material selected, the next thing for teachers to do is to learn how such material should be presented to children. Two elements are necessary in the teachers. First, a true sense of pitch, and second, a well modulated voice.^ The voice need not possess power, but it must have the sweetness״ of tone which compels little children not only to listen, but to imitate. Next the teacher must be certain to memorize the music. Only in this way can any attention be paid to interpretation, the most important element in music for children. There is little use in merely teaching songs to young children unless we stress the importance of true interpretation and through perfect understanding make music a real subject.
The Question of Accompaniment.
Of course the ideal method of presenting songs to all groups of school children would include the piano accompaniment and wherever possible it should be accomplished. The method, at present in use in the public school, of presenting the songs in class rooms without the accompaniment, is merely a compromise—there is no way to get a better result. Most of the pupils, however, are able to sing their songs with the aid of an accompaniment some time during each month, and in this way they learn the full value of the harmonic treatment, which was intended to convey the full musical meaning of the little song.
ATLANTIC CITY HEARS
MANY LENTEN MUSICALES
Mme. Niessen-Stone Teaching in Berlin
Matja von Niessen-Stone, vocal teacher, formerly of New York, is now very busy teaching in Berlin. One of her pupils, Ljuba Senderowna, an American girl of Russian origin, has been engaged for the Berlin Staatsoper _ after having had a successful appearance as Erda in Rheingold on January S.
GAY MACLAREN
“AMERICA’S MOST UNIQUE DRAMATIC ARTIST"
“Altogether the play (Romeo and Juliette) was superbly given.״— Brooklyn Standard Union.
Season 1922-23 Now Booking
Management: Caroline Evans
326 West 76th St.׳ New York City.	Tel. 4616 Columbus
Van Gordon, Vidas, Gigli, Ryman, Deeks and Bochco Are Presented—Local Pianist Wins Prize in Federation Contest
Atlantic City, N. J., March 18.—The third of the series of Lenten Musicsales sponsored by the Leeds and Lippincott Company was a pronounced success. The soloists were Cyrena ״Van Gordon, mezzo-contralto; Raoul Vidas, violinist, and Paul Ryman, tenor. Mr. Ryman opened the program with a group by Parker, Hook and two numbers by Giordani, which were warmly acclaimed. Mr. Vidas, then interpreted Brahms’ Hungarian Dance and Silvestri’s Love Song. Miss Van Gordon gave a delightfully varied program, an aria, L’abborrita rivale, from Aida, and a group by Rabey, Poldowski and two numbers by Lenormand. In tile closing group Miss Van Gordon used compositions by John Prindle Scott, Henry Hadley, and two by Charles Gilbert Spross. The artists were generous with encores. Sol Alberti, accompanist, received applause for his profi-ciency.
The second musicale of the March series was held last evening in Vernon Room, Haddon Hall, at which time the Leeds-Lippincott Company presented Gigli, tenor; Clare
of Improved Music Study for Beginners, Inc.
DUNNING SYSTEM
ENDORSED BY THE LEADING MUSICAL EDUCATORS OF THE WORLD
Originator, 8 West 40th Street, New York City. New York City, Aug. 1
HARRIET BACON MacDONALD, 825 Orchestra Bldg., Chicago; Dallas, Texas, June; Cleveland, Ohio, July 2; Chicago, Aug. 6.
MRS. WESLEY PORTER ־MXsON, 5011 Worth Street, Dallas, Texas; Classes beginning first week in June; second week in July.
CARA MATTHEWS GARRETT, “Mis- LAURA JONES RAWLINSON, Port-
fi?n. 8 /״uiSCï°S o0f„ nil״,?’ ri,	land, Ore., 61 North 16th St., June
West Washington, San Diego, Calif.	19> 1923: Seattle, Wash., Aug. 1, 1923.
MRS. JULIUS ALBERT JAHN, Dallas VIRGINIA RYAN, 828 Carnegie Hall,
JEANETTE CURREY FULLER, 50 Erlon Crescent, Rochester, N. Y. TRAVIS SEDBERRY GRIMLAND, Memphis, Tenn.; for booklets address, Clifton, Texas.
IDA GARDNER, 15 West Fifth Street, Tulsa, Okla.
New York City.
ISABEL M. TONE, 469 Grand View Street, Los Angeles, Cal., April 16 and June 18, 1923.
MRS. S. L. VAN NORT, 2815 Helena St., Houston, Texas.
MRS. H. R. WATKINS, 124 East 11th St., Oklahoma City, Okla.
Academy of Music, Dallas, Texas MAUD ELLEN LITTLEFIELD, Kansas City Conservatory of Music, 1515 Llnwood Blvd., Kansas City, Mo.
CLARA B. LOCHRIDGE, 223 N. Fifth St., Mayfield, Ky.
CARRIE MUNGER LONG, 608 Fine
Arts Bldg., Chicago, III.; classes ANNA W. WHITLOCK, 1100 Hurley
i I	■ ■I ___ ..	A If Am ■ A L_ A f*4	\ A/ A r♦ U I A XS A C
Avenue, Fort Worth, Texas.
monthly through the year
Normal Classes as follows:—
MRS. CARRE LOUISE DUNNING,
MRS. ZELLA E. ANDREWS, Leonard Bldg., Spokane, Wash.
ALLIE E. BARCUS, 1006 College Ave., Ft. Worth, Texas.
ANNA CRAIG BATES, 732 Pierce Bldg., St. Louis, Mo.; classes held monthly throughout the season.
MARY E. BRECKISEN, 354 Irving Street, Toledo, Ohio.
MRS. JEAN WARREN CARRICK, 160 East 68th St., Portland, Ore., March.
DORA A. CHASE, Pouch Gallery, 345 Clinton Ave., Brooklyn, N. Y.
ADDA C. EDDY, 136 W. Sandusky Ave., Bellefontaine, Ohio; Summer and Fall Classes—Columbus, Dayton, Cincinnati and Bellefontaine, Ohio; Atlanta, Ga.
BEATRICE S. EIKEL, Kidd-Key College, Sherman, Texas.
INFORMATION AND BOOKLET UPON REQUEST
For a great many years, composers, and others who were not composers, have written songs for children. Material of the kind has included almost every type of song—good, bad and indifferent, simple and difficult, musical and unmusical. Publishers have accepted material of this kind and it has been passed on to the home and to the school, and the only means we ever had of knowing whether it was effective or ineffective was the actual sale of the book. If the sale was large we assumed it was a good book.
In this field of music, as in other branches of it, there are differences of opinion. The first school believes^ that young children should be taught folk songs and simple standard nursery rhymes, etc., in order _ that they might possess a full knowledge of the musical inheritance which we assume is theirs. The other school believes that original material should be created and songs written around the daily activities of the child in order that he might understand and appreciate that music js really part of his life, and not something which he studies merely because he has the time.
The Basis for Song Singing.
Psychologists who have given serious attention to the subject of music are universally agreed that the greatest value obtainable in music for little children is the peculiar joy which results through singing. It is natural that this singing has to be imitated; Therefore, the rote song becomes the all important thing in the early stages of music teaching in the school and the home. The kindergarten is the place where this work should naturally commence,_ and it is to be regretted that so little attention has been paid in the past to the perfecting of kindergarten music. This statement is not made in criticism, it is simply a fact. Kindergarten directors are willing to admit that there is great room for improvement in the music material which is available for their purpose. Here again there is a division of opinion. So much singing work is done around the “game idea that the actual tone production of the child is overlooked, the attention being centered upon his response to the music rather than the music itself. As a result of this attitude little children frequently get the wrong impression regarding music. Instead of singing the melody they have a peculiar habit of chanting the text. It is evident from this that the thought content of the song is more vital to the little child than the actual music.
Progress Along Constructive Lines.
Because of this fact new material is constantly being prepared in which the literary content is made an important factor, and the actual music is an aid in the developing of this idea, rather than a hindrance. To accomplish this result the music must first be simple and brief. The actual vocal range should not exceed five tones, and any musical elaboration should be confined to the piano accompaniment. The little child, in singing songs of this character, is not handicapped by a melodic line which is really beyond his physical capacity to accomplish. More songs are learned in less time and the creative side of a child’s mind is appealed to as a result of this musical approach.
There is a great deal of material available at present for the teacher who is anxious to study this problem. _ It has been suggested, and in many instances actually carried out, that the type of song sung in the kindergarten should be repeated in the first and second years of the public school course. Educational statistics show that the percentage of children attending kindergarten is very small, and for that reason the music in the first and second grades should be of a very simple character because after all it is the child’s first real experience in music. Over-zealousness prompts teachers to try too much in the way of music. It it interesting to note that the prominent publishers of the United States will, on request, send to teachers a list of books which have been published covering the child’s first experience in song. Educators are doing this work in other subjects, and it is time that it was done in music. In literature we find any number of selected lists for reading purposes. It is perhaps a simpler problem in literature than in music, but there is a parallelism when we consider that a great deal of literature for young children has to be read to them, not by them. It would be a fine thing if in our school systems experienced singers could be_ engaged to visit the various classes of a school and just sing songs for children to enjoy. These songs could be more difficult in musical and literary content than those songs actually sung by children, and then at the same time they might learn them just by listening. Many of us have improved ourselves by the same method and in other subjects. Simplicity is the key-note for little children. Songs, stories, rhymes, etc., should be presented in such a way that the child’s interest shall be aroused toward further effort in
GIACOMO
RIMINI
POPULAR ITALIAN BARITONE
EXCLUSIVELY FOR CONCERTS
March, April and May 1923
Management: R. E. JOHNSTON, 1451 Broadway, New York Associates: L. G. BREID AND PAUL LONGONE MASON A HAMLIN PIANO	VOCALION RECORDS
Note: They close their season with the Chicago Opera Co., February 24th
ROSA
RAISA
GREAT DRAMATIC SOPRANO
The Phenomenal Pianisi
Season 1923-1924 In America
Exclusive Management: DANIEL MAYER
Aeolian Hall, New York
Steinway Plano	Amplco Records
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