June ¿ 1, 1923
MUSICAL COURIER
8
(1)	Mrs. John F. Lyons, reelected national president of the Federation, and founder and president of the Harmony Club of Fort Worth, Tex. (Eighteen years ago she was
corresponding secretary of the N. F. M. C. for two terms. Mrs. Lyons presided over the thirteenth biennial at Asheville from June 9 to 16.)	(Photo © George Maillard Kesslere.)
(2) Nan Bagby Stephens, president of the South Atlantic District and official hostess to the biennial, (Photo © Underwood & Underwood.) (3) Grove Park Inn, headquarters of the National Board during the biennial. (״}) Battery Park Hotel, headquarters of the N. F. M. C. biennial at Asheville, N. C., which is a historic structure in which every president of the
United States has been entertained with the exception of the present Executive.
Francis Macmillen Performs Blatchford Prize Work.
A notable performance of Chamber Music was given by Francis Macmillen, violinist, accompanied by Carolyn Beebe, who was hailed as “the greatest authority in the world oil chamber music.” Mr. Macmillen rendered for the first time in concert the composition that won the Helen Wheeler Blatchford prize, a sonata for violin and piano by Joseph McGrath, of Syracuse, N. Y.
A special concert for children was held in which Edgar Stillman Kelly conducted three of his own works, the prelude to Act III of his Aztec Opera, Azora; the intermezzo from Cleopatra’s Night, and the Dance of the Desert Girl, also from this work.	G. R.
LATE N. F. OF M. G. BIENNIAL NEWS
Just as this issue of the Musical Courier goes to press, a telegram, received from our Asheville, N. C., correspondent, states: “Portland, Oregon, to have fourteenth biennial. Mrs. J. F. Lyons re-elected president of Federation, receiving overwhelming ovation on appearance at matinee this afternoon (June 16); vice-president, Mrs. F. E. Clark, Pennsylvania; third vice-president, Nan Stephens of Georgia; recording secretary, Mrs. J. A. Jardine, North Dakota; corresponding secretary, Mrs. Blankenship, of Texas; treasurer, Mrs. J. H. Stapleton, Wisconsin.”
The wire reads further: “Forum Junior Clubs held; piano selections by Elizabeth Morgan, president Mini-ature Music Club, Atlanta, six years old and youngest president in the world. Ovation for Henry Hadley at closing concert. Irene Berge received prize for best composition of American Chamber Music from Mrs. F. A. Seiberling, patron of Federation and donor of prize. Address made by Gutzum Borglum, sculptor, on Correlation of the Arts, one of the climaxes of convention Movement launched by Elizabeth Hood Latta, president of Philadelphia Matinee Musical Club, for State festival of month of American Opera in Asheville’s new auditorium, to be completed in 1925. John Powell played own compositions at closing concert.”
A later telegram, sent June 18, reads: “Scenic tract for vast amphitheater has been tendered by Asheville capitalists for production of Pauline MacArthur’s Apocalypse, 1924. Asheville American Bayreuth. Most colossal art undertaking ever attempted in America.”
Officers Whose Efforts Made Thirteenth
Biennial Memorable Event
President—Mrs. John F. Lyons, Fort Worth, Tex. Vice-presidents—Mrs. William Arms Fisher, Boston; Mrs. George Houston, Birmingham; Mrs. J. J. Dorgan, Davenport, la.
Secretaries—Mrs. George Hail, Providence, R. I.; Mrs. Oscar R. Hundley, Birmingham.
Editor—Mrs. Helen Harrison Mills, Peoria, 111.
in America, with the composer, Carl Venth, at the conductor’s desk. The production was magnificent for its splendor in costumes and lighting effects, and colossal in orchestral conception. This production was the focal event of biennial week. It was staged by Jack Webster Hark-rider, the noted pageant master of the Pacific Coast. Crosby Adams directed the chorus.
The role of Pan was sung by William Clegg Monroe, tenor-baritone of North Carolina. Other artists were Marie Tiffany, of the Metropolitan Opera; Marjorie Maxwell, of the Chicago Opera; Sigmund Spaeth, Ray Virden, and members of the Philadelphia Matinee Music Club chorus.
The theme of the lyric drama, Pan in America, unfolds as an allegorical spectacle which depicts the triumph of music through a comprehensive period of history beginning with the Roman deities and coming down to modern times in American life. The setting for the pageant was simple but highly effective.
Matinee Music Club Chorus of Philadelphia.
For sheer beauty of music no performance during the biennial equalled the performance of the Matinee Music Club Chorus of Philadelphia. The chorus of seventy women’s voices, under the^ direction of Helen Pulaski Innes, and the Matinee Music Club Harp Ensemble, under the leadership of Dorothy Johnstone Easier, joined in a program of rare artistic merit. Elizabeth Hood Latta was assisting artist She sang the obligato solo part in Schubert’s Ave Maria in a most gratifying style. Princess Watawasso was the soloist with the club in the presentation of the cantata of Clarence K. Bawden, River of Stars, a legend of Niagara. In this number the singers rose to their greatest height, in finish and expressive delivery. The piano part as played by the composer made ample amends for the lack of an orchestra.
N. F. OF M. G. BIENNIAL
(Continued from page 5)
of the Music Club to Its Community. Frederick Wodell spoke	on	Music	for the	People.	Otto
Meissner, president	of the National	Music	Super-
visors’ Association, presented a paper on the Coordination of Civic Music Forces. The paper presented by Mrs. George H. Wilson, on Opera in America, was of vital interest in connection with the Federation’s activities in behalf of^ establishing a school of American opera. Mrs. W. B. Nickels of Kansas City read a paper on the music settlement work of the Federation.
The standard	of	musical	performance	for a	biennial
has never been	higher than	that of the	thirteenth con-
vention. Outstanding among these events were the orchestral programs given under the direction of Henry Hadley. They were all-American programs and marked a milestone in American musical history. Charming from every viewpoint was the collaboration of this masterly conductor and members of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra.
Pan in America.
The climax of the week’s musical offerings was the premier production of the prize winning dance-drama, Pan
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DESIRING TO APPEAR BEFORE THE NEW YORK PUBLIC
in Carnegie Hall, Aeolian Hall, Town Hall or in one of the smaller theatres
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