Omaha to have a Big Congress of Music

 

OMAHA TO HAVE A BIG CONGRESS OF MUSIC.

PREPARATIONS for the national congress of musicians to be held In Omaha during the progress of the Transmississippi and International Exposition have progressed far enough to render it possible to submit an outline of the work. The congress will begin Its sessions Thursday, June 30, and will close Monday, July 4. The days will be devoted to essays and recitals, the evenings to concerts. The exposition has placed at the disposal of the bureau of education for these concerts the Thomas Orchestra and the Auditorium in the exposition grounds.

As the first step in the organization of the congress the bureau of education appointed Homer Moore chairman of the executive committee of the congress, and authorized him to select six prominent authorities to assist him In his work. The men named were: Louis C. Eisen, Boston; Gerritt Smith, Now York; William H. Sherwood, Chicago; Ad. M. Foerster, Pittsburg, Ernst R. Kroeger, St. Louis, and John C. Fillmore, California. Mr. Elson is musical editor of the Boston Advertiser. Mr. Sherwood Is characterized as "America's greatest pianist," and Is also a composer of marked ability. Mr. Foerster is especially sucessful [sic.] In compositions in the classical forms. Mr. Kroeger Is pianist and composer, the director of a fine music school and a writer upon musical subjects. Mr. Fillmore is a specialist in the department of Indian ethnology which pertains to music, and Is one of the best-known original investigators In that domain in the world. Dr. Gerrit Smith is one of the leading organists and composers in the world.

The programme for each day Includes four essays upon carefully selected subjects, two recitals and an evening concert. Among the subjects and their expounders already mentioned are the following: "The Beautiful In Music and In Nature," Johannes Wolfram of Cleveland; "The Piano and Emotion," Constantine Sternberg of Philadelphia; "The Relativity of Tones," A. J. Goodrich of Chicago; "Our National Music," Louis C. Eisen of Boston; "Music In the Public Schools," N. Coe Stewart of Cleveland; "Music as a Factor in an American Education," George C. Gow, Vassar College; "The Harmonic Basis of Indian Music," John C. Fillmore of Claremont, Cal.; "Indian Music and Ethnology," Miss Alice C. Fletcher of Washington, D. C.; "The Influence Upon Music of Greek and German Mythology," John C. Can Cleave, Chicago; "Music and the Development of Child Individuality," William L. Tomlins, Chicago, and "The Soul of Beethoven's Music," Albert Ross Parsons, New fork.

The following Is a partial list of the soloists who will he heard during the progress if the congress at its recitals and concerts:

SOPRANOS.

Miss Jennie Dutton, New York.

Miss Amanda Vierheller, Pittsburg.

Mme. Regna Linne, Chicago.

Mrs. Martin Cahn, Omaha.

Miss Anna Metcalf, St. Louis.

TENOR.

Barry J. Follows, New York.

ORGANIST.

Gerrit Smith, New York.

PIANISTS.

William H. Sherwood, Chicago.

Miss Georgia Kober, Chicago.

Ernst R. Kroeger, St. Louis.

Joseph Gahm, Omaha.

VIOLINISTS.

Bernhard Listemann, Chicago.

Franz Adelman, Omaha.

Hans Albert, Omaha.

The names of other artists will be added as the exposition progresses.

It is the intention to devote this congress particularly to the advantage of America music and American musicians. Omaha is a typical American city; it Is situated al most In the center of the country; its ex position is for the purpose of bringing the people of every state in the union to a tulle realization of the vastness and the immense field for expansion and development which only the years are needed to consummate No more fitting opportunity will ever b presented than this for the advancement of Americanism in musical art, and the generous co-operation of the leading musician of the whole country Insures Its fulfillment The American composer is to have right of way at every concert and recital, and hi productions will be placed side by side will the greatest works that Europe has pro duced. Monday. July 4, will be called "American music day" and will be devotee especially to a discussion of the variow phases of American music, past, present see future. The programmes will be made up of compositions by Americans, and an ear nest effort will be made to so celebrate the national holiday that it will mark an epouch in the history of music on this continent On this evening a suite for orchestra composed especially for this congress by A. M Foerster will receive its first performance.

A part of the time Friday will be devoted to the music. and theories of Richard Wagner, and the programme for the evening con cert will be made up of selections from his works. Immediately following the concert there will be given an exhibition of 100 stereopticon views of scenes and characters In the music dramas. Mr. Moore, during the past ten years. has canvassed the art collections and photographers' studios of Europe and America for pictures of anything pertaining to Wagner's works, and as a result possesses a collection of views which represents all the scenes in the music dramas as presented at Bayreuth, portraits of nearly all the great artists In the costumes of their principal roles, and canvas reproductions of numerous idealizations of the great scenes from the "Flying Dutchman" to "Parsifal." There are also portraits of King Ludwig IL, Liszt and other friends of the composer. There are live portraits of Wagner, showing him as he appeared from early manhood to the time of his death. Besides these there is a number of caricatures, such as appeared in the German, French and English journals. Even to those who have seen the music dramas produced upon the stage these pictures will be of Interest, and to those who have never had the privilege they will be a revelation.

Saturday. July 2, will be called "Indian music day," and will be devoted to an ex-position of the results of original research in the music of the aborigines of Alaska, the United States and Mexico. The services of John C. Fillmore, principal of the musical department of Pomona University, California. and of Miss Alice C. Fletcher of Washington, D. C., have been secured, and they will deliver addresses upon the music of the Indians of the United States.