Chapter X the Cleveland Heights High School A

Home , Kate Smith

a result of its numerous radio broadcasts. In 1938 the Mayor of Cleveland Heights E wrote, The A Cappella Choir has, through radio, brought the good name of our city into more homes throughout the length and breadth of our land than any other civic or cultural attainment One of his favorite stories is about the of our citizens. Our choir continues time the Principal of Cleveland Heights to bring lasting acclaim from music High School stopped at a gas station in lovers everywhere, a fame of which a small town in Maine. When the at- our entire city may be proud. CHAPTER X tendant learned that the Principal was The choir was less than two years old from Cleveland Heights, he said, "Oh, when it made its first radio broadcast. THE CLEVELAND HEIGHTS I've heard of Cleveland Heights; that's That was in the spring of 1932 over sta- where they have that good choir." HIGH SCHOOL tion WAID in Columbus. In December The choir's guest book has signatures 1932 they broadcast locally over Cleveland A CAPPELLA CHOIR of visitors from all states, Canada, station WTAM. The station engineers de- Shanghai, Korea, London, and Berlin. clared that is was the "best chorus pro- The Cleveland Heights High School A Whenever an important function takes jection" they had ever had. The station Cappella Choir was formed in 1930, be- place in Greater Cleveland, the Heights management immediately arranged a re- came one of the leading choirs of the Choir is invariably the first high school broadcast of the concert over the western 1930's still follows many traditions devel- choir which is asked to perform. As half of the NBC red network. The broad- oped in the 1930's, and is still directed. by early as 1937 the choir turned down more cast was so successful that the choir the man who started it, George F. StrIck- invitations to perform than it accepted. made four more network broadcasts that ling.* He says of his choir, "I don't say The following choral compositions have year. One of these was broadcast coast- we are the best high school choir in the been dedicated to the Heights Choir: "In- to-coast over the NBC red and blue net- United States. I only say we are the best cline Your Ear" by Griffes J. Jones; work. The last broadcast of the season known." So vague a quality as the rela- Tell Me. Where Was You? by Noble Cain; was made from the Court of States at tive fame of high school choirs is im- "Daybreak" by Carl F. Mueller; and "A the Chicago World's Fair. Letters of possible to determine, but Strickling can Song to Be Hummed at Twilight" by Guy congratulatiop. for the broadcasts came cite many facts and stories to support Booth. from London; Nova Scotia, Quebec, Mon- his statement. The choir received most of its fame as treal, and forty states. The effect of the broadcasts on the high school a cappe..la 111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111 choir movement is shown in this excerpt from a letter from Adolph Saetveit, Di- TURN AROUND One of the pitfalls is, of course, the rector of Music in the Galesville, Wis- conductor who talks too much and ram- consin, Public Schools: ing. They received a most deserved bles off either in upper strata terminol- Judging from your program and :;tanding ovation. ogy or does not present the score in a the way in which you presented each number I can easily see that you are Preceding the performance, approxi- relevant. interesting manner. Make no one of the comparatively .few true mately 25 minutes were spent explain- mistake, the conductor must be very well "a cappella choir enthusiasts" in this ing the Requiem, its Liturgical text. its prepared and know what he is to say country. Let me congratulate you on hi:;tory, l\Iozart, and thematic structure. and what NOT to say. your success in the past, and wish you great success in the future. The Kyrie and Christc themes \"ere It was a great pleasure and privilege I am heart and soul interested in demonstrated by actually having each a few years ago to spend two hours on a cappella singing, and am working section stand up when they had the a Saturday morning listening to Robert with a group of young academy stu- Kyric theme and lift their hands when dents. I have noticed that a cappella Shaw talk through (educating) the singing is rather rare in the high they had the Christe theme in the open- Beethoven J.l!lissa to a chorus. The time schools of this vicinity, but I believe ing section. This is also a good rehear- was filled with insights and concerns, that it will be the coming thing here sal technique for educating the members beauty and mystery and excitement that too in time. of the ensemble about their placement staggered the mind. The performance The choir has appeared on WTAM's in the thematic structure, e.g.. Primary, given shortly after that was truly a annual "Three Faiths Program" for secondary, subsidiary. And when the twenty-eight years. knovvledgeful experience in that singers When the choir appeared on one of the whole section has to respond physically, were expressing ideas and making Music and American Youth broadcasts (stand, hand-raising, etc.) the conductor thoughts of the soul and mind come in 1926, Franklin Dunham, an NBC vice- can be certain C'l'cr.\'olle understands (or alive in sound. We must share this kind president, called congratulations from New York and asked the choir to do a knows he doesn't, and there is value in of knowledge with our audiences. that. ) series of half-hour monthly broadcasts. In closing let me state that a brief, The choir did five such broadcasts. One The entire Requiem was similarly program was broadcast from Radio City, "talked" through pointing out additional concise, well thought out explanation of another from the music shell of the themes, structure, marriage of text and the piece (s) to be perforn)ed has tre- Cleveland Exposition. line or, of text and dynamic; the why mendous value in the mind of the listener After two appearances at local enter- and makes the effort of rehearsal and tainments with Kate Smith, the choir of legato or staccato, meaning of text in was invited to appear on her radio show. kev listening places, and so forth performance a rewarding, musical ex- It appeared twice on that show. throughout the work. perience for all concerned. The writer In 1937 the choir broadcast from Cin- How much did the audience get from has not only done this in Henrico Coun- cinnati on WLW, in 1938 from Toronto ty but does so regularly whenever feas- on the CBC network, and in 1940 from the talk? A statistical study can't be Detroit on W JR. The choir was the only produced since no specific measurement ibIe. It makes for a most prized kind of Cleveland area high school choir, and or test or control group was used. It rapport al1d tells your listeners that you one of a very few high school choirs in seems, however, that much was gained care about communicating with them. the nation, invited to enter the CBS Choral Quest Contest in 1938, but refused because large numbers spoke at length So Choral Conductor, don't be a cow- because it would have had to compete regarding the insights they gained as a arel! Turn around and face your audi- with college choirs. In 1945 the choir par- result of the pre-performance talk. The ence with the full knowledge of your ticipated in Standard Oil's Seventy-Fifth Iisteners had something to listen for and score and help them, the listeners, the Anniversary Broadcast. Howard Bar- low, who conducted the Cleveland Sym- they were excited and involved and that other half, to learn why you are devoting phony Orchestra for the program, said is vital. your life to this profession. :.: he was "amazed to hear such singing

16 THE CHORAL .JO'URNAL from high school kids." such concentration on stage work, the Lover Come Back to A recording of Schuetky's HEmitte public liked the novelty. In 1933 only Me ------___ Sigmund Spiritum Tuum" was made at the RCA 600 tickets were sold to the Christmas The Campbells Are studios in Camden, New Jersey, in 1925. Concert. The number grew slowly. In Coming ------______Old Scotch Dance In 1942 a group in New York dedicated 1926, 1500 seats were sold. Then, in 1937, Roll, Chariot ------....._.... Noble Cain to promoting the Good Neighbor policy after the novel staging had been intro- sent 150 of these recordings to the high duced, 2300 tickets were sold. The audi- Part Four Spiri~um schools in South America. That same torium had only 1820 seats. People stood Emitte Tuum .__ ... _.. __ .. Schuetky year the choir broadcast in Spanish from along the walls and sat on chairs in the At the_ Sflrmg concert in 1939 the choir Milwaukee to South America. The choir front of the auditorium. The next year appearea In court costumes to present has appeared with Erich Leinsdorf and 2700 tickets were sold. "People stood in When George HI Was King. In the sec- the Cleveland Symphony over the Can- every available space, filled the sides of ?nd ?alf they appeared as villagers sing- adian and Mexican networks. In 1952 a the stage, sat in the Little Theater and Ing In a tavern. They were invited to repeat the first half of the program in half hour tape of the choir was broad- we used the public address system to ~he ~hakespeare cast from Munich over Radio Free Eu- broadcast to that room." After the 1938 Garden. Unfortunately rope. In 1953 the choir made radio tapes Christmas Concert seats were reserved It ramed and the concert had to be moved to a nearby school. in ten countries of Western Europe. and the price was raised. Two-thirds of The choir has made an amazing num- the seats were fifty cents, the rest were The choir made many local appearances outside school every year. In 1935 ber of appearances both around Cleve- twenty-five cents. In 1946 it was neces- land and on its annual tours. The debut sary to move the Christmas Concert to they. s8;ng at. the Cleveland Municipal AudItOl'lUm WIth Kate Smith at a pro- of the Cleveland Heights High School the Masonic Auditorium. gram for the A&P Company employees. A Cappella Choir occurred at the high The Christmas Concert of the Cleve- They sing at the Higbee Department school on December 11, 1930. The singers land Heights High School A Cappella Store every Christmas, the Christmas Choir is not a concert of Christmas mu- appeared in black robes. Strickling had Tree Lighting Celebration in Cleveland arranged a loan of $300 from the athletic sic, Except for the opening described Heights every year, and the Easter Sun- department for the purchase of the robes. above there is no part of the program rise Service in the Cleveland Municipal The choir was able to return the money which centers around Christmas music Auditorium every Easter. They have ap- or a Christmas theme. The reason for within two years. peared in many local churches and Strickling has always given much at- having a concert at Christmas time is temples. tention to the appearance of the choir that many former members are home at In 1938 the choir assisted at the local that season and will augment the audi- on stage. He will go to great lengths to debut recital of Glara Spiegel, a promis- ence. The 1938 Christmas Concert pro- make a concert visually interesting. ing soprano in the choir. Clara's parents Here is his description of the traditional gram was typical. had moved to Cleveland Heights just so opening of the Christmas program, she could be in the choir. Two years which was started in 1931: Part One Processional and Recessional after graduation she made her debut with the Metropolitan Opera using the The stage curtains are closed: Part Two house lights turned out; soft string stage name, Christina Carroll. Popule, Meus, Quid Feci orchestra music sounds through the Tibi Tommaso Vittoria In March 1939 the choir gave a concert speakers; the curtains slowly creep at the Cleveland Museum of Art. This The Red Sarafan A Warlamoff-- was the only time the choir was re- apart revealing a beautiful stained Aschenbrenner glass window, flanked by large can- viewed by the Cleveland critics. Herbert Now Let Us to the Bagpipe's delabra, and with subdued lights Elwell in the Cleveland Plain Dealer Sound Johann Sebastian Bach glowing through the aniline-dyed rose described one of Strickling's favorite 0, Maiden So Peerlessly windows. When the music starts, our Fair German Folk Song stage tricks: choir, divided equally in two files, Ain-a That Good News W. L. Dawson And then, as if to show how easy moves down the two middle aisles Requiem Granville Bantock it was, like riding without touching from the rear. Perfect step is main- Church Bells of the handle bars, the conductor left tained as the singers mount the stage Novgorod Russian Folk Song the stage and let them sing a chorus steps from the side, meet in stage The Loon Ina L. Strom from Bach's "Peasant Cantata" with- center, turn and ascend the platform The Morning Trumpet Sydney Dalton out his guidance. His absence being step3. The music fades out, the pitch Cherubim Song Peter Tschaikowsky scarcely noticeable, the virtuosic ef- is given and the choir starts its tra- A Manx Lullaby arr. G. F. Strickling fect was almost like a football team ditional Silent Night arrangement. Concluding this, Adeste Fidelis is begun, and on the first word of the second stanza the two girls in the center of the first row step forward, others follow, and by twos they turn and march off the stage, where the song ends. The director has not been in the picture at all during this part of the program. In 1926 the choir departed from its tra- Spend aweek with: Norman Luboff, Don Craig, ditional formation and dress for the sec- Michael Hennagin, Frank Pooler, Mason Martens and Eva Mae Struckmeyer. ond half of the Christmas Concert. The CHOOSE FROM TWO BEAUTIFUL LOCATIONS: stage was set as a living room. The singers were dressed in evening gowns and II June 27 thru July 2 at Western Carolina College, Cullowhee, N.C. tuxedos. They moved about the stage as II August 1 thru 6 at Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona they sang. In future concerts Strickling A uni9ue learning experience ... designed to explore many facets of the choral art ... usually kept the choir in the normal for- by dOing ... and hearing. mation for the second part of the con- Expand your und~rstanding of style with experts In Renaissance, Baroque, Contemporary cert, but had them dress in formal attire. and .Popular musIc. Techniques and repertoire that touches every area of musical activity The concert was divided into a sacred -Middle, Junior and Senior High School, College and Church music. section for the appearance in robes and Programming ideas; reading of many new, exciting publications. Score preparation for a secular section for the appearance in the Conductor-Teacher. formal dress. Dramatic lighting, accom- TOTAL COST-$125 per person ... includes room (double occupancy), all meals and a panying dancers, and other stage busi- complete packet of music materials (octavos and major works) with a retail value of at ness was frequently used. In 1939 the least $50.00. College credit available at extra fee. singing of Lieurance's "Indian Dance" PLAN AHEAD-WRITE NOW FOR DETAILS OR TELEPHONE: was accompanied by a tom tom and bass drum and dancers from the school's Dance Club. When the choir performed MacDowell's "Dance of the Gnomes," the stage lights were turned out and the singers lit flashlights under their faces Department E-J at appropriate places in the music. 17 West 60th Street, New York, N.Y. 10023 II (212) 246-9675 Regardless of the educational value of

MARCH 1971 Camden, New Jersey. The choir visited invitation to the North Central MSNC HISTORY ... Toronto in 1938 and sang at Trinity convention in 1933 and because of dis- Church and the Old Soldiers Home. Au- tance it .refused an invitation to the executing a trick play. There were no gustus Bridle, critic for the Toronto MENC convention in Los Angeles in 1940. fumbles, and, as far as the general Daily Star declared that the choir was Another thing that has brought fame effect went, it was one touchdown the most beautiful unaccompanied to the choir is Strickling's interest in after another with several extra goals photography. He has always insisted in the form of encores. The whole chorus ever heard in that fifty-year- old church. ...As trained and di- that the pictures of the choir be interest- thing was carried of·f with a rigid ing. The numerous articles which Strick- formality and seriousness that could rected by G. F. Strickling they sang with the fresh animation of youth ling writes about choir work have ac- easily bring smiles to the face of the companying pictures of the Heights more experienced adult musician. and a choral finesse that might have been a credit to any veteran choir Choir. A picture of the 1936-1937 choir In the Cleveland Press Arthur Loesser from Europe. In fact, the beauty of was used as a model for the medals and commented upon the musicianship of the art and tone in those unaccompan- plaques that were awarded to participat- choir. ied choruses was the nearest thing ing choirs in the 1938 National Contest. On the counts of intonation, bal- ever heard here to the magic of A choir with so many various activities ance, ensemble and dynamic effects Vogi's Mendelssohn Choir, in very needs to be well organized. Strickling's the performance showed accuracy soft singing. organizational ability has been almost as and control that was astonishing, es- The appearances were so well received important to the success of the choir as pecially as I am told, since many of that they were invited to return the next his musical and dramatic talents. There these youngsters have had no parti- year. They gave a concert that year is nowhere at Cleveland Heights High cular musical training and some of (1939) in Harbord Collegiate Auditorium School an evidence of the frantic disa:r:- them cannot even read notes. Notes, and used the novel dress and stage ray which usually accompanies musical indeed, were entirely superfluous, movement in the second half of the pro- endeavors. The choir executive staff in- since the choir, I understand, always gram. The Toronto critics liked the stag- cludes a student director, a concert man- sings everything by heart. ing as well as the singing of the choir. ager, a candy campaign chairman, a float In 1942 Erich Leinsdorf heard the In the Evening Telegram Edward W. chairman, two treasurers, four secretar- choir, first at the high school, then at Wodson described the dance scene of the ies, three accompanists, a five-man stage Severance Hall, and consequently invited second act. crew, a birthday teller, two hostesses, an them to appear on the Christmas Pro- A fashion expert of the gentle sex alumni secretary, two mimeographers, a gram of the Cleveland Symphony Orches- might do justice to a description of typist, a bulletin board secretary, a five- tra. They performed R. Vaughan Wil- the apparel worn at this gathering. member social committee, a recording liams' Fantasy on Christmas Carols and To a music loving male the scene was engineer, a section cup chairman, a ma- Bach's cantata Unto Us a Son Is Born. exceedingly beautiful. Yet for all its jor domo, two librarians, two robe mis- The choir appeared on three such con- display of color and fashion there tresses, two special events co-chairmen, certs with the symphony. wasn't a trace of exhibitionism in it. two sports chairmen, three editors of the Every spring the choir takes part in Dignity and restraint were as marked choir newspaper, a historian, eight sec- the Lake Erie League Festival. These here as in the surpliced picture of the tion leaders, and eight assistant section festivals are thirty-two years old, almo.3t first part. And this graceful company leaders. None of these are honorary titles. as old as the Heights Choir. Eight high sang as they moved about the stage There is an assigned task for each mem- schools are now in the League. Strick- -sang like youth inspired sang ber of the executive staff, and they take ling has always favored the festival over with a technique that instrumental- their duties seriously. If Strickling is not contests. Perhaps this is because of a ists of famous dinner orchestras in the room, the student director begins reportedly disastrous entry in a contest might envy. the rehearsal at the appointed hour. In during the first year of the choir. Yet Bridle said, 1948 when the choir was to appear at a meeting of the National Pressmen's As- Cleveland Heights High School won the The entire program was an opulent highest number of points of any school sociation, Strickling came down with the presentation by a choir which for flu at the last minute. He called the stu- entered in the vocal events at the North- choral art has no collegiate rival even east Ohio Choral, Ensemble, and Solo dent director and told him to take charge. in choral Toronto that taught Amer- The student was able to handle the af- Festival in 1933. But, the Lake Erie ican cities how to sing 30 years ago. League Festival and the many other ac- fair without a flaw. tivities of the choir have made contests In 1953 UNESCO invited the choir to A complete directory of the choir mem- unnecessary. Strickling said of the fes- appear at the First International Music bers is mimeographed each year listing tival, Conference in Brussels. Seventy-two the student's name, address, home room, thousand dollars was raised for the trip. telephone number, father's name, and It does not involve all the labor and Each singer contributed his trans-Atlan- school class. When the choir travels a nervous strain of preparation for the tic passage, $350. The choir raised $10,000 mimeographed instruction sheet is given contest where "we must win" is the through various activities including fifty- each student listing the daily schedule, slogan. My choir did not spend an four concerts. They "sang whenever arrival time, concert time, and departure extra hour outside of regular class someone held out a ten dollar bill." A times, baggage and clothing to take, ad- time preparing for the festival, and house-to-house campaign raised $8,000. vice about what not to eat, places where I believe they sang as well that night The Choir Mothers Club raised $10,000, students will be expected to pay for as they would have if they had been and Cleveland industries and industrial- meals, sight-seeing information, and in a contest. ists contributed $20,000. A ten-country many other details. There is a stage crew In another place Strickling said the choir trip was arranged. and a baggage crew. There is a standard, did not enter contests because its net- The choir was invited to compete in rotating seating procedure for the busses work appearances and trips were more the Welsh Eisteddfod, but had to refuse in order to make attendance taking easy. demanding. Even so, an entry in the because the Brussels concert conflicted. Broadcasting is handled in a similar choir's history for 1962-1963 in the "Choir In Stockholm the choir sang to an audi- manner. A blackboard is placed within Scrapbook" says "At the Lake Erie ence of 10,000 people. They performed sight of the choir listing the order and League Festival at Shaw Hig.h School with the Huddersfield Choral Society in the pitches of the selections. The stu- the choir completely stole the show with England. The highlight of the trip was dent director conducts the rehearsal so the exquisite singing and masterful an appearance in St. Paul's Cathedral in that Strickling can listen in the control staging." London. Strickling called that appear- room. A week before the broadcast the The annual spring tour has spread the nee their "greatest moment." studio receives a program listing the se- fame of the Cleveland Heights High The choir received mixed reviews on lections and the lengths of time they re- School A Cappella Choir almost as greatly the trip. The praise was usually for pre- quire. The network office is contacted as the radio broadcasts. These tours be- cision, discipline, tone quality, or vital- to check any copyright restrictions. gan modestly in 1932 with a trip to Co- ity. The criticism was usually for the There has always been a close contact lumbus. The choir appeared at the King repertoire, which was extremely varied. between the alumni and the choir. Not Avenue Methodist Church and also made Strickling claimed that every number only is there an accurate directory of its first radio broadcast. the choir was criticized for programming the present choir, there is an up-to-date In 1933 the first long trip was made. was a request. directory of the choir alumni. At the That year the choir went to the Chica- The Cleveland Heights High School 1932 Christmas Concert Strickling invited go World's Fair. In 1935 they took a ten- has now appeared in twenty states and all former choir members to the stage to day tour of the eastern states and made eleven foreign countries. Because of sing Emitte Spiritum Tuum with the appearances in Baltimore, Annapolis, and other engagements the choir refused an choir. Twelve members came forward.

18 THE CHORAL dO'URN"'" That was the beginning of a tradition s~hools in summer at the Ohio State beauty of the choir at great which grew until in 1938 the ceremony University, Michigan State University, the Museum of Art concert in had to be made a separate part of the Colorado State University, Carnegie In- program and placed at the end so that it stitute of Technology, and Texas Christ- The choir's singing, in fact, is would not interfere with the smooth pro- ian University. He taught at Case Insti- the most remarkable I have gress of the program. The alumni tradi- tute of Technology from 1936 to 1956, from high school pupils, whose tions begins at graduation. teaching both choral and instrumental as a rule rarely escape reflecting music. Strickling has had opportunitie3 some of the callowness of adoles- The robing ceremony at the close of cence. ... The tone of this choir is the school year is one of the finest to join the faculties of several colleges, soft~ned but has preferred to stay on in his and blended in a nice head traditions of the choir, at which time qualIty and produced without the the departing seniors place their unique situation at Cleveland Heights. He has composed or arranged approxi- slighest straining even when it comes robes on the newly selected members. to the sopranos taking a high C. During the robing the choir softly mately 100 choral selections. He will re- hums music that is appropriate. After tire in 1965 and has already planned his In 1946 Strickling said that most public final "swan songs" (talks) have been farewell concert. school choirs were top-heavy, that they made by selected senior members, The only choral music at Cleveland had too many sopranos. He said this was the choir sings their signature song, Heights High School before Strickling partly true of his choir too because he "God Be With You," in honor of the came was an occasional operetta chorus, felt he should take as many singers as seniors and if there is a dry eye to haphazardly assembled and coached. possible. At another time he said that he be seen anywhere among the two Strickling started his first tryouts with had to limit the size of the choir to the hundred parents and singers in at- the sophomores and juniors because he number that two busses would hold. His tendance it has not yet been noted. could use them for two or three years. 1946 choir contained eighty-four singers He formed three groups, putting the best divided as follows: ten second basses During the war the choir members singers in the A Cappella Choir. Strick- ten baritones, eight second tenors, n:in~ wrote letters and sent Christmas boxes ling wrote, first tenors, ten second altos, ten first to alumni in the service. altos, twelve second sopranos, and fifteen After the war an alumni choir, The "A Cappella" was the magic word first sopran03. Since 1961 the choir has Mastersingers, was formed. Letters to then, and for several years our choir had 100 members. 500 alumni resulted in eighty singers at- worked exclusively unaccompanied, There were approximately 400 students tending the organizational meeting. The until I began to realize that absorp- in preparatory groups for the choir dur- Mastersingers rehearsed one night week- tion in this kind of music left out ing the late 1930's. In 1948 Strickling ly and gave several professional con- at least fifty per cent of fine choral added a music appreciation course. He certs around Cleveland, including formal music which was accompanied. Since wrote and published his own text, Music concerts in Severance Hall, and paid ap- then we have tried to serve a bal- the Ueautiful, for this course. The text pearances at an NEA convention and anced diet to both our singers and has been placed on the recommended a Master Photographer Dealers conven- to our audiences. text book lists of Ohio and Indiana. tion. The Mastersingers continued their In 1934 the Cleveland Heights Choir There are two music appreciation c~urses activities for four or five years. was the only one at the Lake Erie at Cleveland Heights High School now. Strickling organized a choir mothers League Festival with the name a cap- There is another choral director who club in the first year of the choir's ex- pella. In 1938 all six choirs at the Fes- handles the glee clubs. Strickling has a istence. They hold monthly meetings to tival used that name. In 1944 the Cleve- freshman chorus, a girls chorus, the two plan activities to aid the choir. They land Heights Choir was the only one music appreciation classes, and the choir. purchased paintings for the choir room, which had dropped a cappella from its The small vocal ensembles at Cleve- a practice room piano, made surplices name. By 1948 all the choirs had dropped land Heights High School have been for the first set of robes, raised $800 for a cappella from their names. However, strictly entertainment groups. They work the trip to the Chicago World's Fair, some of the Lake Erie League choirs are on popular and barber-shop quartet and $10,000 for the European trip. In using the a cappella name again. music. 1962 they started the George F. Strick- Strickling eVidently does very little In 1931 Strickling wrote that the stu- ling Scholarship Awards. These present work on vocal technique. He said that dents were no longer asking for popular $100 annually to each of four worthy stu- he believes the way to get a good choral music. dents to further their musical studies. tone is to select good singers. He audi- The beauty of the music, whether it Strickling said that he acquired much tions the prospective new choir members happened to be "Adoramus Te" or of his organizational ability by working very carefully with the help of a com- "Beautiful Savior," had begun to per- in railroad offices in Elyria, Ohio, and mittee of choir members. He picks bass, meate the musical consciousness of Rome, New York, after World War 1. tenor, and alto parts first, and then adds the singers, and for the first tiIlle He also directed bands in those two the sopranos "flavoring the tonal effect they were realizing that popular music towns. with just the right amount of 'top' to was but a shallow expression of what He had learned a great deal about di- make the ensemble buoyant." He tries to is good music and that it did not hold recting by watching Walter Damrosch get a variety of vocal colors throughout any deep emotion for interpretation work with Army band conductors. Dam- the choir rather than one particular kind into beautiful sound. rosch had been sent to Paris during the of tone. Strickling works for clear, na- Strickling soon abandoned this think- war to try to straighten out the terrible tural diction. There is a: large sign in ing. He found that to attract and hold state of the Army bands. He decided to the choir room which reads "FINE DIC- audiences it was necessary to include audition all the bandmasters in the AEF. TION MAKES FINE SINGING." In all some popular selections on the program. this, the tryout procedure, the vocal By chance, he was given the 329th In- He said: fantry Band, Eighty-Third Division, to blending, and the stress on diction, use for the auditions. Strickling had been Strickling seems to be following the I do strongly feel akin to what made bandmaster of that band because ideas of LOuis Diercks at Ohio State, John Philip Sousa once told me: he used to play an E-flat clarinet. Strick- whom Strickling said he considered an "When building your programs re- ling, the youngest band master in the excellent conductor. However, Strickling member that the musical intelligence AEF, gained much experience working said his ideal and his model in choral of your audience is very low, and if with that band. It won many marching conducting, was his good friend, Griffes you want them to return another and playing contests under his direction. J. Jones. time to hear you, your music must be After six years with the railroad, Strickling, through these policies, does programmed with their intelligence Strickling entered college at the age of achieve a well balanced choral sound, in mind." twenty-seven. He graduated from the though there is a rather light soprano Strickling frequently spoke out for the University of North Dakota in two and quality. Apparently he has always inclusion of light and popular music on one-half years. He stayed on at the Uni- achieved this kind of sound. Bridle wrote a program. He set himself up as a champ- versity serving on the faculty for two in 1938: ion of the varied repertoire. years. Then he went to Ohio State Uni- Several years before than (1939) we What thrilled the audience was the versity to earn a Master's degree. He had started including in our annual amazing beauty of pure lyric tone, was Dean of the College of Music at concert a good modern number on especially in the girls' voices, and Ohio Northern University when he was the order of When Day Is Done or particularly in the crystalline clarity invited to come to Cleveland Heights Stardust, but the choral directors and of the sopranos; the absolutely as- High School to start their choral pro- music educators of the purist sect gram. tonishing beauty of head tones in looked down their noses at me soft singing. Since he started at Cleveland Heights through their pince-nez bi-focals and High School Strickling has also taught Herbert Elwell described the tonal branded me as an iconoclast who was

MARCH 1971 literature with the addition of mod- SARATOGA-POTSDAM CHORAL HISTORY ... ern, radio-style, settings of our more popular ballads. The Heights Choir INSTITUTE ANNOUNCED tearing down the standards which is a pioneer in the use of such ma- they had sO assiduously raised and terial. Singers of today should have Due to the outstanding success of the had so zealously preserved. an opportunity to sing music of their first institute held last summer with en- The .impression is easily gained from period as well as music of the past thusiastic response the State University Strickling's writings that his programs generations. College at Potsdam, New York, an- consisted entirely of cheap music. This nounced the second Institute to be held Strickling did remind the students and Saturday, July 31 to Saturday, August was not the case. In general, through public that there were higher aims than the 1930's the choir followed the more 21 inclusive in cooperation with the Sar- performance, but he had trouble saying atoga Performing Arts Center. Director or less st~ndard a cappella choir litera- what they were. In 1933 he said that the ture. They did not attempt as demand~ng of the Institute which features choral real achievement of the choir which had concerts with the Philadelphia Orchestra, selections as some of the other choIrs, broadcast from the Chicago World's but they did not include a large amount Eugene Ormandy and guest conductors, Fair was the large amount of difficult up to six hours graduate or undergrad- of light or popular music ei~her. The music memorized. choir studied about thirty selectIOns each uate credit, and a basic course of study year. Of these, five were u~uallY repe.ate~ This is real education, when a group with electives available, is Brock McEI- from the previous years, fIve were hghL, of singers can read 'through and heran. Assistant director is James Auten- popular, or folk music, five were easy memorize a great many selections, rith with faculty members including Don- hymn arrangements, and the rest were they can point to a valuable accom- ald Funes, Ann Sotherden, Sister Joachim serious selections from the standard a plishment. Holthaus, Anna d'Aniello Kossman, Carol Wolf Randles, Maurice Baritaud and cappella choir repertoire. In 1936 he said he was afraid that Carol Christopher. Detailed information As the years progressed and Strickling after the long trip East last year the and application form is available from wrote more about the value of light and choir would feel let down if it did not ~o The Director, Saratoga-Potsdam Chora.l popular music, he began set the 'light- take a long trip. er music off in one sectIOn of the pro- Institute, State University College, Pots- gram, as in this 1945 concert: However, the singers must not get dam, N.Y. 13676. into their heads that the "end" of the o Sing Your Songs Noble Cain choir is a trip. A trip is only the Jesus Thou Joy of Loving "means" to an "end," and must not Hearts... Dr. Edwin McNeil Poteat be confused with the real purpose of NOTES Of INTEREST V'AI Kulon .... arr. Harvey Gaul the choir, which is - to develop the Joy ... _ Orville J. Borchers singing abilities and musical tastes An Interim Copyright Extension Act Fearin' of the Judgement of the participants and is not join the was passed by the United States Con- Day Frederic Fay Swift choir and see the world. gress and signed into law by the Presi- Whispering Voices (Adagietto from dent in December, 1970. This law' auto- L'Arlesienne Suite No.1) In the program booklet for the 1938 matically extends the protection of copy- Georges Bizet, arr. G. F. Strickling Christmas Concert Strickling said: right throughout calendar 1971, during Onward Christian Soldiers The primary objective is of course which time Congress is expected to con- (2 choirs) ." Sir Arthur Sullivan cultural, with the singers performing sider a general revision of the Copyright Variety Interlude the finest type of music that is with- Law. The practical effect of this and pre- 2 Piano team, Melle-Aires, in the range of their voices and com- vious extensions is that any musical Harmoneers, Harmonettes prehension. Public appearances are work bearing a. copyright date of 1906 Ida Red .... arr. Kenneth Winstead secondary, although highly desirable. or later may be under full protection of Star Dust ..... Carmichael/Webster/ the Copyright Law. Before making any Strickling And later in the same booklet it said copies, arrangements or recordings of Two Guitars arr. Wayne Howorth that Strickling's sole object was to take such music, or performing for profit in Dance of the Gnomes E. MacDowell his singers "as far along the road of mu- public, check with the copyright owner Orange Juice sical experience as he can." to avoid possible infringement liability (Swing Madrigal) John Klein But in 1946 Strickling said: by writing to the publisher whose name Patrem Omnipotem from I do not believe performance is the and address appears on the music. B Minor Mass ... J. S. Bach sole objective, but it certainly does Emitte Spiritum Tuum Schuetky more than any other one thing to -***- drive the singers on towards perfec- Indiana State University at Terre In his spring concerts Strickling tried Haute was host to composer-conductor to do better music than in the Christmas tion which is the real goal of choral work. Ronald LoPresti November 3D-December concerts or tour appearances, which were 3 as he lectured, conducted seminars directed towards popular taste. In recent The philosophy of the director of the and rehearsals with the music groups spring concerts the choir has performed Cleveland Heights High School A Cap- and presented a final concert of his Mendelssohn's Elijah and Bloch's Sacred pella Choir may not have been profound, works. A professor at Arizona State Uni- 8ervice. the extreme performance concentration versity at Tempe, LoPresti is presently Strickling always laid the greatest may not be sound educational policy, on sabbatical. stress on performance. His programs some of the repertoire may be trivial, were set up to impress the public rather but the students and citizens of Cleve- than the music educator. When a critic land Heights approve of the choir and its Remember to patronize our advertisers. praised the singing by his adult male policies. In 1950 Louis B. Seltzer ex- chorus of songs by Allegri and Bach and pressed the feelings of most of Strick- then severely condemned the lighter por- ling's students and their parents when tions of the program, Strickling said, "It he wrote the following tribute in the preciation of good and meaningful might be well to ask the members of the Cleveland Plain Dealer on New Year's music. audience, many of whom stood, how they Eve: It is not, I believe, exceeding pro- felt about the concert." Because of the The thirty-four year old professor priety to suggest that, on behalf of concentration on performance, the influ- who left the small-town campus at thousands who have heard a cappella ence of the choir was probably greater Ada to come to metropolitan Greater music these past several decades, and with the public than with music edu- Cleveland in the depression year of the hundreds who come within cators. 1930, because he wanted a greater George Strickling's skill and patience The Cleveland Heights Choir of the opportunity rather than more secur- and sympathetic comprehension of 1930's points the way to the future more ity, has contributed much to the cul- spiritual music, to say, that all of us, than the other a cappella choirs. The tural life and strength of all of us. everywhere, join in both thanking pretentious arrangements of popular mu- He has helped to make Greater him and wishing for himself, his wife sic were to become very popular in the Cleveland an even better place in and daughters, a Happy New Year- 1940's as high school choirs turned to a which to live, and everywhere there and an ever widening influence in the new ideal, Fred Waring and his Penn- are successful men and women who, medium through which he expresses sylvanians. Strickling pointed the way to during his twenty years as Cleveland his own innate self, the immortal this in the program notes to "Lover Heights a cappella director, knew this music of goodness. Come Back to Me" in 1938. to be so, and whose children are "'The director, George Strickling, is noW A new era is dawning in our choral through them receiving a finer ap- retired.

20 THE CHORAL JO'URNAL