Bells

Only a few blocks west of Chicago's distinguished Gold Coast are little Bohemia and the fringe of thugdom. In these lands last week roughnecks and roisterers grumbled, sneered, swore. One bootlegger cried: "By , now they won't let us sleep!" This gentleman had just read in the Chicago Tribune that a 43-bell carillon was going to be installed in St. Chrysostom's Church before Easter Day.

The carillon is the gift of Richard Teller Crane Jr., in memory of his father, founder of the potent Crane Co. (plumbing fixtures). Last week the bells were tested in London and found to be in perfect harmony with a 53-bell carillon which will soon ring from the Canadian houses of Parliament at Ottawa. The St. Chrysostom bells will be operated by electro-pneumatic machinery and can be played by telegraph from a distance of 3,000 miles. The keyboard has a touch as delicate as a piano.

Meanwhile, on Park Avenue, in Manhattan, the carilloneur having no electro-pneumatic machinery, tugged at levers which rang nine-ton bells and nine-pound bells, waking idlers from their Sunday morning sleep. As everyone knows, these are the bells of the largest carillon in the U. S.--John D. Rockefeller Jr.'s gift to the Park Avenue Baptist Church (TIME, Oct. 5, 1925). To Messrs. Rockefeller and Crane, carillons "sing of eternity and fill the earth with gladsome song"; to jaded sleepyheads, they are no better than an early morning coal delivery.

Wife & Husband

A husband and a wife gave an all-German program at Steinway Hall, Manhattan, last week. The husband, Otto Klemperer, tall guest conductor of the New York Symphony, lifted no baton that night. Dramatic, he sat at the piano; his long fingers played accompaniments to four songs of his own composition, while his wife, Johanna Klemperer, sang. Her voice, except when she lifted it above F sharp, was rich, colorful, expressive. The song "Es war ein Koenig in Thule" was the most original.

Sister & Sister

In Hartford, Conn., Rosa Ponselle gave a joint concert with her sister Carmela. Four thousand people applauded. Between the acts they gossiped. Only a few years ago these girls were unknown . . . common school education . . . vaudeville songsters. But Rosa came to Manhattan, took singing lessons from William Thorner. He, recognizing talent, visited Gatti-Casazza, announced a "find." "Let me hear her," answered the Director. He did, was impressed, advised her to work up one or two roles. She made her debut with Caruso, after six months of vocal instruction. Carmela is also a member of the Metropolitan Opera Company. The Hartford concert was the first appearance of the two sisters together in public since their success. They were born in Meriden, Conn, (near Hartford).

"Judith"

Judith had its premiere in Chicago last week. Through many an irritating postponement the public had waited anxiously. Mary Garden had promised an opera that would make her Salome look like puss-in-the-corner. As Judith, the Biblical girl,* Miss Garden sang magnificently. The critics however, did not share her enthusiasm for the opera or for Arthur Honegger's music. It tended to leap from vigorous stimulation into dissonance-reflecting the modernistic trend.

*Judith appears in the Apocryphal book of the Old Testament which bears her name. In order to save her town she engages Holofernes, the attacking general, in a drinking bout; persuades him to try one of her potent highballs. Soon he loses consciousness. Soon she cuts off his head, rushes to her native market place with the dripping trophy. Inspired, her townsfolk oust the enemy.