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Show 1 Feminine Problems IBBfipS9HE we playing the present 3gw$5fi strenuous gamo of llfo in Its IplH right key? At no other HfeagyvB l,mo the history of the WgjJRSyW world has 10 been so imper-KsseESP imper-KsseESP atlvc that wo be attuned to the spirit of the times as during these discordant dis-cordant days when the sad minor strains of suffering and sacrifice have become such crashing major chorda of ominous portent. Wo all know how a false .nolo In the rendering of a musical composition makes us cringe; and some of us have experienced experi-enced the "humiliation of starting out to play a piece of music in flats (written In sharps, or vice versa), and our flurried effort to transpose back to tho right key. Wo finally get the key, but our poise is lost and the pleasure of our audience diminished,, di-minished,, when If we had just stopped one second to get our minds and fingers on the right key for that certain composition wo would have played straight through to n. perfect finish and a pleased audience. And have you ever noticed how a singing sing-ing master uses a tuning fork? How he seems to be listening with his soul, eyes and ears until he produces tho impression registered in his mind? Now It was not until after much practice and constant examination ex-amination In his mind of the comparative tones, the one given and tho one required, Ijj that he trained his sensibilities to a quick K appreciation of the correct key. M1 It is up to Tja to-day to train ourselves II to sense the right key in which we can B do the most effective work remembering j that life is a vast sounding board (highly II sensitized Just now) on which every false II insincere note will reverberate down H through the ages. . S The Right Way. J 1i Martial music has always made Us com- IJ polling appeal to tho multitude. We can I; march straighten to victory (most of us) H1 with tho proper Inspirational fanfare of l drum and fife, and this is the. key. in IJI which sorao of our womQn, are" "playing the j war game as they buslls' work In the llmc- l light of public approval" and support. J, There are other melodies of life, how- II ; ever, that arc Just as Important. The I; gentle, crooning lullaby and nursery Jingle I (tho mother key) is happily making strong foundations for a finer and higher civilisation civilisa-tion to bo reared upon, and can we not liken the good and homely airs housewives house-wives sing at their work as they conserve for tho nation and send out stalwart sons to battlo as tho key that will as nearly as any predominate In the gamut of this great war-medley we are trying to Interpret? We arc serving an apprenticeship In new ways of living and thinking, In which tho details arc vital, and It behooves us to be quite positive that wo are not trying try-ing to do musical fireworks In sharps when wo could more capably play on the lowciv less exciting flats of necessary everyday effort. i I Life the Masterpiece. To finish a musical composition brilliantly, bril-liantly, perfectly. Is the goal toward which a performer seis his mind, knowing that the audience will forgive slight Imperfections Im-perfections to technique during tho playing If the end Is harmonious. So must we try to visualize the outcome of this world war, and do the work that we are best keyed to. Just as there is pitch and rhythm and definitely marked time In all music, so should we try to set a pace and a key for our activities. We know how the day goes wrong when itv; ujj, ao we sa;, uii me wrong siuc of tho bed" the whole day Is pretty liable tc be keyed in distressingly sharp frets and discords, having its Inevitable psychological psy-chological effect on the entire family. New life is one long day figuratively. In so far as its happy outcome depends upon our working and living In the key aura that we have appropriated (after deep thought) as tho best for us. In hitching one's wagon to a star, manv disastrous meteoric fall3 would be avoided If ono travelled the right road or key not side-tracked by every fugitive noto of criticism criti-cism and doubt, to a not too distant orb. We must do a lot of little detail and finger exercises before we can accomplish accomp-lish masterpieces, and surely life is the great masterpiece, Wji must be attuned now to the key of patience and sacrifice ; of "valor and courage, lest wo be unworthy later to loin in an oratorio of thankfulness that out vcrld, though much suffering and travel, has emerged from a threatened submergence submerg-ence under material and selfishly despotic pqwers. |
