A NOTABLE EXPERIMENT.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIV, Issue 183, 2 August 1913, Page 13

A NOTABLE EXPERIMENT.

MUSIC AlC© JUtT W THE "AST i Barn., / * (From Ocr Special Corresr-onaent,' LONDON, June 20. Tho problems in Eaat London arc so vast and their origin so complicated that ■social reformers are apt to become somewhat overwhelmed and to lose courage at the conditions,social and industrial, which, they.di.scover there. And in this diseour-. agement it is difficult to realise, that there arc desires and aspirations in all human nature, no matter in what class or clime—desire for beauty, physical und mental, for sympathy and human contact—out of which there may evolve a Higher and finer humanity desiring more than that, demanding higher standards ol comfort and acstbeticism and life..,. The question is how best to arouse interest in and stimulate that pro-re-sivc desire without which legal enactments and sociaj workers jre of little avail... There passed away a few days aoo a m.i„ whose loss all Ixmdon is now mourning, the laic Canon Barnett, the Urol warden of Toynbec Hull, who recognised this aspect of the question as few other men have .. .. I„ n, P early seventies ltd became- the vicar of St. Judo's pari-lt tn otic of the most criminal and povertystricken parts -of . .Whilcchnpcl. lie "-anted that iv spite of the great artistic and Intellectual life of the time absolutely nothing was being done to givo a pat-lielei of this rich I! ,-n the dcnffMl of the fvjst. Una, and he received to 'flgfit evil conditions not by repreatlnt them but by combining i--cll-tlii-.iighl.ou". tdo'laT schemes with opporlunilies of aesthetic plc.isiire and beamy. Ifc had cnnniinui li'ith in the ItUWfd "ood ami pr-ssil-ilitie- « human nature. He rcolvcd to mil his I.iitli to I he tUt and provide ooporttmities jwreby his people in the East Knd might be brought into dote contact with "lose beautiful objects whirh form the niirmnl environment of their L-llow-oill»ni of flic West Bid,

'Hie con-rote symbol of his attitude was the establi-hr-icnt of the Whitechapel Art flallery. This gallery is no iiui-ettm. .in,| it contains no permanent collection of art treasure*. The initial expense would have been far too great, and the end aimed at would n.it have been achieved. At Toynlice Hall itself C'nnon Burnett had from tlie beginning done his best to bricg the influence of art to l-ri'-htrn the-drab life of the Hast End. tie obtained the loan of fine modern pictures, notably those of Wafts and Holman Hunt, and at his parties there he would tell the story of these picture.? to tho East Knders, and use them to create an interest in things beyond the usual range of his audience. .His love for pictorial art was the more remarkable perhaps from the fact that he v.-as himself colourblind. Mrs. Watts, the wife of flic famous artist, was persuaded to spend two evenings a week in a boys' club in VVhitcrh.-ipel, holding a class for modelling in clay, merely to give the lads, who were chiefly shoeblacks, nn interestj ing hour or two, and to arouse in them the pleasure of making something in their leisure time,

I .--ince then, from time to lime, in I Whltrcbapel Art Gallery there are held r-.rt exhibitions on different subjects. Last rear a millionaire's'collection, which" was to he shipped over to .fohantirsburg, was lent for a few months. This was followed by an exhibition of pictures and drawings by members of the Toynhcc Hall Art Uiib—a club formed of wort-fug-dan people, who showed much excellent work, too. ■ At the present time there is an -Irish Art Exhibition at the Gallery. This consists of pictures and objects.lent % people'all'over the country, - Not*only pictures, but as well excellent examples of whnt is finest in Iri.-h metal work, lace and embroidery, book-binding, and ornaments of all kinds. Not only did Canon Barnett love .pictorial art, he bad enormous faith in the}

great power ■of music lo uplift..people and make) them feel splendid things. Ho therefore started at Toynbee- Hall concerts of classical music on Sunday Afternoons throughout the winter, .Some of the most distinguished professionals and amateurs in London perform at these concerts to "an audience of about 200 —as many as the lecture hall of Toyitbce'Hall*will accommodate. " Kor fifteen years.the*?? have gone on, and the standard of the music given has not been lowered. In their oun way they have done perhaps as much as the ATt fJnlIcry to help solve the "social problem" of Eaist London.

The audience is one of the'most appreciative, but at the same time discriminating, that one could very well find in London. Eor two hours it will listen with not a sound during the movements. The last concert of the season consisted of four -violin sonatas, by Bach, Brahms, Grcig, and Beethoven. , To have brought lovely pictures and • beautiful music to Whitcchapcl is in itself a great achievement. Its reward is tn -he found in the fact that the people dcire more of the good things, which \ arc the -beautiful things, that life can give. . ' .....