and inspired emulation everywhere. In equatorial Africa, I have seen
and heard choirs of children which are convincing proof that Mgr. Mail-
let has sowed his seed on good ground. There are great numbers of
choirs in France.
I must also pay a very willing tribute to the excellent work done by
the French Jeunesses Musicales.
I was fortunate enough to witness an experiment of which I should
like to say something here, for it left a deep impression on me and is
associated in my mind with very happy memories.The composer Albert Doyen, who was a close friend of mine, wishing
to introduce the ordinary working man and woman to the pleasures
of music, founded early in this century an association which he called
the Fktes du Peuple. Doyen’s object was to form a great choir, entirely
composed of amateurs, which he intended to recruit, test and train
himself. Almost all these amateurs were manual or clerical workers.
Most of them had previously had no musical training whatsover.
Doyen boldly set about teaching them the rudiments of music. In due
course, he considered that the choir was ready to give a public per-
formance. And it was then that the splendid venture of the Fetes du
Peuple began to stir the hearts of all those whose love for beauty was
generous and unselfish, seeking consummation by means of the most
fervent advocation.
Doyen had no intention of giving his pupils a diet of mediocrity.
On the contrary, his ambition was to make them sing the greatest and,
if need be, the most difficult works. He therefore recruited an orchestra
of first-rate professional musicians to accompany his choir and give
him the sort of performance he wanted. Then, as his first experiments
seemed to vindicate his policy, he started giving concerts before large
audiences.
This admirable enterprise, which came to full flower after the first
world war and up to Doyen’s death in 1935, stirred me deeply and
gave me much food for thought. These humble amateurs were by this
means enabled to know and give very creditable performances of works
by Bach, Wagner, Beethoven, Schubert, Mehul, Borodin and many
other outstanding composers. Needless to say, the structure of the
choir changed; some singers lost their enthusiasm; others had to leave
Paris. But that did not matter. The new recruits were caught and
carried away by what the army would call esprit de corps. Not only did
the choir keep up its standards; it constantly improved, and enjoyed
a well-deserved reputation. I used sometimes to listen to the conver-