"Melody Three"

An editorial writer spoke of "that Big-time Melody Three, Insull, Ford and Wanamaker," in commenting on the fact that each of these three famous men was mentioned in the musical news of last week.

Henry Ford sat beside his wife in the fine front-parlor of his home in Dearborn, Mich., and heard Mellie Dunham, champion fiddler of Maine, play "Money Musk." Fiddler Dunham had been imported in a special Pullman all the way to Michigan to contribute to Mr. Ford's appetite for country tunes and "racy" U. S. music. Fiddler Dunham is an old man; his fingers are gnarled from making snowshoes; his white mustache is so long that he tucks it under his fiddle before he plays. He struck up "Turkey in the Straw." Mr. Ford snapped his fingers, knocked his knees together, and twiddled his foot on the floor. A reporter stepped forward:

"What do you think of Mellie's playing, Mr. Ford?"

"He plays well."

"What do you thing of his violin, Mr. Ford?"

"It is a first-rate violin."

Rodman Wanamaker bought four Stradivarius violins, "Conte La Chesnaie" (1687), "Dancla" (1710), "Joachim" (1723), and that consummately powerful and resonant violin which is called "The Swan" because it is the last one the master-carver made before he died. It bears the inscription, "In My Ninety-Third Year." Mr. Wanamaker will not use these instruments himself. They will be played in concerts in the auditoriums of Wanamaker Stores in Manhattan, Philadelphia.

Samuel Insull asked the Chicago Association of Commerce if it did not think that Chicago needed a new opera house; suggested plans for one which would cost $7,500,000 exclusive of land costs. He went smoothly on to ask for a guarantee of $500,000 annually for the Civic Opera.