The New York herald., 1844-11-29
Familiar Letters on Music I'm America-No. 2.
Is AMERICA MUSICAL COUNTRY AT PRESENT?
AND WHY is 1T MOTT

is AMERICA "A MUSICAL COUNTRY AT PRESENT!
AND WHY is IT MOTT
| "There needs no ghost come from the grave to
telP' that America is not at present what is CON-
| monty termed musical country. II is a mistake
to call country musical because it is fond of mu-
sc as little as we can say for instance, that man
Is vrtuous because he simply admlres vrtuous cha
racters. The passive lover of music is not entitled
| to more consideration than the passive lover of
virtue. Far from deserving any praise for their
passive love, both are rather objects of blame for
their want OF sincerity, If you like, for their want
of courage to substitute healthy, living, aurherng
activity for the chrysalis of indoent passivity.
Many persons are accustomed to expatate on their
fondness OF music as proof of their elevated SEN
timents and esatical feeling-whether that fond
ness be
"Ripe and rea"
or only
"a stone IDEAL"
But they do not reflect that this sensual fondness
OF music Is lnnate-a mere instinct-wh0se action
is much more powerful in individuals who are des-
titute OF even the shadow OF an elevated sentiment
or refined feeliDg-in children, for instance, in
idiots, in savages and the best proof of its being
instinct is found IN the effect produces ami
mails. The newspapers stated, some time ago, that
giment visit in New York, and gave unequl-
vocal signs OF delight when they began to play.
myself once had a dog who regularly began to bark
Il hope it was bark OF pleasure, whenever used
to play the Rondo from HummePs concertin A MI
nor.
This custom of showing off with ones love of
u
winter season in America, equally prevalent with
the fair sex as with the unfair one, who regularly
catch 1t with the first equinoctal gale Of course
o"y Similar e the
sol. .disant religion OF certain editor who writes,
nearly every week, 'slashing article" Gas DIS
yaeli says) against the non-observance of the Sab
bath by the young men OF the day, and who him
self sells on Sunday, assisted by his sons the iden-
cal paper, with the "slashing arlice' as a leader
The present State OF music in America, with re-
speCt to the appreciation in which il is held, is best
characterized. according TO my opinion, through
| the word afieciaton, although i cannot be de-
MED that the number OF bona fde lovers OF music
/ is not inconsiderable But the great majority do
music as fashion-and in every fashion there is
more or less affectation. The regard for music is
in many points equal 10 that paid to bonneis. Mu-
sic, like bonnets, probably will always remain the
fashion but II - liable 10 the same ycissltudes
| the cut and ribbons of a bonnet. Formerly the
fronts and crowns were large. now they are worn
were ouce Of a sober, Quaker color; now they vie
with the pumage OF Jamaica parrot. SO it is
with music, A few years ago, the English opera
carried the day-now the Italian. Last winter but
one the sun shone for the pianists-now it shines
1 for the viollns,s, who make hay accordingly This
year rule. the Ethiopian mnstrels, original and
counterfeitnext year i may be the turn OF an In
| dian opera, with the three sable sisters as prime
Il donne. Vdridti0 delectGt
This want OF stability IS the princpalreason ofthe
deplorabe state Of the musical art. II has on it
| gslation the tariff has commerce. Just as
manufacturers hesitate incurring the risk OF giving
greater extension to their business, so operate
managers, aud the musical profession in general,
are afraid OF embarking in extensive speculatlons,
which alone could tend to the final development
of the art. Every day we see examples illustrating
the little confidence placed IN the stability Of public
taste. Opera seasons must be limited TO twenty
| four nights. Concerts are announced and relin.
pushed for fear of the receipts not covering the
expenses, Even now we see The .difiidence Of an
eminent musician, Mr, Loder, 10 bring out one OF
| the most gigantic creations OF human genius-Men-
! delssohns Hymn oil Praise work which is des-
tined to form an epoch IN the history OF music, a
work which is making the round of the whole
| the profession and by the lai,y. And Mr.. Loder
| is perfectly right: 1t Is mere toss-up whether
| the subscription list will contain fifty names
| of self-styled lovers of music independent Of
| a few legitimate musicians, who most undoubtedly
are anxious to hear It. lie has not the means oi
| throwing away pearls, which will not even be
picked up, and 1t he has, he has duty to observe
towards the name OF the illustrous composer, from
whose masterpiece ii must not be said that ii
could not attract more than bakers dozen. Why
should Mr.. Loder have more courage than great
number Of eminent European artists, who are de-
| tered from coming to America because they scorn
to prostitute their art for lucre's sake, to initiate
grumbling condottiere or chirpins grisette. =,
| A stranger witnessing the excitement with
| which musical undertakings received in the
beginning, would, at the first impulse, consider
America strictly musical country, the Eldorado Of
crotchets and quavers. But il is precisely that
| citement, admitted even by Americans to be ma
tional defect which is highly detrimental to the
| only healthy-the steady development OF mu-
| sic. Ii raises expectations, which disappoint
the higher they oa St e,odc Snd
| tive of more happy results than this affected
musical mania, which is as strong. and necessarily
| as ephemeral, as all other American exclements
are, be they social or political, religious or literary,
civil or military less the upshot OF internal feeling
/ than the effect of an admirably organized system
of external tickle-a tickle which is administered
in such powerful doses, that 1t kills what 1t pretends
/ to noursh-
The consequence is, that the actual state OF music
cannot even be called depressed, because it never
was in a comparatively more elevated position 1t
was and Is perfectly null, and will always be so
until radical change is introduced, which conf
denty hope will take place sooner or later. America
| is even inferior TO unmusical England-the dark
| glass through which It unfortunately looks on
musical matters II is inferior to England because
il is principally guided by E0glish taste, which in
| music is decidedly bad, but without Initiating it in
| the only good point it has-in its love OF Handel.
England has never produced great musician,
although il always had some respectable talent.
But America does not possess one respectable
native" talent-not the shadow Of a talent, not
| half shadow, not the quarter OF shadow, COM
posing or performing, with the exception OF Henry
Russell, the author Of the Maniac, the Gambler,
the ship fire, and other destructive, mean des
criptive songs. America has no national airs; even
Yankee Doodle is cut on an Irish pattern. II can
not even claim the "nlgger songsh for they are Of
| African origin. Here it will not do to say-"We
are young country" Young minds, luxurlating
| in the invigorating air of holy freedom, are best
fitted TO produce young, original nvigorating ideas;
| they have moreover tie learning, the experience
| Of old Europe 10 guide them.
| II will be objected. Now we study music Yes
| there are a great many young ladies' who learn, or
profess to eern, the Iano. There are too many OF
them; many that the time will come when the
not learning the piano will be considered an ac-
compshment. The awful quantity Of lessons they
take are OF no benefit to the art, because they do
not learn il as an art, but merely as fashion 1t
is the men who could do something, not the ladies';
they would give Beethoven for new bonnet from
Mrs Lawson but the men prefer devotlng their
leisure hours to talking politics in club houses and
bar-rooms. You give private concerts. You 60
| fashionable; because you want to and to be