New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1845-10-08
The Musical Convention.

At4 O'Clock yesterday afternoon Rcr. DR.. Hooker,
Of Conn. delivered very able address before the
Convention on the subject OF the Musical Profession
He said that the nieres, and success of every art
is dependent upon the Profession. Like the other
fine arts if little attention is paid to by the Profes
sion il will certainly be little understood in the com
muniiy Attachments in this, any more than in the
other fine arts were not to be bought. borrowed or
stolen; We must labor for them, patiently and per
severingy They must be diligently pursued. by the
men of the nation. wherever they are desired. And
where this is done the highest advancement and util-
ity of this art is morally certain.
The main dependence Of music for Advancement
In this country i upon the men who devote them
selves to it, a. students, practitioners, and IN
struciors As member OF the clerical profession,
the only plea said the DR.. which he would offer tor
standing before the Committee Of musical professors
and amateurs was the fraternity between the man
of the pulpit and the man OF the orchestra and the
fact that be had from his earliest recollection loved
and prasticed music.
He proposed TO consider some of the encouraging
indications Of the present period. Among those he
mentioned the improvement made within few
wears in vocal neutrality-suspicious. IN instruction
the increased frequency Of musical assemblies Tor
the cultivation of taste and acquiring OF improve
rnent In the State of Vermont he said, there was
such an assembly in every county.
Bat what afforded the highest encouragement
was the attention paid to music in female schools.
The universatv OF this practice could not but vastly
extend the know ledge of the art and cultivate a
higher taste for this refined domestic and sos ial en-
| iOyment
He mentioned also as encouraging, the increasing
demand for musical nstruments-the vastly IN
creasing attendance al musical performances. The
musical press OF America also produces more,
though much Of this is indeed from the pen of foreign
ers residing among US, who have enjoyed the higher
advantages of a European education. There Is
also an Improvement in American musical compo-
siiion.
He next proceeded to consider the means OF ad-
vancing this art.
Among these he recommended the systematic
working of the Press for the diffusion of edge
on the subject of musical history and biography
works exceedingly scarce IN our own country. lie
showed the necessity of musical literature Tor I'M.
proving the taste and increasing the knowledge OF
the profession and expressed the hope that some oil
our large publishing houses would soon bring out
the entire works Of some of the old masters such
az Handel and Haydn, the former OF whom is unri-
vailed in sublinty and pathos He thought there
was talent enough in the profession, though II was
but in it's infancy in this country TO sustain perl
odical and this would be no less important TO Mu-
sic than to all the other arts and professions each OF
which had one or moreover down, he thought, TO
the Mesmeric art
The speaker also recommended the offer OF pre-
NUNS, not only for musical compositions but also
for Musical Essay writing and that higher qualiii
cations be demanded in teachers
He described with great oloqucnce the power oil
Music in awakening the scnsbilities OF our nature;
in soothing the afflicted and in elevating and emo
bling all the finer faculties Of our being
He dwell, with much emphasis on the necessity OF
pure sentiments of peiy in the musician. How ut
ierlv unseemy that the sacred art should be assoca
ted with profligacy groyellns spirit an art
especially designed by the Advise Being for lifting
the soul 10 Heaven. as well carrying sweetest
consolation and Joy to the suffering and peniient-
God made music Tor most high and benevolent pur-
poses and to debase il TO opposite ends must be
regarded a. the cOnsummatiOn OF iniquiiy.
Ii was allied he said, to real greatness and grand
eur Of soul. And thousand fold rather would he
enjoy the honor of Handel the author of the Mes
siah sitting at the organ of w estminster Abbey,
and by the performance OF the Haleujah Chorus
raising the King and his Court from their seats,
than that of Alexander al the Granichus, C9sar al
Pharsalia or Napoleon in the hight OF his power
disposng Of thrones
Such profession as Music, he said, especially
when pursued in the spirit of conservation TO God
and LAYING it, honors in thankful tribute at the feet
of Jesus Christ the Lord such profession IL worthy
ofthc high place claim for among those objects
Of attention which do most 10 elevate the human
character and aid in mans preparation for better
brighter, happier heller world.