New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1846-01-31

J sickness MAY not Music. also. be SO oe'!heu' VIZ
! even more funess of meaning L or Nusc ., % :;
like the souls effort 10 speak its mother tongue III d
strange land q yearniug for completer Iui1nieH'
az lis destiny an attempt paint on the plank can
vas Of the present with coIor.hhe 'iiei0o'es a:u
tin,.like harmonies, its ideal, CIauoeHhe Ieiiius
cences OF the scenery OF lis naive cnio w
,ch visions of the perfect life come TO US as when
lis,en;no ~ The highest musical compositions. Ihese
;,, ~ = reol spirtual fountain, OF which they are
/ Inc streams As sometimes when we are rambling
( through Southern woods the breeze watts TO US,
/ from, distance the odor Of the rich, deep-hdden
magnolia so when strains OF music are heard, we
feel that such delicious distment Of sweets was
not out Of nothing and for nothing but has cores
nonding spiritual source back of it, In the unseen
world. Music is the concentrated aroma OF the
finest flowers of life oretaste of the great possi
bilities in human destiny, vision OF angelic ideal
life.
"Of course | speak now Of Music of the highest
order AS Music is the language Of the affections 1t
must be various as these are 1t Is the magic
mirror which ideazes every class of feelings from
the lowest 10 the highest. II expresses alike the
voice o; rage of scorn of desire OF love, OF devotion
Of penence, of boundless aspiration.
The following expresses adequately some leading
facts
In all ages ancient and modern, Music has had
its ns9ired voiaries. But it is only within the last
few centuries as al! know, that Ii has attained to
perfection az science aud an art. How the plant,
which for many ages looked so dry and dead
and unpromising. at length bloomed out IN such
fragrant and brian; completeness, you all well
know We must all have felt ii 10 be privilege OF
priceless value that we born in an age, through
which are transmitted the inspirations oil Handel,
HAYDN, Mozart, Beethoven, and the long line OF
masters second only these bright particular stars
1t is great thing to live after these men whose
lives were all one Burning feeling one overmaster-
ing idea one deep-yearning after perfect express
sion of the beautiful. long series oil grand I'M
classified psychological facts In their still world
of dreams, what miracles did the power OF AT,
work ont from their intense conceptions w hat
ekillful choice and marshaiug Of means for pro
ducing their intended effects, and what patient and
intense labor at composition
The lives OF these like insulated points
in history only to be well com pretended by those
who are somewhat similarly organized But their
influence is wider than we think great musical
composer is central power, who radiates liner
sense Of beauty by little and little into the ouinosi
and least-delicaely organized souls. he IS but
poet, whose language is more interior and universal,
than those who sing III artculaie WORDS. w here
we stop short on the threshold of the holy OF holes,
and are unable to penetrate, by reason OF the mper
lection of human Speech the high priest OF harmony
enters and utiers the Worlds ear The deep, soul
eu,rancing oracles of God The curse OF Babel tails
/ moi on him He speaks and writes in the native
tongue of the Angels and the music is caught up
and repeated with joy and reclamation. In the isles
beyond the sea. His style becomes the style OF his
age We sing NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. OF his themes
These in turn are caught up and repeated, and IN
other forms of melody and combinations OF harmony
they again burst forth upon the ear: and thus they
go circlius through lands flashing from soul TO soul
the mir is pervaed by musical spirit the ear is more
decatey tuned the soul more enlarged and spiritual
lied and beauty, which is God primal henedlctlon
to his children celebrated with pious joy and rever
cnCe
this sweet, bumanizng ministry, on the hearts
Of men | need not speak We all know enough OF
this. We are not stocks and stones. Our hearts vi
bra;e to Music as If they were themselves musical
Instruments and so they differing from one
another in dcicacy of construction, bat all respond
ing 10 the voice of God, which one can resist
The following speaks for itself How much is
indicated by villa, is said OF Schubert
al would take occasion 10 mention one name not
vet very widely known but which seems TO me
destined to have great influence among us-Franz
Schubert who in the department OF song writing
seems 10 me not TO be Surpassed by even Beethoven
himself The exceeding beauty of his melodies and
vet more of his harmonies. reveals him to
master OF the very Sou OF the art. W hat sweet de-
volon in mis- Ave Maria, with lis accompaniment, so
steadily preserved like prayer without ceasing, yet
rising End falling like the painting bosom which
pours il forlh-Wiat longing, desOate sadness IN
his song OF Gretchen In faust-and how skllliuiy
the ceaseess hum and motion of her spinning wheel
accompanies her hear, breaking strains-what ten
n Young maiden. and in should fly from thee =
wha, stirring dramatic motion in his Fri King. and
The Post Horn-What solemnity and grandeur IN
The Stars '-wha, fine, reflective soiloquzlne IN
the song of the Old Man--whal wild grace IN the
rocking wavV motion Of the Barcarole, and Fisher
Maiden-and what exquisite breathines and drop
pings of love. moonlight. flowers, and every thing
iarv-kc aud heavenly. in his Serenade should
have mentioned the stormy sorrow OF his Atlas--and
the mighty descent oil the godlike forms 10 earth III
music 10 Schillers Dlthyranlhic, Never believe me-
appear the immortals never alone.
In every mood of passion aud feeling he is at
home. We do not easily forget songs that thus
sway US as the wind does the willow They waken
in us dreams wild and sweet ever bard or lover
! indulged-ihcy are indeed the most genuine poetry
] of song have ever listened 10. They spring from
a genius imbued with the very soul of poetry.
/ A very shor, acquaintance with compositions of
this class would do more 10 pnrity and sweeen our
musical feasts than knowledge of all the popular
song.wri,ers of England and America put together.
Our salt having lost s SAVIOR, we can only be pre-
served from utter vapidity and hatness by I'M
portaiions from Germany. Let US not fear the
charge OF imitation. Ii is too stale charge TO be
puncent We must initiate while we continue IN
This state OF pupiage Foolish critics talk OF the
want of National Music in America. \ National
Music is the spontaneous growth OF ages OF insulated
life and feeling Ii is impossible that American Mu-
sic can d more than reproduce the Music of other
ages and nations We are too open 10 the world.
100 receptive of ali influences from abroad. We are
TOO much nation made up of others.
Our mission in Music, ms in Literature. is 10 be
eclec,cs We are for a long time yet 10 be In the
position of learners and talk fooshly when we
speak of National Music
Reside Music must needs be an universal Ian
ruage. 1t utters the same thoughts and feelings TO
me as to the German. the Frenchman the Italian,
and this universally is what constitutes It's very
I essence.
| We must add the closing passage;
( And five still experience the lingering effects OF
institutions and modes of education SO discourasns
to art we have certainly. TO great extent, triumph.
I ed over them sloriously. Much has been done and
laore is doing 10 promote the education OF the young
! in this true school OF divinity. Every year hope
/ is carrying us farther forward,
I Le,ns. members of this Association, not be be
hindhand ia whatever Of enthusiasm, skill and &C
! qurement we possess, 10 promote Music and musl-
( cal literature We hold the keys 10 the richest
storehouses of Gods perfect beauty. The language
l.. ,l,t an