Newbern weekly progress., 1860-01-24
Papers on Hsusic.-No. XIV.
BY w. II. NEAVE,

Musical Director at Salisbury, North Carolina
Music as defined by Malcolm, " is the science
of sounds whose end is pleasure Now all pleas
ure has got to be paid for in some way, and the
members of amateur Bands must devote nearly all
their leisure hours to study and practice, if they
would be good and lasting; they must also pay
much in the shape of money for instruction, instru
ments, music, rent, light, music stands uniforms,
&c. And their doing all this at their own expense,
at the commencement is the best test of their earn
csness and guarantee of their continued applica-
ton But to insure this latter clause they should
be literally compensated when occasions occur,
or can be made, at which their efforts will give the
chief zest and pleasure. In this way the public
pay the contingent cash expenses of the institu
ton; while the Band continues to pay their quota
in time, study and much physical exertion, very
often
In large cities the rivalry of many civic militia
ry companies, friendly societies. general rejoc-
ngs, &c, create and nourish fine Bands There
are also the regular military stations, having in
varably passable, and often good Bands attached
to them, the salutary and scftening power Of
whose music on the rude soldiery, but too often
entirely isolated from the humanizing and restrain
ing presence Of women is incalcuable, indepen-
{
raj County towns possess the germs of musical
excellence equally with large cities, but not the
potent vivifying agents which are theirs only.
And this State is worse Of in this respect than
the majority of her sister States; having no, really,
large towns in it, and with no regular military
depot, whose Band Nigh form nucleus of pow
erful and varied outdoor harmony. And while
Virginia on one side has four and South Carolina
49, 4l -
cumbent on North Carolina. matter of pride
and sef-respect, that she make every exertion and
propitiate all existing suspicious means by which
she render herself equal and even superior to
those States, and self-sufficient and reliant in
music. By resoutely doing so, the art will soon
have an elevated character and positive foot hold
in her midst, dispensing blessings among her peo-
pie. Suppose we ignore the preparatory process,
and anticipate such consummation; we will
then find in every town and village a body of
men, of the right stamp, with good instruments
and thorough practical knowledge of them and
of music, with endless variety of printed Brass
Band music. Then would the Band room be
sort of elysium, happy and secure retreat from
the distracting of life for themembers OF the
Band two or three nights .sfeeks. But music,
like charity is twice blessed: it blesses those who
give and those who rec<fve; hence, if the Band
room is central and st proper elevation, the in
spired thoughts ST great composers would radate
in every direction over half mile, floating through
the mansions of the rich and penetrating to the
firesides of the lowly, finding ready response in
the breasts of the good, cheering the weary, sof-
tening the obdurate, animating the supine, re-
fiuino the gross, raising the fqllen rel uVenating
the aged and inspiring the young. Thus for the
time all animated nature is In genial mood
.l>o,f oo11, .lo1
freshingly and dream dvnely These are not
vain imaginings, utophian rhapsodles. Giles
says the mere capacity IN man OF percelVlng
sound, renders the nsusicai element necessity III
nature and in life 1t is the language OF the heart
The evidence of its power is i'll the calm, the quv
ering or the joyous pulsation. Feeling IN music
is memory, sympathy, or an impulse; words
are but the history of a by y-gone thought; music
because it is the highest type and aggregate ex-
preston of passional attraction therefore 1t Is IN
finite. And what tone is to the word, what eA-
preston is to form, what affection is to thought,
what intention is to argument, what insight Is 10
policy, what holiness is to heroism what religion
is to philosophy what moral influence is to power,
what heart is to head, what woman is to man, S"
is music to the universe. And again: " the songs
which primitive people sing, IN whlch they nave
their best social interchange, are frequently poor
in diction and bald in sentiment. 1t is the music
that gives them life transfusing energetic lnspl-
ration into the meanest words 4et, OF necessity
their melodies most simple but they are tnelf
unrest instincts, seeking to put themselves into
measured sound; the feelings singing OF them
selves making an orchestra of the brain, yet with
little to fill the and less to reach the mlho'
still they are good for the mind and pleasant 10
the ear And if a rude musical sensation IS OF
value of how much more value is a refined one
Like q sensible people import from ABROAD |
rare articles of Uertu &c., the products OF ars sof
or manufacture, peculiarly the creatures OF other
climes and people, but acceptable to this, whether
al Int6liGCfUai