Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1861-03-15
Songs and song-vriters.

II we were TO Judge BY the number 'of new
songs published yearly, we should conclude that
nothing was 80 easy as to compose lyric. Does
young gentleman, whose college days are not
yet over, fall in love with pretty school girl
forth with he sits down to indite q song, which,
II can be made to music at all, he persuades
some music dealer TO publish, with conspicuous
dedication to the bread and-butter inalnorata.
Does the music dealer himself find trade get
ting loE--forthgith he hires some hack TO man.
ufacture q few doggerel verses, which he sets to
some plagiarized air, and gives TO the world as
the novelty Of the season. The consequence Is
that most Of the modern songs, which are ipflict.
ed on visitors In fashionable parlors, are trssh
OF the yilest kind. To paraphrase the words of
Lord Brougham, In bis famous criticism on
Sheridan's oratory, they are neither good
songs, nor bad songs, nor Indifferent songs-the
fact is, they are not songs atall.
For song-writing is the most difficult art In
all poetry. IL requires rare combination Of
qualities, and such as few men OF geuius pos
sess themselves A song should have but one
main thought; should 90 at once to the subject;
should never turn aside even for the most beau
tiful simile; and should be clothed in language
in which thought and feeling are fused, so to
speak into one glowing metal. as In the ancient
Corinthian brass. No man, however great bis
genius, can cit down and say, ~ will write
song" Yet, neither can person with but Or
dinary ability write good song. For though
successful songs have been often written by
persons who had made no pretensions before to
being poets, yet such individuals have individ-
ually had the organization of the poets, and
generally united also with that Of the musician |
"Auld Robin Gray" and "Im Sittin' on the
Stile, Mary" for example, were composed by
ladies' who were not profound author esses; but
in both cases, the fair writer's were celebrated
for general talents, taste for music, and sensi-
tive natures. The heart must be on fire as we'll
as the Imagination, if good song is to be writ.
ten. s7l.. |
As proof Of the soundness of these views, We
cite the fact that, while thousands of songs
have been published very few comparatively sur.
vive. Some fall still-born from the press, some
llnger for few days, and some hold out lit
tie longer. IL is rare, indeed, to find one out
lasting its generation. Even the great major
ity Of Moore's have "died and made no sign"
Those of BAyley perished still more rapidly
The lyrics OF no song-writer survive to the ex- |
tent Of those of Burns OF living songs the
best of his and few older ones are nearly all
that remain. Time has winnowed the bad, the
indifferent and the ordinary good away, till on.
ly those are lett which approximate. toward
those old lyrics, which bear the approval of
ages, were oitener sung! We do not compre-
hend how ladies of culture can patronze the
trashy songs which lumber up their music racks,
vitiate their own taste, and outrage the ears Of
their listeners. We are, at least, certain that,
If they would slng the really good songs the
language affords, there would be less talking |
while they were at the piano, and probably more |
sincere lovers at their feet -PhilG. Ledger.