Urbana union. [volume] (Urbana, Ohio) 1862-1872, 1869-05-12

Graveyard.
For the Urbana UniOE.
AEUBEO.
NO.L.
Every one knows the influence of mar
tial music in reviying the courage and
animating the bravery Of the army. 1t
is shardly necessary for me to speak of the
great effect on the mind of a national air
heard in a foreign land. Some poet said
'I care not who makes the laws of a
country if you will let me write its bal
lads" It has always been considered a
great source of enjoyment in Ithe social
circle, and adds to the happiness Of all,
ifwell performed, except it may be by
some who always make self, the centre
Of the universe, and prefer hearing their
own voices rather than to hear the fin
est music in the world. Even in the
concert room this style of person is
sometimes seen, and as they generally
go to be seen we hope every body looks
at them to their hearts content. A group
.ofthese would ld-be-fashiOnables were once
disturbing a performance by their chat
ter, when one Of the performers sang a
song expressly for their benefit.
''Thc Potatoes they arc small over there, ."
pointing to the group, you may by
sure the eyes of the whole house were
directed to that chatter box.
But to return to our subject, the uses
of music.
The greatest and most important use
Of this beautiful science, which emana-
ted from the Divine Creator, is to give
thanks to Him in the Sanctuary of His
Holiness. When we considerfO a mo-
ment the wonderful variety in the hu-
man voice we conclude that this was
not made so for nothing.
First there is the difference between
the male and female voices. Look at
the keys of the Piano, and fl your mind
upon middle G, and there abouts you
have the separation of the voices of the
two sexes; the male voices useing prin-
oipaIly the two Ootaves below, and the
female voices the two octaves above.
There is by creatiOn-an octave differ
ence- between the male and female voice
for If both sing the middle G. though
they apparently sing the same note, in
reality the male voice sings an octave
below. Each sex has three different
grades of voice or perhaps we should say
pitch of tone. The highest female reach
ing from middle c to E in alt, viz : E on
the third ledger line above. q once
heard lady sing with a clear sweet
tone to G OH the fourth line;) the
next from about middle G to g or A
above the staff, and the third called sec
Ond treble, alto, or contraltO extending
from G below middle c to c or D on the
staff. The highest male voice mites
on this grade with the efemale-vOice and
is called counter tenor, alto, or cOntral-
to; then comes the tenor, or middle
grade of voice, and below this the bass
voice; each grade varying little higher
or lower in different persons. The low
est bass I ever heard was that of Mr..
Brakeman, a London singer, who sang
with a full firm tone down to B fiat be-
low the bass staff. Madame Catalini
sang down to c on the second space in
the Bass staff. There is also the Bari
tone between the tenor and Bass. All
these varieties in the human voice were
given by the Creator for a purpose, and
the proper use of them must be cultiva-
ted, or we can never enjoy the pleasure
they afford.
All musical instruments are formed
more or less upon the type Of the human
voice. The modern wind instruments
with valve, as attached to SaxhOrns pro-
duce all these effects, though it must be
confessed they lack the purity Of tone
possessed by the trumpet, trombone and
French horn, which are however much
more difficult, and require a great deal
more practice; the purity and sweetness
Of tone depending much more upon the
Judgment and skill of the performer,
than in the Waived instruments.
We find truly wonderful combination
of musical sound, produced by the stops
of the pipe organ. I use the word pipe
organ to distinguish it from the reed or
gan of the present day, which after all
is only an apology for the real organ.
Those who understand the figures Of
the common chord will understand the
following simple description.
Put down any key of the pipe organ
with the DiapasOns, which give the same
sound as the piano, and another set Of
pipes called the principal, and you have
the octave Of each note played; add the
tierce, and you have the 10th add the
twelfth and you have theI2th abON e,add
the 18th and you have two Octaves above,
add the sesquialtera and you have q COM
bination of pipes with the note itself, its
Srd 5th sth 10th &C, and yet all these
different sounds of this common chord.