Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-04-24
DOMESTIC ECosOMF.
Seaside Views ON she sub,eet Of
| -ffIrL Musfn. Ea-rfErfT

sensible Views on the Subject Of
fIul Music. le-rsUT
To the Union and American:
Liberal arts, and particularly music, vo-
cal a Instrumental, beauty the domes-
circle and strengthen the Ties which link
the famn, members together. It is rare to
see a family with M ar for musical strains;
and hsi;cs veal music shOulars taught IN
the public schools llks sts1afsaf aBd sr..1
netic. Teachers possessing i knowiedee
OF vocal music should be eligible before
others who do Rot enjoy such qualification
They are in Germany. The reformer,
Luther, said: 'Tho does not love
women, wine and song, is a fool
all his life long, But instrumental music
presents great Observation-Disclosures which
are often insurmountable. Everybody
likes TO possess 4 pisno-forteAit 30 EN-
belllshes a d~rawing-room. A piano worth
having costs many hundred dollars. Keep
ing 1t i n tune is expensive. 1t takes years
OF unremitting study and practice to reach
even mediocrity in performing. The
charges Of 4 good music teacher are not
low. Only the rich can stand such
sEpensiveneSs with nORchdIGnce. A
saiaried hfan or merchant in mode
rate circumstances eshnot well bear
the outlay. A man getting S1,5OU per an
mum IN a mercantile house, can bring up a
family in comfortable style, and by econ
omy place something in . savings bank.
His wife. seeing a wealthy neighbor's chill
dren performing on the piano, insists that
her three youngsters ought to play the
piano too; music, she thinks, Is the finish
Ing strote Of wOinanly accomplishment.
With a will she goes 20 work; PREPARES the
ground, sets the trap, pulls tic wires
and succeeds triumphantly. The hus-
band caught in the trap, draws
tie money from the bank, buys a
piano, engages q tsacffery and the three dar-
lings, willing or unwilling, haze to submit
to the musical training. Now, the money
which would in time furnishthe family
a coy homestead, is expended-perhapSi
thrown away, for the children are apt only
TO learn how to hump awkwardly over a
feT tunes. CORRECTNESS the money is not
quite spent in vain, bit only IN ease achiId
is found to be naturally gifted with musical
talent, which It takes years to verify. Nine
children out Of ten will be found de-
void OF genius. Skill in instrumental
music ought to be acquired at the Preside
for home entertainment. Now we have
the aiicien. harp, used by the Egyptians,
Irish, Scots ard Welsh, an q the modern
harp; the Spanish guitar, the sixteen string.
ed Tyre, much used by the Egyptians, and
Greeks, the Bologna tube, all Of which in
struments may be had for a small sum. 1t
requires only afew months in struction and
practices to learn to play them well. A piano
should not be. procured esoept one be per-
fectiy satisfied that the child possess the
talent. 1t is the worst form of extraYa-
gance to invest in so costly an instrument
under any other circumstances. Indeed it
has been the observation of the writer that
the Americans in no other particular con
tFdfent the plsinest miles of economy, so
much as in the mater Of musical trailing.
Persons Of mediocre means may increase
the comforts Of living ~ giving attentionto
this subject. 5. i. ;.