The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-01-02
WE ARE A MUSICAL PEOPLE
A TRIBUTE or HEdBTPELT GRdTI-
tube TO DR. ron DULOW.
German Dispa rnacment OF our Musical
Taste-NustcRI Talent Abundant Here
A Glowing Picture Of Our Opportunities.

since DIR. Won Elbows extremely frank CONVEX
sstion wit TIN SUN reporter, have been hoping
that some leading patron Of music hero In New
York would write to you and express for musl-
cal Americans the gratitude We certainly owe
the great virtuoso for almoet the first weighty
words Of help and cheer for American musical
aspiration that have fallen from German Hips.
For my own part, mover was more gratined and
delighted with anything In my life, and though
an Insignificant endorsement like my own can
be Of no value to DIR. IInlow, yet cannot refrain
from bringing him humble tribute.
The first point I wish to make, the one which
DR. Bulow has practically made and for which
Americans ought 90 be forever devoted to his
memory, IL that the Americans are an essentially
musical people This the Germans have never
yet admitted, but have believed for years, and
do not hesitate to efirm, that the Americans arc
as unsteady organized as the Germans or the ltal-
ianB. Our people are in very truth Musical,
tremulous. lmprcssiOnal;" but they have not tho
traditions the habits, nor, above all. the teach
difused musical culture, not that music-laden
air that the Germans breathe at home. There
the young artist or composer starts from tho
level OF all that has gone before him, whereas
here he has TO start IRON the bare rock as ~
were. There not the accumulated musical soil
Of generations for him 10 grow In, that there Ii
TO prove how musical Americans are, will
simply give sketch of the musical talent that
knew Of among friends and acquaintance IN
Northern Vermont when was girl there TWEEN
" years ago. In the first place, there was cler-
gytlan's Wifc la the village Of st. Adams who,
having had nothing but littlc home teaching,
performed equally Wen upon tne piano, hharli
any. She played brilliantly by heart most OF
Thalberg's and he Meyers compositions extern
ny 10y composing little fantasias Oh any airs they
would give her. Prom early childhood she had
known every tone struck, oven when she could
not see the Keys, and would strike with the voice
any tone asked for. She would sit sewing In ono
room and direct two pupils practising IN rooms i,
note to take, but what hnger to put Gu the note.
MUSICAL PRODIGY.
Yet she never n her life heard an orchestra,
only once In her life did she hear an OratoriO,
and twice In New Orleans she heard DE Meyer
play. She knew nothing about classic music,
therefore, and had formed no taste for Il, but
even so as the fruit of her talent, several anna
tour- we've developed among her daughters and
their friends who would have done no discredit
to the bot taught clrclos in our cities. ono OF
these, when the clergyman wife urst moved to
~. Alian-, ~a- httle Rrl OF hye Years old.
This child caught by ear portions " the ianta-
saS she heard thc lady play, and reproduced
them la little fashion of ncr own. Her parents
were 40 Indifferent to her talent that they never
even had her taught notes. Yet size was
al nius,c, and at eighteen had so ex-
quIsie a musical touch and such a
would bring tears e. tho eyes. Mics Lille
Grcenourh, too aftcrward Mrs. Charles Moul-
ton, wished -. Adams IN those years; young
girl 80 musical and gifted WIN su'h voice anu
such beauty that she would have hecu the
allowed her ~ she holtclt wished AT that tlmo
To- study Ia Europe for the operate stage. And
lastly there appeared IN our organ lott every
summer "A young man with Sparkling eyes and
waving lOCNs VINO would electrtN MS all with his
playing. lie Was born IN the neghborlng town
OF Bufliugi Oh, and a. he grew up he developed
la composition a wealth of pathetic and PASSION
at" melodic power Which with proper study and
discipline, | am not afraid TO siy, would have
given him position between GOunOd and Schu-
bert. proud and penniless youth, he came
here To New Yor. civ Did "A single German
hi fHla Ia al
uuti he could pay back, OF even say to some rich
American, Here II "A genius that ought to he
developed for your country. Sehd him abroad q
Nothing of the kind. lie waH AN American.
That was enough He could not be unsteady
anything but something for Germans to lOuk
asNance at. No musical potcntate here ever
gave him strong and sympathetic ana earnest
advice, hut amid the laughter oi the Germans he
was allowed To waste his strength, his youth,
and his heart, on one hopeless scheme after
another, until his spirit has turned to gall within
him, and he u now musical lshmncl his hand
against every body, and everybody = hand against
him. Alas some American List may yet con
fer upon his exquisite gems of melody The set
ting that their lll-starred composer could not
give them and make his country mourn the
foreign frost that nlghtcd all too cruelty her
eager and aspiring child.
Now. II such native talent was found clustered
in that remote locality IN Vermont, We may take
for granted that II exists more or less all over
our country. I'm fact. could myself greatly eX-
tend my list 10y persons Of remarkable musical
gifts have met elsewhere, who also have come
to nothing from simple lack of training.
THE GERMANS.
But, | ask. where have been the hearts and the
sympathies Of the Germans, that these have not
sole custody now for forty Years Tie Germans
are music .,lly. 80 great that there Is no such
thing rs diminishing or denying their prestige.
They are 20 great. indeed, that they might have
Afforded to be generous. This they have not
urci NV MN ult"lctnnlc all"falii'S ne IeNc
desired 10 md ~ " only musical Eldorado "a
which they could oil their pockets, and at which
they could 90 home to laugh What sort Of
brotherhood did they extend to the dazzling
American virtuoso Gottschalk, whose airy and
fantastic piano compositions even the base
their scholars one Of William Mason's charming
pieces How are they treating to-day the ter
inan-bred organst j. X. Paine Of Boston, the
OF the massive and splendid oratorlo OF -.
Peter p How rarely have his WORKS had re-
hearsal and a public hearing through theml
while, for fifteen years. Jerome Hopkins has tried
70 get one Of his ORCHESTRAL compositions per
formed Toy the New York Philharmonic, and In
VAIN. Yes the Germans are spread over this
land like an iron netting. and American talent,
They not only do not believe us MUSICAL they do
not want To believe W 50. But " none are so
deaf a. those that won't hear Thank heaven
that there has come among us az last musical
Samson with ears that can hear Tor themselves,
a heart that cannot lie. and grasp strong
enough to tear up this iron netting and let the
poor, prone prisoners beneath II stand up and
show their stature.
The German disbelief beforehand in American
musical talent, has operated diSaStrousy also
against us in maltinG them Indifferent how they
train II. Taught themselves in the severe schools
.
they satisfy their conscicnces ard make their
work easy over here by saying that Americans
will not bear dJill' III Bulow has had experience
of one orchestra leader, whom he thinks "oNeres-
timnted.' fancy it would not he very difficult to
| discover another. How the Handel and Hadyn
| choruses of Boston perform now do not know.
but a few years aaO sang alto In performance
| Of 1.-THE Creation by them. This great work
| has been In the repertoire OF the society for
! hfty years and under the direction Of the same
| leader for fifteen, and their rendering of II was
| simply disgraceful. | am nothing, myself, hut
! an amateur Orghnist and choir leader, hut
! should be- ashamed indeed II could not drill a
| chorus better than that Handel and lladyn was
| when knew II. II IL not true that Americans
Twill not bear drill" They will. From any one
that they respect they prefer 1t, and are glad Ia
| get H. II is true that they will not bear temper
| and pettshness from leader, but don't know
| that that Is to their disCredit either.
BERGMASN AND DULow.
Now, see the difference between liorgmann and
| Bulow lieTgmann does not care about his re-
| hcursas. lie II not in Germany. and however his
musicians perform, IL will he good enough foI
America. hut Bulow is "delighted with his
audience. / saw ia The people such receptiyity
such appreciation. saw am opportunity TO In
| tcrpret the masters to them" said he To Inf SUN
reporter And again. 1.-THE Americans seem
| az dcsirous to he taught as they are quick 70
perceive. There Is quite spirit OF reverence fol
| the very names Of the old masters This II seer
not only In the audiences, hut In the newspaper
reports. | am much pleased with the way they
| hoo. Ia. Ia lao IA sDir it a