The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-06-17

plays and studying new parts. The drama is
not declining; it is only recuperating.
While the " stars " arc killing mosquitoes and
catching blueflsh, we can 40 to the Aquarium and
get q little knowlcdge-tcn to ono you will call
the anemones carrots. and ask the attendant II
they are put in to feed the nsh-or loIter at the
Garden wondering II Gilmorc's 10 what Wagner
called :" table music" which presents an at
tractvc noise for purposes Of conversation.
The last night that was at the Garden IT was
cool. l sat and looked over the barrier at tho
promcnadcrs. and. knowing that the music had
drawn them. was amazed to think how tunalcss
and arid our great city is in summer. and how
hlithey it always responds to tho lghtcst
music.
Gilmore. I thought. looked n trinc strained
as If the feat of providing the music for mill
lion people was little too much for ono man
and his band. well. If the weather keeps cool
utdnt perduhl
If you ask Theodore Thomas or strakosch.
you will probably be told that the Americans
are not musical people.
But don't ask them. Go TO Ditson. or Stein-
way, or even Dobson. who gives lessons by mail.
They will tell you that the Americans cannot
get music enough.
After this would not II 7 were you. plunge
into metaphysics or tho Kms;cerk der H.
k,uN. nor write to Delights Journal to ascertain
what Il and what is not music.
1t is sufficient for your Lowell head to know
that Dan Emmett had rhythm in him IA we'll as
did schubert; and that between silence and
Beethoven 1t is given 20 men and boys TO drum
accertHly on cellar doors.
believe there is classic notion prevailing
TINT impcls some of our poople t. eat their
meals standing unless they can ait in antique
chairs. II this IL taste 1t is allied to indigestion.
Let us roll in the grass and kick up our heels
rather-when summer comes.
Have you never noticed how tho porulace-
which holds thcactrcss to a strict accountability
takes of its hat and its Independence 10 the
songstress? How often n simple threadbarc
song. deity introduced into n wearisomc play.
rcfrcshcs the sense AMI puts the multitude in
good humor2 1t Is rs il some one had opened a
window somewhere. md air and sunshine had
strcamcd in together II was not great music
hardly good music. perhaps. in a critical sense.
But 1t seized upon the audience for all that.
Those rude fellows up stairs acknowledged tho
spell. and Numbered for more of IT, 10 the great
annoyance OF those Of US who knew thrt 1t was
lackneycd and n trfie sharp and badly phrased.
Alas. how much better critics the rude fellows
are after all. than most Of u.s. They seem to
know. ntuitively. that the player cannot get
from articulate speech to rhythmic tones with
tul krlllIk from inc fih' NfllU'lhl 10 inc nat
ural. and that some honesty Of utterancc will
come out on the notes. that never slipped out ON
the words.
Every device TO get simple music before the
people has met with success in this country.
Look at negro minstresy 1t has made moro
money than all the operas from Palmo's time.
What do you think WAS its attraction Not the
lunooncry. for that remains and minstrcsy Is
dead. 1t was the "Ol Folks at Home" and
kindred folk songs that brcathcd the primitive
melodies Of the South. and which lingor yet
round our concert rooms like a vagrant odor o.
sweet briar-a wild, plaintivc snat III that caught
the sense before one was aware.
Look at the Old Folks concerts. For n while
these shallow choristers carried the public with
them on their psalmoGy. 1t was nothin. more
than lusty choir work.
Do you remember the Hutchinsons and the
Alleghanians. and the half score OF other
quartets that walked the continent inpcrous-
II. with no other warrant than their concord
Shall We doubt the efficacy Of English song
while Kellogg IL alive
What are our ballad SIS about thatthoy do not
weave their IAadriEals into popular fabrics {?
Why should that fecuni j. Il. Thomas spirit
his genius nt US through D,tson's nozzle.
when it ought 10 roll down spectacular rocks
like Mr.. Shocks patent cascade Why deal
himself out in sheet music SO regularly las II
the tuneiul muse brought ia his piration on 20
month like the gas lin when he might he
served up at the banquet 81 burletta-resularl
roasted whole at "a ballad barb,'uel
Why should Mr.. Harry Willard troll his own
| songs in cayernous concert halls. when Weath-
ersby will eurslc them slccsomcly 10 delighted
MODS. If 50 be they are pinned together with
| dramatic excusey
Quality in music Is all very well. Everybody
who can write insists on that; let some OF Us
| who can feel insist on quantity.
The first indictment Of the qualitative fellows
| Is " Evancscence!"
All this stun is SO neotinG.
Let US stick pin in that bubble.
Don't you know that evanes .cnt music Is the
music the world wants. Evanesccn GEO. hard
| headed philosophy is the Psyche We chase and
love. Must We turn back far rs Leigh Hunt
| 20 show that the reason why music. even Of the
most light and joyous tou hes our hearts. is bc-
cause We have an instructive sense of the fus-
tive and pershing nature Of all sweet things?
Ii our panses We're to bloom all tho year
round, they would be Of no more account than
| a cedar hedge. No; our flowers II song arr not
! TO he preserved in class. al hcrbaria for anti
| quarics to pore over. They are to spring up
! freshly in their season, shed a little perfume.
! cheer n few hearts. and then w.ther. So We
| shall love them.
Those towering erowths Of art that soon over
! lasting. and which. indeed do drop their GOLDEN
! fruit into all the years through whose branches
the winds of every epoch gather fresh meaning
n they blow; those stately masters who caught
/ the rclucnt sea music beyond reach Of harp
and organ" and made Us acquainted with the
slnorous tides Of heaven shall the wild
grasses not bloom AMI rpen under their can
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