The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1879-03-15
MUSIC AS AN OCCUPATION FOR
WOMEN.

We have sometimes had occasion to notice that
the ease or the difficulty in the way of women de-
voting themselves to particular forms OF industry
il influenced by various circumstances and eOnsid-
eratons We have seen that there are regions OF
activity which have been in the nature OF things,
or by long habit and custom, respected as proper
and peculiar to women some which are open in
differently to men and women and others, again,
which, sometimes jealousy guarded, have been
almost to the present moment fenced OFF as the
monopoly of men.
There are other difficulties, however, arising from
tendency to exclusion which do not definitely
shane themselves into from, and certainly do not
operate against women as women so much as prae-
ticallv interpose the sure and subtle antagonism
Of interest and tradition. This holds true, espe-
ciav of music of which it is said that IN no probes
sion does there to be less room Tor outsiders,
whether in its instrumental orchestral or vocal de-
partments "The advantage of possessing inter-
est in the profession, or of belonging to family
already known to the public, appearsto be go great
that persons less fortunate have small chance of
success unless unusually gifted" vi such queens
of song or Instrumentation, whose singular quail
feations neither design nor neglect can restrain,
it is not necessary to speak at length. 10 insist
unduly upon the brilliant rewards OF a lew partl-
cular stars might have misleading effect upon
the number of recruits for profession which is
capation of chOrus-singing, to take a lowly exem-
pIifcation seems more graceful and imposing than
the homelier service of domestic life, orthe thank
less monotony OF caprice of the counter The
complaint is however, the same that we have ire
auently found directed against women in the pur-
suit of industrial of professional avocaions that
they have not the continued and persistent deyo-
ton of men, and that, as candidates for musical
emplovment. they carry into the market chiefly
the crude results of insufficient thoroughness and
application.
We have already intimated that we have no
design of holding out the dazzling emoluments OF
the priaa DONNA or the uniquely gifted instrument
tast or the impossible examples of either, OF OBJ
iects of imitation; and it is not necessary to
follow the musician of sound average professional
attainments into the mere palpable and recognized
spheres of her activity. We may mentlon, now
ever one particular order of this activity, which
TO manv of our readers may have an attraction
of its own; quite apart from the circumstance that
it NAV be held with little real tax upon the time
because possibly involving no change OF haDit,
and from the further circumstance that It's modest
emoluments may contribute available addition TO
n married or single income. We alude TO the
position of lady organis, whose salary, 1t Is sad
rarely exceeds 5000 a year, on account OF her eA-
cluson from the more important situations, for the
fitting of which the training of male ehoir py a
male organisti is, as rule desirable. FemalechOir
singers NAV realize from $leO to $500 per annum
according to ability.-SPeetator.