Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1879-06-11
Music, lis Nature and Office,

The popular idea of music (says " Z.
X. M" in the Canadian SpectdtOr) seems
to be that it is an art whose office is sim
ply to create pleasurable excitement and
that the business of a musician, like the
court fools of old, is to afford pleasure and
merriment for the superior race of beings
who manage the serious affairs of life. The
difference 'twixt tweedledum and tweedle-
dee has always been to many matter Of
profound mystery; they engage few
fiddlers to play for them during dinner,
stopping them during the performance of
Schumann' "Traumerei,r or Beethoven's
Egmont Overture, in order to hear
the sublimer thoughts expressed in the
afterdinner speech of time serving poll
tician. In our churches, too, where all
that is sublime and beautiful ought to be
reverenced, what place do we find assign
ed to music and musicians? The opening
voluntary is not used to prepare peoples
minds for the solemn service in which
they are about to participate, but to drown
The sound of their footsteps as they come
tardily in after the service has begun, (for
is not the organ voluntary part of the
|serviceO In many churches the organist
is allotted the dignifed task of making
noise while the collection is being taken
up, and, should ne be foolish enough to
attempt piece of good music, is abruptly
brought to close By the announcement
that " the money is all in" Service over
the organist is expected to play a conclud-
ing voluntary, that is, to make as much
noise rs possible while the people have Il
friendly chat as they pass out of church, or
exchange opinions concerning the sermon
they have just heard. If clergyman hap
pens to be sufficient of musician to value
art as it should be valued, and favors a
truly devotional service, using music in its
highest office, he is ut once denounced us
a ritualist, as the enemy to evangelical
truth, whose service is IL trap set by the
devil for the perversion of mankind. Alas
for the ignorance of church men! the devil
can have nothing to do with II church
where art is esteemed and utilized; for all
true art is from above, and is consequent
y abhorred by the devil, If we are to
have music in our churches ut all, let us
have it of the very best kind and assign
to it u certain place suitable to its Office
but let us not introduce it, as it were, by
courtesy, in order to satisfy II few, whose
elevated nature makes them long for
something higher and nober than II cold
and lifeless service. Surely, if there be
any place where the elevation Of the peo-
Pile should be sought after,it is in churches; !;
but. as Il general rule, we find that the
music is brought down TO the level of the
people, instead of the people being eleva.
ted until they can comprehend and appre-
ciate the music.
. In our homes music is of all the arts the
one most generally cultivated. But bere
too, we find place assigned to it not at
all in keeping with its nobility. 1t is Gus
tomary to have "a little music " in the
evening, but of what does it consist? A few
meaningless pieces are strummed on the
piano, generally in an inartistic manner
the conversation, meanwhile, is continued,
the music being looked on as kind of
Agreeable accompaniment. Vocal music
is usually listened to with some show
of decency, put it is usally performed by
persons who have never received the
slightest instruction in that branch of the
art, and so we cannot blame those who
listen for being unaffected by it. The pieces
played consist mostly of operatlc bal
lads twisted out of shape by such writers
us Liszt. Prudent and Leybach. Beetho-
ven's, Mendessohn's and Weber's works
are rarely heard, and if any young lady
has sufficient taste to study and play them
she is listened to with courteous federation
to the end, and then comes the remark
from the hostess" Thank you, that is
nicely played; now won't you give us
something pretty?"
That music requires intellect both for
its study and appreciation never seems to
enter into the heads of those who have
been accustomed to " a little music as
an accompaniment to conversation at all
social gatherings. They think it is Il val
liable accessory at funerals or weddings,o
to drown the clatter of knives and forks at
public dinner, but they cannot imagine
how any sane person can find enjoyment
in sounds alone, us we Lave them in the
symphonies of Beethoven and Mozart.