New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-01-09
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.
OPERAS WITH TUNES IN THEM.

To the EditOr Of The Tribune.
SIR: VIII you allow me to say few words
for large class OF people who spoken OF rather
disparagingy critical article Aida" in areccnt
Issue II THE TRIDUSEl mean people who, like my
self. love operas with tunes In them. Reference
also made unPeeling manLer TO "the young per-
addicted operate potpourris" The young
you audc 10 IS no doubt so young and unsophscated
to be honest in his addc lions AMI bis notions are not
advanced that he processes intense admiration
for music which he does not understand but by which
he Is rather mystied aud bored am very young
person myself having been pretty regular attendant
at Italian opera when 1t given in Aston Place aud In
Castle Garden, when Salvi, Badiai, M3rni. BOsi0 and
StefanODc used TO do some very fair singing, before
operas without any invented. From that
time to his have heard pretty much all the operas
brought in NewYork both tuneul and tuneless. and
say baye not Outgrown my early education, and
one Of my greatest enteyments-a sincere love
Of melody / have doubt that II the truth
was confessed the great mass OF the mnslcIoVlng
public think and feel Just about az do Many people Of
culture" go Wagncrs OPERAS for instance, because
IL IL the correct thing 10 do, and hear an endless JaTgOn
Of sounds and great display OF theatrical gewgaws
intended to Illustrate something i'll the ancient German
mythology of which they know almost nothing; ana
they come away, OF course, greatly impressed with
WagnCTs genius when, II the truth were told they were
simply beSilGcred stupehed ana bored. Most OF them
would gladly aftCrYard. the sly, take feast OF Bel
ui or Don Zet Just 10 take the "a te out OF Their
mouths This aduaton of the aDstruse aud scholastic
in music by people who are without regular musical
education IS simply affrctatiOn and humbug. When L
find the Young person you speak OF becoming ecstatic
dry old fuGue5 O Bach or ScarlLtt, or Wild
with thuInsm abUu' the GOiterdanmerung or some
thing equally mysterious, conclude that Tie young
y, rson i fraud nd Is doing It only for the sake OF
Appearances. have known some not very young per
OOl-pOOaug at such lesser !lghts as Mozart and
McudessOhu, ana affecting horror at Bale or allice
piaYug privately for their own satisfaction some or the
- L'edcr Ohnc wOrtc" when they thought nobody was
within eirshot OF them.
There perhaps other subject under the sun about
which there Il SO much cant SPOKEN and written as
II is well enough for professional men aud ed
catcd musicians peak amiringy of works which are
great examples OF musical scholarship but Or peope
who dc do know the b c OF muslcal education
(Ind - per Of OperagOcrs arc IN that condition. To
express an admiration they do not feel because il Is
good form talk any other way, is downright
hypocrisy ana dishonesty Let 10 one be ashamed or
afraid to he loves melody, or tunes as sheer
ugiy called 10y the professors OF musical maj hrmatlcs;
II Is "A good, healthy love. Every woman every child,
every tender Is moved by H. The schOO boy who
stands at the street corner and listens 10 one OF BenlS
tunes" haudurgan, honOrs both himself and Bel
lin. The supplemented Young person who IS melted To
tears ut hearing "Auld Robin Gray feengly sung, has
no right be ashamed Of those honest tcarsthey are
worthy tribute the unknown One-pOrt who gave hat
melody to the world. Let the professional man admire
as he may him who construct a fugue OF bald
assIve harmony, bat let those great tODep0ets,
VINO can touch nearly every emotion Of tue human heaft
by dlnt Of melody be sneered at by the pudding
dilcttautei SIN OF tho daY. SAFfHO'
BTOOEiy1t, Dec. 81, 1850.