New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-04-16
rPFF uJJSJC FOR All.


| A few DAVIS ago The TRIBUNE published the
proceedings of Il meeting OF citizens held 10
consider measures for protecting the fund
which the liberality Of the late Samuel Wood
had presented to the city for the encourage
ment Of musical culture. In accordance Win
a special act of the Legislature, the Park Com
mission selected q site for the building III
| Central Park between Scventy-nlnth and
| Eighty -ffth-sts. This narrow area between
| the Reservoir and the eastern boundary OF the
Pleasure Ground was originally set apart for
art buildings, and this fact was taken into
consideration in the design of the Park One
! section of what will be the spacious Mu-
scum of the Future already stands there,
and the completion of these structures on
the grandest scale will be 10 intrusion,
but a carrying out of the original plan. 1t is
appropriate too, that music, whose claim to be
ranked as one of the fine arts has never been
questioned, should have a home by the CALLER
les Of painting and sculpture. And 1t Is
proper that the city should help in this broad
scheme ofpublc education by experimenting the
lberaily Of private citizens, giving the ground,
rs it has done for the Museums of Art and
Natural History, while private liberallty and
en- rgy furnish the endowment 1t the idea
is to be carried ont in Il comprehensive and
consistent way The facilities for musical edu
cation must be similar in kind TO those offered
to augment The appreciation and enjoyment Of
the sister arts, and they must be free. The
city woud hardly dedicate the peoples pleas
IRE ground TO any other purpose than the
pleasure and profit Of the people in broad
sense
or course. the ordinary conception Of mu-
steal college will not supply what is needed.
building where few professors instruct il
| few advanced students in harmony and cOun-
tcrpoint and Instrumentation, or where less
advanced students struggle TO acquire facility
of finger for a keyboard or practise vocal gym
nastics this scheme is too narrow, beginning
in the wrong place and moving in the wrong
direction. Musicians OF the highest order will
naturally develop out of a society where there
is a high average musical taste. Creative
genius is a rcsult--an Inheritance of ancestral
culture Great artists are born of stock whose
faculties have been trained to appreciate
art, just as Emerson is the result of
seven generations of Puritan clergymen,
and these were the result of New
England society. 1t is admitted that the
surest way to cultivate the taste of the people
for art is to famiarize them with the best
works Of art Is there a better way to secure
an appreciatiye popular feeling fer music than
by giving them music, the best music, and
plenty of itq The ear responds as sym
pathetically to generous treatment the
eye. And just here we come upon q
fundamental principle i'll all education. 1t
Is the organization itself, the human structure
which is to be reached. 1t is faculty which Is
to be trained. And this can only be accom-
plished by feeding ii with its proper food and
giving it natural exercise in Its appropriate
atmosphere-its own fresh air.
Of course a Music Hall will be needed, but
the prime necessity Is music itself The city
did not build the Museum of Natural History
until there was Il collection to put i'll ii. In
the same way the Museum of Art was built
around an existing collection In this case it
may be sufficient for the city TO give the
ground, but the endowment should guarantee
music first of all, before a home is made
for it. Perhaps the Wood fund is so devised
that it cannot be made available for this pur-
pose. If SO, let the Wood College go some
where else. There is no place in the ground
dedicated to art for a musical gymnasium, any
more than there is for school Of instruction
in portrait-painting or wood-carving. That
free music can minister to popular instruc-
ton and delight no one can doubt who has
watched the interested listeners to one form
of it IA given in the concerts on the Mall.
Why limit the elevating influence to one kind
of music during one season of the year and
part of one afternoon weekf People will
not pay for what they do not feel the need of.
This feeling comes aud Grows 10 faculty ID