The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1882-04-19
Music in the South.

Naava. in the American Art Journal.
Iorn in Europe, and reared there till
|oae of eighteen, | came to this
nv in 1912, and having since then,
confessional musician, domiciled
oany and travelled much through all
FSta;es from the Lakes to the Gulf,
rom the Atlantic to and into that
ra Of States whose eastern boundary
r. west bank of the Mississippi, |
therefore, that the incidental
fements and remarks l make on
fnsic in the South" will be received
Cosmopolitan, untinged with any
@tional or partisan bias. =
BELLIES LETTERS
eessarily languish in all countries
Aere agricultural industry dominates,
will readily appear that the South,
In half it's population OF a distinct
h every Inferior race, is a marked
Herer in..this respect. In saying half
Population, | refer to its towns; for
flee. being a very %gregarious biped,
aes on towns, and as a freed man, of
sbiitlcss, worthless sort. he natur-
drifts to them, if only to loaf and
: therein. Thus, while the given
HuI,tien of a Northern town mca
H. people. that of a Southern town
6alf white only. For example, Sails
X Y. c., with a population of 1000
= white citizenship Of less than
b.: .
F. art of music is chiefly. nay,
EH, tostered in towns; and the ne
4 cement Is not, in any sense or de-
q an auxiliary in this, but a rank
frment to it. But though towns
t. he nurseries that nourish music,
Ahrir amateur efforts are not supple
Snted with the advantages Of hearing
rrIIcnt music performed by skilled
players and singers, taste
not spread O improve 50 much.
IL only dependence OF small towns,
tins e~levating influence, is not fiue
lvcling concert troupes; but "hlic
orfhern towns are much favored III
Is way. Southern towns OF like slz
/ passed by. 1t is in this matter
4, the negro element operates adver
IL by non-attepdance, and worse
netimeS.
of this, permit me to re
l. the experience of two trOupeS that
i visit Salisbury, n. O., las, winter
IL was
THE BOSTON QUINTET.
Tkeir opening piece, overture to
Nm. Tell was accompanied through
4 py the Salisbury negro band
otefs by ear on brass horns, who ha6
stationed themselves at the
tside rear of the hall, and whose
.boIic uprcar was heard as overpow-
Dy the audience as if its produ-
mad occupied the stage with the
nb. Director Ryan, enraged. sent IA
liceman to make them stop, or
hove on" But Cuffee, in the South,
the champion ''do-a.-you please
Re agent in America to day, and
coriingly, this band Of peace dis
rbers ''held their ground" and ac-
npanied the Clubs second piece. II
lite men had been guilty of such afro
bus vandalism, they would have been
Lea away and locked up for trial next
by the mayor; but, being ne
oes, Manager Ryan soon found that
. only way to stop annoyance from
pse bluckmailers was TO send them
Ie passes TO his concert, which he did ;
they accepted, and the trouble ceased
: cther troupe was
TIE JUBILEE SINGERS,
negroes. This feature, coupled with
iuducement of nominal admission
!. led many to suppose that the con :
il hall would be packed with Sails
nv .'durkie.' eager to enjoy, honor
4 patrouize a concert by celebrities
their race. The audience was
white, with the exception of eight
Iored people, supposed to be on the
zee list being members of the two
miles that boarded the troup! In
with the colored Pro
ssor'' it was learned that their 20
IT. were similarly attended every
lere.
Another cause which deters expens
cencer troupes from risking
tours is the long routes be-
ixt suitable stands, with higher
lway rates.
Yet, in despite of all these opposing
luences, music is. all things consid
ID, more generally cultivated, loved
d respected in the South than in the
nth. Every family with any claims
social position, owns a piano; and
the daughters, and many sons of
b families, take music lessons.
colleges are, proportlonateiy,
re numerous and more generally
.ronized. Music is the pre-eminent
inch in the female college currlcu
and in order to secure the highest
order of excellence, the must
professorship is the only one in the
ulty exempt from the requirements
UNCONVENTIONAL, or any religious
aliications; a certificate of high
raj character being sufficient. And
,se as we'll as all outside.
Music teachers are cordially wei
ned in all social and family circles,
the most exclusive, on a footing OF
ire .ocia al equality, provided they
persons of education and refinement.
Iced. none other q succeed long
j we'll in the South. This prevail
? trait is peculiar to the South, and
m amiable contrast with the preva-
It usages of other regions, where the
teachers is too generally esteemed
4 treated merely as an upper servant.
Southern men OF means, hne
aud high social standing, do
| disdain to essay music practice, as
: like classes do elsewhere, under the
imitation of false pride and a snoD-
il idea that to do SO is mira Dig.
cry small town in the South now
its brass band, which, from insola-
n, lacks the spur of competition and
: cumulative spirit which prevails 10
/, e populous regions; lew, therefore,
very effective opponents Of the