The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1884-10-12

out OF MS soul. Every OIiO IN UiLO AOuSC
is tired of it, and three out or every
four give it up i'll despair, or, what Is
worse. continue to practice daily against
| their viii neither caring for or feeling
the nature of what they are playing.
| The fingers must press certain keys, as
the teacher directs, and that ends 1t;
they become organists or pianists with
out soul, who are known to every per-
son of taste, who have had the misfor-
tune to hear them, as murderers of mu-
sic. All this time the teacher must and
should receive his pay, for he earns it
doubly dear in such cases.
How much more reasonable and
economical it would have been to pre-
pare for this work by degrees, in less
extensive and more beneficial way.
Does it ever occur to the disheartened
parent that two-thirds OF these difficult
ties might have been removed before the
outlay for the instrument was made!
The notation, tune and time could have
been mastered in the class room at a
trifing expense and little EFFORT on the
part of parent and pupil. While The
taste might have been SO developed that
the pupil could realize what every les
son aimed at. and thus, with the assist
ance of the teachers, know how to oil
rect its efforts, and would grasp
at once the musical idea, and
thus, understanding, would enjoy.
Ii vocal music is not thoroughly
taught in the district school where the
children attend, they should attend n
good singing class, where they can be
taught to read music and have their
taste cultivated. Parents should see
that nothing stands in their way to
progress, such as the want OF books,
irregular attendance, ETC.; then give
them to understand that when they had
made sufficient progress there, and
proved their adaptability for music,
thev would procure an instrument for
them, and let them continue their
studies under the supervision OF prl-
vate teacher. The class should not take
the place of the private teacher, but
prepare the pupil to be able to make
good use of these more expensive IN
Structions. Yet there are children IN
this city who to-day play the organ at
their Sunday school, who have never
had other Instructions than that, re-
ceiyed at Stephens vocal singing class.
These are exceptions to the rule, but
there are scores who are in q fair way TO
do likewise, and hundreds who are not
but might have been, had the parents
taken an interest in their progress.
We point with pride to the craving
interest which the young manifest to-
wards these elevating exercises, as a
mark of our advancement in true civil
ization. But can we do the same to the
facilities which we offer to progress in
this direction, or the encouragement
given to those who devote their whole
energy in this to this end2 Is it not
true that we have not to-day one single
institution devoted to training the chill
dren in music, f0stered by public means
or encouragement in anyway? Salt
Lake CITY boasts not of one singing So
cietv of a public character devoted to
the cultiyating the taste or ability OF
the Young in this direction. Is 1t not
true that the few music teachers who
have proved themselves capable OF
teaching the masses in this art have
been crushed down both in health and
shirts with the oVerWOrk resultlngfr
the fact that they personally and UNI
aided even by parents Of pupils and had
to bear the whole burden not only OF
teaching and training, but OF keeping
alive the musical interest of the pubic,
as well as their pupils, las one cannot
exist without the Other). Review the
risk of the financial results OF enter
tainments given by and for the benehto Oh
their pupils which has fallen upon their
shoulders, till, feeling the burden too
heavy to bear, they retire to some less
understanding, hazardous occupation.
and we are left to stand still in our pro-
gress towards the good and the beauti-
Jul. A little public spirit manifested
by the community at large might
remedy this state OF affairs. Whats
everybodY's business is nObOdy's, Is an
old saving, but a matter so important TO
most of parents as IS that OF cultivating
the means of happifying the home,
elevating the tastes Of their children,
attaining beautiful and useful accom-
plishment at q trihing expense in
means and time, should be looked to
by every individual parent until such
concerted action could be entered into
as to make failure, or even tagging
in the progress beyond probability at
least.
A well known teacher in this town
saws, tgive me the hearty cooperation
of the public, or even the parents OF the
children, and / can turn out 5000 good
readers of vocal music every three years
at a trihing expense to the parents, say
about 21l cents per lesson for each pu-
pil, lessons to be given once week.
Is not this worth the consideration and
earnest action of any community :?
Would not such move be q credit and
an untold benefit to allP
MUsIcUs.