The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1885-10-23
POTPOURRI faPERS.
By Frances L. RAwsoN.
INTRODUCTION.

(, INTRODUCTION
=. We do not know what is expected &
"a us In these papers, but if it is not assum
ing more than is becoming in us we be
p TO say that what we viii offer appears t
our own mind as containing especial in
u terest to at least majority of readers
5 The reasons that could be presented il
], justification for offering these papers t.
the profession and to the public ar,
s many. Your writer, however, thinks j
necessary to mention but one, and il
T order to present that one with as much
: force as possible we desire to offer it ii
9 the form of a statement, leaving oul
readers to imagine the results of such .
condition of affairs as are mentioned In
the statement There are no less thar
one hundred and fifty thousand music
teachers in the United States. from
: which number there cannot be selected
!. fifty thousand teachers who are what
may be called educated people. One
! hundred thousand Of the full number
} tare educated in their profession, having,
: at best, only a limited knowledge of the
J science of rnusic generally and none at
, all OF various instruments In general use.
his army of teachers, good, bad and in
different, are instructing not less than
one million pupils-in manner that
might be qualified as we have the instruc-
tors: 1t would appear to us that the
public will soon be demanding correct
| ing Of the errors found in the rank of
the profession. The patrons of music
feel now that this branch of science
should be represented by teachers in the
proper meaning of the word. We hope
that no one will say of us that we are
now going to present ourselfas sample
of correctness, as it is our desire only
to convince all teachers that their in
structions should be real that the
science of music should not be present.
ed as mere accomplishment, but as a
study inspiring intellect.
FIRST PAPER.
| 1t is fact to be regretted that the pro-
tession of music has something in its
nature more or less repellent in the eyes
of the public and in the general thought
of mankind, when closely investigated
from its physical basis. 1t is defined by
shakespeare as a sort of magic "killing
care and grief of heart" When Moore
gave us, 40, it's only music's strain can
sweetly soothe and not betray," he set it
forth as mental anasthetic. Dryden
describes the musical art as benumbing
the mind while it leads the emotions.
The voice of philosophy tells us that
music leads us to the Infinite begin
ming where language ends. 1t seems
that music presents its self to the imagin-
alton mysteriously in combined natur-
al and spiritual form, inviting no analy-
sis whatever, but captivating the best
minds of all ages. Even in our DAYS,
while the spirit of investigation is at the
highest points in all objects of human
thought, music is regarded with less favor
then any other of the sciences. Pro-
fessors of music of course have, and are
now investigating the art to that extent
necessary for the mastery ofits technique,
conforming to the demands of the times |
The popular idea of music as pro-
fession, however, is associated with an |
unreasonable ecstacy like Shelley's, " He
floats with the tones among the clouds |
and over the waves of the ocean," Now |
i desire to point out the reason why
such impressions exist-to the profess
sion as remedy; to the public as vim
dication in favor of the science.
The lives of musicians have associated
with them tinge of romance that would
not be tolerated in the biography of
other professions. Their lives fall short
of a general approval, except possibly
from a sentimental aspect, and are not
especially stimulated with intellectually
Very'trHe, strong minds have, at inter-
walls, stood out among the masters, but
almost the entire brotherhood of must
clans is composed of sentimentalists-
men, TO be sure, of certain quickness
of w.t. but Of no stability of mind what
ever; men who take pride in unpracti-
calness men that are impulsive, pos
sessed of fickleness, subjects of jealousies
and vain aspirations
Anything Ike the mental training
which is in general thought to be neces-
sary for an author, poet, statesman, law
yer or manager of commercial interests,
has not been supposed to be important
for a musician. A great breadth of gen
eral information is not looked for, it
seems, in the professional musician.
When in any country a young person is
found to be unls aally talentedin music,
the question ofgeneral education is oyer
looked no thought of collegiate
course ever arises. The, subject is
plunged into state of feverish exertion
and an abnormal forcing of his. most
prominent faculty. Such a. course,
though it may secure physical dexterity,
must end in mental deformity. As
the popular mind has always been more
open to transcendental ideas of music
than to exact science concerning it, men
of no mental training whatever have
succeeded in the profession. 1t is too
often the case that teachers of music are
attracted to their pursuit because of
their emotional disposition, rather than
an adequate amount of intellectually.
The patrons of music" therefore,"
especially in times past, have been &C
customed to regard musicians as pleas
ing and curious toys-the result of some
arbitrary dispensation-rather than as
the product of rational method. This
being the apparent nature of music it
self. of its professors and of the condi-
tons surrounding them, can we expect
to find that intellectually in music has
kept pace with the mental force brought
to bear upon other departments of
science? We believe that every close
observer may easily see that it has not.
1t is equally true, however. that now the
signs Of the times are for the better.
Compare the average musician with the
average clergyman, lawyer, doctor or
teacher; test their general information
and their mental acumen, and who will
suffer? II our observations are not at
fault, it is the musician. Question the
average musician upon points that it
directly concerns him to know, but
which he can manage to do without,