Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1885-10-09
The Nationality Of Music.


ia H.. real or imaginary. 10 race
character
Beginning at the lower notes OF
the gamu'. We observe that Indian
melody finds expression only by the
voc, organs. Wind OF sinnced IN
atrumtnts are unknown to the abor-
ginc-. the only accompaniment to
their Nlcrl aud doi.ful chant being by
beating tna board with stick, or hi
lets # wood They are excellent time
is,- lat th' melody J,rs the sensitive
nerves 81 INC educated ear ike the
refrain from harp out Of tune.
The Chnaman has his fiddle and
banjo. which boar but little resem
hinncc 10 then rrotC ypes of English
make The body of the fiddle is
about the siIe of u teacup. aud that
81 The banjo Of medium sized bowl.
The sounds produced are. a. may he
-ufmisod. ,niir,ly wanting III vol
ume aud depth. very important es-
scntials O! what we regard rs culti-
va'ol taste. Their inus is com
posed 81 the shortest und most sta
cato 81 notes. following III such
rapid succession. and performing
such wonderful gymnastic feats on
the stall "a, To overcome the casual
listener with dismay until familiarity
Nith tho method opens the way to
disgust Chinese music is IN keep
iDg with China character. 1t indl-
Gates quick. active minds, volatile
nature. aud industrious habits. A
lazy man could not perform Chinese
music. II, would DO dis;anced at
the first bar aud iucon,inently beaten
before he came to IL.
The banjo IL the only instrument
adapted TO darkey character. Its
tones seem TO be inseparably con-
nectcd with mirthfulness, vivacity
aud other attributes OF the grotesque
side OF human nature. Banjo mu-
sic ~ written in black notes, Of
sbroviatsd length. aud the score
looks like an iniinitesimal number of
pIckaninnies tumbling over rail
fence.
Tho guitar seems to he embued
with some Of the salient traits of
spanish character. 1t is light and
portable, and seems to be as much
ia place under tho cioak of the Cas-
titan as IN the gondolas OF sunny
Italy. It's music il sweet, but of
that energetic movement which indi-
Gates the morcurial temperament Of
those who find expression Of gontler
emotions 10y the vibration Of its
strings.
Tho accordian is peculiarly Ger
man instrument. The steady and
continuous wc ha,c pc haw of the
bass finds a parallel in the persis-
tency Of Teutonic character. The
upper scale notes give some idea of
the swecter attributes and the lower
ones the phlegna.ic nature of those
who come from Faderland."
Tho bugle.ho,n seems to be the
proper medium Of rendition of
French music. Tho Marseilles, per-
formed on any other instrument,
ioses it's martial characteristic, and
the heartfelt anguish Of it's author
which finally breaks forth in patri-
otto resolve. would be almost entirely
lost ON any stringed instrument, un-
lsss Il DO tho violin.
The bag pipe is peculiarly Scotch.
In an other hands 1t is sn utter fail
ure. The dronc may not DO inaptIy
iikencd 10 tho vocal idiom Of the
language. the long broad sound of
the novels, rs we'll as the persis-
tence Of character peculiar to Scotch
nature and exemplifed in Bruce.
Its notes are rapid and stacatto, and
seems 10 be the only proper medium
Of expression for such compositions
as the 4" Highland Fling" which
bring TO tie Scotchman's mind q
beautiful figure Of youth. in short
but barred skirts, as an exemplifica-
lion Of the poetry OF motion, Nm es
.ential accompaniment with him for
the association Of melody and har-
nony. Tho performer generally
keeps time with his feet, and they
OIL very important Office, for as
soon as one tires the other immedi-
ateiy steps into service, and the con-
slant tap. tap, tap. keeps the reeds
actively up to their work. When
the tapping ceases the tune is ended.
The drum and fife we must class.
| Ny M English. else how otherwise
would Briton keep up that revoille
which Is said to girdle the world.
The piano is American. Its size
frat entities il to this consideration.
Its compass gives expression to
American character. 1t is O result
Of evolution. II is an orchestra in it.
self All parts arc carried along
simultaneously. just as oil nations
find In our broad domain field for
their distinctive operations and In