The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1886-10-08
THE OLD SONGS.
VIA Is the Reason They are so Rarely
Sung?

p
What IL the Reason They are 50 Rarely
Sung?
In the mass OF trash that has been adopt
ed by the singing public, what has become
Of the good old songs of a decade, a score
of years, or even a generation ago. Il
cannot sing the old songs" affirms one of
Claribcl's plaintive ballads, but with the
singers Of the present it would seem To be
less cannot than Twill not" that keeps
the ''old songs in the background, ''un-
mourned, unhonored and unsung," save
by those who canno reconcile their
musical consciences to the crimes against
poetry and harmony committed by the
writer's of the imbecilc lucubrations now
in active demand. The Chicago Meas
says:
Song-writing was never so profitable as
at the present time, and yet the large
profits are all made by the authors of in
sipid and stupid rubbish. The art of
music was never the object Of Sc many adj
mircrs as now yet the taste of the masses
i~nclines to favor the trash turned out by
ignorant tyros rather than the many good
old songs or the few good new ones.
Where will You find 4 sweeter ballad
than 'Iiock Me to Sleep" which WAS writ
ten by Elizabeth Aker Allen?
Backward, turn backward, o Time, in your
flight,
II. -. 49,. l. ! ,-.., ..r 80. . .;-r,t
Mother come back from the echoless shore,
Take me again to yonr heart US of yore;
Kiss from my forehead the burrows of care,
smooth the few silverthreads ont OF my hair;
over my slumbers your loving watch keep
Rock me to sleep, mother. rock me to sleep.
Backward, flow backward, o tide OF the years.
| ann so weary of toll and of teaIs-
Toll without rccompense, tears all in vain
Take them aud give ne my childhood again!
l have grown weary of dust and decay
Weary OF Ringing my away;
| Weary of sowing for others TO reap
Rock me TO sleep, mother, rock me TO sleep.
Who has not felt the regret and the long
ing expressed in that song? 1t is genuinely
poetic and yet simple enough to have sung
its way down to the hearts of a generation.
How does .'Stick to Your Mother, Tom,'
compare with this?
There is no talent less remunerative than
musical composition, but song-writing
| yields fair profits at present compared to
the miserable pittance that was formerly
considered adequate payment for a success
full song. The English song-writers of
AZ, ,,nc.,,t ,rI,nun u.nrEc n a ptaSt nonu1ar
are Arthur Sullivan, Stephen Adams, j.
II. Molloy, Giro Pinsuti, ''Claribell,''
Frederic Clay and Frederic Gowen. 'Clari-
belI's'' songs have had remarkable popular
ity. They have graceful melodies, and
the sentiments are tender and home-like.
give O'Clock in the Morning." ''Come
back to Erin Wont You Tell Me Why,
Robin :" ''Janct's Choice" s'Strangers
Yet" and many Others have had a large
sale. and are still fayorites as drawing
room songs and for encore pieces at con-
certs.
Some Of Stephen Adams sea songs have
also had a great run, ''Nancy Lee proba-
bly, leading, as it is said that the author
has realized a snug fortune from the roy
alties therefrom. 'Stephcn Adams" by
the way, is the non de plume of Mr. May
brick, a baritone well known in London.
Molloy, who wrote Tho Kerry Dance"
sThe Kings Highway ''The Vaga-
bouds,' and other fine songs, is an Eng
lisli barrister, whose talent is all natural,
and it is said that he cannot read or write
a note of music. Giro Pinsuti once COM
plained to the writer hat his most profit
able song was a triilc called sit Is l." a
composition which the composer regarded
as insignificant, and which he was tempted
to destroy after it was completed.
The verses for many of the prettiest of
contemperancous songs have been written
by Fred Weatherly. who is coach at
Oxford. He writes general verses and
has q fancy for tho bizarre and the pic
turesquc. American song-writers are
| addicted to the composition of trash, but
as trash is in active demand the musicians
are scarcely to be ccnsured. Willard, the
late Alfred Peasc. G.. ii. Osborne, DR..
| Root, and 4 few others have written pleas
ing songs ofa high class, but the large roy
alties arc paid to minstrcls and alleged
comedians, who put together doggercl and
| Jingle, sing it TO audiences, and boom it
into popularity. Listening to the imbecile
compilations that from the greater part
of the popular songs of the day, n can
but long for a revival of the good old songs
that had genuine merit as well the simple
qualities rendering them easy TO appreciate.
The ballads of ten or twenty years ago are
now heard so seldom that We must con-
clude with George Eliot that melodies die
out, like the pipe of Pan, with the ears that
love them and listen TO them.