The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-09-02
There Are too Many Discordant
Notes in Important Numbers.
An Abundance of Promising Talent
Which Awaits Cultivation.
Brief Reference to Those Who
Achieved Fame in Former Days.
Painful Reflection that Failure Has
Marked Every Attempt at Organ
izing to Promote Musical Inter
ests-A Gentle Hint.

and still increasing not only IN population
but in her commerce, her factories rah-
roads. her every enterprise, can look back
with pridc at the great strides she has made |
and the success that has crowned her every |
effort despite her cpidemics OF former |
wears and predictions that she would be-
come a small aud deserted town, property |
yaluclcss, etc How some OF those wise
heads would rejoice had they bought prop
erty in 1878 and 1870 at the prices II
brought then and sell itior what it is worth
now.
There is, perhaps, one thing she is be-
hind in, even in comparison with smaller
cities, viz, MS an art center OF late years
very little time has been devoted TO art
and It's propagation and the culture OF
music. Memphis was never at such low
musical cbb ~ at present Compare the
standard Of today against that of ten and
twenty years ago; what have WEI Nothing,
absolutely nothing No musical society
not even small musical gatherings once n
week, for the purpose Of hearing good
music and
IMPROVING THE MUSICAL MIND.
| can remember rs far back rs 1867,
from that time on 10 1878, when we could
look with pride 10 the various musical or
Plantations, hear the works Of old masters
intoligcntly interpreted, hear good con
oerts light operas, canlatas, oraturlos, etc.
All were well patronizcd aud llourishing,
and kept up hy the public for arts sake,
Il. d -
much the case today. During that
period We had the casino" and
Maennorchor. two German organizations,
each having large membership, giving
very crcdinhlc and ENJOYABLE entertain
ments. We also had society Of ladies
only, called the "philharmDnics, - who, In
1879, Joined y Mcndclssohns, then so-
cioty Of gciIcmcn, and adopted their
name. These societies were all in the
hands Of able conductors and good boards
Of directors. who managed the Affairs Of
the associations successfully.
The Memberships, ~ everybody will
remember. was very flourishing society.
II was looked upon ~ the 'crcmc lie Ia
creme, and kept mp by passive ~ well ~
active membership. They gave ~ the
best entertainments We ever had, did morc
for the cultivation and elevation IT music
than any society before or since It's time.
Their entertainments were always anxious
Is looked forward 10. The scycrcst blow
art received was the
DIsnANpiN0 OF ruE NENprIssouNa
During that poriod Memphis had really
more amateurs and moro talent than she
has today, though she can now muster up
enough 10 form good aud solid society.
During the reign Of those societies music
and art was on its upward tendency. The
amateur and artistic talent oil combined
o. elevate the art. They were working
moro hand.in hand. none of those petty
Jealous existed ~ they 10 today.
The spread OF music should not he dis
Outraged, not even In its lower forms, any
Turrc than YOU would destroy the religious
life oi another because II Is not NJ pure and
~ elevated ~ your own. Rather use oil
your energies to raise the standard of art
and 10 refine public taste. DO not snccr
nj the masses Who sing aud play, and who
live on musical diet which You would
dsdain. Teach them better. Those who
claim 90 love music with the purVst alice
ton often aid least In the cultivation oI
the art among the masses. There ~,
those who claim to be- the very priests IN
Apollo's temple who have no more sympa
Thy with the uncullivaicd masses thar
their prototype Of oil hal with the mar
who frll among the thieves As the cagl,
soars Ear above us. m do they cndcayor {,
keep themselves above the vulgar masses
and when they descend at all, like Tia,
eagle, they only come on
rRRANps oT DisCoED ANn DESTRUCTION.
Music, like religion il the inheritance
OF all and not Of a chosen few What We
need here il an artistic and stimulating
musical atmosphere 20 keep us infused
with ambition OF the proper sort. Here
In busy, busting Memphis there II not
vet that sympathetic Cungcninlity among
the profession that ought 20 spur an amhi.
tous talent on 60 the goal Of artistic sue
cess Antagunism only arises from narrow
minded views IL would bc unjust IL
array IN opposition on one side the inferior
amateur anh on the other silc the accom-
plished artist. In both there are all IN,
possible degrees ui the ideal aud eflcctior
down % the unworthy cahrllurc Of pre-
sumption. Who can deny that anon.
the hosts % professionals oi an kinds thcr,
are not many Who. ior some reason o
another. become musicians, while Tor th
honor oi the art u would have been bette
II they had chosen some honest handicrnit
On tho other hand. among the many OK
ocllcnt musicians there b. often ~ muc
unanisiic and maiorialisiic sentiment
The primo motives such M vanity, mean
merccnary motives, which 90 their heart
and minds tha, often the sublime aud
.porFp sVr = prop'pFp
20 the lowest degree. II II often the cas-
that talented amateurs are too arrogant Il
their criticisms OF musicians, who, hy Ion
Is years Of study and service, have prove
themselves nj least worthy Of respect
though they may not stand In the Tor,
most ranks. But II is luughahlc, thong
painful, when We hear singers aud player
condemned by those whose opinion Is u,
backed by any rational theory, but Is SIM
ply an expression NJ individual preference,
Too much credit cannot he given to IN
amateur singers Who volunteer their ser,
ices and swell the festival choruscs in ou
cities, thus enabling the professional mus
eiansand the m usic loving public 90 brcon
acquainted with the master works Of on
great composers The ~. Louis Saongpi
lest Ia June last had n chorus Of over 800
voices, the Cincinnati festival also Yer
large one, while the Buffalo musical fest
val had $50 voices When Gilmore playe
IN Kansas City he had about 200 voice
on nearly his entire tour he had Lara
choruscs when he needed them. VIII
size chorus had he when he played
homphis2 Between sixty.fvc and sever
~, and they were gotten together by
great deal Of hard work. The majority
our best amateur singers
REFUSED TO LIND TnEfR VOICES.