Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1888-11-08
FOLK SONGS.
The Fidelity With Which They Reflect Ma
ture in All its Aspects.

Wherever the folk song has lived
and flourished amid its pure air of ma
ture, it has emanated from the life of
the people, and has grown out of the
soil they trod. Hebrews, Greeks, and
Romans all had these songs, and while
the women lightened their domestic
pursuits with their country melodies,
the men tempered the war weapon to
their tune, and plowed many a furrow
to their rhythm With the migration
of the German races, when music as an
art still was not, the tedium of many
q monotony must have been dallied
away to soft folk theme. or an on
slaught in battle intensified by some
more soul-stirring glee, which the
warrior Teuton learned as he lived.
His existence was under little roof
save the broad canopy of heaven,
while his land song glttered with "a
pine and onslaught Rarely with him
was it attained in peaceful yein-more
often impelling its singers to aX and
oar with a dash which made Roman
enemies fear them as fierce and cum
ming foes, with the sea for a war
school. and their friend in the storm.
1t is strains such as thesc-strains
which have never sprung out Of re-
yenge for spilled blood, and out OF the
many varied and nobler mood that
human nature is capable of, which are
thrilled into life at period when
there was no art to shape and mold
them by, and which constitute the
folk song, says writer IN CGSSeVs
Magazine. Such carnations sprang
direct from the heart, and are as
psyehologically true as music can be-
the shepherd tending his flock, the
soldier on the march, the fisherman
mending his nets, the sewer casting
his seed, the reaper joyous with his
sickle - these chanted a something
long before the age of scientific art;
and what such was, is more or less
faithfully depicted in every country's
national melodies and folk songs.
The characteristic of the folk song is
the fidelity with which it reflects ma
ture i'm its human and natural aspects.
Unadorned by art, it speaks the simple
minds of the people wherever it is met,
and as we muse over its tones we not
only picture the gayly-attired peasan-
country to which it is peculiar seems
to follow it and to peryade the sur
roundings where it is now performed.
1t tells of the existence and everyday
life of the workers-indoor and out
door-whose character alone remains
to us as we see it reflected in these
faithful mirrors Of times dear to the
lover of his country.
We possess the words OF n sixth
century song Of the time of Clothair H.
(5S4-G28), and those of Roland's song
OF Char.cmaEne's time. but the music
of these and the love songs which
were forbidden, and those which were
not; of the mournful songs Of Ia
ments' which were ehantcd at night
over the graves of the dead-these and
the peaus of praise and battle-song,
all had music which is lost forever, be-
cause the light of the age led one to
note il down. 1t is certain, however
that the early folk song had a distinct
ly popular rhythm and flow. La many
cases. too, it would be quaint and
original even fantastic and c0mical-as
when used to accompany The cyolu
lions i'm outdoor life and enjoyment.
1t was essentially the people, possess
sion, and IN an are when city life was
not. and when outdoor sport and
pleasure was all that men lived for. the
music would be attuned to the circum-
stance There was agricultural pur-
suit and frequent war aud pluudering
excursions, but rude enjoyment and
reyeiry occupied the people largely.
Sports and fairs and outdoor gather
ings We're frequent-to which it was
not uncommon to beseech the atten.
dance Of the knight Of the shire from
whom the vassals held their lief Of
tenure. The music was measured to-
the wants