Waco evening news. (Waco, Tex.) 1888-1889, 1888-10-20
"INFLUENCE OF MUSIC.
Beautiful Lecture Delivered by
Rabbi Rosenberg Last Ningt.

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Rabbi Rosenberg Last Ningt.
There was an unusually large audi
ence present last night at the Jewish
Synagogue to hear Rabbi Rosenbere
lecture. The congregation are high
ly pleased with his abilities as a
lecturer, as well as an elegant cantor
The musical part Of the whole pro.
Crane was executed to the delight O.
all present. The Rabbi spoke as
follows:
The subjec! of my discussion of to.
night will be "the influence of music
MY DEAR BRETHREN-No art makes
a deeper impression upon man than
music, this noble gift of heaven. While
poetry mostly appeals to poetical
minds, and painting. sculpture and
other great arts have merely limited
circle of devout worshipers, music, by
Its universal character, touches the
ear of every one, and inpresses itself
by its divine force upon the heart of
nearly every human being. 1t often
seems to me as if the whole universe
is pervaded by the celestial strains of
music, and that it needs only fine and
trained ears to detect it. He who,
with fresh and open mind, enters
great nature finds music in the pratt.
ling of the brooks, in the rustlng of
the leaves, in the roaring Of the ighty
pillows, and in the majestic spectacle
of grand thunderstorm. Even the
animal kingdom contributes to fill the
world with melodious sounds. Those
coming from the old country will, no
doubt, remember how, when walking
at an early hour during the spring.
time through grove or park, their
ears were captivated by the sweet
notes of the nightingale and after
listening spellbound to this master.
singer of nature they were induced to
thank God for the musical treat they
had enjoyed. Imagine what the feel.
ings Of the invalid must be who, after
weeks and weeks of lingering sickness,
is restored again to health and on en-.
terlng his sitting room receives as one
OF his first greetings the cheerful notes
Of the canary bird. There is no pow.
er on earth more conducive for the
promotion of good than that of music.
In many critical moments of life music
has restored to numerous persons
their former strength and energy. The
greatest master.minds of the world
have acknowledged this fact in some of
their finest productions. One instance
is Goethe "Faust." Being on the
point of committing suicide, the peals
OF the organ strike his ears and, over.
come with emotion, he throws the
poisonous cup from his hands. In a
quite different way Shakespeare, in the
Merchant of Venice" makes one of
his heroes listen to the strains of music
in moment when his future happiness
depends on the right selection of a |
casket. But the most benign influence
which music exercises is when, like a |
soothing balm, it enters a diseased
soul, casting glimmer of hope and
peace into the disturbed chamber of
reason, the doors of which have been
barred against everything else, even
against the voice Of love. friendship and
affection. My dear friends, our ancient
Hebrew melodies, chanted to the pres.
ent time in many of our synagogues,
are full of wonderful power and and at.
traction. That popular victory-song
heard on our Chanucka-festival, that
song of liberty chanted in our homes
on the eve of Passover, and above
all that "Kolnidre Melody" executed
in our synagogues on the night of
Attonement, are real natural gems of
characteristic beauty. Let us hope
that these songs will never die out
from Israel, but that they will be per.
petuated from generation to generation.
One OF the greatest composers of the
present age, whose singular eccentrici.
ties have made him intolerant toward
our race, have reference to Rich
Wagner maintains the peculiar idea
that, in the future, all the various arts
will be entirely eclipsed by the grow.
ing power OF music. How far his asser.
ton is right or wrong, will not investi.
cate, but still it cannot be denied that in
the future, music viii form necessary
feature in the education of man. 1t
will refine his tastes, ennoble his feel
ings, elevate his sentiments and lift his
mind to higher plane of thinking.
Through its universal character II viii
probably link nation to nation, man
to man, and thus continue to eman.
cipate creed and church from the fet.