New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-07-07
MUSIC BY AMERICANS.
NATIVE COMPOSITIONS PRODUCER N CHI
CAGO.
AMERICAN AND FOREIGN WORKS IN THE LAsr
C0YCERT-THE TONIC sOLFA-ISTs IN HIGH
FEATIER-DEGREEs AND GRADUATES IN
Inr rELrarArn no rHE rRTBuH..I


FEATHER-DEGREEs AND GRADUATES IN
MUSIC.
IBY TELEGRAPH TRrBUSE.I
Chicago, July 6.-Tbe Tonc-SoLFaists In attendance
On the Music Teachers National Association meeting
have been in high feather to-day The feature Of tho
morning session competition in sghtsingns
between two classes OF children trained the same length
of time The FIRST under the direction Of f. T. Robert
shaw followed the TOnc-sol-Fa notation and system;
the second under o. Backman, sang from the stan
notation. The music used consisted of five songs 10
many different keys, graduated in difficulty, written
by George +. Root Mr.. Blackman several years ago,
warmly seconded Mr. Thomas's attack in the old
scrIbncr's Monthly Magazine the socalled NOV
eblo do system, which IS extensively used in the
public schools OF the United States. In the tests to-
day. however, be took advantage Of the fundamental
principle Of that system by first permitting his class
to sing the intervals of the common chord In each key
as IL was reached TO establish sense OF inter-
valllc relationship in the minds Of the children After
ward ne called upon them to sing the music to tho
syllable "la' Mr.. Robertshaw contenied himself
with sounding the keynote Of each song on a piano
forte. His class sang the five songs with but little
stumbling. Mr. Blackmen's struggled through three OF
them and failed completely with the fourth that no
was obliged 10 withdraw with apology. OF course
the Tonic soI-Fasts wcro iubant their victory
and ltto consolation could be extended to the fixed
Dosts' on the ground OF Mr. Blackman's obvious in
efficiency for he had been accepted as champion Of
the cause and had had the same opportunity as Mr.
Robcrtshaw prepare his youthful choir for the test
Yet Justice demands that II be recorded that 10 neither
Of the systems of rdimentary teaching rom the stan
notation given a fair trial.
The last OF the American concerts was given at tho
Exposition Hall tonight, and Ike the concert Of
Thursday night was heard by a tremendous audience.
Three foreign compositions were admitted into ths
programme to give the affair general interest, namely
schumann's pianoforte concerto played by Miss Adela
no. DOlOnatSe
played by Miss Maud Powell, and cantata for So
pranp and soil, chorus and orchestra, entitled
"The Crusaders by Henry Hlles. suffciene
reason for the admission of the latter work IS nos
easily to be found, but its performance was source
Of considerable and justlfable qualification to the
Young composers present. II demonstrated that so
far this Englshman at least IS concerned scarcely
any Of the American composers who have secured
recognition at the hands of the programme COMMITTEES
of the Music Teachers National Association need fear
comparison. There few works performed THAI
were weaker in invention Or workmanship than
Uiles's cantata America needs protection against
such English products. The solo parts were wen
sung by Mrs. S. c. Ford, Of Cleveland, and Henry
KoecEe. OF Ncw-York. The performances Of Miss
Aus der Ohe and Miss Powell need not be discussed
for New Workers.
The American compositions were two movements
from symphony in by George f. Whiting, OF Bcs|
ton: an eegy for chorus and orchestra by si-as @.
Pratt of Chicago; an ave Maria for soprano and
contralto sol female chorus and instruments, BY
Henry Holden Huss, of New-York; an aidante and
scherzo for string orchestra by Willard Burr Oh
Boston and a so-called Japanese overture BY
Carl V. Lachnund of Minneapolis. The least en-
couraqenent TO the American movement came from
Bostons contribution to this list Mr.. winnings
symphonic movements disclose the comprehensive
ness and soldty of his theoretical knowledge, but fs
to present him a man Of strong and original ideasi
Mr. Burrs pieces were perhaps the least entitled to
bipy IN he
Barring some brightness in the scherZo, his music
was mere sound, signifying nothing. Mr. Pratta
elegy II deficient unworthy melodic materal maze
considerable impression by virtue OF It's sononty.,
He used the apparatus at his disposal with ehec pus
failed to send home the conviction that what ne mao
to say worth great an expenditure OF musicaI
sound. The Gave Maria,' which Mr. Huss composed
a few months ago for the Rubinstein Club and which
was heard for the first time at concert OF thas
organization on April IL, won warm commentator
from the assembled musicians. second hearing mas
not raised my opinion OF its merits, though to-nghts
performance did not do full justice to IT, MS was
due in large part to the fact that the organ plays an
important role in the work and there is no organ In
Exposition Hall. An effort to help out the difficulty
with a harmonium proved abortiye, and Mr. frau'
at the last moment, TO save the piece
on the programme transferred the organ part 10 tho
brass choir OF the orchestra Much of the rich warm
color which Mr. Huss put into the work was thereby
sent the composers talent IN bright light.
Mr. Iachmund IN his overture attempted 10 write
piece of artistic music utilizing classical forms ana
vehicles, but borrowing melodic character from tho
Japauese For his second subject and In tho hnaio
he utilized japanese melodies. His first suDect vas
original but constructed out of the pentaonc scaie'
This scale which omits the fourth and seventh inter-
walls of our diatonic SYSTEM is also at the base OF
Chinese music and many of the old Scotch and Irish
ballads As an attempt to present tho characerfscs
OF Japanese music, the overture was not successAui
10 might better have been named Scottish overture
for the first subject altogether scotch IN cha-
aoter fact that was made evident TO many Dy ths
Circumstance that rhythmically it was Identical with
one of the Scotch tunes In the ballet music OF sans
saenss opera, 81 Henri VIII,' which Mr.. Thomas
brought forward on Monday evening But aside
from this consideration the overture proved to be
delightful piece Of music full OF vyacity and humos
and ingeniously worked out
The meeting can be set down highly profitable
TO the cause of American music. The friendly criticism
INDUCED in by the different composers at the 10
hearsas and concerts has cOoperaed with the per
formances 10 increase their knowledge and widen Their
sympathes. Tho most distinctvey modern music
was that of Mr.. Van der smckcn, Mr. Mcdowell and
Mr. iiuss Beck ioote, Chadwick and Mas reflected
some of the romantic light or the schumann scnooi,
closely to tonveaions tho matter Of form, at eas.
The most obvious influences disclosed Wero Serhahs
! as was TO have been expected
! The successful candidates for the degrees OF the
American College of Musicians received ther S,ass
S o G namely SI Mayman Chicago
John Il. Campbell Chicago; Grant Weber MO, Mohroy'
Wis Kate L. Dearng Buchanan Men ,i,i S1aa a.
! Anna Heurmann, Chicago; Emil Larson, Shicaso !;
osePnn"u Large rH FSs Ha I%si GrocklSS and AcS
forte department were VIII c. Macfarlan New. York
J. W. Conant: fellow in planoforto department, AMI
J. A. Butterneld, Chicago, fellow IN theory x