Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-07-28
THE MUSIC WORLD.
An Endowment Fund to Aid in
Bringing Out the Works of
THE POOR AMERICAN COMPOSER.
Elevating the Standard Of Our Local
Amateur 0rchestras.
MINOR NOTES FROM MUSICAL CIRCLES

In commenting upon what seems to ordi
nary onlookers the excellent plan of raising
q permanent endowment to provide for th'
expense, especially of the orchestral fea
lures, of the Music Teachers National As
sociation' s meetings, the american M1sicioT
takes an extraordinary position, as follows:
In view of the fact that the music teacher
of America are numbered by tens of thousands
it becomes a serious question whether the M
T. \. A is justified in assuming the burden Of
raising large, permanent fund for such pur
pose and subordinate the interests of the whole
body to the personal advantage of the very
small fraction of teachers who write origina
works for the orchestra 1t is of course ont
and another thing to raise it; but a,
the French say, it is the impossible
which always happens, and should the fund
materialize the phenomenal spectacle will bC
presented of the tail waggfng the dog BY thil
homely simile, we mean that the annual meet
ings of the Music Teachers National Associa
members would be run for the glorifcation o.
the 10 or 20 members who belong to the seleci
society of American composers. And the worsi
feature OF tho present situation is that those
who get their works on the programme are moi
Americans at all OF Americans who are more
German than the Germans.
Passing over the unworthy fling at oul
German-American musicians Ga remark
quite characteristic of that ultra-Anglican
journal), the astonishing thing in the above
paragraph is the gratuitous assumption that
orchestral performances subserve no other
end than the personal advantage" of the
composer whose works are given.
That there is, incidentally, some personal
advantage to the composer-especially the
struggling American .composer-in having
his works thus brought forward, no one can
deny. Nor can anv right-minded person
ibegrudge it. And until the forma-
tion of some society of Ameri-
can composers with the definite
object of giving first productions of merito-
rious home compositions, it does and will
necessarily devo1ve upon the M. I. n. A.
to be foremost in giving that encouraging
opportunity for public hearing that our
rising composers so sorely need.
Surely such fostering of native compost
tion is one of the prime duties and objects
OF such an association. And if the examin-
ing and programme committees do their
duty, there need be no waste of resources
upon undeserving compositions, whether
native or foreign. There need be no COM
position performed which it will not be
pleasant and profitable to hear.
This is really the gist OF the matter. 1t
is the hearer, not the writer, for whom the
performances are and should be most par
ticularly shaped. And it is to the hearers,
to the great mass of the 200 teachers in at
tendance that the performance, by a CON-
plete, disciplined orchestra, of good music
by whomsoever written-forms feature of
the meetings second TO none other in actual
enjoyment and practical benefit For while
there is no element in musical training
more potent and broadening than the
continual hearing of good orchestral playing,
there is none in which much the greater part
OF our country is more destitute. Outside of
fhe three or four larger cities (which do not
swell the NJ. T. n. A. membership in proper
bon 10 their size, by any means,) the music
teachers work on month after month some
times whole seasons, without a single chance
to hear a really first-class orchestra. To this
large majority of the members the NJ. T. n. A. IS
orchestra is prime necessity, entirely apart
from the question of what composers works
BY all means let President Heath's 100000
scheme proceed, OF any other that will insure
the participation of the best and biggest Or
chestra procurable in every meeting of the
Music Teachers National Association.
50
In contrast with its shortsighted view of this
question. the same journal assumes a broad
and indefensible position in the lesson it de-
duces from certain difficulties into which the
San Francisco Musical Protective Union has
recently fallen. AS the american Musician,
having been the official organ of the
National League and the New York NJ. NJ. p.
L. speaks from fullest knowledge upon these
questions. 1t is pleasant to have from 1t such
decided confirmation of the stand often taken
in this column of THE DISPATCH as is con-
tanned in the following paragraph:
"Al this disgrace and trouble has been
brought upon the Musical Union by its afilla-
tion with the 'Confederated Trades a body
similar to our Central Labor Union. which,
fortunately for its members, the New York
Musical Union has kept clear of, al
though a great effort was made few
wears ago to obtain representation in
TO 10 IHHSe aftiiiate with any Of these soT labor
organizations. They are of no possible use to
professional musicians of any artistic standing,
and invariably get them into trouble. The very
first step of the San Francisco Musical Union
should be to withdraw its delegates from, and
dissolve its connection with, the Confederated
Trades Assembly musical union, organized
for mutual protection, deserves the support of
the profession and public, but when Its powers
are used for prescription of other musicians
who have just as much right to earn living
in this free land as themselves, then it becomes
a menace to society, and deserves to be dis
cplined by little wholesome American law.
to show these foreign anarchistic demagogues
that the guarantee of life, liberty and the pur-
suit of happiness IN the Declaration of 1nde-
pepdence, to every American, is not a mere
glittering generality. but a substantial &C.
tuality."
While on this union question, a slight cor
rection should be made in last Sundays arti-
Gle upon Mr.. Ruhes letter. The intelligent
compOsitor alone was responsible for the mega
tive in this clause, After protesting loudly
that he does not want reconciliation, Mr..
Ruhe proceeds thus" etc. The gentle
does want a reconciliation, but then
proceeded with the paragraph quoted last Sum-
day, which breathed anything but Cancellation
and quite spoit the effect oil his peaceful pro-
testations. The mistake IS not of serious i'm
portance, perhaps, but it is corrected, without
request, to guard against any suspicion of un-
fairness or Misrepresentation.
xss
An organization that promises much for the
future is the new amateur orchestra now form
ing. to be under the leadership of Mr. Charles
Niermer, gentleman who was formerly con-
ductor Of various opera companies, and who.
during recent residence at Columbus, organ
lied very successful orchestra of the same
kind. Mr.. Niermer has accepted a rail-
of him and brings him within the reach
of a cOterie or our more experienced orchestral
players-amateur and professonal-who have
been waiting for Just such a man. The uIti-
mate aim is to develop an amateur orchestra
("amateur" because the membership is to he
unpaid and voluntary which shall be suffl-
ciently complete and efficient to interpret high
grade works in the original score. For the pres
entonly players Of the string quartet are being
enrolled; the idea being to woik this all
important department up to high degree of
efficiency by itself, before adding the wood and
brass. The first rehearsal was held some ten
days since; the second is set for tomorrow
(Monday evening Bi-geekly rehearsals
afterward weekly. Among the 25 or more
string players already enlisted are Messrs.
Charles Clements, Leo Oehmler, c. B. Stelzner
Albert Bierman, Joseph J. Morris, Alex. Ross
Chas- Matthews and Vim. Biddle Barrett and
Hetzel, violins; Ed. Keller and Chas B. Weis
violas: Chas: Cooper, violoncello; ]. ID. Loep-
pentien and Howe, contra -basses Members
who attended the first rehearsal speak enthusi-
astically of Mr.. Niermers qualitifs as a drill
master: and believe that ensemble practice
under his baton cannot fail to yield valuable
results. The further development of this prom
ising enterprise will be watched with interest.
CrocheIs and Qunvors.