The morning call., 1891-09-06
MEMORIES OF
IRISH SONG.
RGconecHQls Of a Famous Teacher Who
Taught in Belfast
Influence Of Music on the Pupils Who Were
Members Of His Clsss-singing for the
Officers Of an American Man.of-War.
Written for THE SUNDAY CALL

81 the immortal General, with its power
and sublimity in eternal results, in upresr-
ing the United States-a nation only now In
the freshne ss Of yOuth-and for the cause
Of freedom among all peoples. very dlt-
ferent parsonage engages our attention
There are many Irish people scattered over
this great country from cultured Boston to
the Golden Gate, from New Orleans to
North Dakota, who will remember the sing
ing master. Mr.. George Washington. The
refrain of an Irish melody, an operate air,
a negro wall in music, stirring march
song, will bring back the days of youth
it may be at Dublin, at the Belfast Model
School or at any of: the model schools IN
North Ireland. As a child, when amuse-
ments were not so varied for the young as
they are now, one of thef writer's greatest
Measures was to be taken to "m0del schooP'
public examination. Those were the fine
old times when the commissioners and
teachers would devote three days of school
hours to this annual entertainment Now,
a few hours of one day is all they grant,
and oh, the distinction, the pride of family,
when an elder brother or sister was chosen
to answer some of the astOnShingly difficult
questions in mathematics, in geography, In
history. and that In q large schOol-r0om
crowded " ith the admiTing friends and rel
atives OF the precociOuS pu lis. linen, WneD
the elOCutiOn master brought forward some
Of his best pupils, what craning OF necks
and standing on the benches and chairs at
the rear to see a youth, fair and ruddy oil
cheek, manly, and yet with pa!lptating
heart, step forward, and with arms ouI-
stretched and head erect, declam In right
gallant style, ITO be, or not to be. UT IL
might happen the selection would prove to
be the famous dialogue between Brutus and
CRsar or thar between r derrick Dim and
James FitZ-James, or the battle OF Hohen-
linden, OF the Wreck of the Hesperus" -
ali faYorites for such occasions.
THE SINGING.
The acme Of pleasure, to me at least, was
the singing. And now the theme OF my
paper is reached. Mr. George Washington
was a singing master who Taught in the
model schools in and around Belfast, and
who, by his genuine musical ability, has
sent down into the future songs and mem
cries Of music that can never die, that VIII
be T6-echOed in places the most remote,
when the teachers very existence Will have
sunk into the depths of Lethe's stream.
The writer was for short time pupu In
the belfast Model School," Well, re-
member as mere child, when singing hour
g to O'Clock in the afJeTnOon), how We
girls would watch the classroom door to see
The great GeOTg" come in (the boys, be-
IieYe, called him "GeOrdie" behind his back,
for we could tell at a glance whether he
was in an amlable or the opposite frame OF
mind. Did YOU ever know a really musical
genius who had not sparks OF passion at
times rolling in and around him? In he
would come, roll Of music under his
arm. hands full Of glees, etc, and were
heaven kind TO him land to u.s. he
would bow and smile TO right ana lett
as he walked up to the end of the long room
and took his place by the side Of the harmo-
mum. Here was also placed large black
board on an easel, and With chalk neatly pre-
pared by the mOnitTess OF the day, all was
ready for the hour Of song or the lesson In
theory. Nov, girls, let US have The Moon
Behind the Hill, and while teacher or
pupil accompanied US the sweet voices OF
over two hundred girls would rise and swell
and die away in alto and soprano. Song
after song would follow and be sung as only
Irish girls can sing when taught by such
leader as George Washington. have not
yet described him. md il difficult to do
so. for when his image arises in my mind
echoes Of old melodies creep into my heart
and | almost literally forget the singer IN
the song" or else ciOthe his personality with
9 touch OF rOmanticism that really belonged
10 his influence as a musician. He was
man Of medium height, stout build, and Of
bright complexion; with large eyes genial
expression, head held erect and OF soldierly
bearing, he was personally well fitted to
command the attention of young and old.
de was much beloved by most Of his pupils
and his influence over some was unbounded.
AN EXPLANATION.
have wandered off in this explanation
from the public examination. ChOruses,
duets, tTios and solos were most carefully
rendered by these young people. And
among the songs we loved let me mention
few. To begin with the loud and lusty
ones. Were you given to sensitive nerves it
would not do to remain to hear the boys
sing:
We're hundred pipe-s an a, ana,
We'll aud gle the blaw, blaW,
WI hundred pipers an q, an q
It's over the borders ava, ava,
Well up and wen march TO Carlisle, hal
WI 3 hundred pipcrs an' a, an a.
And especially if Mr.. Washington allowed
them full fling it was astonishing the vol
ume Of sound that could be produced from
such youthful threats and lungs. The
alarmed teacher himself would put up
his hands TO save his tympanum. Another
was the duet Come, brothers, tune the lay,
for all who can must sing to-day" or " The
Village Blacksmith; or were the musical
George in different mood-like all musi-
clans and artists he was given to moods OF
very different coloring at times-the sweet
songs, new then, always beautiful and touch
ing, would be en- regle: Lovely Annie
Isle" Annie Laurie" "What are the
Wild Waves Saying" and the treasures to be
found in English Irish, Scottish and Amer
lean melodies.
After having known and loved such songs,
then, reader. sit down to your piano, guitar,
mandolin or harp, and as you pour forth
that classical emsnatiOn, Annie Rooney"
OF still more dignfed "McGinty," ponder
on the depraved taste of many nowadays.
1t Is well known that San Francisco sup
ports in the most muniicent manner all
6rst-class musical talent that visits the city.
MUSICIANS.
And she has In her populace musicians
whose technique, whose inspiration are
drawn from the fountain-head- the
grand old masters. Does she support these
as well? Until by means OF the public
schools. where children will be taught the
highest kinds of melodies; until musical
societies will join in rendering and making
known those grand works SO pregnant of
the finest musical art aud inspiratiOn-and
such societies cannot be without liberal
public supp0rt-then we shall have to en-
dure such eruptions Of meretricious jingles
as have rendered themselves nuisance to
all really artistic ears. The boast that
musicians Of the most classical caliber are
so well supported when visiting San Fran
cisco may be an idle one. This patronage
may have only the very shaky foundation
that 1t is fashionable. No doubt we
cannot all be Beethovens, but still the little
talent or taste that we have may be OF the
best and for the best.
During an ordinary singing lesson George
Washington was an excellent teacher of
theory, and his pupils wherever found ought
to be tacile readers aud to show good taste
IN music And there are few countries
where such wealth of Volkslieder q know
no English term that describes SO well what
mean is to be found as in Ireland George
Washington taught many of Moore's
meiOdies-that mine of pure song, so tender
In love, or strong and often tragic in PATRIOT
ism. And many do not know how very
difficult it is to sing some of them as they
ought to be sung Was there ever such a
wall SO pathetic, so sad, as "SavOurneen
Deelish," or ERIN Go Bragh," or "0h,
Breathe Not His Name" or "Silent. On
Moyle"? Again. to rouse, to fire the emo
tons, LET Erin Remember the Days of
DID," 1.-The Minstrel Boy" of Nine.
Huetiens' memory, and many other too
numerous to mentionp
SWEET SONGS
Some of our sweetest songs came from
America - "The Old Folks at Home"
'Down in the Corn Fields" ''Poor Old
joe" Arouse, Brothers, Rouse" 1.-THE
Prairie Flower" THE Slaves Dream"
etc. Apropos VI the last mentioned: One
Iou A Inn rioan w Oh N in, Ral