The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-09-10
in DEFENSE OF CLASSIC MUSIC,


Editor of The TRIBUNE:
SIR: ! cannot resist replying to an article
upon "Music and Musicians,n noticed II
Saturdays Truth, which if true would for.
ever quiet the ambition of musicians fol
greater insight into the beauties of higher
class music. | quote few lines of Iailie
Morgan's article:
"Ihere are musicians who like to air
their superior knowledge
while the music Of the great composers
Is grand study, yet it is more music of
the head than Of the heart"
Now consider it much more preferable
to AIR ones superior knowledge than ones
superior ignorance
How do you know, Mr.. Morgan. the
correctness of your second assertion? Do
know the flavor Of peach until | taste
lty Can know the contents of the Bible
until L become student Of it? When and
where did you study the creations of the
great composersf Can you tell me how
many sonatas Beethoven wrote. their
names. and analyze them? How many
symphonies and copy the themes of each
Have you studied the music dramas of
Wagner and felt the Easter music of Par
sltall' Are you conversant with the works
OF Handel Mendelssohn, etc?
What is emOtionf | stood in far Dakota
and witnessed an Indian war dance, in
which feeling and emotions presented a
viVld picture; but it was not intellectual
emotion, and,it is of this quality of emo
tlon the great compositions We're formed.
Dare you tell me that Beethoven, who
died impoverished owing to his love of
music, had not feeling? That Mozart
never felt his music, when composing his
requiem or that Chopin, had simply in.
tellect, as he penned the great funeral
march? Imagine "De Pachmann" playing
those exquisite nocturnes of Chopin with
out feeling; one can hear the tears drop
as the velvety touch brings to life the
dead master
hear Anna Louise Cary sing, 80 Rest
IN the Lord, from Elijah, and | can rest as
tuose warm narmonles surround me: again
Albani sings Come Unto Me" and can
come without fear that God will reject.
say not any one that the great conposers
felt not the fullne.s of their compositions.
Years ago ''Palistrina" used the Greg
orian chant as basis for his great masses
and after that we had Bach, Mendeissobn
Wagner, etc. Had it not been for these
great composers, Philip Phillips, Sweeney
and Bliss would not have been known.
Therefore | call not Gospel hymns music,
but form of missionary work. In the
material world, flour is of great value as
food, but it would be folly to give the
credit to any but the Creator; therefore,
in speaking Of Gospel hymn writer's, we
must not defnme the masters who first
made it possible, as under tine guidance Of
God they created compositions from
which inferior workers draw.
Il see baby nursing bottle of milk.
WEI that baby never require more hearty
1oodr II q strong child, it's mother soon
percelves few teeth peeping through its
gums and quantity of beef steak is given
IL TO masticate. Milk was he.first food of
ail, excepting Adam and Eve. Then ask
Mr.. Morgan, why change to staple pro-
ductsY There are sickly people who are
compelled to subsist upon milk but not
many; so, it is in music. We find sicily
musical minds who continue to nurse the
bottle of music never getting teeth suf,
ticient to masticate good, musical beef
steak Music lovers of Scranton have
passed the nursing period and no amount
or coodling can keep them in its Ian.
Thanking you for space to sustain true
art, am staunchly for music
GEORGE B. CARTER.