New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-02-23
MR.. EREHBTEL on FOLK-SONG IN 1MEElC1'
SOME OBSERVATIONS on THE ORIGIN OF THE
SLAVE SONGS OF THE SOUTH

SOME OBSERVATIONS on THE ORIGIN OF TIE
SLAVE SONGS OF THE SOUTH
The second lecture in H. L. Krehbiels current
course upon musical subjects was gwen Y's''INaS
afternoon at the Woman's University CIup' III "'St
Forty fourth-st. before an audience numerous "'
of uncommon refinement ana appreci"''o"' w.
Krebbiel discussed "Folk-song in America "A mat
,or ubicb obtains special interest at the present
time from recent controversies concerning lis aNd-
ability as n subject for treatment BY the coinpos
ers of this country. 1t is matter TOO upo" WIN
Mr. Krehbiel speaks with special authority "S one
of the pioneers in a long neglected hela OF '"l'S"
cation and TO which he contributes results OF I'M
portance not hitherto made public espec'd"S Gun
corning the origin and characteristics or the pan
tation melodies Of the Southern negroes.
In explaining the meaning OF the term 1oiK-Sohs
Mr.. Krehbel took occasion 10 ara" TIE INV
tween q true fok-sOng and the popular SONG VIM"
&C. like the folk -song-the difference which ne said
is recognized by the Germans when they spcih Oh
"das Volkslied" and "das Nolksthumliche Lieu.
He asserted with great positiveness that there wa
such a thing as a folk-sOng in America anu '""'
some Of the songs sung by the negroes OF te sui
such lie rd!cued the notion brought ioi"hIu ny
some OF his critics that the songs OF 'ne t,I
were the compositions Of white men ana lhsistci
that the difficulty among those who had take,i par
in the controversy over NE negro taIine about
different things-One party having IN we" IN"
re- rcelv bctn and the other the old-fashione1
negro minstrel songs which never had anything 10
do with the negro Incidentally he paid ms refi' >
to a recent contributor to me Sun' VIM ',"I
searched among the music shops OF the South LOT
specimens OF negro songs (Which. OF course ne u'l
not fnd and who testified as TO his ntncsS 10 dscusS
such a question the origin OF the songs 9i tn IN.
| slaves by saying that Beethovens Moohiight,
| sonata was that called the "kreutZer s"tita III
| Tostoi's novel although one Is n piece TOT 'hi
pianoforte and the other one for the paioi aa
| voiin) and that the principal motii o. us lISi
| movement was a Provencal melody when a coiore 70,
| MIA nnforte player from NeW-OrleanS hah gwen 10
| beethoven as a genuine specimen of purely AFRO,
| American air Mr.. Krehbiel minated that me m,
| writer in "The Sun" had confounded GottsChaIS
| (who was not a 'coored" pianofOrte player, now
even with Bridgetower who was Inulatto Vlolil,
isl in the service Of the Prince OF wales atrr"dI'
| George " for whom Beethoven did write the 50,
| nata afterward dedicated to Rudolph kreutzeI ana
since called by the name OF that vionnlSt 5riaSe-
| tower was not born in Newt orleans but IN folanl
| Mr. Krehbiel also included in his scheme the
| songs of the CreOles In Louisiana ana Martinique;
| and the French songs OF the Canadas, ana cl0sci
| his lecture with reference 70 the ola baiiad oil
| "Hugh of Lincoln curious instance or It's I'M
| portation into this country and ITS astonishing
| transformation at the hands of certain Ettle neBro
| children in that part OF New-fork Guy Known as
! "Shantytown" Numerous illustrations were sung
by Miss Marie Van with much taste ana chafacter-
| istic expression which met with the obvious ap-
| proval Of the audience. The next lecture IN the
| course will be on March /. when Mr.. Krehbiel VIII
| discuss 'Wanderng Ballads