The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-01-11
A CHINAMAN ON MUSIC.
wagner's Compositions Come Near.
est the Chinese Idea of Music.

It may interests my readers to
learn how a native of the Chinese en-
pire, untutored in the science and art
of occidental music, would enjoy such
a concert, and what opinions he has on
American music generally. What gives
others such exquisite pleasure only
wearies him or gives him pain. He is
versed in the theory, the philosophy
and the practice of music in China,
but not understanding the true in
wardness of the European art with
it's intricacies and mysteries, it's nota-
ton and technique, its majors and
minors, its sharps and flats, he cannot
appreciate the sublimity of Mozart S
masterpieces or the simplicity of Yam
kee Doodle" To such one the most
thrilling notes of Eurones greatest
prima donna are but meaningless jar
gon.
Music" said he, 'is the voice of
the soul, expressing its various emo
tons. 1t is the echo of wisdom. 1t is
the language the human soul adopts
when communing with the Infinite. Its
noblest use is to regulate the passions
and check unholy desires. Our great
emperorS did not disdain to be inven-
tors of musical instruments. They
employed music as a great adjunct
to the laws for the government of
their people.
1.-The music of Europe and America
is either too rollicking or too volupt-
uous. Instead of soothing and regu-
lating the passions, it influences them.
Again, it is often out Of keeping with
the words or with the occasion. 1
have listened many a time to the So
called church music rendered by your
swell choirs, and were it not for the
words of the preacher and the passing
of the contribution box l should have
magined that 1 was in a concert hall
instead.
Your classic music is too tiresome
and ofttimes meaningless. Richard
Wagner, of all European composers,
comes the nearest to realizing the Chi
nese ideal. but he is far from being
a general favorite among you.
.'At your private musicales, where it
would be exceedingly impolite to leave
before the agony is over I've never
spirit Isn't it exerucating to see a
pretty young lady who is otherwise
sensible laundering in an ocean of
sound then, suddenly with a desper-
ate effort which cracks the plastering
on tie walls and the ceiling, make a
frantic clutch at high c as drown
ing man grabs straw? 1 am not
sui pIiScu WHSI L Sec pSOpIc Sullty OIL
rudeness on such occasions and evince
their appreciation by whispering,
laughing and giggling, while the poor
singer or player plods on to the end,
when the wearied audience heaves a
huge sigh of relief and applauds the
performer for her heroic self denial
in putting an end to the torture so
soon. On one occasion, however, I
witnessed a scene wherein the singer
got the best Of the audience. The lat
ter consisted of a dozen ladies and
gentlemen of various ages, ranging
from 16 to go. The singer was young
lady on the northern side of 80, stout
and of delightful rotundity,' to use
the enticing language of matrimonial
paper describing female candidate
for hymeneal honors. She was en-
dowed with a pair of lungs which
seemed to have been made of India
rubber. Although she was singing in
a small parlor, she did it as if it
were a large church. Her notes came
forth, as it were, loaded with lead.
The audience grew weary after the
first round, and talked, as you may
suppose. When she stood up the sec
ond time to face the music she said
in the blandest Of tones: Go on, good
folks, talk right on 1 don't mind it
Bit The silence that followed this
sally was so thick that you could
have carved it.'-St. Louis Republic.