The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-02-17
OLD SONGS ARE BEST.
Popular Melodies Live On Long After
Better Music Are Forgotten.
Kansas City Star.

Kansas City Star
Nobody will claim that ben Holt" either
in it's poetry or it's music. suggests a master
mind. Yet it is quite as absurd to call it
silly drivel or to class it as a WEAKNESS and
affiiction. ben Holt is fair type of the
American folk song which belongs to no
particular section of the country. 1t is
found in some very good collections of
American poetry, but even if this were not
possess certain charm which, in all fair
ness, is not to be denied. 1t was immensely
pen, and perhaps it was this very popular
ity which led to it's appearance as one of
the many musical features of '"Trilby."
To get into a hot discussion over the
merits of simple ballad for which moth
ing out of reason has been claimed seems
waste of time and useless display of
temper The incident is not, however, with
out it's practical value, for it affords an
opportunity of saying a word for the old
memories of people who may be thought
to have grown beyond them. In the first
place, it may be safely contended that in
ninety-nine cases out of every hundred
sentiment and association go through life
with people, however their musical tastes
may have been broadened and cultivated
Because a man has spent a decade in
studying out the meaningful harmonieS of
Wagner, it does not follow, that he is not
moved by the simple pathos of annie
Laurie" Because a woman in foreign
conservatory has learned all that there is
is not true that she will turn with weari-
ness from a favorite humble ballad of her
childhood. And in how much less degree
may technical failings of these simple
memories show themselves to the great
preponderance Of people to whom music
Is mere recreation and a sentimental
pleasure.
The revival of the folk songs in foreign
countries and the commentaries thereon by
everywhere in the melodies of the people
The old songs of the American homes did
not have the favor Of foreign ANTIQUITY but
musical annals. The ballads which the
mIiddle-aged man of to-day heard in the
home of his childhood may be the sweeter
for tender associations, but is it not true
that what simple and melodious and
pleasing then L, has in itself the same attri-
butes now? There was the Annie group
the Vale" Gentle Annie. e' They are not OF
haps the same reason that city folks rarely
ESSAY at this time the prison duet from
There is so much that is novel and strik-
ing: But the beauty of the old songs is
still there, and little spark like a line
flame. The dignity OF the so-called higher
class of music is not compromised by the
popularity Of the songs of the people. No
a proper conception of the true musical
feeling will fail to recognize what is good
and worthy Of appreciation in the melodies
rangeinent of ben Bolt,' as sung by the
young men of Harvard, was recognition
of merit, and every musician knows that
many of the most famous compositions are
borrowed largely from themes that were
the simply melodies of the provinces
American national life is far better for
its songs, its old songs 1t is better for
the associations which ben Bolt awak-
The inelegant negroism of ..The
Suwanee River not brought up as an
argument against the public favor of the
song, and the repetition of the musical
phrases of THE Old Kentucky Home" is
not permitted to dim it's popularity.
The world moves on. the masters edu-
cate US, the geniuses dazzle US, but regu-
larry the old songs come back and the
world seems little brighter and the past
little dearer that we knew them long ago
and have not ceased to love them.