The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1895-09-09
KEY AND BOW

Sir John Stainer, M. A., professor OF
music in Oxford university, in paper on
Does Music Train the Mind? that was
published in the Musical Courier, says,
among other valuable things:
The later developments of our art have
taught us that the thought and tho ideal
ism which underlie fine music are of at
least equal importance with the higher
emotions and sentiment which it is also
capable of calling into existence. Tons
weight of music now lies useless and I'M
touched in our cupbo8rds and on our
shelves, simply because it is conven-
tional expression of sentiment, unbacked
by any inner lining of the thought or in
dividuality of the composer.
Modern music must train the mind in
so far as Its true Interpretation requires
the aid of the intellect; the musician has
to know what he thinks as we'll as what
be feels. l am aware that many writers
are beginning to complain that advanced
modern music IS made up of too much
thought and too little sentiment; but this
complaint We must expect. There will
always be an outcry against the subsitu-
ton of that which is thoughtful and ne
essitates study for that which makes a
direct appeal to our ordinary physical
uensations. But from what class does this
outcry come? Always from those who ad.
NIT their own Ignorance OF the construc-
ton and language OF music, and whose
confessed Ignorance leaves them unaware
of what this Ignorance deprives them.
Modern music has brought under obser-
walton, perhaps into existence, group
of phenomena, mental and physical,
which we know and feel to be. and
which have already set in motion a wide
spread desire for analysis, description
and classification.
To live in happy ignorance of these oc-
nh n
the path of life unaware of one of the
most strange and fascinating outpursts
Of mental activity which this century
has seen. We have gradually been
brought face to face with the fact that
the succession, combination, color and
contrast of sound can provide genius
with the means OF depicting his emotion
al state, can emil body the very outpouring
of his soul; and. what is more remark
able, that sympathetic listeners, in SO
far as they possess share OF the COM
poser's temperament and have the
necessary training. can not only inter-
pref his EXPRESSIONS. they do actually
have the same feelings, and drift
in the same emotional condition which
guided his pen as he wrote.
when we listen to symphony by Bee
thoven. we are no longer merely trying
to drive away for time the care and
worry of daily routine in pleasant and
harmless amusement; we ale engaged in
something far higher. far more searching,
far Ill ore touching than that, we are hear
ing the voice of one who Is dead, telling
us in no uncertain language the story of
some phase OF his innermost life on
earth. The narration may be almost un-
consciously made, but this shows it to be
absolutely truthful, and renders it doubly
incisive. Here, indeed, is a fact, or rathe r
a series of facts, which calls for the most
careful investigation; it throws open a
new snd wide field of thought and study,
the pursuit of which would alone consti-
tute training of the mind in its highest
meaning.