The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-01-21
OLD SONGS THAT LIVE.
The World Moves On, but the Popular
Song Is Always with Us.

Kansas City Star.
Nobody will claim that Ben Bolt" either
in it's poetry Oh. its music, suggests mas
ter mind. Yet it is quite as absurd to call
it silly drivel or to class it as a WEAKNESS
and affliction. "Ben Bolt'' is a fair type
of the American folk song which belongs
to no particular section of the country. 1t
American poetry but even If this were not
the case it would not follow that it does
not possess a certain charm which, in all
mensely popular long before Du Maurier
took to the pen, and perhaps it was this
.sTrilby.'' '''e ''' ''-i -eA''' 60 u
To get into hot discussion over the
merits of a simple ballad for which moth
ing out of reason has been claimed seems
waste of time and a useless display of
out it's practical value, for it affords an
opportunity of saying word for the old
songs song which are stu not cheaply held in
to have grown beyond them. In the first
place, it may be safely contended that in
nnety-nine cases out of every hundred SEN
timent and association go through life with
people, however their musical tastes may
have been broadened and cultivated Be
cause a has spent decade in study
ing out the meaningful harnonies of Wag-
ner, it does not follow that he is not moved
Because woman in foreign conservatory
has learned all that there is to know in
the sphere of vocaliZation, H. is not true
that She will turn with WEAKNESS from a
favorite humble ballad of her childhood.
And in how much less degree may the
show themselves to the great preponderance
of people to whom music is a mere recrea-
ton and a sentimental pleasure.
The revival of the folk songs in foreign
countries and the commentaries thereon by
DISTINGUISHED critics show an awakening
everywhere in the melodies of the people
The old songs of the American homes did
not have the flavor of foreign antiquity,
D" th1y anea Morny b an baae place TIM
middle-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 was simple and nlelodious and
pleasing then has in itself the same attri-
butes now? There was the "Annieo g~oup
so to speak. 'Annie Laurie" "Annie of
the Vale" "Gentle Annie and a score of
others. Naturally enough. they are not
haps the same reason that city folk rarely
essay at this time the prison duet from I'll
Trovatore."
There is so much that is novel and strik-
ing. But the beauty of the old songs is still
there, and little spark like line in a
''Trilby'' would set them in popular flame
The dignity of the so-called higher class of
music is not compromised by the popularity
of the songs of the people. No musician
conception of the true musical feeling win
fail to recognize what is goodman worthy
provincial life. The four-part arrangement
of ben Bolt" as sung by the young men
from Harvard, was recognition of merit
and every musician knows that many of
the most famous compositions are borrowed
largely from themes that were the simple
melodies of the provinces.
American national life is better for its
songs. it's old songs. 1t is better for the as
sociations which ben Bolt awakens The
River are not brought up as an argument
against the public favor Of the song and
the repetition of the mnsical phrases of
The Old Kentucky Home is not permitted
to dim its popularity.
The world moves on, the masters educate
us. the geniuses dazzle us. but regularly
the old songs come back. and the world
seems little brighter and the past a littIa
dearer that we knew them long ago and
have not ceased to love them.