Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1896-10-25
MUSIC.

flSJ VI " l&I q zI2J ~ ky
The chief benefit that the Transmits
sissippi Exposition can render to Omaha
will be to bring it into closer relationship
with towns and cities which would
naturally look upon 1t as their metropolis,
their center city. So too in regard to
music and musical advantages. 1t should
place this city in such a conspicuous po-
sition in musical matters and show that
we have here such superior resources that
the teachers, musicians and students OF
these neighboring cities would look upon
Omaha as their center OF music. The man
agement OF the exposition can do this by
Incorporating into the regular routine of
the daily life of their great enterprise an
organization OF the musical forces OF this
city which shall transcend anything that
can be brought here in competition. 1t
should be so constituted as to work per
manent benefit to Omaha in that after the
exposition is over 1t should still continue
in existence, and with the name made IA
nous during the exposition continue to shed
luster over the fair name OF our city. To
this end 1t would be wise that the man
agement OF the music and all that IL
would include be placed In the hands Of
some one skilled in both music and bust
ness management.
AS the writer is not an applicant for the
position, he feels perfectly free TO express
his ideas on this all-important subject. The
failure of the musical department at Chi
cago was a severe blow to music in this
country. The trouble was that too much
was undertaken. People at such time do
not care for long-drawn classical concerts.
They are not in the mood for that sort
of thing They are out for a good time
They want to be entertained, and II they
do learn something without knowing 1t at
the time they won't care; but during or
after a long day of weary tramping about
trying to see a million dollars worth for so
cents they want rest, peace and entertain
ment. Therefore, in order TO make the
music of the exposition a success II must
give the people n rest. an hour OF enjoy
ment in which they need take no active
part. The programs must be so planned
as to include music that can be grasped
without much intellectual effort, and what
ever is done must be so well done as to
please just as sound. II is a matter OF
business that such performances be given
as will interest and attract the tired plod-
ders who wish to sit down for an hour and
rest body and mind. Whoever has the
music in charge should be qualified to
construct such programs and to direct them
to such a satisfactory performance that
the people who listen shall be pleased
The musical training of children is OF the
greatest importance in the building OF a
musical community. The synthesis of a
musical education is taste; 1t is an in
herent discrimination between good and
bad. II a child is taught to read out of a
blood and thunder dime novel his thoughts
will be OF blood and thunder, and he will
naturally seek to introduce some of 1t into
his own experience He will desire that sol't
of thing; his perverted mental nature will
crave it; he will have a taste for It, The
result is the only one that could possibly
follow such an education. So II is in music.
If child begins his musical development
with a class of music which is to the arts
what the dime novel is to literature. his
musical instinct Will become perverted he
will crave the musical pabuum upon which
he has been fed and for which he has formed
a taste IL he reads only the dime novel
his ideas of facts. OF men, OF human nature,
OF literature will be fictitious: their bound
res will be narrowness Itself. So. too If
he hears sings and plays only what Is called
musical trash his ideas OF the mission of
music. OF its real nature, OF its peculiar
power. OF its literature and OF the art as
art will be fictitious and he will go through
life an ignoramus. so far as music is con-
cerned. He will wander down the path Of
life in utter darkness, nor catch one glimpse
OF the gorgeous world OF tone all about him.
and his own blindness is his night. A per-
verified taste knows full well what Il likes {;
as Is often said 1t knows what pleases" it.
but II desires no better. The time to begin
is in childhood, WREN no tase at all exists
Then 1t can be formed for a lifetime to de-
sire and enjoy the best that genius has pro-
duced. Many composers have felt the needs
OF the children and tried to meet them but
simplicity. II is easier to write for little hands
than for little minds, and therefore much
good music has been written and arranged
to be played upon the piano by children
In song success has to be longer deferred
Many OF the people of this city remember
Mr. w H. Nirdlinger who taught here one
or two summers. During the past few years
he has been compiling book OF children 8
songs. composing both the verses and music
lie has certainly made a study OF the child
mind and knows what It thinks about
Here are a few lines:
THE rosebush has a baby. tiny wee bud:
Its face as white as snow
And all day she rocks 1t TO and fro
To make II sleep and grow"
Mister frog came out of the pond one day
And found himself out in the rain.
Said he: I'm get wet and l may catch
cold"
So he jumped In tho pond again"
The music is simple and melodious and
written for the middle voice. Mr.. Neid-
linger. as a singing teacher. knows full
well how voices are ruined by being forced
TOO high, Children may sing a little safely,
II the music is in a proper compass, but
child prima donnas are crime against ma
ture and the result is vocal ruin. The task
Is 10 educate the chlld-mind to love that
which is coed In music The voice should
be matured only as the whole organism