Evening journal., 1897-06-07
MUSICAL NOTES

defined. But individual appreciation
is another thing. To appreciate one
must have understanding and imagi- |
alton II is not necessary 10 have d
technical knowledge of music to un-
derstand it, Some Of those least
versed may be the most appreciatiye.
It is customary for musical students
to express enthusiasm for talented
work but frequently their feelings are
wrought upon more by brilliancy OF
execution which they can readily un-
derstand than the sublimity of the
composers thought. They grasp the
practical, rather than the theoretical
side That is not an appreciation of
music.
The one whose imagination is most
stirred by music may know nothing
about what he hears save that, for
some reason, it gives him a sense Of
pleasure. That is the true soul of har-
mony. Such a love is not feigned and
there is nothing superficial about IT,
Such a person may not be able to ana
lyze. Such a person may be unable
TO give a critical opinion of what is
clumsy and what is perfect in compo-
sitiOn or execution. But his minor
sense can distinguish between them.
If there is nothing in the minds Of
men who write great music save the
object of producing harmonies toplease
the ear, then music is a senseless thing
and should be classed with dancing and
other frivolous pastimes. If the mas
ter musician has only an acute sense
of harmony and a perfection of detail
in rendition, then his work is simply
clever fact like good shooting, nothing
more. Yet that narrow view of music
is undoubtedly the view of many of the
so-called musically cultured people
The mission of music is somewhat
higher Music expresses thought and
represents the whole field of human ac
ton and ambition. 1t speaks of war
peace, city and country life, love, sor-
row. gaiety and death. The mind that
comprehends the thought of great COM
posers or anything akin to it, is the
mind that understands and appreciates
music. One often hears of "the soul of
music" usually used as a meaningless
term hut it is a good one. Mere jing-
Cling sounds are not music.
For some reason concert bands, with
their special vocalists and instrument
tai soloists, succeeded where symphony
orchestra, operatic and concert COM
panie5 have failed Their drawing
power has been evident, but unex-
plainable. II could not be charged
wholly to simplicity of music, for, as 2
r rule such bands intersperse programs
, with the most profound works OF
Wagner, Mendelssohn and other mas
ters, just as the symphony orchestra
does. 1t might be that the band has
learned the trick Of bringing difficult
compositions within the understand
ing of the pOpulace. Whatever the
means. the end justifes it, The main
J., object is to get the soul of music to the
e people Before long it may be a sub
ject Of inquiry whether strings are tC
+ give way entirely to brass and reed in.
{ struments. String instruments have
y been justly regarded as a higher form
of expression. Can it be that the in
Q sidious power of the concert band is
8 working havoc with musical standards
r in the popular mind?
4 The affairs Of the celebrated TheO
Thomas Orchestra, once the acme OF
q musical perfection and tonal balance
are now trembling in the balance. Th'
! artistic status of this celebrated body
a of musicians has for two years beer
steadily on the wane Whether it is {
case of the conductor outliving his use
fulness or bad ideas on the part of thi
Nlduu6tllNul GtNAA " bI AAAN AANotAohi
. in point. This organization, nov
v known as the Chicago Orchestra, hal
for years been playing in the Chicago
n Auditorium, but the vast audiencl
q that originally attended the concerts
l. are a thing of the past. Several of thu
$ principal artists have resigned. MAJ
r Bendix the talented concert master
and one of the finest violinists in tn
e country, has resigned after nine year
&c of honorable service; Ernest Wendell
e the man from Berlin, who Indifferent.
s filled his place, has gone home; Eugen
p BCegner, about the only fine violinis
left, has resigned; three of the horl
players, have not received their salar
les, and it is said that Bruno Steindel
the cellist, and about the only grea
sOloist in the orchestra, has resigned
, With the exit of Bendix, the BAN
- seemed to go to pieces. This orchestr
y of ninety men played in our Oper
Y House here in April, 1887, and was the
the greatest orhestra in the Unite
=, States, and Theodore was the creates
"a conductor, and to him is due the credi
of inculcating a love of the classica
- among the American public, as 10
= years he labored to bring his organiza
IL tion up to the high standard then main
~ tained, and looked on and emulated b
~ all the great symphony conductors {
m later days.
IN All the wind instrument musician
,s Of the First Regiment, Hyatt's Militar
,s Band and Grace Orchestra have burie
n the hatchet concerning petty likes an
is dislikes, have come together. and th
,d result is that Wilmington is to hay
s one Of the finest concert bands entirel
of local talent in the Eastern States.
the Davidson building, at Ninth an
King streets, Friday evening, the col
solidated band of thirty-fve musician
OF met for rehearsal under Conductor
IL II. Beggs, of Hyatts Military Band. NJ
as Wallsmith, leader of the First Reg
er ment Band, played solo cornet, an
u Mr. Robinson and Mr.. Bauer, of Graz
on Orchestra, were also in the cornet sc
'ui tion. The reed instruments were in e.
cellent hands, while the trombones-
that all-important function in the bra
sr- and reed band of to-day, were in Il
ds hands of Mr.. Stewart, of the Fir