The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-06-20
IN A CHRISTIAN COUNTRY.
HEATHER CONCERT AT THE MUSIC
TEACHERS CONVENTION.

To Revive the War-Horn and spinet.
In the Hope of Adding a New and
Permanent Feature to Orchestral
tiOn-Chimes, GOngs, TriangIeS,
CymbaIs and the TOm-Tom.
New York. June 1s.-The greatest con-
cert ever heard will be given under the
auspices Of the Music Teachers Of the
United States at the Music Teachers Con-
vention, TO be held June "A to %, in New
York city.
The Music Teachers Association in
cludes many people who do not teach mu-
sic, just as a press club includes many
who do not write for the press. The by
law providing for their admission reads:
Those interested in the profession, or in
any direct way contributing to it's ad-
vancement"
One OF the most active members of the
Music Teachers National Association is
Mrs. Cynthia Westover Alden, a western
girl, actively engaged in New York jour
nalism, and the wife of an editorial
writer Of a New York daEy. Another is
Marguerite Arlina Hamm, who, as the
wife Of an American attache, correspond
ed for many periodicals from China dur
ing the previous administration. Another
member, not actively engaged in music
teaching is Mrs. Theodore sutro. one of
New York's woman lawyers and the wife
Of Theodore Sutro. well known as a great
capitalist
The other members include Prof Char
lotte Halves of Boston; Marie Merrick of
Brooklyn, Mrs. John Queeny of st. Louis.
who is at the head of the committee of
western states, and Miss Mabel Phipps of
New York, all well known in public work.
The object of the Music Teachers Asso-
citation is so manifold that it would be
difficult to name them, but all are orna-
mental, as well as useful, which is the
aim of all musical work.
music itself is a peculiar art It is the
only known one that was invented to both
soothe and amuse. Music is plaved ar
funerals and at weddings 1t is employ
ed IN the depths of grief to drive away
trouble and in the hight of joy to ex-
press gladness. Its study is necessarily
interesting, and to make the interest
greater there are many uses TO which it
can be put.
The association goes back to the very
beginning Of things and unearthS MANY
unknown musical points. II gives its
members certain work to do. Thus. two
OF them have been busy the last year
anaiyzing street cries and calls and in
TINS work the startling discovery was
made that all street cries and calls have
their origin in some musical sound The
Switzer's yodel came from the Anime
norm. That we all know But when II
comes to discovering that the cries of the
apple Vender came from the tuning of a
Noln-the same uncertain crescendoes
ana d1minuendoes-and that the "ole-clo
man" got his cali from the soft horns Of
italy, then you begin to see the scientific
interest attaching to the study of street
cries.
The unique concert which will be CIV
en- by the Music Teachers National CON
Ventlon will be an orchestra combining
all the Instruments in use in heather
lands. Ethic music is extremely sweet. as
all who have heard the sultans private
musicians will certify, and the music of
Japan, though uncertain in tune, is also
lovely in quality
Some of the instruments to be brought
out and played are the kettledrums of the
TartarS and Khurds. These are made of
metal and give forth a loud, ringing sound
that can be heard a square away. The
Tartars used the kettledrums to announce
the approach of the ruler. 1t told the peo-
pie in the houses that he was passing
by and it heralded his coming to any pub
lie place. As late as the days of Richie
lieu the passing of the cardinal was told
by a roll of drums and his guard pre-
pared the way for him, and in pagan coun-
tries the sound of the emperor's gong was
terrifying in It's intensity.
A very great sweet musical Instrument
Will be the chimes of Japan. The japanese
have several ways of ringing their chimes
as we nave several forms of the violin
the most popular one being rows of bells
OF all sizes which are tapped with ham
merS. Another sweet instrument is the
two-stringed violin Of the Manchurians
and very much like it in sound, though
having more strings is the triangle of
kamschatka. The latter looks like a tri-
angle of wire with wires dividing it. 1t
is played with double-headed stick
Among the noisy instruments may be
mentioned the bagpipe which seldom
makes pretention to a tune" the war
drum OF the Congo, which tells the tribe
to get ready for slaughter; the tom-tom
OF the pagan temples, which calls wor-
shippers to prayer and is sounded for joy
at the massacre of a Christian, and the
gong OF the Mongolians, which is used for
every public service from the opening of
the court of justice to the call to church.
In the prettier instruments the Arme-
mans have a very pretty hunting or eagle
horn and the Chinese have a musical SER
pent. The harpsichord, another sweet
sound comes from all the warm countries
that are famous in poetry; and the spinnet
the original of our piano, is the instrument
now used mostly in Persia and Turkey In
the homes of the wealthy
As many of these Instruments as can he
obtained will put in an appearance at the
music teachers convention this week. Each
will be brought there by a member who has
procured her strange piece at the expense
of a great deal of time and money. MANY
have had to travel to distant lands to pro-
cure them. Others have borrowed them
from public exhibitions, and all have ex-
erted themselves nob.y to make the con-
vention novelty. There will be solos IN
on the instruments as far as practicable
though there are many upon which no one
viii be able TO play, but in the final orches-
tration OF the pieces all can joln with
more or less melody
1t is highly possible that the convention
may bring about the very happy result of
adding new features 10 orchestra music
All great leaders acknowledge that new
instruments would be acceptable. either in
brass or stringed music. and they admit