El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1897-07-24
NEWSPAPER CRITICISM.
Ard its Status in the Field of Music.

Ard its Status i'll the Field of Music.
| l. G.. Elson, of Boston, Oh airman o
| the cUmmi tee on Musical Journal 81
at the Music Teachers National AssO
citation meeting, recently sent out the
| following letter to number of tbs
more prominent journalists and educat
ors in ali parts of the country.
At the convention of the Music
T, acher's Matt nal Association, TO b.
held in New York this summer, - l.
proposed TO devote meeting to the
discussion of Musical Journalism. AS
chairman of tits meeting | should like
an expression of opinion from some OF
the leading American newspapers on
the following points:
l. Does the supply of expert music
al criticism equal the demand:
,. Do you believe that intelligent
music criticism in the daily press
would have direct influence on the
public taste in musical matters?
). Do YOU believe that it Is possible
to train critics in this field as other pro-
fe-siouais are trained-by Il college OF
conservatory course of education:
t. Do you believe that there is q
public d mand for music criticism in
the smaller cities Of the United States:
If You would kindly express your views
on this subject in d reply directed to me
as soon as convenient, it would great Y
advance an intelligen consideration OF
the matter in the meeting over which
| am to preside.
Your sincerely,
LOUIS G. ELSON.
Any details as to the status of mu-
steal criticism IN your section viii b.
raJefully received.
The editor-in-chief of The Musical
Courier replied as fOlOWS
DEAR SIR. As every musician
CONSIDERS himself a musical critic there
is a greater supply than demand, the
surplus cons !stin- OF those music Critics
no are not musicians.
,. There are thousands Of daily pa
pers in the United States, but l doubt
if l per cent of the number is supplied
with Intelligent music criticism. Faat
il to say, If there are 10000 da ~ pa
pers | doubt if there are 100 in elllgent
music critics. Iapply the word liz
telligent" To music, for they may be
Intelligent men and still not Intelligent
music critics.
3. If curriculum were esta blish5d
for musical criticism or tics might be
trained in colleges and CONSERVATION. es,
but how can we Tx Il standard in the
United States when there Is 20 Official
or recognized standard:
Our conservatories and cole yes are
all private enterprises. We see, for in
stance, In the abuse OF the degree OF
Doctor of Music la this country how
the degree of musical critic light
brig ABOUT similar results, for small
81 hOOlS N obscure towns could graduate
musical critics.
Thomas a. Baker, musical critic OF
the Baltimore Sun answ ere: In an
swer to the first uestlon contained IN
he do n tn Il al
more Sun, l would say that the supply
OF in elligent critics does not equal the
public demand, although 1t seems TO be
adj quate as far as the proprletors
and managers of the papers are con-
cerned.
=. Intelligent musical criticism
would undoubtedly raise tne standard
OF musical taste.
3. lido not thiuk it possible to train
journalists by a course of profess onaI
studies, but a conservatory course
might nelp musical critics.
+. There is d universal demand for
intelligent musical CRITICISM.
The Albany, N. Y, Argus answered:
In reply to your circular letter OF
May -, and in answer to your first
question, we do not believe the supply
of expert musical criticism is equal To
the demand.
I'd, we believe that intelligent music
al criticism has direct influence on
the public taste in musical matters,
and not only TO musicians but to pup. Is
as we'll: for instance, ii great many
young people attend concerts, musI-
Gales, &c, and are aided by reading
an Intelligent criticism in the daily
press.
Criticism in Itself is a peculiar gift,
but all music critics should have d
thorough knowledge of Il college or
conservatory course of education. In
answer to the fourth question, we be-
lieve that musical CRITICISMS would
tend to arouse much enthusiasm anon @
musicians and those who are strIv N 9
10 be musicians, if crit cisms were given
in the daily press in the small cities OF
The United States.
Prof. John X Paine, OF the Harvard
musical departme Mt, wrote:
l. | believe that the demand for in
telligent musical criticism is greater
than the supply.
,. | believe that intelligent musical
criticism in the daily press would eX'
efcise direct influence upon the puo'
lie taste. Sometimes this might be-
LOO great an influence, for even if the
critic be Il competent orc his opinion Il
but an Individual one. Every ~ an ma;
MS personal quutlOn, winch must DC
taken into account in following hi,
criticism. There are parties in music
as in almost every field OF art, aut
even if a N an be quite fair minded h,
| is apt TO be Wagneriau, Brahm
sit, or adhere to slme musical par y
| Some readers pin their faith too ab
| sUlutely en- this or that mans Judge
| ment. Most people need d guide II
| musical matters, but they need no
| imagine their guide infalihie. Blu