The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-10-28
AMERICAN FOLK SONGS
LECTURE BY III. Il. KREHBIEL, A
WELL-KNOWN MUSIC CRITIC.
Conditions That Produce These
Unique Musical Compositions in a
NatiOn-Darky Melodies.

The address delivered before the men,
bers of the Contemporary Club last even
ing was by Mr.. II. p. Krehbiel, of New
York, one of the leading musical critics of
the country. His subject was Folk Song
of America" Mr.. Krehbiel has made a
great study Of the folk song of this coun-
try. and is an enthusiast, who has been
largely instrumental in bringing to the
front the folk music which has been COM
posed by Dvorak and played by the famous
orchestras, and by the celebrated Kneisel
QuartN.
Mr.. Krenbiel has a fine presence and adj
mirable delivery and the subject matter
was presented in such a manner that the
evening vial be conspicuous in the history
of the club. Mr.. Krehbel first spoke of
folk song as distinct from popular songs
giving the difference from the scientific
and the German point of view. The folk
song is the one created by the people, and
not by a composer 1t Is a popular Elk
preston, and reflects the conditions and
surroundings of the people. He showed
that Americans have songs as much en-
titled to be called folk songs as those of
any country of Europe. OF all the infiu-
ences that produce folk songs suffering is
the greatest inspiration. The truest folk
songs and the finest expression is found
in Russia Political conditions have much
to do with this Drawing a line through
Europe at Denmark, it will be found that
the folk songs of the north are in the minor
key, while those of the south are in the
major. This line does not hold good, how
ever, in Russia. To this exception the
speaker attributed political conditions,
through slavery and serfdom There
relics of the same kind of music in this
country where the conditions of the slaves
in the South were similar to those of Rus
STA The folk songs of America We're Gre
ated by the slaves; they are not white
mans music. for they have peculiarities
that cannot be found in the latter. There
are two marked peculiarities; one is
rythmical, and the other is intervaled. The
latter was brought from Africa Under the
stimulus of life here the slaves created a
song as peculiar and as characteristic as
that of the. Russians.
After the discussion of the subject several
songs were Illustrated by Mrs. Krehbiel.
Mrs. Krehbiel was formerly of Cincinnati
She has a fine soprano voice, which had
ten years she was the soprano in Dr.
Cuylers church in New York She has
caught. the popularity Of the folk songs
to perfection, and not a little was added
to the interest in them by the sympathetic
accompaniment Of Miss I:otta Mills; The
strel songs are reflections Of the old plan
tation melodies The second and third
Hymn Mr.. Krehbiel secured from an old
nanny" in southern Kentucky. They
are Of the religious type and have the pc
are separate from the real chunes." as
they are called by the singers. Three
creole songs, in the native patois, followed
"Coonjai," or African dance Some of the
folk songs are satirical, and were created
for the purpose of hurting some ones feel
ings. The music for the Martinique song,
Mr.. Krehbiel by Lafcadio Hearne, we'll
known writer who had bandmastsr write
it out for him. The influence which pro-
duces a folk song makes new ones almost
impossible. 1t takes war or some dread
full suffering. The songs are carried by
word of mouth. they are never written
biel presented the song THE Jews Daugh-
ter" as it is sung by the colored children
then as he has heard It sung in the nurserV
Of a cultivated New EnglaHd family, that
OF Rev. MIR. Vinton, at Pomfret. There is
bound TO be some change in the text.
The address throughout was valuable as
a literary effort and for the information it
contained Mr.. and Mrs. Krehbiel and Miss
Mills were presented to the members of
the club by the committee, Mr.. and Mrs
Baker Baker and Mrs f. B. Holman a ' Mr. KreR1
biel has q series of lectures which he is
Illustrated One is 1.-THE Origin and the
Nature Of the Lyric Drama" another is
Wagner and His Art Work" The latter is
a continuation OF the former, though both
are distinct and complete alone. Dram
attic Dances and Children's Games is the
title of one which is Illustrated by children
who perform the dances. "The Wandering
Ballad" ''Shakspeares Songs and Dances
which are represented by the music of the
sixteenth century, and one on Chinese
Music complete a series of exceeding in
terest to the music-loving world.