New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-03-27
FOLK-SONG IN AMERICA.
HENRY F KREHBIEI. LECTURES FOR
THE CHILDRENS CHARITA-
ABLE UNION.
MORE MELODIES HAVE BEEN THE OUTCOME o.
SORROW THAN OF JoY-rHE NEGRO
AND HIS GROOMING.

AND HIS GROOMING.
Henry f. Krehbiel delivered a lecture on FOLK
song In America yesterday afternoon at Sherrys
on the occasion OF the annual reception and tea
Of the Chidren's Charitable Union. held by the
BOARD Of Managers Mr.. Krehbiel gave a compre-
hensve exposition Of the character OF folksong
and it's place in music and literature He said in
brief:
The music of folksong reflects the inner life
OF the people the creation OF Ii shows the per-
sonaty Of a nation. not of an individual ana II
is therefore enduring It is the product of geograph-
ical physical political and climatic conditions
But until people have created national char.
acter they do not create a characteristic music.
There is a distinction between folksong and popu-
lar ballad music. The Loreei is not folksong,
although it is the tale Of myth. for the words
we're written by poet and the music by COM
poser, while folksongs grow out OF the spirit OK
a people and words and melody. entire ana IN
one They are created by suffering.
Undoubtedly the folksongs OF America must be
found in the South; they cannot be looked for
among New England people. for the conditions OF
life were such TO inspire them there Tho
impulse for this kind of composition must come
from nature. and the law OF lazness In the negro
has worked for music development. More songs
have been the outcome of sorrow than OF Joy. for
there is less said about Joy than one would sup
pose The negro slave in his sorrow would sit still
and get little comfort out Of grooming his strange
melodies We say these are not really American.
that they are African; but is anything really Amer
lean?
MY grandfather came over 10 this country vol
UNFAIRLY and | find myself American; the
negro's grandfather o great-grandfather came in
voluntarily, and want to say he is not an
American.
1T is the condition In which the black man hnds
himself In this country that produces his Kind or
music. Those old songs, 'Suwanee River and Old
Kentucky Home. written by broken down lawyer.
they have got spirit OF the land and Of nature
and these and the plantation songs appeal to emo
tons that respond
Certain peculiarities OF rhythm and melody can
be found 10 be similar IN music which has CON-
mon origin but these folk-songs have entire orig
inality. As the negro distorts the English In
speaking and also the patois and dialects of other
melodies He will sing minor with the sixth In
the scale raised half a tone: this gives oaroartc
tone. but there is charm 10 it. We would say ne
sings the scale inaccuratey. and he sings his In
tervals sharp. but II Is natural 20 him The pc
culiar rhythm Of the African Is found also In the
music Of the Hungarian.
To illustrate the singular emphasis OF the meas
ure Mrs Krehbiel sang Weeping Mary which.
the lecturer said had note Of barbarism run.
ming through IT, II was. however, beautiful Other
songs given by Mrs. Krehbie were Take Him TO
de Gulley; Nobody Knows de Trouble ] see":
''Coonge." African word used by the negroes
OF Arkansas and Mississippi In a song dance. and
a little French melody. Marie Clemence There
~as also a creole song the translation from the
pato!s being Papa Says No; Mamma Says Yes"
Several Canadian songs were also given.
At the close OF the lecture the members OF the
BOARD of Managers Of the Childrens Charitable
Union OBLIGATED at the tea-tables.