The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-09-24
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Orpheus-Please clearly define the
term classical music"

orpheus-Please clearly define the
term classical music"
Answer-we apply the term class
ical" to anything which, from its
beauty of form or it's treatment OF
subject matter, appeals to the imag-
ination of educated men and women
of all ages, and Is loved and treasured
by them. The Bible, both in the sub
ject matter and it's style Of treatment,
is a classic since 1t is read and loved
today by millions, and has been read
and loved by millions for thousands
of years. The works of the ancient
Greek and Latin writers are classics
because they are now a source of
pleasure to those who can read them
and have been to every succeeding age
since they were written. Shakespeare
and Milton, Bunyan and Dante are
classics for the same reason. The an
cient statuary of Greece and Rome
and the paintings of the middle ages,
from their beauty of form or coloring,
appeal to the universal love of the
beautiful and hence are treasures of
untold value in the museums of the
world, although they were executed
centuries ago. Another definition Of
classical is anything that has stood
the test of time" 1t will now be easy
to define classical music since the
same tests apply here. The works of
Bach, Haydn. Handel, Mozart and
Beethoven are classical since, although
they were written from one to two CEN
turies ago, they are studied and loved
by more musicians and music lovers
than at any previous period of their
history. In the minds of a great many
classical music is a synonym for mu-
sic that is uninteresting and unintelli-
gible. If this were actually the case it
would not be in existence today
On the contrary it is very much in
existence as may be seen from the fact
that leading music publishers of the
world vie with each other in producing
the most beautiful editions of the
classics, and that, too, at astonishingly
low prices. The term romantic" Is
applied to the music of the more mod
ern composers, as, for example, Schu-
bert, Schumann. Chopin and others, in
contradistinction to the classical mu-
sic of Bach Mozart and Beethoven.
While this distinction is now more a
matter of difference of style, which I
shall not stop to explain, it is true that
the music of the composers of the "ro-
mantle PERIOD is not yet classical
simply from the fact that 1t Is of too
recent date to be termed classical-al-
though it will doubtless eventually be-
come sc. To sum up. no production of
art which was produced but yesterday
can be considered classical, however
great it may seem to be. Manners and
customs and ways of thinking change
With each century, l might say with
each succeeding generation. What Is
new today is in a great measure old
and out of date tomorrow. But n gem
i,is has 1t in his power to put a subtle
something in his art or literary pro-
ductions which appeals to the univer-
sal ideals of mankind of all ages. or
these works it may be said as Tenny-
son said of the brook, "men may come
and men may go, but they go on for
ever The beauties of things classical
do not lie on the surface to he COM
pretended at single glance They
require to be studied. 1t is those peo-
pie who see and hear works of art and
music the oftenest that love them
most. 1t is the one who reads the
Rible and Milton and Shakespeare
who appreciates them most and
declares them to be inexhaustible
treasures. I will conclude by quoting
my first definition: 1--WE apply the
term classical to anything which from
its beauty of form or treatment of sub
ject matter appeals to the imagina-
tions of educated men and women Of
| all ages, and is loved and treasured
by them"