The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1898-02-17
Music and Mythology.

WHY vi NHt uuiiidn Tdct. lDkelneT tney
emerge from the dim twilight of mytho
logy. Both claim divine origin. The
morning stars sang their praises at the
creation. What mighty choir was that!
What untold millions of voices! What
an ensemble! How that wondrous mel
ody shook aud thrilled the great transept
of heaven when on the evening of the
fourth day they joined in their first great
jubilate of praise to God for the life and
light which he had Just created. How
that first great Amen must have shlk' n
the very foundations of the newly-laid
armament.
According to the Greek and Roman
mythology. music was presided over by
the Nine MUSES.. They sang the festival
songs At the rcpasts of the Gods, and
Apollo, who ied them in chorus on his
Tyre W - the first chorus liz der. At first
the divine art OF music was very zaalously
guided i'1.u morals ami much jntl-
ousy WIS manifest even among the in
mprt'ls As to the relative merits of var
iouS performers Unfortunately this
divine jrtIon9y descended u morta =
along with the art Of music.
II il related by Homer that the Sirens,
two winged gpddesses of allurlng song.
engaged IN - musical contest with the
Muse, and were vanqushed, and the
successful MUSES. tore he feathers from
their wings and ever after wore tnem in
their hair rs trophies of their victory.
l. is also r.l.tci that once upon q time
Il prrsuup,uDus mortal boosted that he
was q better musician than Apollo, who
in revenge provide The man with pair
OF asses ears, aui ever afterwards he
wur- joss ID .., very long To- hlIe his hid.
euu- dol3ruitv. Thus originated the
fashion for ul.- musicians tp wear long
hair.
Another pretty Legend tells uS how the
nutc came to ba used among the nortais
ami why IL never found favor among
lady performers. Marsyas, young
shgpaur' WIS lying in the cool grass uy
stream IN The heat of the day, when he
heard the most enhancing music from
the banks above him. Il VA, Minerva,
the Goddess at Wleduui, PLAYING on a
hu;e. Happening to sc her own rtnec
tor ~ the clear water Of the strea'n she
playing putled out her cheeks and dis.
tort,d her teautiluI face. She iuHe
diately threw the offending flute into the
stream and vowed she would never "a
gain tai it up, oxclaiminG:
Hence We bants of beauty, hence!
Wharf, Shall my charms disgrace
BY making such an odious tace?"
Mafcyas recovered The flute from the
stream rs il tluated iy snd thus it came
into the hands cf mortsls.
The ancient Creeks had a music all
their own. Very little of its manuscript
is extant. In 1893, how III tXplor-
ing the site of. the ancio Mt city of Delphi,
tablet was unesrlhed inscribed with
the words and music Fl hymn to Apol-
10, " hich was chanted in praise to that
deity. about 300 years before Christ by
the best feinale singers in Athens. This
inscription shows that the musical notes
to this hymn consisted of the letters Of
the Greek alphabet which were marked
upright, inverted or inclined to the right
or left TO Indicate. the various notes.
The voices and music were in unison.
The laws Of harmony were probably not
at that period Observation-Disclosures to
admit OF separate parts, although they
must have had ianlextremey acute and
we'll trained lear for they recognized q
distinct notes in an octave instead of II.
Thus was music bori. Of the diviner
nature OF man, and ever since has played
upon the humsn emotions, attuned to
the highest and best aspirations of the
individual or race to " hich they belong.
Church Music.
The subject CT church music is one that
has been much discussed and yet there
is room for improvement in this part of
the Sabbath service. Although the ser
mon or sery ice is The main part of the
worship. yet the music, if properly
lectej and carefully rendered, deserves
place. The ancient Jews believed them
selves actual Y in the presence OFF ehOvah.
If more Of the singers to-day would real
ize that singing is an act of worship in
stead of display, there would be less
opportunity for criticism and more good
music. Church music that is not reig-
ious is not artistic. Why not begin To
educate our congregations In better
class of music and better adaptation
OF the words? Personally | am
a bel ever in congregational singing
and although we may NOT have the facili-
ties, pipe organand orchestra, or voices
sufficient in number to render Gfegorian
chants as we would hear them at St.
Peters, Rome, or st. Pduls, London; yet
much can be done toward raising the