The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1898-03-28
PROF. SANDERS LECTURE
LAST OF THE SERIES ATSHEFFIELD
SCIENTIFIC SCHOoL.

"The village and Folk Songs of Southern
India" His Very Interesting Subject.
Was Illustrated by Voice and Piano Ac-
companiment-The Songs We're Collected
While an Instructor in Jaffra College.
The last in the series of Sheffield lee
lures was delivered Friday night by
Professor F. X. Sanders in North Shelf
field hall. His subject was 1.-THE Viii
lage and Folk Songs of Southern In
dia." Professor Sanders on being grad
uated from Yale, 'S2, spent four years
in India as an instructor at Jaffra coll
lege in Northern Ceylon, and the songs
which he described were those which
he himself learned directly from the
people. They were illustrated by piano
accompaniment.
Prof. Saunders address follows:
The subject I have chosen for this
evening-the Village and Folk Songs Of
Southern India-is a theme which de-
serves truly artistic treatment 4
cannot claim the ability to do it justice
but feel sure that the intrinsic inter-
est of the subject will overbalance any
deficiencies in it's redition.
By way of self defense may be par
doned for alluding to the chain Of cir
cumstances which interested me in the
poetry and music of that far off land
was invited in 1SS2--on being grad
uated from college-to spend four years
In India as an instructor at Jaffra coll
lege in Northern Ceylon. My duties
were wholly in English, SO that did
not quickly acquire the language
spoken by the natives there-the Tamil
attracted, however, by the claims Of
my students regarding the literary
beauties of their native tongue took
up the serious study of the Tamil, and
soon became able to read it and to UNI
derstand those who used it. This OPEN
ed for me many lines of enjoyable in
vestigatiop; while searching one day,
in native book store for some ancient
poems discovered a copy of work
on South Indian Folk Songs. It was not
very satisfactory in itself but it served
to arouse my interest in this sort OF lit.
| erature. Unfortunately only a few
months remained Of my four years and
the difflculty-as you will see-of ac-
| curing the actual specimens was very
| great and realized as left that Z had
but gotten a tantalizing glimpse Of q
! remarkably rich and fruitful field 81
| investigation. In spite Of these draw
backs, however, was able to secure
| some examples Of folk music which
have at least the merits of uniquenessF
and interest. 1t may seem SURPRISING
| that others-missiona are members
| of the civil service or scholars have
not explored SO tempting field for res
search more fully. 1t must be remem-
| bered, however, that there are few who
| have both the opportunity and the out
| fit for doing this, and these few are al
most invariably engrossed by other
and more important interests Aside
from many communications Of varying
Importance in Oriental journals con-
| tributed by those who have observed
certain phases Of folk music T know
only Of two who have carefully treated
the subject. For Southern India MI.
Irwin of the Indian civil service some
20 years ago contributed a valuable
study of a very general scopea work
I
10 Whlcn l am considerably indebted
ana Tor Northern India wealthy and
distinguished native OF Bengal, Rajah
Slr Soumloro Mohum Togore, mas pub
| llshed a series OF valuable studlessor Is
| more technical character. 1t has been
my purpose TO follow the lead OF the
former authority and to give, not sell
entlhc dlsqu1sltion upon the music o.
the Hlndus, SO much as a vivid presen-
tatlon OF their musical IDEAS and Gus
toms.
In FAIRNESS to the Hindus themselves
must confess that would not be &C
cepted as qualified exponent OF the
Hindu art OF singing, and this Tor a.
variety OF reasons, my voice is pitcn-
ed on a low key while true Hindu arr
list sings falsetto. Again 1t IS easier Tor
me to sing with a piano while Hindu
would prefer to use drum (snaped
like an hourglass and beaten with the
nngers) or pair OF hand cympais- ne
does not care for an accompaniment
properly speaking; ne merely wishes ~
beat the time. But the last and NEST
important reason is that no American
| Imitation OF Hindu methods ever sue
ceeds in being other than cartcature.