The Chilhowee echo. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1899-19??, 1899-11-04

comes to us from a different people, a
people far more light-hearted, though
they were brave and could be both
fierce and cruel, did occasion demand it.
Here is little bit that has a vein of
humor in it. 1t illustrates the place
song held in the life of the people in
other days. We are told that in some
places man who could not sing was
looked upon as we now look. upon one
who cannot read, so common, and 50
universally was song cultivated:
"Wolde to God it wolde please you some day,
ballad boke before me for to lay,
And learn me for to sing, re, mi, ia, SOL
And when fayle, bobbe me on the noll."
In the folk songs of New Mexico
songs which they must have gotten
through an intermingling of ancient
Spanish and American Indian, there is
no such thing as humor Though the
music, like most of the music of the folk
songs, is in major rather than in a
minor key, yet the song has oftener
than otherwise vein of sadness. This
is true both of the war songs and of the
love songs, and most of the folk songs
may be grouped under one or the other
of these heads. Here is an exquisite
bit finely illustrative of this:
30 love, your passion passes understanding
II understand it, yes, but twill not be
expressed.
Igo to hide your passion and your anguish,
There in the tomb, where only can / be at
rest.
All like him who has an harmonicaS
lAnd not the knowledge to play
So you, the world untuned to him forever,
Who feels, but feeling, has no power to say"
There may be the same depth Of pas
sion in this that there is in the fierce
chant: ''If we fall pierced with the
sword in the fight we shall baptize our
selves with our blood and die with joy
Gus heart" But how totally different
is both the method of expression and
the quality of the tone.
The effect of1thefolk music upon mod
ern music, ewhile not always distinctly
traceable, is nevertheless real; indeed
| it is vital. To see clearly what | mean
one has only to think of the effect Of
the Arthurian legends on the mind and
art of Tenryson, and of the Teutonic
!mxths llnan TIA Ia,aliG e Y. aszss
Grieg, possibly more than in any other
modern composer, the effect of folk mu-
sic can be most clearly seen. Here we
see man stepped in the folk music of
Norway. Although he acquired histech-
niqne in Germany and was powerfully
influenced by Mendelssohn, Chopin and
Schumann, nevertheless he preserves
the national flavor of Norway in a truly
wonderful manner. There is but one
way to account for this. He was a Nor
wegian by birth and at heart. He loved
his people and their ways, and the wild
flowers of folk song were planted in the
soil of his spirit to come forth with
more gorgeous coloring and with richer
perfume. 1t is here that we see the
value of folk music. 1t will repay study
for its own sake, for it is as pathetic as
the cry of child for its mother, and as
beautiful as the wild violets in the
springtime; but its chief value lies in
it's ability to enable the composer tc
preserve the national flavor of his mu
sic, and so give to the world not only
music, but his music, that note which
in the symphony of mankind it has beer
given his nation to sing.
In closing this brief summary, fol
summary it only is, one cannot discuss
so large theme with adequacy IN thu
brief time necessarily allotted to thi
paper, let me call your attentionfo jus
one ballad, form the folk song earl,
assumed. 1t comes to us from York
shire 1t is in the form of a duet, h
and she singing alternate verses:
THE SONG OF THE FARMERS SON.
Sweet Nellie, my hearts delight,
Be loving and do not slight
The proffcr 1 make
For modesty's sake:
l honor your beauty bright,
For love profess, can do no less;
Thou hast my favor won
And since see, Your modesty, pray you agre,
And fancy me, Though I'm but farmers sol
+, mol am lady gay, 1t is very well known,
may
Have men of renown in country or town;
So Roger, without delay,
Court Bridget or Sue, Kate, Nancy or Prue,
Their loves will soon be won;
But don't you dare to speak me fair,
As If I were at my last prayer, To marry
farmers son.
My father has riches in store,
Two hundred a year and more,
Besides sheep and cows, Carts, harrows an
plows;
His age is above three-score
And when he does die, Then merrily l.
Shall have what he has won,
Both land and kline, all shall be thine,
If thoult incline, and wilt be mine,
And marry Farmers son.
A fig for your cattle and corn;
Your proffered love l scorn;
'Tis known very well, My name it is Nell,
, And you're but pumpkin born.