The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-04-30
NO MUSIC IN "DINIE."
Elk Confederate Gives Theodore Thomas
Il Laurel Wreath for Not Playing 1t.

Il Laurel Wreath for Not Playing 1t.
Atlanta, Ga, April 20-For the in
ability of his band to play Dixie" the
popular Southern air, Conductor Theo-
dore Thomas was last night presented
with an immense laurel wreath by Capt
Joseph II. Burke, a prominent Confed-
crate veteran.
When the great orchestra came to At
lanta Monday the representative of one
of the daily papers interviewed Mr..
Thomas and asked him if his organiza-
ton could play Dixie" Mr.. Thomas
replied that his time had been spent in
training his men to play only the cream
of classical music, and that they did
not pander to the street music element
Last night at the close of the series
Capt. Burke presented Mr.. Thomas with
the wreath, saying:
''Some uncultured persons have thought
there was music in Dixie The music
ians of Atlanta have always known diff
ferent, and they wish to thank you for
enlightening them and the general pub
lie. Take this bit of laurel and wear it
as testimonial of your noble efforts
to show the masses what true music is
The affair has caused considerable sur
prise in veteran circles and no where
more than in the set of Capt. Burke. AT
the same time the musicians of the city
approve his action. and say the time has
come to drop patriotic idiocy for true
melody Washington Post.
To the Editor:
Kick the cringing cur, muzzle the OBJ
inf hn MT
thought in reading it. Allusion is made
to 1.-The prominent Confederate vet
eran'' who made himself so supremely
ridiculous at a cat-gut twanging and
horn-blowing entertainment in Atlanta
two or three nights ago, as reported in
the Washington Post of today.
That redoubtable veteran pos
ing as musical critic or rather as a
lineal descendant of Balaam's historic
saddle animal that had the gift of speech
as well as bray, should have been per
mitted to insult our people as he did
without going headlong out of the Win
dow, argues better for the patience than
the patriotism of the rest of the audi
ence. Think of this Confederate vet
eran" presenting laurel wreath to
'the first fiddle" of Yankee band of
MINISTRIES because forsooth he couldn't
or wouldn't deign to play the typical
tune of the section after casting slur and
insult upon it!
The thought occurs that he may not
have learned to take in the beauties of
this most inspiring of all national airs
in the thrilling days of the early sixties.
We have never heard the Confederate
soldier. prominent or private, who kept
step to it on the march or in the hour
of battle, who did not and we are fain
to believe that he who holds it up to de-
rision lin these weak, piping times OF
peace" never heard old Dixie except from
the rear when heroes were going to the
front. That was not a good standpoint
in those old days from which to appre
ciate the beauties of the glorious old
tune. 1t was always played in quick
or double quick, as good old fighting
English airs usually are, with none OF
the adagios and andantes Of Italy. That
sort of music may suit fiddlers and diet
tamil. It's rather too thin for soldiers
battling to the brink in 3; life and death
struggle. These last demand stronger
cuphonic pabulum than the ''merry
meetings" rung out by a pack of paid
minstrelsy in a music hall.
mo music in Dixie indeed. The
writer of this has heard the national
airs Of England, France and Germany
played in the gilded operate halls of
their respective capitals by bands of
more than national reputation with usual
stereotyped plaudit; but none has ever
evoked the free spontaneous outburst
of heart and enthusiasm that Dixie al
ways calls forth under all circumstances.
have heard it before cultured crowds
from the Massachusetts bay to the
Gulf. and from ocean to ocean, and
such response rarely fails. If memory
fails not, this is the same individual
who in like effusive grsh told Mr.. Nc
Kinley to fill every office in his gift with
negro appointees and the South would
not complain. If correct, there is dou-
Bile reason why he should be 'muzzled'
or expatrated to Devils Island, the
Philippines. Cape Cod Buzzard's Roost
or some other Outlying region,