The Jersey City news., 1899-12-14
DAY OF music.
Odd Volumes Deal With
Musical Authors at
Mrs. Stevens Yes
terday.
FOUR BOOKS REVIEWED
Mrs. Slater's Essay on Negro
Folk Song Mrs. Stew
ems Luncheon.

Odd Volume day dawned yesterday with
musical programme. The meeting was
held at the residence of Mrs. Frank
Stevens, No. Is Clifford avenue, where the
attendance was quite as good as the pro-
gramme, one of the best for this season.
Mrs. Stevens preceded the regular meet
ing with a delightful little luncheon to.
four of the Odd Volume members and
three guests, among whom were Mrs.
Cecilia Gaines Holland, President; Mrs.
Charles Calvin Stimets. Mrs. Henry Vail
Condict, Miss Buffet. Mrs. Cynthia West
over-Alden of the New York Tribune"
Mrs. Donning and Mrs. Healy of Brook
lyn. The luncheon was held at Mrs. Stew
ems residence at half-past twelve and
proved most enjoyable affair.
There was an unusually large number
of guests at yesterdays meeting. AS
stated before the programme was on
Music" and was voluntarily illustrated
here and there in the most delightful
manner.
Mrs. Talbot Chambers had the first pa
per. 1t was a review of Henderson's
4What is Good Music?" According to
the author good music must be studied
by close application to the compositions
Of the masters and the laws which govern
the art
In listening to music one should be able
to detect whether these laws were broken
or carried out. Henderson divides music
into three departments, form, melody and
harmony. Form is the conception of the
notes and rhythm, melody is the simple
air, and harmony is the grouping together
of all. Melody is the simplest form of
music, and symphony is the most COM
plex form. Song accompaniment is Of the
most Importance to music. A history Of
the opera from its first. or recitative per-
iod to its fourth, or romantic period, was
also given, and the. speaker went on to
say that the first thing in music was its
laws and second it's performance In
listening to orchestral music, a good
musician should be able to identify every
instrument Paderewski, the author
thought most wonderful, because of his
emotion, light and shade to gether with
his technique.
Beethoven and His Nine Symphonies
was discussed by Mrs Pitcher. She spoke
of the composers first works in c minor,
and passed on to the compositions, writ
ten in a state of dependency when
period was his emotional period when he
wrote a composition in honor Of Napo-
leon, afterwards becoming so disgusted
with Napoleon as Emperor that he deter
mined to destroy it, but was restrained.
AT the time Of the battle of Waterloo,
when asked what he was going to do with
his composition, he replied that he had al
ready composed Napoleon's Funeral March,
and Mrs. John Headden, third and Mrs.
Frank Cavalli rendered duet illustrating
the march, after which the speaker con-
tinued reviewing the other six SYM
phonies.
Mrs. Frank Cavalli discussed Sym
phonies and Their Meaning" (Goepp). In
this work the author claims all that
pieases is not good music. The utterance
and feeling, as well as the circumstances
governing its composition must be taken
into consideration. Haydn was mention
ed as the first composer to put mood in
motion. Haydn's music was likened to
that of the child, Mozart to that of the
youth, and Schubert to that of the man.
composed 334 songs. Mendelssohn is con-
sidered the greatest orchestral composer.
Miss Ethel Newcomb, who was guest
at the meeting, and who has studied
abroad. gave some valuable hints as to
the different composers.
Mrs: John Headden, third, reviewed
Music. and Manners in the Classical
Period" CKrehbiel) This book consisted
of groups of essays. 1t gave history of
last eentury's singers and concluded with
biography of Beethoven.
Mrs. c. Howard Slater gave an essay on
Negro Folk Song In this the negro
she said was like the composers in two
things, soul and emotion, but lacked edu-
cation and development Negroes were
fast, however, losing their individuality
and adopting the songs of the whites.
Negro music Mrs. Slater said, was ali
written In four scales, mostly taking the
black key on the piano. These songs were
mainly spiritual and accompanied by the
clapping of the hands against the hips
Then there were the liberty and shouting
songs. Mrs Slater then illustrated
"Hoodoo Worship and a folk song, with
out accompaniment.
Miss S. c. Bere. musical editor from
New York. illustrated ''McDoweHs s
Dances" and the Odd Volumes adjourn
ed deciding to further their study of
music, December q, at the residence of
Miss Doremus, No. IL Gates avenue,