The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-04-16


man character and culture. They had an
idea that Europeans who could sing or play
upon instruments were born with music In
their souls; just as II this were not more
or less true Of all civilized beings. When
the practical question of educating their
enlloren arose, American parents Of a past
generation never, as 4 rule, thought of
music as being anything more than a light
accomplishment, about on par with dane
ing and fancy needle work. It might do
very well for girls to take lessons" and
strum on the piano or sing songs, for past
time. But for a boy-a manly youth--to
learn to play on the plano, the violin or the
cornet or to give any time seriously to tho
cultivation of his voice, nothing could be
more frivolous A boy who cared for music
or who happened to crave a musical educa-
ton was looked upon as a failure. He
could come to no good end.
And this was all natural enough, perhaps;
for in the pioneer boys of America our
forefathers had to bend their energies so
earnestly to unitarian enterprises that not
much time could be spared in any thing 50
spiritual or, as they supposed, so trivial as
music.
1t was the same thing with regard to
what was known as liberal education
The colleges were only intended, 1t was
thought, for young men who were to be-
come lawyes, physicians or theologians. As
for the boy who was to become a farmer or
business man, wasting his time on the
exact sciences or the humanities was simp-
ly out of the question Well fortunately
for the future of society, Americans are
rapidly outgrowing the old narrow ideas
with regard to education. The perfecting
of the public school system and the popu-
larity of schools of technology and higher
education will soon put Americans abreast
of the Germans and English in theoretical
and technical knowledge. All this advance
along the line of education is the result
largely of wealth accumulation For an
improved worldly condition is invariably
followed by culture. And as Americans
have outgrown their old notions about
education, so are they outgrowing their
old ideas about music too. 1t is only with
in a very recent period that music has
come to have a serious place in the edu-
cational system of this country. Every
body cannot be q Virtuoso. Everybody
cannot be- musical artist. 1t is not de-
manded that many should be musicians in
the professional sense. But 1t Is important
that every American youth who has edu-
cational advantages should acquire not only
a taste for music but practical skill in
music and some knowledge of the theory
of musical science, just as 1t is expected
that every boy and girl who goes to school
will cultivate taste for poetry and ac-
quire some knowledge of history. The time
must come when no man or woman In the
United States can be considered well edu-
Gated without broad knowledge of music,
as is the case in Germany today.
The famous universities of Europe i'll
cude in their equipment a chair of music,
and those institutions confer, of course,
musical degrees. The university of Heidel-
berg confers the degree of doctor of phil
osophy for music alone. But the student
who takes Phi. D. for music must not only
compose several works of decided merit,
but he must be able to write learned trea-
toe md Loot N a SCHOLARLY
the science and the history of music. In
other words he must be a man of pretty
thorough culture. In this country Harvard
and Columbia and other institutions or
learning now pay much attention to music,
and the day is not distant when no Ameri-
can university will be considered first class
unless it has a chair of music, and offers a
musical doctorate.
The foundation for musical culture in
every country is the oratorio or festival So
ciety Any community which has largo
and effective chorus is almost sure to have
a musical atmosphere. In such commu-
nifty church music will be at its best. Lit
urgical music as well as hymn tunes Will
be properly sung. The best operas will be
appreciated, and by and by the symphonies
of Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven. Will be
heard sympathetically and intelligently.
Another matter of great Importance is
the music in the public schools. When the
study of music is made compulsory, as 1t is
in the public schools of Birmingham, then
chorus work of the highest efficiency must
follow Take as a practical example or
the benefit of school music, the childrens
chorus which is to render Into the World
at the festival. This chorus was recruited
almost entirely from the public schools.
Every one of the juveniles. on coming to
rehearsal, could read music and knew now
to sing Hence the festival directors work
was comparatively easy. Had 1t not been
for the systematic training in music which
the children received at school, 1t would
have been impossible, in the short time at
his disposal, for the director to teach them
the notes of this cantata- And music lovers
who attend the festival would have missed
one of its most charming features When
the school children grow up they will fur
nish ready material for choir and oratorlo
work. The charal societies will thus be
able to accomplish more in two or three
months than they did in eight or nine
months in other days.
Certainly Birmingham is to be congratu-
lated upon the position it has taken In the
musical world. From the present outlook,
1t will only be a question of time when 1t
will have something of the eminent rank as
a festival community that its namesake In
England enjoys; for the older Birmingham.
Industrial city though it be, has conspic-
uous place in every musical cyclopedia on
account of its historic festivals
After the Call
IRON, Prooklvn life.