The record-union., 1899-09-03

say. two hours each day in learning
This means an expenditure Of 100000
hours-equivalent to 100000 working
days of eight hours each-spent every
day in the British Isles in learning the
piano To what purpose he demands.
is this waste and then goes on to say
that probably onein every 10000 proves
a good player, and with the excep-
tion of this small fraction of 200 out OF
100000, the net result is the turning
loose of 1899, 500 bad musicians to
torture their family. their friends and
their neighbors, and generally to make
life hideous."
The Germans say "Whistling is for
children" Paderewski goes even fur
ther and says that man should have
right to shoot on the spot any one
who whistles.
Sousa. our popular march-king, is of
a different opinion, and he expresses
his views in a recent issue of the PA
cific Monthly" He believes that 'in
no other nation is the love of music so
universal as in America, and one of
his proofs is this:
THE newsboy whistles as he goes
upon his errands, bubbling over with
strains of the day. The infectious mel
odies are taken up, passed on and on
until even sedate and dignified business
and professional men permit themselves
to become young again, and whistle the
pent-up melodies.
y
Here are some thoughts" by Camille
Saint-Saens. the celebrated itinerant
composer:
THE craze for quick movement, so
prevailing to-day. destroys all musical
form and degrades music to the level
of confusing and meaningless noise;
leaving on the mind no other impress
sion than that of rhythm, and this
alone is very little"
Listening to music, which till lately
was one of the greatest pleasures, is
now gradually becoming one of the
most laborious occupations"
"A great complication in the musical
texture may please cultivated minds.
but it is not all proof of aesthetic
merit; simplicity of style is quite as
beautiful. and has the additional ad-
vantage of pleasing a greater number
of people"
Heinrich Zoellner. who was the con-
ductor of the Liederkranz Society.
New York. until he returned to Ger
many three years ago, has composed the
score to the opera founded on Haupt-
mann's THE Sunken Bell" The work
is in five acts and will be given first
in Leipsic.
James w. Morrissey plans to give a
series of operatic and musical per-
formances in Saratoga and at Lake
George this summer. He will have
the services of Camille d'Arville, Glenn
entine de We're and an orchestra under
the direction Of George Sauer of the
Boston Symphony Orchestra.
An English musical journal contains
the following interesting advertise
ment: Songs to order, with either
English, French or Spanish words. on
any subject desired. Charges moderate.
Deposit, shillings pence on each
order. Money will be refunded if the
melody does not please"
Musical America: Let a child be edu-
Gated in Bach atmosphere, and it will
soon learn to love and understand the
father OF architectural music. OF it's
own accord, it will set aside Bach's
musical religion as something not to
be approached without reverence and
respect knowledge can come only
with experience, years of application
and earnest thought. But if love and
respect for the old master are sown
in the child's mind. understanding of
his works will come with ripper years
and maturer intelligence.
When it becomes a question of form
ing the taste of a person already ad-
vanced in years the difficulty is
more serious one. and often impossible
of accomplishment. In music it is
much the same as in other matters. If
positive taste has been formed it
may resist every experiment and re-
main what it is. But most cases are
not quite hopeless. One of the most
serious obstacles confronting the adult
is a mental condition which Time has
wrought-that stubbornness which ap-
pears when youthful elasticity no
longer exists.
When childhood is past, unconscious
development of taste is impossible. No
longer is it a quality gathering strength
and character from many sources with
out apparent method and effort It's
limitations are easily determined: and
what it is to-day or will be tomorrow
can be measured with considerable ac-
curacy. There seems to be but one
rational course to pursue