New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-06-04

FOR COURSE OF. STUDY-VON
rrNz AND THE vIRTUosI-A
STORY OF CHOPIN AND
GEORGE sAND-NoTEs
OF NEWS.
During the summer of this year Ine tribune wiz
attempt to be Of especial assistance 10 'ne .ue'
which. under an impulse that has been ama1neH
fruitful OF results have organized for the stuoy anu
Dractice OF music An article In this journal re"
Gently directed attention to the magnitude OF tue
wonan's Musical Club movement. There are III
,ha limited States about three hundred OF THESE
organizations, with a total membership OF a' rus
fifteen thousand. few Of these CLUBS are iaiso
bodies with hundreds Of associate or contrpu'ns
members whose only practical participation IN 'he
work done lies in attendance on meetings anu .no
sunport of musical enterprises brought 10 tho
homes OF the clubs under their auspices Inc
smaller clubs are composed chiefly OF women VINO
provide their own entertainments ana seek " 10
mutually helpful in advancing an unoers'ahue
of the art. The methods that have been resof'e' ~
have been various the most general pelhs INC
ARRANGEMENT of a series of programmes TO cover
the meetings OF the club so as TO give consioe'a-
ton to a single composer at each meetins anu "
preface the musical entertainment WIN poei "p
fcal account Of the composer TINS may oe uo
scribed as the simplest form Of the enort 10 com
bine intellectual with sensuous delights o'heI
clubs extended this form OF study 10 groups OF
composers representing periods OF time or schoois
OF composition and still others to the evolution OF
the larger forms of the art, such as the SONATA
the symphony and the opera. SUBJECT "h..'
had wide fascination was Nationai ana io'n
music and much labor was done In the hope
of acquiring information about the aporsihai
music Of America and also about the songs Oh
the negro slaves in the United States. The pup
lie libraries throughout the country nave iet inns
demand for information hitherto almost wnony
neglected and have put forth EFFORTS 10 sausiy
~ finding some help. no doubt. In the
..Bibography Of Music edited by George lies
and published by the American Library AS
sociation. and also the list issued at intervals by
Charles Scribners Sons. In these actNities' do
well as the unwonted enterprise OF publishers !"
bringing out musical books which has marked 'he
last two years profound and widespread awah-
eping of interest in the musical art Is no'lceaoe'
The v6rx Of the clubs will be resumed In the
autumn with rev ZEAL and II is The Tribunes oe-
sire TO be helpful In that work. OUTSIDE ol uio
field OF biography and the science OF music '.ie
studies which the clubs ought 10 make cannot NC
carried on without a great deal OF research ia
provinces which are at once unfamiliar ana diiii-
cult of access Especially Is this true in the oe-
partment which seems 10 have the greatest fasci-
nation for the clubs. few years ago writer vi
music discovered that more than half OF MS "o'h-
ing hours spent In the opera house or concert
ou,ry from persons mostly women. concerning
sources OF information about Indian. Negro Greek
Russian Chinese Hindoo music and the ike.
about the cradle songs of the world, the oest
methods TO be pursued in getting up an educauohai
concert or writing lecture In all TINS there was
less cause for special wonder at the fact that the
REQUESTS were made than at the form and scope OF
some of the requests The majority OF seekers were
willing 10 be satisfied with the title of "a book or
"the book" in which they fancied the knowledge
of the world on the subject must have been proueht
together Some wanted list OF books and articles.
together with few suggestions as to how 10 20
about the writing OF the paper which had 10 be
read or the lecture which must be delivered others
wanted all this and some specimens Of music which
could be used In illustration and one Jealous soul
from near the meridian Of Boston was willing 10
have her correspondent write the essay for her IN
his own style (as being easier than to tell her
how 10 write IT, and she promised TO read 1t just
as she got 1t, and to remain ever so much
Obliged" for an unmentioned space Of time. 1t is
10 give a helping hand 10 all serious students that
The Tribune will undertake series Of STUDY
articles to appear in the Sunday issue throughout
the summer. In a general way II may be SAID
that the topics which Will receive attention VIII
practically cover everything that enters into the
history and aesthetics of music. The science must
be left TO the teachers. A beginning will be made
with National and folk music and the plan pur-
sued in its treatment will be followed as a rule In
the other cases. An attempt will be made 10 lay
down some general principles to serve as guides
In the study-ts connection with ethnoogy. for in
stance and the influence OF the forms created by
the people upon the art invented and developed by
the artist: also 10 point the direction in which
the characteristic elements OF folk music. melodic
rhythmic and psychologist. are TO be sought
This done attention will be invited to the presence
OF characteristic elements in the folk music OF
various people-Russians Scandinavians Germans
Trfch alch O1liS
henians modern Greeks Hindoos, Chinese, etc.
and how these elements have influenced Nationa
schools OF composers. There will be copious refer
ences to authorities every point treatises ant
collections Of melodies, and with the courteous as
sstance of the librarians in the principal cities II
the country 1t is hoped 10 check the photographed
list which will go with every step of the study, 81
that readers may know where the authorities ma,
be consulted Besides the various departments o
National and folk music the plan contemplates tn
following and other topics Ancient Music. Orienta
Music. Medieval Music. Opera and Lyric Drama
oratorio and Cantata, Suite. symphony and Sym
phonic Poem. Schools OF Music Composition
Classical and Romantic Music Programme Music
the Orchestra. the Pianoforte and its Precursors
Musical Biography and Richard Wagner.
Preliminary to the series proper, The Tribun
to-day offers the following photograph list tn
titles Of which will be cited chiefly in articles O.
national and folk music with reference so far a
is possible. TO the Libraries where the books ma
be consulted:
TREATISES.
Hopkins. A. j. "A Description and History o
the Pianoforte." etc. New-York, Noveiio, Ever
Co.
Mathews. w. S. B. "A Hundred Years Of Musi
in America" Chicago, 1889.
Famous Composers and Their Works" Boston
Rimbauit Edward F Tho Pianoforte: It's Orr
gin" etc London. 1850.
shedlock. ]. 8. "The Pianoforte Sonata" Lon
don. 1885.
Weitzmann c. F. History of Pianoforte Play
Ing" etc. New-York.
Saalsch0tz Joseph Levin. "Geschichte un
Wurdigung der Musk bel den Hebrarn." Berlin
1&s
Baker. Theodor. "Ceber die Musk der Nord
arnerikanischen Widen" Leipsic. 1882
.