New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-04-24
MUSICAL COMMENT.
SOME WORDS ON NEGRO MUSIC

An Interesting experiment In National music wal
made at the last concert OF the Mendessohn Glee
Club. the entire second part Of the programme.
saving the solo numbers being devoted to what
may be called a study OF Afro-American music.
Mr.. Arthur Mees took six real fok-songs. set them
for mems voces. and. then, for purposes OF COM
parison. had the club sing arrangements by Mr..
Van der stucken OF two Of Stephen {. Fosters
minstrel songs THE Old Folks at Home" and
MY Old Kentucky Home" The genuine negro
melodies. from the collection OF Mr. Krehbie were
80 Brudder william" Nobody Knows" Freely
CO. marching along" Weeping Mary" IN hear
that trumpet sound and Roll, Jordan. rolr'
mot the familiar hymn, but one beginning My
brudder sitting on the tree OF life'). For the In
formation Of the listeners Mr.. Mees printed thu
following note in the book OF words:
first and last only are arrangements Of authentic
negro melodies. These are iI the literal sisnaca.
doubtless ,extemporised BY individuals particularly
capable Of SWING atteranee to the sm9ipna fs
rhythmic and melodc peculiarities point to African
S asd "nS sas pee"
tradition until Win the abolition Of ssyery The
Gn re ons 70 n The group
though Of recent origin ana Without any OF Ine
Isrity that they are generally regarded folk
songs They are included In this programme to
AFFORD opportunity for comparison
we have thus had our attention again drawn 20
the artistic value OF the musical material created
BY the negroes In America. and the occasion seems
favorable for few observations on subject
which has been needlessly obfuscated by the ma
tority OF those who have written about II. In the
last number of 1.-The Musical Record" published
in Boston and edited by Mr.. Philip Hale, an en-
tirely proper observation by Mr.. Vernon Blackburn
N tho effect that National music was interesting
in the degree that 1t good art or capable OF
being used as the foundation OF good art, Is made
the text for this astounding nisstatement OF the
aims OF the writer's who have tried to call the at
tentlon Of American composers TO the elements
available for art in the songs created py the oiacK
people In America:
The American folklorists in music argue that our
only National music" Is composed OF negro tunes,
American Indian tunes and creole tunes; tnat an
thematic foundations. beautiful and patriotic
theory. Suppose you happen 70 De az american, se
b oor aa'f Indian nor creole why should you en
be compelled TO recognize these tunes as Amen ,
folk-songs"? There Is no such thing as an Ameri-
can folk-song.
To the pathetic inquiry Of THE Records" editor
It may be answered that II the fact that thing
Is In obvious existence Is not sufficient reason for
its recognition by one who undertakes 70 enhgh'en
the public about II. other form OF compulsion
would be avaing. A specimen OF the thing when
does not exist. according to the ipse dixit OF Mr..
Hale. is printed herewith. 1t is one OF the
Glee Club. 1t sung by negro slaves In Boyle
County KY fifty years ago. and. in all probability,
many years before then. II old not come from
Africa though of its characteristic elements
may have come from there We are not concerned
with IL lust now as national music qua national
music" as Mr. Vernon Blackburn would say, but
because in the hands Of Mr.. Mees and the voices
of his singers II has disclosed itself TO be good
artistic materiai-material Of the KIND that can Dc
utilized to give character and distinction TO body
of music exploiting the higher forms OF the ART.
IL might be used a text for disqusition wnich
should aim to prove that there was neither I'M
becillty nor moral obquity IN Dr. Dvoraks sug-
gestlon TO Young American composers to study the
songs of the Afro Americans and utilize their char
acteristcs
What are these characteristics? In the same
number of THE Musical Record" Mr.. Rupert
Hughes writes entertainlngly and approximately OF
the rhythmical device popularity spoken OF as
ragtme" and expresses the belief that our COM
posers having hitherto ignored this and other
elements OF negro music which are full Of COM
Melting charm the negroes themselves Will rise to
the emergency and develop the vast potential Sig
nificance OF their own school" This because the
tunes which have the popular ear just now are
yitalixed by the rag" rhythm and are the products
of black composers. or this element there Is no
need to speak now. When the agitation of the sub
iect came into notice few years ago dt began
long before Dr. Dvorak wrote his American
works. Mr. Hale thought 1t was mons'rousiy di-
yertng that the Scotch snap should De caiied
either American negro Mr. Hughes now tells sim
that .ragtime' (Which is only development OF this
rvthmcal device-bless hlsinnocent SOUL eighteenth
century opera music is full of tn is IAN effort to
translate TO the piano the dancerhythm. the banjo
accompaniment and the almost inarticulate uuia-
ton of the negro he expressed himseit on the
plantation.r Let that suffice. more interesting
s,,av of the genuine Afro-American folksong Oct
rs try compromise term might be based on Its
meodie or ntervallic peculiarities. Here are Tour
scales which we have found to be used with ire
oi,ency by the creators of the negro songs