The age-herald., 1900-04-29

them. Thomas definition was only partly serious While 1t did not fit altogether, it might be taken, in a measure at least, as true. Popular music, however, as generally understood by educated persons, is made up of simple ballads and tune music free from intricate harmony, light operatic music, marches militaire and dance music Beethoven's fifth symphony, with it's note of sorrow, its profound emotion, and its majestic sweep, would unquestionably come under the head of popular music, according to Thomas's definition; for it Is loved alike by the professional musician and the ann ateur. But strictly speaking, it is not called popular.
 The so-called rag-time music does not come under the head of popular music. Neither has mauding, driveling, sentiment tai music any standing in art. Rag-time music is characterized by limping, feeble rhythm, or, rather, no rhythm at all. It is rubbish and worse than rubbish It is pos< itively vitiating. It does as much harm to music as vulgar fiction does to literature. The slangy "coon' songs are not only coarse, but many of them are indecent in their suggestiveness. The music dealer may have the rag-time business catalogued as popular music of the day." but popular trash of the day" would be more nearly correct.
 Many of the plantation songs are fine and belong to art; not to the highest art, but to art. Down on the Sewanee River" Master s in the Cold, Cold Ground" and songs of that class will live and deserve to live. In these familiar ballads we have sentiment and pathos, but no maudlin sentimentality In the text of these songs not an unrefined word will be found and the melody Is good.
 Ragtime Critic
 A few weeks ago I was in the writing room of the Morris hotel and happened to overhear this conversation between two young men, presumably commercial trav- elers: John - of Atlanta plays rag time music better than any pianist ever listened to-" said No. 1.
 "Ah, did not know he was such a pi- anist," replied No. ?.
 "Yes, and this rag-time music is not easy to play continued No. 1. Why, Paderewski, one of the greatest perform CTS in the world, could not begin to play it in the way 1t should be played"
 The man who made this remarkable statement spoke with the air of authori- ty Well he was no more ignorant than many other men of intelligence generally. But his notion about piano performance struck me as singularly absurd. If one were to say that Rabbi Newfeld, or the Rev. Dr. Curry or J. A. Van Hoose could read Holy Writ well, but could not read correctly page of dime novel or a column of Billingsgate, the statement would not seem more stupid than that made by the rag-time critic. Dr. New field, Dr. Curry and MT. Van Hoose and all other cultured men could read trashy stuff, but they wouldn't. Why should they? It certainly would not be to their taste. Paderewski could play rag-time pieces, but he will never drop so low as to do it. He would not hesitate to play Down on the Sewanee River" or any other good, pathetic air. In fact, Pade- rewSki has played Down on the Sewanee River" in public more than once. But "coon" songs? Never!
 The subdivision
 Returning to the topic of popular music, meaning good popular music, it might be well to make a subdivision. Light classic -----~-~-------~--->~-~>~>
 Continued on Page Thirteen)