The St. Louis Republic., 1900-09-02

u
desire. All want is a whole ,ot. that's all:
I'll take you down in shorthand. SO that
you'll be sure you're quoted right. What.
for instance, Is the condition of politics In
Talked About Music.
"Mr. Ingalls, looked me over with quiz
zical smile. uncrossed his legs and crossed
them the other way. cleared his throat and
said: :,
music of the German schools find myself
sion. the warmth. the melody. the heart
interest, the humanness, SO to put II, OF
italian music appeal to- me strongly, ana
scmstimes .1d I,e nave inspired me S To- .. ,,,d
be delight to listen to, Senator. inter-
rupted, did one not particularly want to
ind out something at first as to the condi-
tion of politics in the State Of Kansas.
and sometimes have inspired me to
dream that, with the vast annual influx OF
Italians to these shores. We Americans shall
worthy to class with the most eminent
Italian masters of the amiable and elevating
art of music. Yet. for all that, fear that
there is a soporific and saccharine quality in
the great bulk of italian operate music.
Il is too sugary. most of 1t. 1t appeals TO
the senses, but not TO the intellect Therein
and German music German music-the
music of Wagner. we will say-appeals d.
rectiy and eonvincingly to the intellect 1t
is neither tawdry nor naudlin. 1t contain
eth no candied baliades to my lady's eye
brows. 1t is masculine music. whereas
much of the Italian music. me;Odious as 1t
be effeminate. Put Verdfs Aida beside
Wagner's Lohengrin'; both works are mas
terpieces. Well. Aida is Nile music; il is
dreamy; it Is the last note on the languor-
GUS in music: II affects one IKE heavy.
heady old wine; the melody r. almost too
overpoxering for endurance. Aida affects
so. some women men Ike too-heavy fragrance 81
at times as clear and cool as a mountain
lake. Whatever of sensuousness IL possess
es is the sensuousness OF the open air. Of
the meadow and forest; II is healthy: 1t Is
vital; II is strong; 1t is sometimes brutally
masculine. There are notes IN 1t that sound
like whitecaps Of joy bursting on rockbound
escaping from a drawing-room wherein all
of the perfumes known to femninity are
fighting for the mastery into a cool space
wherein blow the COOL healthfui zephyrs-
of the night-wrapped woodland
Couldn't Change Subject.
Thus ingalls, went on for half an hour
or more. know that 1t would be purely
ject of politics. Moreover enjoyed study
ing the wonderful versatility of the man.
had never heard him utter a word. publicly
or privately. that would lead any one to tn
fer that he knew the difference between
the Old Kentucky Home and The Pill
grins' Chorus from Tannhauser. and here
he was-just for the sake Of tanning me,
well knew, and diverting himself at the
same time-talking of the demi-gedS of mu-
sic In manner that clearly showed him
absolutely familiar with hts subject. 1t was
all very delightful. and i listened on. as
one in a sort of trance. When he reached
his final pause, however. and turned to me
with another of those shrewd, quizzical
smiles of bis I played a little card Of my
own on an instant's thought.
That's mighty hot stun. Senator said
/. 1T beats anything you could have said
on politics all hollow. / can dress up this
talk of yours on Music into about two
double-leaded columns, and itn sure make
room and
But Ingalls, had me by the arm and de-
tained me. 1t was all good-natured. OF
course, but he saw that I had the whip
hand, and he proceeded to give me scoop
talk on politics. State and national. that
was quoted all over the country for weeks
afterwards"