The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-04-02
FOR MUSIC'S SAKE
Music Teachers Association
Welcomed by Governor
Splendid Papers Read Yesterday Morning and
Afternoon. Mr.. BurmsiStei' Piano
Recital Last Night.

The North Carolina Music Teachers
Association was welcomed yesterday
morning by Governor Aycock and held
their first days session under most au-
spicious circumstances in the Academy
of Music. President George p. Mccoy,
of Charlotte, presided. At the morning
and afternoon sessions papers were read
and discussed, and last night Mr.. Rich
ard Burmeister, assisted by Mr.. Clar-
ence de Wand Roger, gave piano recital
before a large audience, which appreciat-
ed the grand effort to the fun.
Gov Aycock in his address of welcome
yesterday morning said that he had been
considerably surprised when ne was first
invited to address a music teachers as
sociation, but when he noticed that the
date was April 1st he thought it an April
fool joke, and his hearers no doubt
thought a joke had been played on them
inviting him. The Governor spoke of his
love for music and appreciation of its
influence for good, but confessed his ig
norarce of it as an art and compared it
OF the ladies. We could not pretend to
under stand them, but the last one of us
appreciated and loved them.
1t was most happy speech, and was
we'll received.
Prof Gilmore Ward Bryant, of the
Southern Conservatory of Music at Dur
ham, made the response in behalf of the
association in a brief but exceedingly
appropriate speech.
e h. fonR 1tvr
Of the State Normal and Industrial Col
lege, read the first paper on "Music in
the Public Schools the True Basis for
General Music Culture" Some extracts
from his paper follow:
"What is the responsibility of the
music teacher in his community? Is he
to be held responsible merely for the
technical and artistic training of the few
who are especially under his tuition or
should he, to certain extent be held ac-
ccuntable for the standards of art which
prevail within the range of his influence?
Is no one responsible for the prevalence
in most of our churches, social gather
ings and homes Of a class of music that
cannot command the approval Of any
professional musician or cultured anna
tuer? Why should the otherwise we'll
educated pastor of a large and cultured
church ask of his choir that after his
sermon they shall sing one of those emo
tlonal religious ballads which he imag
ines to be supplement and finish to his
sermon, or that the services in his
church shall open and close with fantas-
tic sacred ditties filled with meaningless
synccpations and ending with the omni-
,l,Is -,
DUN vocal accompaniment? | ask is no
one responsible for this condition of
things, or for the general preference of
the public for the coon song or the rag
time cake walk? l am impelled to be-
lieve that some one is responsible, and
that primarily we, who are the keepers
and dispensers of the sacred mysteries,
are the culprits. If this is the fact, then
the question arises: How can we meet
this great responsibility and how combat
this great wrong?
''Shall we enter the lists and argue the
question with the public, the congrega-
ton, the pastor? No, for we must not
forget that they have no technical forma-
tior by which to comprehend our argu-
ments, while from their standpoint they
tc be had, for do they not hear for them
selves, and do not some of them sing the
aforesaid music themselves? They are
convinced out of their own mouths.
What need have they of further wit
nesses?' Shall we then invite them to
tries of recitals, where he shall hear
nothing but the elevating and uplifting
in music?' "
The speaker called the attention TO the
difference between the music standards
in Germany and America, claiming that
the standards of the former were not
higher because of greater general cul-
ture,, or because the Germans are by ma
ture more musical than Americans. but
because the German school boy and girl
are taught to read music at an age when
time is plentiful, and when the mind is
specially receptive, thereby surrounding
them with musical atmosphere which
stimulates the desire for freater musi-
cal culture.
Concluding, he said:
Each one of us has influence in his
own community which this body can
WELD a vast influence throughout the
State, and we should use that influence
| to create demand that music (siGht