The Washington times., 1903-06-28
Popular Song Writers.
Question as to Their Education and Res
finement Answered at Length.

unemenL answered at Length.
In these idle days of the merry sum-
mer, when the mosquito faints with dis
cOura cement because ''the rain it rain
eth every day and the golf player sal
lies forth in his winter sweater and with
arctics on his feet; when the cup hunt
ing ninety-footer yainly seeks for a
snorting breeze and loses her top
mast out of sheer establishment when a
six-knot catspaw comes along; when
people hug the fire in the evening and
tell Of the memorable sea bath they had
in the middle of May; when the roof
garden manager swears softly in his
beard and the surface railway company
locks all its closed cars safely in the
car barn-some people actually do not
seem to Know just what TO DO witt
themselves. Consequently they sit down
to write letters of inquiry 10 newspa-
pers. One or these has sent the follow
ing to the musical department of the
Sun"
Are the writer's of our popular senti-
mental songs men of education and re-
fnement, or do they belong as a rule TO
the lower strata Of society? / refer to
such weH-known song writer's as Charles
K. Harris, Paul Dresser. James Thorn
ton. Tony Stanford and the like. The
depth of pathos often manifested in their
songs would seem 10 indicate a knowl-
edge OF The deep emotions that stir
the human heart, set forth in a manner
true 10 nature.
Pleased to Know Them.
The musical editor OF the sun" is ex-
tremeIy glad to know that the gentlemen
whose names are given in this letter are
well-knOwn song writer's. He frankly
confesses that he never heard OF any enc
of them He does not know where their
songs are sung or who sings them He
does know where they are not sung, and
that is at concerts attended by people
of education and refinement.
Nevertheless, it does not follow that
these composers belong as a rule TO the
lower strata OF society" There are some
fairly educated men who could write ar
tisticalIy if they wished TO do so. but
who do not wish it. They prefer 10
write inartisticaIly and 10 lay before
the easy going public false pathOs. shall
low sentimentality and mighty poor
tunes. mostly stolen from better ones
by real composers. simply because by
pursuing this course they can make
much money.
The music editor Of the sun" can
not answer the question asked by this
correspondent. His acquaintance among
composers does not 90 lower than the
writer's OF the so-called comic operas"
and that is quite low enough. But,
nevertheless. something may be said in
regard TO the comment made by The
author of the letter.
Nature of Popular Song.
Is it necessary that man should
have education and refinement in order
TO possess a knowledge Of the deep emo
lions that stir the human heart and 10
set them forth in a manner true 10
nature? Is it not possible that il a
or author of song texts were
a thorough artist he would fail to be
true TO nature2 What nature is II that
must be faithfully copied in order 20
make a genuinely popular song?
Certainly It is not the nature OF
the cultivated and retrospective scholar.
for example. who injects the stimulant
of intellectually into his every feeling,
and who scarcely suffers a pang that he
does not analyze. The nature which is
TO be copied in the popular song is that
Of the common, uncultivated. everyday
man or woman. The emotions TO which
appeal is 10 be made are those which
are understood as the most elementary.
and the appeal is 10 be made 10 them
only in that ultra-sentimental manner
which touches the person OF unfinished
culture.
Bathos, Not Pathos-
A person who has sufficient culture 20
have an appreciation of sound art viii
not tolerate what we call our popular
sentimental songs They are bathos,
rather than pathos. They are just a
rifle too near the line beyond which
les the utterly silly. Just consider fer
moment this text of a song by schu-
mann:
Each night in dreams see your face,
! wait for your tender greeting;
fall with a cry az your dear. dear feet,
In the cruel joy OF meeting.
Your fair young head is bowed, beloved,
Your eyes sad and appealing.
And one by one in a chain of pearls,
The piteous tears come stealing.
You whisper soft and secret word.
And cypress Dough you reach me;
Ny dream is Ger, the cypress gone,
And the word no man can teach me.
That is a ve:y poor English transla-
ion of a we'll known song. which in the