Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1903-12-01
Art--Music
Lecture
PROF. {. E. WENTWORTH LAYTON
AFFORDS A RARE TREAT TO
APPREciATivE AUDI.
ENcE.

- - y A~N-~>-S o~AA'~ -
the Normal chapel last night before !
deeply appreciative and cultured audi
ence was unique In It's scope and char
acter. It was thoroughly enjoyable
Seldom, indeed, is II possible for pleas
ure and instruction to be combined in
such generous proportions. Mr.. Lay
ton Is a real artist. His ideals are
noble; he is absorbed in his art, and
1t must be duh mind that will fai
to receive something of value from
the inspiration or the musician His
depth Of thought and range or musical
culture are as rare as they are pleas
ing.
The lecture was in the nature Of .
brief history Of the inception Of music
Hs slow progress through the ages tc
the perfection of the present day AL
the outset the speaker made strong
plea for national support OF the divine
art He pointed to Germany, Italy
and France. where the national gov
ernment endowed great schools and
Conservatives. There the rich and
the poor might study, the only criter-
ion being their musical Gift. Mr.. Lay.
ton urged that music should form as
important a part Of the education OF
the child as any other form OF at.
tainment, and he believed the college
of music as much within the sphere ot
national sustenance as the university,
the normal or the science school
Eloquently the lecturer referred to
the music In all nature, In the deep
roar Of the sea, the sighing Of the
wind. the changing Of colors Of the
flower, and in the arching skies and
grassy fields. The first rude begin,
nings OF music were an endeavor to
initiate the melody Of nature.
Mr.. Layton, while tracing the growth
Of music among the early and bar.
berous races, displayed large variet,
OF rude instruments. On the gimry
and upon several Of the others A.
played selections which served TO n
lustrate the sad note which predoml
mated in the music Of the ancients
by means OF the piano the gentleman
also illustrated the melody in the
music Of many Of the familiar birds
The music Of China and India, and
Arabia, of Egypt and OF ancient
Greece, the noble music Of the Israel
ties was traced progressively until
the Tyre OF Orpheus became possible
and, at length. the Pythagorean scale
had been invented.
The magnificent Gregorian and Am
brosan chants led finally TO the era
OF polyphony, when the music In parts
became an actuality. Then the idea
OF harmony as we understand II to
day became known. This led to the
day OF the sublime, yet simple, Bach
the Milton Of music The grandeur
and rich harmony Of this master was
Illustrated by trio Of selections. IA
subtle prelude, q Clique IN b fiat major
and Sarabande from English Suite In
q Minor.
Beethoven. the Shakespeare Of mu
sic, was next illustrated. The grand
and gloomy Marche Funebre Cellbre
which must have touched the heart
strings Of the old German, was inter
preted with rare fidelity by his apt
pupil.
One of the most thoroughly enjoy
able numbers was the sweetest Of
Mendelssohn's songs without words
the Duete. The sympathy OF the per
former with the thought Of the com
poser was pleasingly apparent.
The mystic quality and SURPRISING
charm Of schumann. the untranslat
able and almost non.understandable
was experienced anew in the render.
ing Of Nocturne In F.
The wide sweep and crashing har.
mony Of Brahm, the Music Titan Of
the moderns, were told with
skillful fingers in his Hungarian
Dance In d fiat major.
Several Of the lifting lyrics Of Chop
in we're beautifully Interpreted. Eas-
IIy the artist changed to the skIllfully
adapted music Of the Gaul. slow to
lead, but an apt imitator and renner.
A dainty lullaby by GuIlmant was
followed by Gautier's IntermezzoLA
Secret, gem Of composition which
was pleasingly rendered.
The stern and rsther fiambuoyant
melody Of the forcsfsl Griss's Norwe-
gian song was followed BY the lighter
and sweeter cradle song by the same
author. Il ~ a3 sgf h,
Mascasni'l peerless Intsrmesso--
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