The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-02-01

ence. music, as a gift, displays itself. TIE
child is father to the man.
Seldom then does it Happen that early
youth passes without some indication of
budding talent of future attainments. To
child life, therefore. must we turn to trace
the first awakening of the musical gift in
any one or all of it's varied signs and
symptoms.
Has the reader ever pondered why the
mothers lullaby soothes the fretful infant,
when often all else fails? The primary
uses Of sound serve. indeed, either to calm
or excite; witness many of natures drowsy
murmurfngs. or-to mention an emotional
extreme-the varied ways in which mill
taTy bands. powerful orchestras, and strong
air vibrations of any kind-even the roar of
artillery OK the thunder of heaven-affect
the senses through the ear channels.
1t is quite certain, if We observe closely.
! that some children are more affected than
, others by the first sounds they hear.
OUR PERSONAL EXPERIENCES.
1t would be very interesting to collect re-
liable statistics on this topic. IL this were
possible to any useful extent. Each of US
can. at all events. traverse our own per-
sonal experiences. and remember things
strange and hard to be understood.
Mozart. when a little lad. is reported to
have tainted at the sound of a trumpet SO
keenly sensitive was he to sound.
Children. whom we have known, have
crept In awe to the piano forte keyboard.
and. as if afraid Of the effect produced. ave
tenderly touched the glistening notes with
their tiny fingers. and gone into ecstacies
of delight when the concord of the major
third was accidentally discovered.
Other young people have been fascinated
by barrel organs. street bands. and even
the most melancholy and discordant efforts
of itinerant mlnstrels and singers. But most
Of all does the musical child display himself
as a maker of music.
Often when parents are unmusical, and
the piano Is seldom touched. the unsteady
gifted little one will invest his pocket money
In tin whistles. mouth organs. toy drums.
and all sorts of tinkling or sounding play
things.
Failing even these. he will initiate natural
sounds with the voice, delight the extort-
Ing music from jingling glass pendants or
the steel bars of his cot, and in a hundred
little ways, strive for an outlet for the
yearning that Is within him-the longing for
the wordless language of tone. Many guar
dians OF youth fail to perceive these signs.
or set them down as the fondness Of youth
for noise!
How little we really much less !
can we express definite opinions. But let
those Of us who are so privileged az to be
able to watch childhood closely mark. learn !
and inwardly digest. So may We best avoid.
even unwittingly. stunning the young musi-
clan till. in years of discretion. he knows |
to act for himself. |
How sad that the adult should ever real |
ize, not without 4 touch Of bitterness. that, !
but for the lack of facilities In early child |
hood. he, too, might have been equipped as I
were Mozart and Mendelssohn-for these |
latter were probably the best trained musi- |
cal children who ever existed. |
1t is In childhood also that the peculiar |
department of the musical art is indicated, |
in the pursuit of which the individual will |
have most chance of excelling. All our |
,yrontoSt cfp O. h.pn l{epIax-al 1In 49, /
and aptitude at an early age. In the case
of Observation-Disclosures, one or other instrument |
If not more than one-has claimed a spe- |
cial affection from the first.
The successful composer will tell you
that he has been making music" in his
head as far back as he can remember.
Here again are mysteries. Who can tell.
who, can conjecture, what it all means? Let
US wonder and admire; and. although we
are about to consider how such gifts can
be turned to money-making. let us pause
for a moment to reflect upon that which
money cannot buy-the inventive brain. the
resolute will, the enthusiasm In a good
cause-in other words. the belief in oneself
al a part of the Great Intelligence, that
rules the Universe.
FORTUNES TO BE MADE.
Before we enter upon each department of
musical activity in detail. 1t is well to
enumerate all briefly, touching upon their
respective prospects as a means Of making
a living. Singers have a wide, and. per-
haps. the most lucrative Of all fields open to
them.
Immense fortunes have been made by
prima donna and print tenor. and the
popular comic vocalist can always COM /
mand a handsome income. One need only
think. in this connection. Of the triumphs
of Patti, the brothers De Reszke and Yvette
Gilbert.
The operate stage offers. no doubt, the
most fruitful domain, from a financial point
OF view. for the public singer: but fair
competence may also be gained by v~ocalsts
who confine their displays to the concert