Evening star., 1904-03-17
THE SUNDAY CONCERT
1T rs DEFENDED BY MR.. REGI-
MAID DE KovEN.
His Reply to Rev. Drs. McKim and
Harding in Behalf of the
Symphony Orchestra.

Mr.. Reginald De Koven, on behalf of the
Washington Symphony Orchestra, has re-
piled to the letter of Rev. Randolph H. Nc
Kim and Rev. Alfred Harding, regarding
the Sunday evening concerts of the orches-
ira. 1t will be remembered that Mr.. De
Koven wrote to the various local ministers
asking their support of these Sunday con-
certs, and DR.. McKim and DIR. Harding re-
piled, giving reasons why they could not
extend such support. In his latest letter
Mr.. De Koven says:
Reverend and dear sirs:
Il beg to acknowledge with thanks the
receipt of your very courteous favor of the
11th instant in reply to letter sent you
by me inviting your cooperation in and
support of the endeavor of the Washington
Symphony Orchestra to promote the cause
of good music in Washington.
II am more than glad to know that you
feel in sympathy with efforts to pro-
mote love of high-class music in this
community; / must also agree with your
opinion that the matter in discussion be-
tween us is of sufficient importance to de-
serve the most widespread publicity and
debate, and while admitting the evident
sincerity of your point of view, l must be
allowed, particularly as the son of one
clergyman and the nephew of another In
Church to which you belong, to differ with
you in toto in some of the conclusions
which your point of view leads you to
make.
You will, I am sure, admit that no one
is the worse, at the worst, from hearing
good music, and conditions in Washington
are such that the only way to bring such
music to the attention of the general pub
lie is by giving concerts Sunday even
lngs, the services of the orchestra not be-
ing obtainable on any other evening. and
to large majority of the public afternoon
concerts are impossibiIity.
The commercial aspect of the Sunday
concerts, to which you allude as pay con-
certs, is, as 1 conceive it, entirely off the
point, and must be dismissed entirely from
the discussion. AS Saint Paul said The
priest must live of the altar and YOU like
other clergy, receive remuneration for your
Sunday service in the same way that you
pay your choir for their services, and the
musicians are paid for their services at our
Sunday concerts. The fact that in many
churches music at Sunday evening services
is made special feature to attract the
public and is duly paid for is I think a
complete answer to your charge of COM
merc1alism; and it might in this connection
DE pertinent to inquire whether the COM
petition of the Sunday concerts of the
Washington Symphony Orchestra might
not Weli be determining factor in any OBJ
lection made to them
In regard to what you say as to the
secular character of these concerts | wouId
say that, so far as instrumental music is
concerned, L deny any difference or differ
entlation between sacred and secular music
per Sc IN toto. The success of Sir Arthur
sullivan as a musician was largely due to
the fact that he discovered that a good
hymn tune played in accelerated tempo
was very valuable as comic opera num-
Der; and one has but to read much of the
music that passes as sacred music and is
accepted as such, to find that in character
f> I,~o,, H.
as any so-called operate music
Il am no iconoclast; 1 would not for the
world be thought guilty Of secularizing the
SABBATH, or breaking down any accepted
idea of divinely instituted day of rest;
but in this connection I might quote appro-
priately from the Scriptures that the Sab
bath was made for man, not man for the
Sabbath that in the majority of foreign
countries, where music is a popular influ-
ence, Sunday concerts are given regularly
without In any way interfering with the
religious opinions or duties of those who
attend them. 1 cannot see why good music
properly interpreted should interfere with
what you term the holy day as day of
rest or worship. The love of good music
is In itself worship, else why music in
church at all? Whatever influences may
be at present, as you say. at work to
threaten the religious observance of Sun
day. must most respectfully contend that
good music, whether rendered in public or
at the fireside, Is not one Of them. And 1
must most emphatically deny that there is
any influence subversive to general morali-
ty or deteriorating to character, In hearing
good music on Sunday evening any more
than on any other evening.
1.-The Roman Church was the first to
recognize the spiritual and elevating infu-
ences of music as an emotional and devo-
tional adjunct; the love of music is a pure
and ennobling influence; and therefore 1
would say, in conclusion, He prayeth best
who loveth best all things, both great and
small"
copy Of this letter to the press.