New-York tribune., 1906-04-15
ON THE PERFORMANCE OF AMERICAN
COMPOSITIONS.

Periodically the people OF New York. 70 whom
more good music is offered in opera house and
concert room than they can possibly hear and
enjoy as good music ought TO be heard and en-
ioyed. are asked to hear more, not because Il is
particularly good. or better than that which
makes up the programmes Of the existing con-
cert organizations. but because Il is the product
Of American composers. that term being
stretched TO cover every writer OF music who
chances 10 be sojourning within hosptable
gates. The theory upon which the appeal is
made is that American composers are not given
a chance comparable with that OF foreigners in
the making OF the lists by the conductors. There
ought 10 arise a question IN the popular mind
touching the justice Of this theory from the fact
that the conductors of nearly all the leading con-
cert institutions IN the city are 70 all intents
and purposes as American the men whose
music they are accused of setting aside in favor
Of that Of the composers who live abroad. Mr..
Theodore Thomas was sixty years an American;
Mr. Van der Stucken was born ia Texas, and,
though educated abroad. has spent the last
twenty-odd years Of his life in New York and
Cincinnati; Frank Damrosch and his brother
Walter have been New Workers since boyhood;
the men who have controlled the destinies Of the
concert rooms in all the large cities have been
so long Identified with American interests that
il would be folly 10 accuse them Of a lack Of
TO prompt them 10 give full consideration TO
native compositions. II there were no other rea-
son for doing so. Concert giving IS not re-
muneratiye occupation, and everything that has
al advertising value is seized upon with avidity.
Are American composers tinnid about calling the
attention Of concert givers and conductors 10
their wares? Scarcely. Shrinking. self-effacing
modesty is not characteristic OF the creative
musician, a rule, anywhere. II ought to fol-
low, then, that some other reason than the
prejudice Of conductors is responsible for the
comparatively small number Of American com
positions of large dimensions that find their way
annually on to public programmes What that
reason is need not be discussed II was con-
fessed by the latest organization which has set
itself the mission 10 make propaganda for the
American composer when in arranging two con-
certs il introduced only three men whose music
had not had considerable recognition al the
hands OF the most prominent orchestras Of the
country. Messrs MacDoweIl Chadwick. Con-
verse and Huss need never go begging for a per-
Torrance Of anything of theirs with merit that
cries out for a hearing; and it is TO be feared.
Messrs Henry +. Gilbert, Arthur Shepherd and
David Stanley Smith, not to include Mr. Huss
In this Junior list, because OF the fact that his
work had waited long for performance. would
be hard put 20 il to point out the recent concerts
which have bettered their standing or won
credit for the American composer.
This is aside from the purpose of these notes
however. that being 10 call attention 10 the fact
that there is nothing novel either in the latest
effort 10 win attention to American compositions
ss such or the results which followed The mem
ory OF the writer OF these notes covers a full
generation Of American musical activity Dur
ing this time The Tribune has cons,stent,,
championed the cause OF American music
though not always approving or Iauding the eff
forts made in the Of that cause The
Tribune has always thought ald said thnt
American composers had more to fear from cod
ding than from Indifference and there ar. few
among the New York composers OF to-day who
cannot remember the time when there was so
active an effort 10 let American couaposers p.
heard that IL wac felt all hands TO b. q wis.
>7ss when the friends OF the American move
nent themselves whistled down brakes las,
they lose the good opinion they We're holding Of
me value OF American music At that time
moreover. the best men Of to-day vvere y,op,o
aho thelr works were novelties A study of tho
hst OF performances Of American pieces which
VIII follow presently will make plain ,vbs, Ga
meant by this Fully fifty years have passed
away since The Tribune was engaged ,n n nova
nent 10 win recognition for the American oor,
poser because he wsa an American an6 ro. =
musician Of foreign birth That N. dur4n. ,tH