The Washington herald., 1907-06-08
RAGTIME WRANGLES
Capitol Killers Revive the
Much-mOOted Question.
WAGNER, ADVOCATE EXCITED
supporter of SyncOpnted sounds
smiles sarcasticHIly, However,
when the "MapIe Leaf RAG" Makes
the soulful One Beat Time-Lieuf.
SHntelmann Arranges 10 suit All.

Capitol Killers who don't read the
papers carefully we're just sitting down
10 their dinners Wednesday evening when
the inspiring strains Of u military march
waited through the windows and mingled
with the steak and potatoes atmosphere.
/ Little Kenneth and Gwendolyn, or maybe
it was Johnny and Sue, rushed to the
! windows while papa picked up his trusty
/ newspaper and dug around amid its fat
and weghty columns until his eyes fell
upon paragraph that explained the mys-
/ terry Of the distant music.
! Gosh swigglc H." he exclaimed In par
/ lor blasphcmy. THE Marine Band gives
/ It's first summer concert az the Caplto.
| this evening"
/ "Iwantergo,' cried X. and g. or J. and
s. simultaneously. and then they hooked
their little fingers. pressed their thumbs
together. made a wish and unlocked. ex-
/ claiming. Thumbs, Shakespeare" ac-
cording 90 the Hoylc Of superstition
Make Hasty Departure.
Lets hurry through dinner and q
/ over. suggested mamma, and there was a
hasty departure Of food.
/ When the Capitol Killers that hadn't
/ read the papers arrived at the east front
/ Of the Capitol. they found all the Capitol
Killers that keep up 10 the times gath
/ cred "on masse" CFreuch for a bunch) on
I the broad flight Of steps at the top Of
/ which stands Columbus about TO toss the
earth 20 Washington. who is signaling
/ for an out drop.
ON the platform I'm front Of the steps
and roped Off a safe distance from the
curious throng. Prof Santelmann was
. beating invisible carpets. while his swell
team of musicians was trying TO educate
the hoi polloi (also French. meaning any
assemblage II persons whose ancestors
didn't murder and rob a selection of
peasants into an appreciation OF Wag-
nor's Flying Dutchman' overture
The late eomers, who had eaten. found
seats or standing room beside their
EeighboTs, who were trying 20 make an
evening meal on that which hath charms
20 soDtGe the savage heart and appetite
Before three numbers had been dispensed
by Prof Sautclmanu's troupe. the steps
were packed 10 capacity and the roped-ir
square surrounded ten deep with eager
hearkeners after melody. on the lawns
40 each side droves Of children made So
much noise that the function took on the
aspect Of a society musicale
strives To Please All.
Prot Santclmann had arranged the
opening assortment OF pieces" with q
view toward pleasing the most muslcaHy
cosmopolitan assemblage Dainty light
some strains tripped gladsomely into the
hearts Of the frivolous. while the soulful
were supposed 10 seek solace In the
s1mber grandeur Of Wagner and the
me.od-c sweetness Of Gouuod's Romeo
and Juliet No invitations had been ex-
tended % the music mad. There was no
attempt % cater 90 any one whose soul
takes 90 the woods az the FIRST hint Of
real tune" 20 emerge only when the
clarinets. cornets. trombones, and horns
hit near barber-shop chords on four half
tones.
Consequently # was with surprise that
The Washington Herald man recognized
standing at the ringside one OF Washing
toms best admirers Of modern music"
The opening march. a snappy thing by
Brooke. called Salute TO Mexico seemed
20 hurt his feelings. and the Flying
Dutchman" produced a bored look. Be
side him stood a polloi. who added % the I
musical genius annoyance by wiggling .
HIS feet in time 10 the march and talk f.
ing with a friend during the WaEneTiaH /
number
The PoIIoi Is Critical,
As the last crashing chords Of the over /
ture died away the polloi turned 20 the /
musician and said.
What DO they want 20 play that class /
ical stuff for? Why don't they play tunes .
that have music to them?'
My friend" replied the musician. /
that was music in a primitive form. II T.
might be called classical by the older
generation. but It IS too absurdly simple
and jIngly for us moderns.'
81 pass said the tune lover. Real
tunes or ragtime for mine"
At the word ragtime the sensitive soyI /
Of the musician shuddered visibly. Rag
time he gasped.
Yes, sir" said the other, "ragtlme.
7 tell YOU ragtime is the music Of nature.
This old world of ours beats along at a
ragtInle gait. Every sound that you hear
on the city streets is part Of the ragtime
hum of thSt city that the buzzards hear
rs they float along in the sky. The bea,
of the street-car wheels. the jangle Of the
bells. the rattle Of the wagons the
shutting feet OF the crowds are all one
grand ragtime chorus. That's why real
ragtime IS the natural music Of the
negroes-children Of nature. Every pick
gniuny bootblaCk fips his cloth oyer your
shoes with a ragtime beat Its the
rythmicaIy arranged beat Of the universe.
I have heard ragtime piano players who
could make a wooden Indian dance"
Rag Wakes Them Up.
Just then the band broke into the
Maple Leaf Rag" perhaps the most
bit Of ragtime music ever
written. The speaker hushed. and stool
beating time with his foot as the intricate
syncopaton thrummed on. and throughout
the crowd people could be seen nodding
their heads and waving from side to side
with the rhythm Even the children on the
grass stopped their boisterous romping
and either stood silently listening or
danced about in an effort TO keep time
with the strain.
The musician looked Unutterably bored
for a moment, but apparently. he desired
to test the words of the ragtime enthusi-
asst, for he listened attentively to the
music-the paean of an obscure levee
plano player down IN St I.ouis-as though
to analyze its throb and meaning. Tn
his toe began tapping the
pavement and his fingers TO twitcL
The ragtime man caught
the movement and smiled
"a as Ch~.S$.o~