The daily morning journal and courier., 1907-06-08

inward contemplation when he nStenS to music and his whole mind is concen- trated in the depths of his heart.
 Although the Japanese are related by blood to the Chinese, and while they are a more energetic and active peo- pie than the Chinese they have not surpassed them in music, but rather stand below them. They revere music, connecting it with their idol worship; but from an artistic standpoint it is inferior to the Chinese music. Chinese music is sometimes associated with their diplomacy. It Is stated that an ambassador addressing foreign court to which he was accredited did not speak but sang his mission, The Jap anese instruments seem to have de- scended from the Chinese. They possess many stringed instruments of the same varieties such as the mandolin and lute, but they indulge freely in the in struments of percussion such as drums, clappers and bells.
 We now come to the Hindoo music. | These people have a different concep- I tion of life from the Mongols. The Hindoos, like the Chinese, connected the origin of their music with their | religion. The Chinese started with the mythical bird Fung-Hoang, the Chin csc hero the semi-mythical Fo-hi, and the pillar of their state religion. Con l fucius; but the Hlndoos derive their music direct from their gods The Hin doos venerate rivers like the Ganges and the mountains from whose valleys they take their source and hold them sacred; but the people of southern In dia, on account of the climate, cannot work like those of the north. The influ- ence of this enervating climate invites them to rest, contemplation, day. dreaming and luxurious play of imag- ination It at once becomes manifest that music among such a people and under such a sky, would occupy dif- ferent position from that of the Chin ese or Japanese who live in a more northern climate.
 The development of music among the dull, prosaic and grotesque Chinese differed greatly from that of the Hin doc in the country of the lotus flower and the gazelle, and under the nar- cotic Influence of tropical foliage. As mentioned above, music Is regarded by the Hindoo as an immediate gift from the gods. The copsort of Brahma, the 1 benevolent and kind Sarasvati, gave the Vina the most charming of all instru- ments to mankind, Sarasvati was the respected guardian of music while Ma reda was to preside over the art. The following is taken from a work by Sir William Jones. "Nareda once sat at his vina, wrapped in deep contempla- ton, when suddenly the gentle moving zephyrs drew forth from the strings sounds that enchanted his ear and which, proceeding in regular rhythm, varied continually, becoming at each change still more and more beautiful ' In the Rigveda, one of the four prim- ordial books of the Brahmins, written In Sanskrit, and known under the name of the "vedas,f there are hymns in tended for music The existence of these books is supposed to date from the year 15OO B. C. The Brahmins gave | lO tnG DlQSAGttltS klLtNu I1lAuVp9 e Der of sacred songs closely connected with their worship, the composition of which they traced to the most remote antiquity and frequently, ascubed to gods. Such melodies, 'tFsagas," were supposed to be capable of miraculous effects. Some forced men, animals and even inanimate nature to move accord ing to the will of the singer; others could not be executed by any mortal man with the risk of being consumed by flames. The singer Naik-Gobaul, who tried to sing q forbidden "Raga" was, notwithstanding that he stood up to his neck in the river Jumna, con- sumed by fire. To another melody was attributed the power of calling down rain; female singer saved Bengal by this "Raga" from drought and famine. A third melody obscured the sun and enveloped the sovereign's palace in ter ror-striking darkness.
 The Hindoos, believing in the super natural effects of music as well as that the sound was agreeable to the gods surrounded their heaven god In- dra, with hosts of performing genii called "Gandharven," and with female dancers and performers called "Apsar- asen."
 The story of the Gandharven and Ap- sarasen in Hindoo mythology is told in the following manner. Brahma, ac- cording to tradition, broke by the power of his thoughts the shell of the Brahma egg, in which he had been confined for three thousand billion and four hun dred years, into two halves Out of these heaven and earth were fashioned. He then created man who called forth 1 from chaos ten heavenly sages." Rhe sages again peopled heaven and earth with good and bad spirits, and created | the Gandharven and Apsarasen. The special mission of the 'lotus-eyed" Ap- sarasen was to test by alluring song and luxurious enchantment the sim cerity of the plous hermit. who had re- tired into seclusion to lead a godly life. If, however, these heavenly dancers exceeded their mission, and caused a holy man to break his VOW, they were visited with the anger of the gods. Such was the case with the beautiful Apsarase Rambha, who was punished by being turned into stone. Lastly, the ItApsarasen, conJointly with the Gand- harven, were also appointed to enliven the feasts of the gods with song and dance.