Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-06-03

of de passengers can git to Sleep
Outside Point of View
A disciple of Tolstoi's theory that
music may affect the morals has come
forward in the person OF Sir Walter
Parratt. He has practically proposed
a censorship of music. which In the
face of the growing bitterness against
the dramatic censorship certain
ly shows him to be a daring IL
somewhat misguided person. AS mas
ter of the Kings music and composer
Of several successful songs, Sir Walter
Parratt speaks from the standpoint
of one well versed in the subtleties and
possibilities of music upon the mind
and the advantage to be derived from
really excellent and thoughtful COM
positions.
When one considers the style OF
ballad overwhelmingly popular in Lon
don today, with its trashy, reminiscent
melody and it's everlasting refrain OF
the wounded heart pierced by Cupid's
DART" or "the little bird which sings;
sings, sings"-their name is legion =
one can't help but feel there is meth
cd in Sir Walters madness. He en-
phatically denounces sentimental,
weak and washy music as really
wicked.
There is very pressing need" he
says, "for the wedding out of the many
So called musical compositions on the
market today. Many are written in
sentimental vein which is most OBJ
jectionable and deteriorating in ten
dency. Even in our present day
hymn books there are many tunes
which we could we'll do without.
know of certain popular piece Of
music, / will not mention it's name,
which has done an infinite amount of
harm to the world. -hould not like
lit to be thought that l object to all
forms Of emotional music. There Is a
certain kind of emotionalism of which
am an adn1irer; the other kind l
would do anything in my power to
suppress"
To many the above from an eastern
paper will seem fanciful in the eX-
IRENE. To those who never hear the
birds sing who cannot tell whether
the choir is singing yankee Doodle"
or sold Hundred it's the veriest
nonsense. But to any who love music
and many not claiming the talent of
musical critics there is something
to it. This scribe wishes to
add to this somewhat advanced idea,
bot l.;
times, and that is, that there is such
thing as vulgar music. Vulgar instru-
mental music, and vulgar airs that
do not need any words to emphasizes
the point One hears such tunes" and
such instrumental music, and has the
same sensation of being in q crowd of
low-lived, illiterate, vile talking men
or women. To this may be added that
a large percentage Of the so-called
music ground out of the photograph
is positively vulgar per Sc. Not all,
but many of the popular airs, seem to
have their inspiration if not their COM
position in the dance hall. They almost
reek of half intoxicated men and wom-
en-. They suggest the odor of beer and
sawdust, of painted faces and vulgar
conversation.
It's a far cry from Sweet Marie"
to the Dead March in Saul,' but an
ordinary music lover recognizes the
maiden and the warrior. Nearer My
God to Thee" strikes an average aud
lence as a religious hymn, no less than
the same audience feels patriotism
when the organ plays "My Country
TITS of Thee" Admit these common
place statements and it would seem
that a theory of vulgar music is ten
able. Admit that the emotional side can
be reached thru music, then why not,
admit such thing as refinement and
vulgarity in an arrangement of mus
ical notes.
And all this is not saying or claim
ing that all common popular airs and
songs are vulgar any more than to as
sure that classical music is always re-
fined. This screed by no means is to
the effect that because some catchy air
is sung in a bawdy house or dance
hall, it is vulgar because popular in
such places. But the claim is that a
person of refinement and education,
With muSlcal ear as easily detectS
vulgar music as the ordinary reader of
books does when a new novel is pub
ished Thackaray's Vanity Fair" brings
us into good society. but terribly cor
rupt. But the book is not vulgar. LAS
in Looking Glass" introduces us
into good society, but this book is
positively obscene between the lines"
SO it is with some pieces of music.
a L.