New-York tribune., 1909-03-16
MUSIC
A STUDY OF ENGLISH FOLK SONGS.

concert room at Mendelssohn Hall yesterday after
noon OF "a want Of preliminary understanding De-
;venn his entertainer and his audience. 80 iar as
the latter was concerned the reason was 70 pS
found no doubt. in the novelty Of the analr me
announcements were plain enough Of conCeI'
lecture in English folk song and FOLK lore oy MI
\ Foxtox-Ferguson; but the attitude Of the large
majority Of the listeners seemed to indicate eApectA
ton of a concert of songs and some disappointment
was manifested when the lecturer began a dlscu"
or the nature and contents-musical' poetic'i'
chronological and ethical-of the tradit'ha! s soile
Of the English peasantry The olsapPo1h'S
grew when Mr. Ferguson apoogized for the coliuI-
ton of his voice, and by his first song showed tlt
no great amount of merely sensuous pieaS"io "'
TO be expected from him ~
This part Of the misunderstanding was u1,+0
able for the lecturer could concea! the eihoaI-
RAISING effect which it had upon MN ne
misunderstanding of his audience Il HIiS
standing it was had something more 20 excuse It
Mr. Ferguson had an extremely interesting suOJeoI
10 deal with. but 1t was impossible for him TO Ho"
under the circumstances whether ne s'"Hiu 'A
proach il from the scientific or the arusuc 'o''
teri popular side. Consequently the h!7ioo =,
lorists among his hearers, while eNtehdlns oo''
svnlpathv 10 him and keen appreciate ton or MS con"
tributions their knowledge were YET olsappo'l
by the in which some OF u4e I'''
problems which are involved in the beauthul stuu!
we're treated No student. for instance. cou'u "e
indifferent to the manner in which he spoke of the
old ballad of The Jews Daughter LIitte p
Hugh of Lincoln in the version used by nj. feI
Eusou and its contents. There Is sCdIcslS
tonic associated with the general SUBJECT oi
f,Il-sona, which is not illustrated in this mar
ve1Ious song II serves prove the ahtqullS
Of the popular tales which fok-songs are IS'Seu
for the story be found in Ch2uceT Caii'el
bury Tales" and goes back to the twelfth century
at least; there Is more striking evidence o' INC
corr1Irtinn which results from verbal TRANSMISSION
Of a song from generation 70 generation thal Ha'
be found In the change. in version noted hY 'iS
late Mr. Newell. in. this city. Of Hugh oi l-'n'
Ta--f
the Dukes daughter But after all '"e 'e'
centre of gravity in the ballad lies in Its preserV"
tior Of a wicked superstition which can be lrd'eu
back rot only the quarrels OF the hrst I'Is'iai
sectz but hack ;nts Paganism-a superstition "lth
has endured over two thousand years, and - sun
alive IN tho very form which finds expression n
the ballad a version Of which Mr.. Ferguson tisHe
use or Underneath that song is the notion 'i rl'.
murder-the drcadtu belief that the Followers ~
one religion murder the children Of the followers OF
another religion r order n make use Of their blood
for ruaIistlc purposes The tradition Of the Kill
ing Of Hugh Of Lincoln is very old indeed but ltS
antiUuy less startling. than its modernity, TOT
the case cf Tisza- Fszar happened In lss3 and
within the last decade a story was printed
IN tho 1eygenapers Of this city 70 the ef-
feet tlst boy had been kidnapped here ana
taken 10 Hungary. there to be murdered by Jews
50 that his blood might be had for tho preparation
of Passover bread 81 Erewscme subject ough'
no, 70 be treated with levity. even II SONS of the
songs based upon If contain clements which ~
transmission have become almost anusihKF 80
cougruoUs.
But when lecturer tries To blend amusement OF
the lighter order with Instruction much NAV Gs
forgiven him. In spite OF Mr. FerEusons treat
mont OF the Sir Hugh ballad. he mahaEen 10
present the subject foksonE in general and Eng
ligH foIksonE particular i'm an extremely inter
estinE and pleasant manner. even when he made
an unnecessary apology for the lugubriousnesS OF
the tune to which no sang Through arrshes An"
through brars" The Eravamen OF that song H"'S
not lfe in the pastoral suggestion Of It's opening
lines.
Through brushes and through hriars
Al f9r 70 5 hear The r. sTnal' sI1a ,35 6,Tds sg sHF
This is hat an opening formula common enough
IN tho sa,keougs OF all countries. The burden or
sorrow in the melody ample Justification In tho
ballad as soon enters upon its real business
The example le worth setting forth.
Through bushes and through briars.
AZ for ta hear tho small birds sing,
And the lambs 40 skip and play.
] qygF4e41.s i.T 3@id. # PT uSs S%2 80 riear ie
81 nrr tine have been waiting
For the coming Of my dear.
drev, myself unto a tree.
Where the leaves shades over a=
We scarcely could be seen.
=at myself down h. my lor".
'I'nl Of this opinion.
That heart is not my Own
Sometime I am uneasy.
And troubled in my mind,
Sometimes I'll think III 60 80 my love
And tell 10 him mind,
Aud II 7 should 80 20 my love.
Nv love he VIII
! I show q him my hcldnesS.
He'd uc'er love me again
| ] cannot think the reason
/ Young women love young men,
/ For they are false hearted.
[ Young women TO trepan
/ For they false hearted,
Young women - iTepan
! SO the green grave shall see me-,
For I can't love that man.
! T2uf this looks like fauithnding without much
cause which is not the purpose Of this writing Mr
Ferguson was extremely happy In his exposition OF
! The White Pateruoster" Gos which he might have
! found a German parallel which would have
cbarrnad his listeners in the childrens prayer IN
: "TiAnsel und Gretelo. and the belief, unspeakably
ancient OF the evil effects az protractcd mourn
+ inz for the Head lie pot iluminatVe expression
+ into his singing despite his poor vocal condition.
I II =. X.