The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1909-05-06
Broken Music.

Can you give me the meaning of
times in Shakespeare, viz Henry
VII. Come your answer is broken
music for thy voice is music and thy
English broken; therefore Queen of
all Katherine, break thy mind TO
me in broken English" CAS- You
Like 1t" |. ii; But is there anyone
else longs to see this broken music
in his sides?" 'Troilus and Cres-
sida" III. l: Fair Prince, here is
good broken music"
Henry M.
Broken music "means the music of
stringed instruments, in COntradistinc-
tion to those played by wind. The term
probably originated from Harps, Lutes
ana such other stringed instruments as
were played without a bow, not having
the Capability to sustain a long note to
its fun duration of sound" In the ex-
tract from "Troilus' he remarks that
the musicians on the stage were then
performing on stringed instruments and
thus attempts to prove his argument. II.
c. White, in his Shakespeare Boston
1869 says Broken music means music
in parts" Bacon in his essay of Mas
ques and Triumphs" referring to the
performance of a band, says, 'I under
stand it that the song be in Quire, placed
aloft and accompanied with some broken
MusiCke" In "As You Like 1t" Rosalind
punning says rs there anyone else longs
to see this broken music in his sides?"
That is--to see his ribs in pieces or parts,
there being plainly no reference to
strings" 1T was the custom in this
country in the earlier times to assort the
NiOls together. HautbOys together, and
Shawms together and a collection of one
class of instrument was called a Con
sort" Thus there might be a consort
OF VOls or a consort of Hautboys, and
at that time it was rare but not entirely
unknown, to have a mixture of one con-
sort with another consort and there is a
passage of Lord Bacon's which refers
to the mixture of one COnsort with an
other and then it had the name of 'brOk-
en- music" A Consort consisted of six
viols. usually kept in one case, and
when the whole Of the viOls were played
together it was usually called a Con
sort" when less than six it was called
a Broken Consort."
Positions Available.
How does one obtain church posi-
tions? Are there many available in
New York and what do they pay?
NJ. B. N.
The only way that one is likely to hear
of most all of the church positions is by
registering with an agent whose busi-
ness it is to keep one posted as to the
changes as they are to occur in the diff
ferent churches. This costs from five
to ten dollars, varying with the differ
eut agents, and the applicant must call
day after day to hear. POstals are
sometimes sent out but the person who
has the time and 'StiCktOitiveness" to
be on the scene Of action the most often
is the one who succeeds the best. Posi-
tiOus in New York do not pay form
erly and unless you are a fine musician,
quick reader and the fortunate possessor
Of voice of rare quality I would not
advise your coming to New York with a
position in view. The changes are now
taking place and the new year begins
with May first. Speaking of church posi-
tiOns reminds me of the following story
told of Handel. Members of the Musi-
cal Fraternity are not noted for their
business ability nor often were those of
the clergy, but-when the two meet the
negotiations are sometimes but short of
revolution. Handel had heard that the
organists position at the Cathedral of
Lubbock was vacant and he forthwith APP
piled and was rendered the position, the
duties were light, the organ a splendid
one and the remuneration was also good,
but-the retiring organist's daughter
went with the bargain and as she was
not a winning personality, Handel re-
tired from the field, congratuating him
self on his escape.
American Composers.
VIII you kindly tell me who are
the American composers of the pres