Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-03-13
The Popular Song
Continued from page 3

appropriateness of the text The reason IS
not hard to find. 1t was founded on an in
cident not general in character. and hence IS
unsuitable for continuous appropriateness.
| have often been approached to set worthy
words to music; but they did not possess the
true essence of the great national American
song Such things are born of a universal out
burst Of enthusiasm or of war. And the latter.
most fortunately in modern conditions, does
not often come, and to us in America. where we
are not seeking foreign ENHANCEMENT seems
especially remote.
If great war does come to u.s. it will prompt
the writing of an American national hymn that
will last for all time
La Marseillaise" was the product of ire
mendous outburst. 1t had to come, just as
Die Yacht am Rhein was flower of war
Germany needed new song. 1t had been
composed long before the moment of its APP
pearance. but its appropriateness, with the
Rhine as theme. was tremendous The words
suited the occasion. In a few days all Germany
was singing it.
Such song fires the people: but it cannot be
forced upon them.
People in Europe do not sing the folk songs
as they once did, even though the melodies
have lived for centuries. America started at a
point where its people no longer needed folk
songs: they had no time for them.
The folk song, like the wild rose is born in
the country.
In the tremendous stress here, it would be
impossible for country people to sit down to-
gether for the making of little poems and music
to them. Fancy the American farmer assem-
bling in groups for that purpose! He is more
intent on SeedleSS oranges, pumpkin and
cucumbers. or the growing Of new melon.
All this is but natural: it is but an expression
of the day and time. In Europe exactly the
same state of things prevails in those countries
that are up to date.
Can't Export Folk Songs
TO hear the folk songs one must go to those
: lands that still lie in the past, part Of a
dear poetic yesterday. But, wherever one may
find the folk song, it is illustrative, it gives one
the type of the people from whom it emanates.
Those of Spain are picturesque, spirited, full
of love of the dance those of Germany breathe
that untranslatable quality, GeuHt: those of
Scandinavia embody scenes of mountains.
fords, and vast loneliness filled with the soul
of the eternal.
In the Tyrol. they are infused with delight
full savage buoyancy. To hear three or four
men yodling up in the mountains. each on a
different peak, the sound reverberating and
echoing is unforgetable; but Tyrolean would
never send out his yodel from the top of sky
scraper on Manhattan Island.
To-day we live in new world. The old IS
giving place to other influences: change has
asserted itself in fresh conditions.
While those folk songs still remain, though
IN less ruling extent, power IN the music that
is being composed. the influence of American
music is making itself strongly felt IN Europe.
Its determination and buoyancy make for
themselves an impression wherever they are
heard: knows from the spirit that it is
American music, whether one hears it in Con-
stantinople or Bombay The song that is popu-
lar in the streets of New York and San Fran
cisco is whsted in the streets of Paris and Berlin.
In numerous important scores, when one
hears them. one hears also that their composers
have had the scores of certain American col
leagues at their left hand while they were
writing. In my own case, am aware that
dozen European composers have standing
order at their music dealers to supply them
with every American score.
Take single instance of this American in
huence, THE Merry Widow Waltz" 1t is
haunting: but it is American Twenty or
thirty years ago Lehar would not have written
such waltz: it would have been impossible
There is a resemblance in character not in
notes. between it and shes My Sweetheart
I'm her joe
We have influenced European composers by
our spirit Again. it is simply proof of what l
have said, and of the many instances that may
be found of the effect popular American
song of the stage has, not only upon the public
but upon the composers of other countries
And SO, while it has always been held against
the American composer that he has no folk
song to make background of centuries to build
and to draw upon he is building new foun-
dations entirely of his own, the foundation of
the American spirit as it is expressed in music.
In this branch the DODular song modest as