The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-12-01
THE MORALS OF MUSIC.

SO far as there was central thought in
Sosata. ii Was that music in certain moods ex-
ferrirs dehaaehing effect on the human soul
According 10 his philosophy the me7odies and
movements OF music serve To hypnotic and
weaken the mind, and destroy the will The
tragedy of ethe wife and the jealous husband
hangs on the husbands belief IN the essential
imnnoralits Of the sonata OF Beethoven. For
instance, pozdnuishef ~ made 10 say in the
narrative OF his life
"Mussc instantaneonsiy transports me into
that mental coudtion in which he who COM
posed ii found himself blend my sonl with
his. and together with him AIN transported from
one mood TO another; but why this Is SO can
not tell For instance. he who composed the
Krsatser Sonato~-Beethayen-~ be kuew why he
was In that mood That mood impelled him
10 do certain things. and, THEREFORE that mood
meant something for him but it means nothing
Tor me And that is why music excites and
does not bring to any conclusion. Now they
play military march. the soldiers move for
ward under Its strains. and the music accom-
plshes something. they play dance music and
dance. and the music accomplishes something;
they perform mass take the sacrament, again
the mnsic sccompiishes its purpose But in
1fher cases there is only excitement, and it
|Ae Impossible TO tell what TO dc in this state of
mind. And that is why music is terrible,
e&hy II sometimes has such an awful effect In
E6hina. music is regulated by government. and
mt is as ii should be. Is it permissible that
~ one whatever shall hypnotic another per
~. or many persons. and then do with them
ut he pleases? And especially If this hypno.
1Dcr happens to be the first immoral man that
me along
1sw as there will be to follow Tolstoi IN the
MSensity of his view, II must be admitted that
- effect of music is powerful and cratic It
eoceeds without logic and without Tn
SM9F itS spell those souls particularly sensitive
H&0 Ito influence come into strange transports.
Il AZ affect il one that is experimental. The head
s&lne1 with the suggestions OF the score Il may
ENeM be that there is a morality of music to
R8hUee who understand--even to those who, not
understanding, feel its influence
R This being true, IL Is more than the statement
~ 4 mere crank. that DR.. Dingley Brown. di-
1aeettor Of music at Wesleyan College. should at
s1141ute = large per cent of the crime In this
1ntry to the vogue OF ''rag.time' With the
oGitiveness Of assertion of an enthusiast this
s&sofessor even declares that the rag-time of
Sxhe hands and moving picture orchastras Is
s1l0re pernieious In It's effect than even the con
nmption OF liquor He declares it, indeed, to
ID the most serious menace to the younger gen
6Skntian in the homes of the land To his mind
Mn the effect Of the popular type of music is dis
klnctiy demoralizng
|H Extreme as this picture may be, il remains
fUe that In the music at present served to the
1AoseS OF the country there turks the very spirit
1d devil of reckessness. There is a drunken
Es4nk and swagger to the popular airs which
akcs its distinct appeal AS savage works
trasen into transport OF passion by the ryth-
<14c thump OF tomtom. so the music OF the halls
#lngs In the heads OF the youthful and immature
III call 10 desperate want OF caution and re-
1afnt. In very truth it may be questioned
1ether this cheap. sordid and almost automatic
N3pdy may not invoke In its hearers a mood
which the inclination to crime finds ready
6euting IN fact