The broad ax. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1895-19??, 1910-12-31
An Eloquent and Interesting
Lecture on the Origin of Music
ntJ Before the Star Literary Of EbsnSur Baptist Church.
BY mrs. MARTHA BROGDUs-LHDERsuH.

Research has proven that music IS
as old as the human race. But first
of all, What is music? We are told
] that il was originally any art over
which the MUSES. presided. Then the
question naturally arises. Who were
the MUSES.? According to Greek and
Roman mythology, the answer we get
IS. that they were nine Goddesses,
daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne.
They are supposed to have presided
over Poet y, Rhetoric, Painting and
FIVE of them over Music Melpom
enc, Terpsichore, and PolyHymnia
presided over song and harmony, the
choral dance and song and the Gin
spired hymns" respectively. Now we
have come to regard music as that
science and art which deals with
sounds as produced by the human
singing voice and musical instruments
Were we to take just a few minutes
and think it over. we might get
a vague idea of the importance of
music of some description III our ev-
cry day existence. There is that in
music which inspires us and makes US
feel glad or sorrowful. jubiliant or
pensive, in other words it stirs our
emotions according to the sentiment
expressed We find ourselves being
swayed unconsciously by different
kinds of music. How often have you
found yourself beating a tattoo with
your fingers or patting your foot in
time with some melody that was be-
ing played or sung. 1t is as natural
for us to feel the influence of music
as it is for us to breathe the breath
of life just how important a factor
music is in the lives of human beings
is hard to realize There is record
of musical attainments by the Egyp-
tians as far back as 1000 B. c. In
fact ever since the creation man has
been lifting up his voice in song. The
children of Israel had their songs
both of joy and of sorrow as is evil
denced by references in the Bible.
They required of us a song, and we
hanged our harps on the willow for
how could we sing the songs of Zion
in a strange land" There was Tubal
who was "the father of such as play
ed the harp" and Miriam the sister of
Moses mentioned as the sweet singer;
and after 1000 years we find David
with whom there was none to com
pare playing before Saul to soothe
the evil spirit Music has also played
an important part in politics. Even
as today there are campaign songs,
so in ancient times; for we are told
that in $50 B. C., the famous rhapso-
dist, Terpander, was summoned to
SPARTA to sing patriotic songs in the
hope of preventing secession of that
state. He is recorded as having &C
complished his purpose. As we take
a view down the line we find wand /
ering Ministries and the troubadors
composing songs to their favorite
heroes, in which their deeds of valor
were related; or again to some fair
woman extolling her virtue and beau
ty. Even in our own day music is
such a necessity thatwe have it every
wherel 1t is used to call the soldier
to his duty, with it the mother lulls
her infant to sleep, it is indispensable
in the services of the church, at our
in the school room and
college; and even in our last sleei
some one is called upon to furnish
music while we are being committed
20 our final resting place. The fol
owing are thoughts expressed by
men of great brains.
Music stands near to Theology; ]
therefore, rejoice to see the Sacred
Music enlisted in the service of Him,
Who has created her."-Luther.
1T was music by which mankind
vas humanized. What speech can
Tot impart to the unwilling and hard
ened is readily received from words
On wings of lovely soundsP-Johanna.
jottlieb Won Herder.
My language is understood all
over the world.-Hayden. i
Were it not for music, we might
n these days say, the beautiful is
Music hath charms to sooth the
savage breast
70 soften rocks or bend the lCnotted
oak"-Congreve.
The Man who hath no music in him
self
s fit for treasons, strategem and