Los Angeles herald., 1910-12-10

Hope for a national form of music In
America? Oh, yes" said Anita Bald
win McClaughry. IT have the greatest
hopes for the establishment of such
school, why should we not have it?
The italians have not only a definite
and we'll defined old school, but also
among the younger men there has
grown up the modern Italian style,
which music lovers all over the world
are finding of great interest"
Mrs. McClaughry turned away from
the piano, where a pile of manuscript
music bespoke activity of pen and
mind, as she told of her special inter
ests in music.
Although my own creative work was
for some time confined almost entirely
to the. Spanish and Mexican styles"
she said, 'still l confess to a great
fondness and enjoyment in Puccini,
Mascagni and Leoncavallo. To my
mind they suggest the spirit of our day
with the best results. They bring
thought of conflict, and growth, with
out the tiring energy some of the
younger Russian writer's convey, and
they have a fresher, more youthful
outlook on life than some of the French
and German writer's whose recent ar
rival on the musical field has been ac-
companied by accusations of degen-
eracy."
MELTING POT FOR MUSIC
Mrs. McClaughry believes that when
school of American music IS estab-
lished it will be through a gradual mod
ification and adaptation of the more
definite musical forms already recog-
nized here.
"The Mexican and Spanish of our own
| locality" she said, when colored by
the strange intervals and quaint
rhythm of the American Indian music,
may become a dominant feature, or
writer's may find that they can combine
to good effect something of the barbaric
dignity of the negro folk songs with
| the chants used by Chinese in religious
| ceremonials.
ut may seem rather strange" con-
tinued this writer, ito suggest the in
corporation of such diverse qualities in
our music of the future, but America
is a nation of many races. Playwrights
have recognized it as the melting pot
whence folk from all nations come to
be fused into the fine, stalwart Amerl-
cans in whom we glory; and when
musicians realize the significance of
this fact they too will study and as
similate the best from the folk music
of all these visitors. In this way they
will evolve a colorful vivid, wonderful
music which in another generation or
so may put our nation in that eminent
place musically which it has attained
already in many other artistic spheres
LOSS OF FATHER BLOW
A favorite daughter of the late E. j.
Baldwin, Mrs. McClaughry was en-
couraged in every way to pursue her
work in composition during his life
time. Since losing him she conresses to
a. lack of interest in this work, and
said that for many months it was i'm
possible to go to the piano where she
had sat so often at his request, play
ing the songs he loved, and working
on new thoughts and musical ideas to
give him pleasure in her effort.
She hesitated about the musical value
OF these works. and so far has
published only a few of her ear
Iier works, one of these a Hindu
Lament" she dedicated to her father,
and it was published in San Francisco,
where it proved successful and be-
came q favorite number with Mr.. Bald
win, who always insisted upon hearing