New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-04-10

cini answered the CRITICISM OF Whnt vi
local color In his opera by snytng that the
slave songs Of America We're barbarous
noises: but that docs not explain why he
rern,itted one OF the tribe called negro
itinerant forefather OF Dan
bryant. Nelse Seymour. Billy Rce. Billy
Emerson and the rest---to rambie among
.hs mining camps singing an Indian tune
such a tune might have tickled their ears
ar tried their tempers-it could not have
given even a NANNY sick schoolboy nostal-
gia.
But we refuse 10 believe that the melody
OF "Che farranno vecchi mic''' is an IND
Tan melody Such belief would ny in the
face Of all the evidence offered by the coll
lections Of private students who have fol
lowed scientific methods. as well as the
result. contained in the government re-
ports OF the last few years One Of the
latest Of these reports. and also one Of the
most valuable. is Bulletin No. As OF the
Bureau OF American Ethnology. entitled
Chippewa Music and IL the result Of
nearly two years Of intelligent study pur-
sued by Miss Frances Densmore among the
Chippewa Indians on the White Earth.
Leech Lake and Red Lake reservations. IA
Minnesota. Miss Densmores labors were
preceded in a measure by those OF two
investigators, neither of whom seems TO
have been so we'll equipped az she for the
task which she undertook. In the seventh
report OF the Bureau OF Ethnology Or.
W. J. Hoffman. an excellent ethnologist,
gave the results of his study OF The
Midewiwin or. Grand Medicine Society OF
the Ojibwa," in which he recorded some Of
the songs accompanying the ceremonies
Of the societies. Later Mr.. Frederick X.
Burton. whose interest in the Chippewa
or Ojbwa, Indians grew out OF his connec-
ton with the "IIiawatha' play. which he
was instrumental In exploiting. published
his book on American Primitive Music"
in which he paid attention 10 the songs OF
the same Indians. but spoiled their value
as scientific material by his arrangements,
paraphrases and harmonlzations designed
10 illustrate their value for artistic
purposes. DR. Hoffman reproduced the
mnemonic pictures which rcrve the Indians
as records OF their songs a. great length,
il not in full but gave fewer Of the songs
in notation than does Miss Densmore,
whose monograph is devoted specifically 10
the music and who stands midway between
the ethnologist and the somewhat too senti-
mental and unscientific journalist and
Snowman. and is apparently uniformed
touching the works Of both. II IL worthy
of note. however, that she does more 10
confirm the records of DR.. Hoffman than
those Of Mr.. Burton.
Miss Densmore Is not without magma
ton. and has sufficient sentiment on the
subject Of Indian music to have prompted
great industry and zeal in collecting and
Analysing the songs. Her observations
differ from those Of this reviewer. In that
she Is inclined TO think there is consid-
cradle Of what might be called the artistic
element in Indian sorg-that is, that song
is largely cultivated by them for aesthetic
and sensuous pleasure. whereas this writer
believes that the aesthetic or artistic ele-
ment in all Indian song is a negligible
quantity, compared with its Importance as
part Of ritual. II is due 20 the former no.
ton. so assducusly cultivated by Miss
Alice g. Fletcher and her followers. that
vagaries OF performance which would read
lily be accepted as evidence OF lack OF
any Of the white peoples OF America are
set down as Illustrations Of esoteric sys-
TENS and peculiarly keen sensibliues Of
the Indians. Hence the notion that the
North American barbarian delights In the
refinement OF smaller fractional tones than
the semi-tone. An experience much more
limited than that of either Miss Densmore
6vho nuts forth no claim for different
scale than that which has been called the
scale ~ nature or Miss Fletcher who Is
chiefly impressed by the pceticsl symbolism
which she finds I'm the songs OF the Omahas,
but still reasonably large. has led tho
writer Of these notes 70 doubt whether ever
q number of Indians were heard 10 sing In
tune" as the phrase goes. or In consonance
with each other. Where song Is religious
duty Incumbent on everybody. its mani
festatiors are not likely 10 contain many
artistic elements Miss Densmore having
made her records with great care az means
or q photograph. which she regulated ny
n,eers OF a pltchpipe. was careful 10 re-
es,a blish the same conditions before max
ing the record. This Is indicative Of q
more accurately trained mind than thai
nossessed by the scientific men who, in
son or 1851. made studies OF Zuni music, the
results OF which were startling, 10 say the
laast in respect OF delicate shades OF IN
torsriou. until The Tribune pointed ont
ttat the songs we're utterly valueless be
co, co thev had been recorded by Dhono-
graph operated by treadle power and re-
PRODUCED with the help of an electric motor.
Miss Densmorc mentions the fact that one
Of the characteristics OF the Chippewa
Indians is that a "vibrato or wavering tone
is especislly pleasing to the singers Tbs
vibrato. she says. may seem 70 Indicate an
uncertain sense Of tone, but the singer
who uses II is ready to approve the song
when SUM- with correct intonahon. lie
declares. however. that it is not good sing
ing" We have heard the same statement
made in defence Of Italian singers by ltai-
ian writers who have accused critics who
ohiected TO q singer tremolo and called X
a vocal wabble as ignorant a the nature
~ the effect call the tremolo vibrato
and IL is essential 10 vitality Of tone. Inc
nbonograph records. says Miss pensmore'
show the octave, fifth and twelfth i've
arA not sure Of her meaning sung accu-
ratelv INK men who give the other intervals
with uncertain pitch" She also says that