Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1911-11-10
CLASSICS IN MUSIC.

OLASOINiS IN M OSlSs
The following excellent paper, Was
read by Mrs. 10. A. Peck at the | 8,
meeting of the Musical Coterie at the
residence of Mrs. Max Eisenkramer:
The term classics was originally
applied to those citizens of Rome that
belonged to the first and most infln-
Servius Tullius divided his population.
As early as the second century after
Christ it is applied figuratively to
writer's of the highest rank, and this
designation has been very generally
adopted in both literature and art.
Most nations have had at some one
time a more than usual outburst Oh
literature, and they usually styled this
the classical period of their litera-
ture its most distinguished writers
their classics, and SO the great pro-
auctions of art have continued to be
AOOhCo uPOA w AANuOA I'D do AAOoSAe VI
perfection. The word classic has
come to designate in a narrower sense
the best composers of past centuries.
Classical seems to mean much the
same as ancient. l have been given 4
group of six composers to represent
our classic music and / shall begin
with Bach.
John Sebe stian Bach, one of the
worlds greatest composers was bora
in EisenaA, Germany, 1856. Left an
orphan in his early boyhood, he came
under the protect on of his older
brother. The death of the latter threw
him upon his own resources and TO
earn livelihood, he entered chureA
choir in his native town. His super
ior ability was recognized and at Il
comparatively early age, he became
Kappell MeiSter to the Duke OF WelS-
entails and later on composer for the
King of Poland. Bach was not only a
great composer but fine organi5t,
having no rival but Handel in his
contemporaries. In composition he
owes much to his predecessors bat
in discovery he surpassed them all.
He wrote many sorts of music for df~
ferent instruments and tAe voice. His
organ phsntasies, fugues and preludes
stand preeminent among organ pieces.
His sacred music, church, contata and
Christmas is also of the best both fer
its religious spirit and artistic conl-
position. Only small portion Of h.
work appeared during his lifetime.
Many have been lost. He died in l1:0
and at the time of his death total
ly blind,
The next in my group IS Ludwig Won
Beethoven, the greatest orchestral
composer of the nineteenth century,
was born in Bonn 1910. HIS father
was a tehor who did not lead an ex
empiary life. His income was small
and it is not surprising that he eager
Nv awaited himself of his sons musical
talent .nd exploited it. He personally
taught Ludwig of his sons musical
talent and exploited it. He personally
taught Ludwig to play the violin ANA
the clavier in tie hope of making him
a wonder child. While Beethoven was
not remarkably precocious. he even
shed tears over his music lesson. He
is said to have written a funeral con-
tata, at eleven and in the same yea
was taken on concert tour by his
father. His wonderful ability attract
ed not only the attention of the best
musicians but the members of the no"
bility and it was owing to a. suggest
ION from Count Won Waldstein That
the elector of Cologne decided to pro-
vide the young musician with the
means to go to Vienna. That was "A
1892. Tempermentally he WIS like his
muse, highly emotional and regard
less of rules. While recognizing the
Importance of being intimate in the
homes of the aristocracy, he never
truckled to rank and refused to sub
nit to TIE intricate and artificial
rules of court etiquette. At the saihe