The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1912-01-27
MUSIC AS a SOCIAL FACTOR.
Excerpts From Paper Read by Mrs
A. z. Minard.

AT a recent IHSSIl4IS SO4 lhS E0At
nightly club, Mrs. Al. r. Minard read
a very interesting paper the theme
of which was, Music as a Social Fac
tor. Prefacing her paper, Mrs. Minard
said: "a discussion of music as
social factor deals with music as a
means rather than as an end in it
self. 1t is an attempt to measure
music by its effects on other institu-
tions and social values. Music belongs
to the world of emotions. 1t springs
from the emotions and appeals to the
emotions. 1t is an effort to create In
the listener the same emotion that
exists in the creator or performer or
music. Now our emotions are more
influential than our intellectual mo-
tives and that which can appeal to the
emotions and unite whole groups Of
men in a common emotion will have
profound influence in the production
of social action. Frequently, when
men have tried to work together har-
moniously to develop and pe%rpetuate
loyalty to country or church or school
music has been an aid of utmost inn
portance, because in order to work to-
gether, men must feel together. In SO
far as music tends to arouse common
feeling, it tends to produce also com
NOR ideas and common action"
Following an interesting review of
martial music and music in war, Mrs.
Minard discussed the songs of our
country and homeland. There is the
national anthem which is to arouse
our patriotic emotions, Here in our
cosmopolitan America there seems to
be some doubt especially in large au-
diences as to what our national
anthem is and whether it is quite
necessary to stand when it is played.
"Under the head of songs of coun-
try and home we have also the folk
songs and ballads. The ~folk-songs
are one means by which traditions and
customs are transmitted from father
to SON, from one generation to another.
After our country music we have
religious music made to impress us
with alteration and praise. From our
childhood we have associated u re-
ligion with the splendid old hyrnns.
One can appreciate them before he
can the ermo And now when some
Of us by study or in some other way
nave been drawn away from religion
IF our fathers, we could hardly recog-
nize ourselves as the same people if
we did not have the bond Of sympathy
IF the old church hymns. They af-
feet us in spite OF the intellect,
Jane Adams said that Cromwell
and his followers created the dance
hall and the saloon when they closed
the church doors on music. The peo-
pie had to have music as e a of
emotional expression. II they could
not get 1t in church why somewhere
else
Briefly Mrs. Minard referred to col
lege songs--a song will recall a mans
youth and feelings long since forgot
ten and to demonstrate the idea she
quoted Longfellow's The Arrow and
the Song.
Now we come to the sweetest and
most widely loved music, the music in
the home. The hrst songs we remem-
Der are the lullabies. Music SO fills
the little ones consciousness that his
fear or dislike OF sleep is excluded and
banished. 1t joins the mother and
baby in a sweet harmony. Then later
in the little ones life there are the
songs which are peculiarly associated
with his childhood and home. Hymns
and songs sung around the Preside
or by the piano in which everyone
Joined with heads filled with heart
satisfying melody. Let me make the
songs of a country and he who will
may make the laws This Is an old
saying but is proof of the vital i'm
fiuence which music has on a people,
i think that we are demonstrating
that we feel the Importance of this
factor in our society by the growth
and rapidly spreading interest in what
is known as municipal music. In New
York City there is a movement which
is succeeding even beyond the expec-
tations of the promoters. The best
symphony orchestra music is put be-
fore the poorer class from the upper
east side of New York. These con-
eerts are held out of doors and not
only in the parks as formerly but or
the bridge plazas also. In these con-
certs. the best music Is played. schu-
bert,s Unfinished Symphony receiving
enthusiastic applause.
"At Central park the orchestras arr
encouraging American composition by
a rule that each of the orchestras play
a new or little heard composition By
an American composer each week
Seventeen American compositions were
played last year. Some of the compo.
sitions were by Edward Mcdowell
Edgar Gilman, Henry F. Gilbert
Arthur Farwen and others. Band
concerts are given on the piers. These
concerts were classified; for instance
there would be italian opera night
American night Wagner night, a night
Of f-oIk-songs and dances. The folk
dances are sometimes danced by the
children, which afford them an outlei
for their craving for excitement al
well as teaching them history, while
it also keeps them out OF mischief.
'eThis kind OF music Is taken up II
varying degrees by other cities, large
and small, which are trying to Inn
prove their citizenship by caring fol
the recreations of their young people
The smaller towns and smaller socia
centers cannot afford the large sym.
phony ~orchestras, but by securing 6
fine conductor. they can have good or
chestras and bands as well as chora
work from the material in their owr
communities. This work is especially
fine for boys. a thing which the socia
centers have recognized and are nov
making use of. In this way the boy!
get st least a small education In wiaai
Is fine and enobling, while it keeps
them interested when they might 9th
crwiss be In pool-ro0ras or picture
shows.
Jane Addar11s believes that must,