The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1913-12-21
Iluminates GroWth
of ChiIdren's Songs


ed by Mrs. EMILY Sltzer last Tuesds
Of the Ladies' Literary club. In pa
Mrs. Sltzer said;
Considering the subject OF chill
dren's song literature we are led TO
observe there could hardly have been
any definite beginning, for as far
back as can be imagined there must
have been the simple though crude
or barharic cradle song or jingle
The history OF the child Is the bis
tory of the race and the student who
understands human nature M well as
music must have observed how close
Is rhythm touches the race. The
chlld's perception awaHfns first TO the
rhythm. which he cam express very
early in life; then through melody
(the little etched outlines OF music
so interesting to the child when ap-
piled to the form rhythm helps them
to-; then later the dawning conscious
ness OF harmony.
One OF our countrys most promi-
nent teachers has said that II the re-
ationship OF these three elementals
were carried out logically there would
be a greater number Of people who
would enjoy those highest OF musical
forms. chamber music and symphony.
The nursery tales, or. as the Ger
mans call them. Marchen, are the I'M
memorial Inheritance OF all European
peoples. The incidents and plots OF
The Ceits. German. Slaronic and In
dian peoples the unknown antiquity
and mysterious origin of these are
universally recognized.
Ii Is said TO find the origin OF a
folk song Is as hopeless as Is The
author OF any of the Marchen. Ii
IS 20 be asked whether what Is true
oi folk tales, as Cinderella ana
Sleeping Beauty" Is not true OF the
E,ttF Ia.
They must have been universally
sung, as fairy tales have been mar
rated from generation 10 genera tion.
They bear traces OF the primitive
forms OF consciousness and OF imag'-
nation.
There is hardly a country that has
such a wealth OF childrcn's songs and
rhythms as Germany. \ great many
rhymes arc from 500 to 500 Years old.
but children love 10 say them and
known folk lullaby dates about the
year 500 A. n. Al that early time
singing was not far removed from
speaking, a sort OF chant being used
some OF these old ditties were
chanted with The orna mentnti ton at
The end Of each stanza (words as
.'Dudle. diddle, dunn. We read that
travesty on the Chinese language,
Ching, Ching. Ching. Chi, Chi, CHI"
etc has its charm for the little CHI
uese as the 'pat-a cake" song is a
pever-faillng source Of delight to both
mother and child, who thus institute
the first action play
The Mother Goose rhymes, so fun
OF charm and interest 10 every gem
Grafton. have been set to music by
T. u. Ortt. A beautiful contribution
to our best literature for children,
full Of artistic touch and yet rhyth-
mic. Is found in Emily Poulsson's
.Tbs plreOner which begins.
These are the eggs SO smooth and
round
That held the wonderful secret
This is the nest where the eggs were
found.
The pretty. white eggs SO smooth
and round,
That held the wonderful secret"
Going on and on. gathering interest
10 child and adult; lovely lesson
throughout
nothing so interesting as the study
o. cbildren's singing games. Kinder
gartners have been busy improving
the elementary principles which make
these games so attractive 10 children,
and come always to the conclusion
that II is rhythm hrst' last and al
ways that makes their charm last
ing.
We have all doubtless Joined In a
circle 10 Ring around rosy, pocket
full OF posy" or played the familiar
game of las we go round the null
berry bush, the mulberry bush. the
mulberry bush, so early In the morn
ing This game seems TO have re-
tained it's original character through
out the centuries OF its playing. with
the exception OF change OF the name
of the bush. Miss Gomme attributes
OF the marriage dance around the
sacred tree or bush. The domestic
character of the game might indica te
the enumeration of the domestic vir-
tues Of the bride. London Bridge
is one OF the Oldest and most widely
popular OF the folk games.
From these older forms of melodies
we now. tenn jingles are being
evolved the most beautiful musical
settings. which appeal 10 the imagi-
nation of the child from a musical as
We'll as q rhythmical standpoint. The
composers Of modern song literature
arc more surely meeting this dema nd
o. the child. for we have such com
posers as the late Tomlins. Henry X.
Hsdley. Eleanor Smith, Jessie Cay
nor. Otto NiessneT. Margaret Lang,
Mrs; II II. \. Reach. Walter Dam
rosch, and others. who have contrib
uted so many bea utiful gems for the
child's repertoire.
Much could be said with regard to
the wonderful possibilities our coun-
t!y possesses In the children them
selves. VINO are acquiring Intelligent
y1usical apprcciat ton through the
study OF music IN the public schools.
Who IL more natural spontaneous,
or imag glnatiyc than the child? And
when music is become as natural an
expression as language TO the child
what can we not expect from their
own creative power?
can believe the time is not far
distant when our cllildren's songs will
be composed by themselves This is
being realized at the present time
IN some Of the elementary schools In
Germany. where music has been fos-
tered so many years.
The songs given we're from the "Al
'ycles OF Otto Melssner, one OF ou
ountry's supervisors of music. who's
ginative or word thought from mus
al standpoint.
Five songs from the Cycle OF Sense
oncs; Touching" Seeing" Tasting.
Hearing" and ''smeliing.
Four songs from Cycle al Insects
onGs; Mr.. Bumble Bee Hone
Zee. katy-did," and '(;ra nd -da did
,ong-legs'
Three songs from Cycle OF Forelg
.anos' songs: Greenland China,
nd Scotland"
The accompa niments were given wit
rustic Interpretation by Mrs J. LouI
trohsuer.
Concert at Hotel Utah,
The Mcclellan Hotel Utah orchestra. az
listed by Mrs Halle Foster SutherIs M
fir snura nfa will