Newark post., 1913-09-03
A DECLINING
MUSICAL TASTE
One Delaware Woman Plan
To Remedy 1t

! advanced TO greater or less abil-
lty In that line, abandon all mus
ical effort when other duties lay
claim to their time. This is largely
due to the fact that serious musical
study keeps one in touch only with
the established classics and tech
nical requirement for the correct
playing of such music is 50 severe.
| that once "out Of practice" the
reattsining of that technique is al
most hopeless task.
Does 1t not seem a pity that the
time, thought, pleasure, not to men
tion expense of that musical educa-
ton should be lost when there ex-
lists in the musical literature of to-
day an undreamed of wealth of
tone poems, lyrics, and piano mood
pictures perfectly possible to a
player of the most modest preten-
sions technically, and which while
conforming to the basic laws of
sound music, are yet so melodic, 50
ineligible, and so varied as to ap-
peal to even that class of listeners
who frankly attest their noncom-
prehension Of music.
Since music is an active factor in
most homes, is it not our conscien-
tious duty to direct the taste to-
wards the best? Why should low
standard in music be tolerated any
more than trashy literature or hid
eous chromos? Popular music as
late as five years ago was frothy
but harmless tinkle, some of it
very pleasing, but now in this day
Of sober thought on social hygiene
and moral uplift, it would seem as
tho all the filth had been diverted
into the channel Of popular music,
so called.
A year or two ago we might have
deplored the tawdry vulgarity of
some of the all pervading popular
songs, but they were as harmless as
dew in comparison with the general
music to which our children dance
today and which they hum SEEM
ingly unconscious of the salacious
innuendo which masks itself under
the allure of rhyme and rhythm,
and it is more deadly and danger
GUS because it is so insidious. Any
thoughtful club or home member
would experience a mental nausea
upon looking thru the songs which
comprise the best sellers according
to the clerk at the sheet music
counter in large store.
There is more force than senti-
ment in the saying of one Of Eng |
land great observers: "Let me |
dictate who writes the songs of
people, and ! care not who makes
their laws. =
1t would seem a short sighted !
policy that overlooks a factor so
potent, and so prevalent as music
and unheedingly to allow the dis
semination of degraded and vile
iingles and tunes to blunt those
finer perceptions which must be
guarded in music, in literature, in
irt, in home standards, in all those
higher ideals to which our con-
science and our hearts bid us
aspire.
In response to the general theory
What can we do about it, " g How
,an we stem this tide Of deplorable
rash" p" the answer comes, Eight
,ad music with good music" Many
people regard programs of the es-
ablished classics in somewhat the
anne light that child might look
Ipon an afternoon with Brown
ng. 1t is too sustained and COM
'lex," is the impression. Mrs G.
,. Robinson Of Claymont, Della
yare, has inaugurated a movement
mong the clubwomen of the
tate to refute such a theory. She
eclares persons may be convinced
f the fallacy of their conclusion !
y listening to program of care
ully selected modern writings. She
rst tried this argument on men,
ers of her own club, where the
Ian met with such hearty endorse :
lent that it was presented with
reat success in several eastern cit !
IS and at the meeting Of the State
ederation Of Clubs, in Dover, last +
une Mrs. Robinson adds charm
} her recitals by giving the story
1d local setting which led to the
of the piece to be play
|. Through the efforts Of the
usic Committee Of the New Cen L
Try Club, Mrs. Robinson will visit b
ewark some time during the COM n
G winter. The recital will be
Id in a hall and the public will be