Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1913-06-07
INDIANS MUSIC
WILL Be SAVED
Agent Appointed to Record
Their Tribal Songs.
WORK is NOW UNDER WAY.

Government Has Been Working on
Policy For Several Years--composer
o'Hara Win Live on Reservations
and Get the Chants From Ola Men
and sauaws Who Know Them All.
The action Of Secretary OF the In.
terror Lane IN appointing Godfrey
UHara, 4 composer, Instructor Of
music under the bureau of Indian af
fairs means the policy OF the govern
ment, inaugurated years ago to pre-
serve the wonderful music OF the
American Indian, win be continued.
Already much has been done In this
line In fact, the FIRST Indian music
to be recorded and then played and
sung by Indian students was feature
OF the commencement week program
Of the Chilocco indlnn school In north
ern Oklahoma In 1906
At that time Professor Harold A.
Loring was United States supervisor
OF Indian music. and II was under his
direction that Indian music was FIRST
used ut Chilocco aud Carlisle In 1906.
songs For Schools.
II viii be Mr.. ouara's duty, 1t Is
announced in connection with his APP
pointment. 10 record native Indian mu-
sic and arrange IL For Mse in the In.
dian schools He Is % live on The res
ervations, and much Of bis work will
necessarily be done. therefore. In Ok.
lahoma. where there are so many In
dian tribes now living
IN addition. too, there are the rem
nants of many tribes once pppulous
and powerful living In oklahoma
Delawifres. Senccas. Wyandottes Cad.
dos. Wnecos, Knwss Shawnees. Mo
docs and various others
The native music of these tribes is
TO be preserved. so far MS possible,
and. MS a rule. 1t Is absolutely neces-
sary TO get the music from the old
men and squaws OF the tribes. The
younger generations do not know the
music IN great many instances.
The use Of native Indian music, as
arranged by Professor Lorlng at Chi
+ iocco aud Carlisle la the spring OF 1906.
attracted widespread attention. and
there were many calls for copies OF
the music from all sections OF the coun-
try.
In the Indian schools the music was
sung by choirs Of Indian young men
and commemorative songs with band acs
compartment.
One OF the pieces arranged by Pro
lessor Loring and that attracted the
most attention was the ''Cante Mast
ca" a Sioux Indian love song. 1t was
recorded from Indians on the Rosebud
reservation, IN South Dakota. by Pro
fessor Loring and arranged for bands
Demand Among Whites.
In. speaking Of his line of work he
said that wherever the Indian students
interpreted their tribal songs before 4
white audience they met with instant
success, ana since that time there has
been q strong demand for the genuine
aboriginal music rather than for the
many cheap limitations.
'.1'he Indians never sing their songs
In any form other than the melody.
said Mr. LorIng yet there Is little
doubt but that they InwardIy feel and
hear Il barmonization rs distinctly MS
III 1t were being sung ! have often
gone TO the pinno in company with an
Indian and have asked him 70 listen
attentiyciy while played one Of the
songs OF bis tribe.
'First would play the melody only
and would nsk him II that were right,
If It sounded satisfactory. and the re
ply usually would be in the afirma
tive Then would play the same mel
ody with II hnrmonization. and he
would generally say. IT sounds right
and yet II Is queer: II is not Just com
plete.'