The broad ax., 1914-09-05

music both of a popular and of a NOR,
pretentious character in America.
The coming of the Negro to THU
country has served to introduce into
the musical life features which arr
unique in the annals of history for the
songs Of the Negro are of undoubted
worth. Of all the undeveloped races
the Negro is the most gifted unsteady
this as is generally known an undis.
puted fact. In spite Of the continued
contact with the Caucasians, the Ne.
gro melodies as we hear them to this
day still, retain their exotic traits. In
the matter of rhythm the Negro is
more gifted than any other race. A
feature of the rhythm is the common
use Of syncopations such as are found
in the so called rag-time music of to-
day which feature found its source in
the Negro melodies. In Thomas Jeffer-
sons Notes on Virginia (17S4) he
speaks Of the Negro as being naturally
musical, and adds: ''The instrument
proper to them is the Banjo, which
they brought hither from Africa. -
Late writers scout the idea of the
banjo being the Negroes instrument,
but there is no doubt, that the banjo
was devised by the Negro and brought
to this country by him and used wholly
by him in olden times for the enjoy
ment Of his companions.
In recent years this has changed for
one attends a vaudeville and finds the
Caucasian using the banjo constantly
and in a very skilled manner.
The songs of the Negro are already
incorporated into the music of the eau
casians and has been accepted as 4
part of their musical heritage. These
songs have undoubtedly formed the
foundation of such folk-song literature
as this country possesses.
In order to form a true conception
of the Negro songs it is necessary TO
hear them sung by their creators, for
the Negro possesses a peculiar quail
ity Of voice which is next to impos-
sible to initiate although one hears
a Caucasian occasionally initiating the
Negro and if he is blacked up one can
hardly discover the difference the dia-
lect being quite perfect.
The love songs of the old time Ne
gro with a few exceptions were trifing
and very frivolous. He sang not of
the grande passion his peculiar envir-
onment precluding even a thought of
it, yet in the following lines of one
Of the old songs there is a note of deep
emotion and genuine feeling:
Poor Rosy, poor gal! Poor Rosy, poor
gall
Rosy break my poor heartl Hear n
shall-a-be my home.
One has only to read between the
lines, in order to see the fate Of ''Poor
Rosy" as bewailed by q lover helpless
to avert an impending catastrophe,
Work in olden times was often done to
the accompaniment of songs whose
rhythmic swing acted as an incentive
to steadier and better labor. Even
to-day one may visit in the South and
hear and see the Negro working to
some tune which fits their particular
Now the slave song is q music Of the
past, for these songs peculiar to plan
tation life in the South have faded
away with the conditions that have
tostered them. Under the altered con-
ditions the Negro has undergone q
marked change which has resulted in
! dearth Of song production.
An unbiased investigator win find
marked Improvement in the general
;rend Of popular and rag-tims semi
classical and classical music produced
IN the last quarter Of Q century By
Segros throughout the world and to be
ure-are still advancing. The major
ty Of the current musical comedies
md ballad operas produced by the Can.
.asians always as . rule contain one
n more numbers by some gifted Negro.
N many eases 80 many songs by Ne
nos and Caucasian song writer's are
that the name Of the In
tiatory becomes lost in the hodge
'odge finally produced The emu
neration Of the musical comedies, writ
n Of sueh works, singers and players
ppearing In same within recent years
! out Of the question, for new writer's
nd performers are continually coming
onward and the existence Of the works I
themselves (Gnd the perfOrmsrS) at the :
at a but q matter Of . few ysarA
Bert williams and his lansnted part