The Washington times., 1914-07-05

What would be safer and saner than
musical Fourth of JULY
What would more properly replace
the ear-splitting. nerve-wracking
noise producers of the past than the
Introduction Of the soul-stirrins har-
monies of the great masters of music?
These queries come at the head of
q proposal to make music an impor-
tant feature of future celebrations.
and the scheme has so much of in
forest, so much Of patriotism, that IL
seems not only plausible, but a highly
practical suggestion.
The Fourth of July Is impressed
upon the average mind as day Of
noises. In the last analysis. music is
noise. II Is the utmost refinement Of
noise. 1t Is the careful matching of
tones and tonal effects TO produce
harmonies that are as soothing and
as stimulating as the average Fourth
Of July noise is discordant and de-
vitalizing. 1t would. therefore, be
typical of the progress of civilization
TX the harsh jangles OF past celebra-
lions should he replaced with
proper juxtaposing of sounds into a
concord OF harmony. All Of this
sounds like a very enthusiastic
preachment from musical crank.
But the scheme is practical. as we
said before. and there Is no reason
to believe that 1t will not find a
place on future prosrams. II
The american people are conglomer-
alton Of every race of Europe and the
near East. Those countries which fur
nished this nation with its sturdiest cit
izens also furnished the world with the
most melodius music And the music Of
ach. fxrr1 of "a ~
that nation. The music that has been
produced in America largely duplicates
in classification one or the other OF
these types or schools or partakes OF
several of them. The national airs of
the nation have been borrowed from the
German, mostly. But there are Ameri-
can sentiments expressed in the music
of all nations and all peoples. This is
the only country in the world that can
claim the music of the whole world as
its own, as IL can claim the heritage CT
the whole world it's own
The suggestion has been made there
fore that a grand concert for the Fourths
of July could be organized from the va
rious groups represented In the citizen
ship Of the country. The people claim
man, English, Irish. Scotch, Swedish or
any Of the other nations, that form q
common ancestry for this nation az a
whole, could organize themselves into
separate choruses to sing the airs of
the countries they have claimed. You
see II is not true that the national air
of Germany Is any more German than
IL is American, because of the many Ger
mans who have become American. TIE
history of Charlemagne, the battles of
Cromwell and the Cid are the history or
the battles of our people-or some of our
people. We participated in the whole
Of the worlds history and there is no
reason. therefore. why we should not
participate in the whole OF the world
music. When each chorus had sung its
national anthem-then the entire body
could join in singing one Of these airs
which custom has decreed the national
anthem of America
Such a procedure would typify the
gathering Of the nations Of the world In
America and the founding of the Aneri,
It would give tremendous volume Of
the most inspiring harmony. And would
be a splendid patriotic demonstration.
The helpfulness Of the Musical League
of America is to be made more gener-
ally manifest during the coming season
from headquarters in New York that, 1t
Is the hope of the organizers, will prove
as valuable as have the bulletins OF the
Drama League Of America. 1t IL part
Of the idea of the musical organization
TO duplicate the activities Of the Drama
League and to guide the students Of
music into such pathways as will give
him access to the best the concert stage
will produce. The scope OF the league
has not needed enlargement to fully
supply the information it desires to
send out. as the organization is based
on the broad principal Of maintaining
the highest standard of music and to
promote artists of merit only.
The first of the bulletins Of the league
relate to the work Of David Sapirstein,
tire pianist Mr. Sapirstcin is an Ameri-
can, a native Of Pittsburgh. He began
his study of the piano at the age of