New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-01-11
NINE. CLAUSSEN ALSO
GIVES FOLKLORE ART
Concert Reveals That Paulsen
Fund Aids Support Scandi-
nayian Orchestra Here.


Institute Of Musical Art ever since It's
establishment. il now being made on
successive Sundays at the Music School
Settlement for Colored People, in East
l31st So.
There Percy Granger. one Of the
best Of British musical folklorists. has
played prescriptions Of Irish and Epg-
fish folksongs collected by him; Mile
Gautier has sung Javanese songs
Kitty Cheatham has told stories and
sang songs from our own Southland
and there Mr. Krehbiel will discuss the
nature and artistic value of AFRO
American folksongs next Sunday after
noon and have the quartet OF Hampton
Institute 20 help him IN the illustra-
tIons.
Several of the itinerant lecturers in
the Board of Education's popular
course have dealt with folksong topics
for two or three years past, and as the
latest phase of the movement II de
serves to be mentioned that Constance
Ramsey Gideon Is about 20 enter the
field with recitals of Yiddish songs
decided novelty. the only mixing OF
which yet vouchsafed the public mas
consisted in an orchestral rhapsody
b. Zolatariew played some years ago
by the Russian Symphony Orchestra.
At the meeting in the Music School
Settlement for Colored People yester-
day afternoon the chief feature
were otfhand talks also by George
Cabot Ward. Of the Park Commission
and David Mannes-was an address by
Dr. W. +. Binghardt Du Bots on THE
Social Significance of Negro Folksong
II was chiefly an historical discourse
on the civilizations Of Africa which
have passed away. but echoes Of which
Dr. Du Bots fondly sees in the music
though not in the words, of the old
slave songs OF the South.
lt is Dr. Du Bois's belief that Al
various times in the past the greater
part of the vast tableland of Africa
swarmed with peoples. some of whom
had attained a high degree of culture,
and that this culture explains the eX-
cellence of Afro-American Song-an in
teresting If somewhat fantastic theory
which is scarcely borne out by scien-
tiiic study of the music itself.
Mr.. j. Rosamond Johnson gave va
rlety 10 the afternoons entertainment
by singing number of negro spirit
uals' and playing one of Coleridge-
. Taylor's pianoforte prescriptions.
The activities Of the Russian Sym
phony Orchestra, which did much f0'
years TO familiarize the people of New
York with the music Of Russia. seen
70 have been temporarily suspended
though there are promises of a reviva
of them before the season is over
Nomnally. at least, the organization
has been kept alive.
How it was supported during 81
many years, while organizations like
the Philharmonic and Symphonic
were struggling for existence. was one
of the enigmas with which the curl
Gus musical students of New HorH
occupied themselves. A similar mys
tory surrounding the concert of Scan
dinavian music given last season
though that, being an isolated afalr
caused only a momentary question.
A concert of like character given II
Carnegie Hall last night led to in
ouiry which developed Information
that lent an interest to the affair, anC
had il been but wider spread II might
have produced larger results. i
appears that part Of the income OF
a very considerable fund given on his
death BY Niels Paulsen. a wealthy
Scandinavian, for the promotion OF
culture among his cOuntrymen, Is be
ing used TO famlliarize the New YORK
public with scandinavian music.
Last wear ana agai this, an orches-
ira was called together under the dl-
rection Of Ole Windingstad, and, wi
I HELM of singers, scandinavian music
aarfp Oh d
fortunately the affairs were not as
widely or as intelligently announced
as they ought to have been and the
audiences were small and confined al
most exclusively to citizens OF Scan
dinavian origin.
This was fortunate, because tie Scan
dinavian School of Music has no reason
TO hide It's light under bushel. Z
was the first school to impress :'seli
upon the nationalistic movement which
is now become all but dominant IN the
art. and il might have put itself Tor
ward with prou, confidence.
..iels Gade was is founder. az his
beautiful first symphony opened last
nights meeting. IL IS Mcndelssohn'
because 10 grew under the influence OF
the master symphonist Of its day, but
il did much to arouse the national
shirt in Grieg while stirring him 10 re-
volt. and so il was entitled to the place
which it held in this interesting con-
cert.
Consorted with il among the impor
tant works were Tor Aulin's incidental
music, arranged in the form Of sym
phonic suite. 10 StrindberS's drama
Master Olof," play which deals with
the Reformation, and Sindings "Rondc
Infinite" a work which New York had
not heard before, but which has figured
in the programmes Of the Chicago and
Boston symphony orchestras.
A string quartet by Tor Aulin has
caused considerable comment among
lovers of chamber music. This lnci'
dental music is not as original and
virile as other compositions which have
come out Of Denmark and the Northern
Peninsula. but IL was well worth hear
ing. and at least helped to Justify the
expenditure of some OF the Paulsen
fund for musical purposes.
One feature Of scandinavian musical
culture which always has had recogni-
ton was ignored last night-the male
chorus and this was deplorable; but
there were songs, one, an operate air
bv Harold Fryklof. of rare beauty. suns
bv Mime. Julia Claussen. from an opera
dealing with the old folklore motif OF
a woman imprisoned By enchantmenI
in q mountain.
The other singer. who sank folksongs
as we'll as art songs and sang them
well-was barytone, Per Bioern
Among the listeners were a score OF
voung women who are studying in
america az the expense Of the Paulser
Fund