The Ocala evening star., 1915-08-13
MORE ABOUT MUSIC

friend, E. C. Smith Jr., well known to
be one of the most accomplished mus
icians of his age in town, and fattens
US with the following:
Editor Star: / am not a German,
nor am | a German sympathizer, but
| feel that | should defend the Ger
man music which you so unjustly
knocked in yesterdays Star. l do not
speak from the standpoint of musi-
clan, but from the standpoint of a |
lover of true music.
/ must disagree with you when you
say that German music is not popular |
in America. Indeed, as Mr.. FfsheI
said, it is as popular, if not more
popular than the music of any other
people. Of course it is not popular
with many people because there are
many who know no other music than
this trashy ragtime which is running
their love for real music.
True, German music has its char
acteristics, but they are character
istics of good music, which is more
as a whole. Altho many German
operas are sung over here every year,
no American opera has ever success
fully crossed the ocean, and practical
ly the same may be said of the Eng
lish, Spanish and French operas, altho
the French opera is much more pop
ular than any opera of the two for
mer. The Italian opera seems to pre-
dominate here, but the German opera
stands second.
The compositions of Beethoven,
Mendelssohn, Shubert and other Ger
man composers are unequaled as ex-
amples of true music. You may find
quite few "airs" that are popular,
but as far as true music is concerned,
I think I can safely say that German
music is almost unrivaled in its pop
ularity. / agree with you when you
say that the works of these famous
German composers are not on the lips
of the people at large, because the
only music that is on their lips is gen.
orally this trashy ragtime, and | can
not say that any of the composers OF
this junk have ever attained world
fame. Nevertheless the works of
these composers are in the hearts OF
the people and all that is needed to
stir it up is to hear selection from
one of these composers rendered as Il
should be.
You are very much mistaken wher
you say that few Americans take tc
German music naturally. Many peo
pie shun German compositions be-
cause they are unable to play them
but you will find that the majority Of
the people who can play them viii
take the works of these composers il
preference to those of any others. Tht
fact that you say most people whC
attend grand operas go merely to b.
In fashion, is only an instance wher'
this trashy is running tn
peoples love for real music.
l do not think that you could hav
looked seriously into this matter be
fore you wrote your article in yes
terday's Star. f you had you woul'
not have said that we have a grea
many more English, French, Scotch
Irish and Spanish compositions thai
German. 1t is exactly the opposite
We have some "airs" from England
Scotland and Ireland, but they coul
not be called true music. We hav
very little Spanish music, altho / ad
nit we have quite lot of Frenc
music but even it is much less POP
.ular than the German music we have
E. G. Smith Jr.
Gracious, Great Scott and also Gee
If we had known what we were get
ting into we would never have said
word Now, we are in, We'll have
wade out, but we don't know how.
Because we are one of those deplol
ably ignorant people whose taste
ruined by ragtime. Perhaps if we ha
Mr.. Smiths musical attainments "
might agree with him. Perhaps "
wouldn't There's no way of decidin
Mr.. Smith is harder on US than M
Fishel. Mr.. Fishel admires muC
American music and doesn't thir
people can't comprehend true mus
because they like ragtime. In fac
he rather likes little rag when n
body is looking.
But we beseech Mr.. Smith al
others not to think our opinions {
German music are based on our syT
pathies. We formed our opinion
German music years ago, when V
loved all the Germans. We love the
all yet, except those who brought
the war and those who approve
sinking passenger ships with Amer
can women and children on boar
Under that description, we hope, '
believe, we have the right to ha
very few Germans. We would ma
an American who brought on nee
less war, and we would despise
American who approved of the mt
der of women and children.
But about music: Mr.. Smith sa
he speaks from the standpoint OF
lover of true music. That is to s
people who don't agree with n
Smiths musical 0Dinion are not love