Evening star., 1915-06-06
~ NE Of the curious things in life
that is, in the life of human beings

ii ii that Is, In the life OF human beings
~ is the influence Of music on the
nerves and its consequent influence on
the mind and circulatory and respira-
tory systems. A current definition OF
music is: 1.-The science and art Of rhyth-
mic combination of tones. vocal or In
strumental, embracing melody and har-
mony for the expression Of anything
possible by this means, but chiefly any
thing emotional-one Of the fine arts
or arts Of beauty and expression"
But the definition itself would convey
no meaning to person who mad never
heard music or experienced the sensa-
tions caused by music. and person who
had entered upon or passed through
such experience would not need the defi-
nition and perhaps might not be able
to understand it. Also, If the definition
of music conveyed to the human mind
any sense or comprehension of what
music really is, 1t might likewise be de-
sirable to submit definitions OF what Is
art. or science, or harmony. or rhythm,
sound, notes. melody. counterpart
thoroughbase, chord. pitch, scale time,
tune. measure or the myriad forms which
those things called musical compositions
may take on.
of music must be meaningless, for there
are persons who cannot hear music.
though their hearing as to sounds is
otherwise perfect. They canpot near
Emusic" because they cannot bear the
sequence and combination Of sounds
which make what one calls tunes They
hear perfectly each note or each SOUND,
but the combination Of these sounds 90
not make to them tune. 1t is curious
thing to persons whose hearing may not
be acute, but whose nerves convey to
their brains tunes. that there should
be persons whose hearing Is perfectly
keen, but who cannot hear the tune
They are tune-deaf There Is some
thing in this defect analogous to color
blindness. A mans vision can be keen
and he may be able to read small print
in a dim light without glasses, yet ne
cannot distinguish red. green. blue ana
yellow from each other. To him they
are all the same color and that color is
not the color Of any one OF them.
Tune deafness is not common oe-
ficiency, but tune dullness Is common.
The dullness may be found in varying de-
erees. A step above tune deafness is that
condition of mind whereby a man Is apie
TO recognize only one or two tunes, ana
these after hearing them great many
times. He may not be able to carry
them. hum or whistle them, but he recog-
a good deal Of inward satisfaction when
he does hear them. He accounts for this
on the ground that they are the most
beautiful tunes ever composed, ana 10
him that is the truth. They are the only
melodies which have made upon him such
an impress that he recognizes them "hen
he hears them.
There are various and varying degrees
of tune dullness above that Of the man
who can recognize only one or two tunes
Some men recognize great many that
they have often heard. or those which in
some way have been associated with
particular or memorable event in their
lives. They can instantly recognize a
number of tunes, and In the case of very
striking tunes, those which they may have
heard once or twice. their musical MEM
ory. though not very active. is at least
astir. They recognize that the tune is
familiar" they are conscious that they
have heard it, but they are not able to
tell where they heard it or what it Is.
Persons of this degree of musical under
standing may have some appreciation Of
tune. 1t may convey to them sense of
pleasure or depression. 1t may move
them to a desire to sing, dance, march
or mark time with their feet or hands
They hear the Tilt or the rhyth of the
melody.
Passing over the various grades of mu-
steal dullness one might merge into the
grades of musical livelinesS, musical alert
ness, musical appreciation or apprehen-
sion. which Is very often mentioned as
musical talent" Such a person hears the
tune and the harmony which Is written
around 1t or overlaid on the melody To
hear is to remember it to such a degree
that there is ability to hum it-afterward,
or to sing it, or somewhat instinctively
or subconsciously to translate it to the
piano or other instrument. They may not,
except in rare instances, play it as they
heard it, but their memory keeps them
SO close to the music that they follow the
"air" and throw in harmony on their own
account. There are degrees of this tai
ent reaching into positive genius-a term
which it is impossible to meaningly de-
that it is genius.
There is another phase of musical
talent. frequently amounting to gem
ius, which enables person to hear
tunes that they have not heard with
the physical ear-tunes that are born
In their mind. Then they sing or play
these tunes or reduce them to notes
that others may read them. These are
Some composers may not =
hear a melody with the Inner ear" but |
adapt or revise a melody or parts of
several melodies which they have heard ]
with the physical ear. Some conipos- |
ers hear melodies with the inner ear |
useful and beautiful, but which make |
no appeal to other persons. Some com i
posers hear melodies and reduce them |
to notation, which becomes important !
because of the general effect they pro-
duce on large numbers Of persons.
Il X -
Where this musical talent comes from |
or how it comes is beyond the ken of !
men. Heredity plays Its part. but the !
value of heredity in relation to environ !
ment is something on which perhaps !
40 two men can agree, and something !
about which in truth men know very
little. Traits of ancestors are often not |
found in descendants. and often de-
'cendants have traits which cannot be
found in their ancestors. There would !
seem to be a good deal In the matter
II musical environment. Children grow
ng up in a home where good music is
enjoyed. or, in common parlance.
where there is musical atmosphere"
seem to develop the musical sense in a
greater degree than children not SO
a..