Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1915-02-21
DAMROSCH TELLS
NEEDS OF MUSIC
What Municipal Pipe Or
gan Means to a
City,
PROMOTE HAPPINESS
Says Music Is One Great
Need Of the Present
Age.
PROMOTE HAPPINESS

What the big municipal pipe organ
In convention hall will mean to Tulsa
and the state Cf oklahoma in the
future is set out in an encouraging
letter received by Mrs. r. F. Mac
Arthur yesterday from Walter Dam,
rosCh.
Mr.. Damrosch writes personally on
the big organ, which is to be dedicated
April 29-30, and closes his letter with
splendid tribute to music in gen
eral, and the need Of 1t being fl
nanced by the business men. He sets
forth the logical argument that there
is real need for music in the daily life
OF a growing city; that the end and
aim Of life is happiness and that hap
piness comes from an appreciation Of
beauty.
Mr.. Damrosch wrote in part as fol-
lows:
"Ey beauty we must not conceive OF
that external beauty of nature alone
the beauty which brings delight only
to the eye-we must also comprehend
the supernatural beauty which comes
to us through the creative mind of the
master artist. In this respect the artist
is closer TO God than the rest of man
kind and being gifted with a vision
OF beauty which the ordinary world
has not yet perceived, he is able,
through his art, to make that vision
real to the world.
"Alas, for the man whose sole OBJ
feet is merely to accumulate material
things. How, indeed. is he better off
than the beggar whose only aim Is 70
live from hand to mouth? We were
all placed here so as to pass our days
with actions which, II they do not
make life eternal, will. at any rate
L
beauty. The cultivation OF the sense
of the beautiful does more towards
achieving real soul delight than any
thing else, and the appreciation of the
beautiful Is the base Of all higher edu-
cation.
Music Language.
Music is an art in which the con
ceptiol Of the beautiful is in no sense
based upon the physical world which
surrounds us. Its power to evoke an
inner dream OF beauty Is greater and
more immediate than any other OF the
arts Music Is a language which be-
gins where words end-a vision which
is made clear long after the eye can
no longer perceive.
"As most men and women have to
spend a great part Of their lives in
duties the object OF which is merely to
obtain the wherewithal to prolong life.
It seems TO me an absolute necessity
that music should enter their lives
largely and constantly In their hours
Of relaxation in order that their lives
may not be merely animal The man
OF affairs who tries to do without
music atrophies part OF his soul
l-blots out one OF his God given priv
ileges. Music has obtained such a
strong foothOld among the civilized
nations Of the world that II accom-
panies US all from the cradle to the
grave.
Benefits Community.
"when men of wealth or men OF af-
fairs have turned 10 the study Of
music and its benefits TO the commun-
ity. many have resolved 10 foster mu-
sic with very liberal means. There Is
something very significant I'm this
These men are supposed, by the pub
lie, TO be business men, pure and
simple They are supposed to demand
dollar In return for every dollar
given out. Some Of them are all that,
but they are something far more. They
are business men with a real vision.
They realize the value OF music to the
individual and to the state. Boston
owes its splendid symphony orchestra
TO the enthusiasm Of Colonel Higgin-
son. who. as young man. became
an ardent student OF music. and later.
after becoming one Of the great bank
ers Of this country. decided 10 found
aud endow a model orchestra. In