The mirror., 1916-11-23
M SIC AND SICIANS
It's Past Present and Future Paper Read
Before the Prison Chautauqua
Bu VnceJo
By "Uncle John


war will bring to the musical profess
sion of this country. Among the good
things is the prospect of greater op-
portunities in the field of musical in
struction in all the branches. 1t is a
we'll known fact that thousands of
students go to Europe yearly. Very
few will dare to go this year if condi-
tiOns continue as they are at present;
Therefore, those remaining here will
have to continue their studies at home.
However. the great question is: What
influence will the war have on the &C.
tual making of music? Undoubtedly
events have great influence on the in
spiration of composers as we'll as of
poets. The composer who does not
need to delve into Beethoven, Wag-
ner. Verdi, and others, for inspiration
is like the angler that is waiting for a
bite. He may not get one for days.
But he who desires to compose hymn
let him 90 to church on Sunday and
listen to a good sermon and to a grand
old hymn; the words, the music and
the surroundings will inspire him; a
beautiful moonlight night will give in
spiration for serenade or a love song.
In actual warfare such creations as the
"Marseillaise," Marching Through
Georgia." and the "Wacht am Rhein''
we're inspired. They are the triumph
of passion of patriotism--an inspira-
ton for all times-sublime, undylng;
but they are songs of liberty, the cry
of the oppressed. Such songs cannot
be inspired by such war as this. 1t is
not war for freedom, it is a war for
oppression, for ambition; a war of
destruction. Undoubtedly the strug-
gle of Germany for freedom inspired
Wagner with his mighty patriotic leg
ends. But this all happened in a time
of unrest, of holy desires. These great
works were not created in time of
actual strife. When a composer
writes an opera on heroic subject, he
lives, or tries to live, in the atmos-
phere of the time he wants to depict.
Likewise when he writes an idyll or a
hn g.
ings which will inspire him in accord
ance with the subject.
Some one described war as hades.
Well, hades can be described in music.
Mabelini, great master. set to music
Dante's Inferno" just as if he had
been with the divine poet on that fate
full voyage; but now at the present
moment, if l am not mistaken, in
France, in Germany, and in Russia
and their allies. there will not be much
music written of any kind. The mu-
sic will come afterwards. Among the
compositions there will be two promi-
nent themes. One of victory, the
other of woe. We are, therefore,
waiting for the real music of the fu-
ture. Knowing the spirit of the diff
ferent nations, l imagine that if the
French are victorious we need not
look for nerve-racking, tragic. terrify-
ing music. No, the Frenchman fights,
and fights we'll when he must, but as
soon as the fight is over he returns to
his life of industry, gaiety, and comfort,
and his songs will be of love. If the
Germans win, it will be different.
Every composer will strive to describe
the might of the Fatherland and vic
tories won, the complete downfall of
the enemy. OF course we cannot say
what kind of music may come from
Italy, but who can tell? Russia has
excelled herself at ballet music and
the way she is rushing things indicates
that she keeps her feet moving ahead,
and the last few years her composers
have given good account of them
selves. and if Russia wins, who knows
what they may give us from the
variety of the Russian population. We
may expect some novelties from the
other belligerents. l will not speak
musically and will wait and see what
victory or defeat may inspire in them.
One of the effects of the war will be