New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-11-11
Balks at "The Star-Spangled Banner"; Resigns

use ordinary tact In the matter. His artistic
usefulness in this country may be done for,
but that fact in no way impairs the orches-
tra's usefulness. II was great musical or
ganization before Muck and should continue
8 exemplify its high ideals without him."
THE Evening Post" is also a dissenter
against the almost universal approval of
the anti-German music move, particularly
regretting the dropping of German operas
at the Metropolitan, IF only because it
shows less breadth of tolerance than is
to be found in London, where they are
giving German opera right along, or in
Vienna, where Shakespeares plays are
frequently produced. These great works
of art surely rise above international ri
valries and warfare. Particularly is this
true of WSgners works. AS we have
already pointed out, Wagner was one Of
the most anti-Prussian Germans who ever
lived He hated Prussia and her official
dom, which he frequently denounced, and
if he were living could surely be counted
upon to be in opposition to-day"
Probably the most extreme of those OBJ,
jecting to the treatment of German music
is Bernard II. Ridder, writing IN the
"Staats-Zeitung" under the heading Of
art and Asininity":
"A spirit Of blind, unreasoning prejudice
seems TO be stealing its way into every chan
mel of American life under the cloak Of pa
trotism.' The malignant manifestations OF
/ the hydra-headed monster increase with the
/ days. Whatever incurs the! displeasure OF
any group of, the bilious or equity in our citi'
/ zenry is Immediately mathematical and
maranathematized as disloyal or unpatriotic.
/ That art should long escape those 'amiable
| bulls who are determined to make every color
scarlet was not to be expected.
| "The word has gone forth from them that
| German opera shall not be sung at the Met
I ropolita2 this season.
J "The Metropolitan opera is controlled by a
! small group OF still smaller minced gentle
men of great wealth and inconsiderable pow
ers of reflection. Their little world five
miles round has taken a plebiscite and de-
termined that the war aims of President Will
/ son are all wrong. They have amended his
war proclamation to include the German peo-
,
ment, and now extend it to embrace the mas
ter minds of Teutonic genius. The artistic
creations of Wagner and Strauss and Hum
perdinck and Mozart and Beethoven, which so
offend the jeweled sensitiveness Of the ears
that grace the Metropolitan Horseshoe have
already passed into their allotted place in
history. They will be found there in all their
vigor and subimity when the present world
var is as dead as the struggles between Rom
and Carthage"
/ But in general the press seizes upon the
two incidents to express satisfaction at
the possible internment of DR.. Muck, If
not to develop something of the war spirit.
"rhe Providence Journal" warning Major
Higginson not to bring his orchestra back
to Providence with DR.. Muck as leader,
says: THE place of that insolent German
music master is not on the American con-
cert stage, but in an internment camp,
under strict guard"
! American singers, thinks "The New
York Herald" "can be engaged to replace
those heavy German singers, whose gut
turals and garglings should not be per-
mitted beyond the confines of concentra-
ton camps, with DR.. Muck as their chief
auditor"
/ A good deal of criticism attaches itself
to DR.. Muck and his attempt to explain
why he did not wish to play the national
air. Few editors or musicians accept his