New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-05-27
BY II. L. kREHBlEL

A dozen or more publications devoted
10 folksongs, old English ballads pa
triotic and popular songs which nave
come from the press within the last
few weeks have been waiting for an
end of the musical seasons activities
in order that they might receive some
~ the attention which is their due
The study of national music has as
sumed such proportions, especially
among amateur clubs, that professional
musicians have come TO look upon IL
with q bitter disfavor. There is al
WAYS some danger in disproportionate
study of single phase of art, when
TOO frequently leads to affectation ana
superficial knowledge; but intelligent
study Of national folksong can only
be beneficial at a time when national
feeling is seeking expression, as 1t has
boen ever since national schools oil
composi.ion came into existence 10
widen the forms of music and provide
!, with new idioms. Periods OF poiiu-
cal upheaval arc productive OF popular
warnings for mediums Of national aho
racial utterance, and the world mas
never seen a period which, in this re-
spect. is comparable with the present
Popular longings always react upon
the creative spirit IN music as well a.
literature, and all agencies which IN
vigorate and direct the efforts toward
popular emotional utterance ought %
be welcomed aud widely employed
And so IL becomes a duty to take cog
n,zsncc and make record Of all signin-
cant publications looking to these ends
Mr.. Cecil Sharp. one Of the leaders
among the collectors and analysts oil
English folksong, who has spent much
of his time during two years IN TINS
country giving instruction in the folk
songs and folk-dsnces Of his native
land, has edited a volume entitled
One Hundred English Folksongs,
which comes TO us from the Ditsons-
the Oliver Ditson Company, of Bos-
ton; Charles II. Ditson g. Co., New
York. The collection comprises TWEEN
ty.ninc ballads, sixty-fve songs, most
" OF the sentimental order, and five
songs which Mr.. Sharp calls "accumu-
lstive," meaning by the term that they
ar. built UP on the plan made familiar
to children by such a song as The
House That Jack Built" For all Of
the songs Mr.. Sharp has provided
pianoforte accompaniment in which,
wisely and with proper respect TO their
genius, he has preserved their nim-
plicity by avoiding too elaborate in
strumental and harmonic treatment
On this point Mr.. Sharp has something
20 say in his preface 70 the volume.
He does not agree with the purists
Who would deny all harmonic setting
to the old tunes, nor yet with those
srrangers who decorate them with the
ornaments Of modern harmony. On
this point he says:
IF, then, the need Of an instru-
mental setting 60 the folksong be
granted We have next TO consider what
is It's ideal form; and this, likewise, is
largely q matter of individual taste.
Sir Charles Stanford. for instance. adj
a frankly modern treatment.
The airs he says. are for all time;
their dress must vary with the fashion
~ a fraction of time Personally.
take a different view; and Sir Charles
admits that there are two sides 10 the
question. For il seems 10 me that Of
tho many distinctive characteristics Of
the folk-air one Of the most vital-at
any rate, the one would least willing
ly saerifce-is that which makes il
impossible 10 put date or assign n
period TO IL, which gives the folk-air
the quality Of permsnence. makes IL i'm
psrvious 10 the passage Of time and so
enables II to satisfy equally the artistic
ideals Of every age. Now, il we follow
Sir Charles Stsnford's advice and
frankly decorate our folk-tunes with
che fashionable harmonies OF the day
We may make very beautiful and at
trsetive music-ss Sir Charles I'M
has done--but we shall ef-
fsetuslly rob them Of their most char
setsristie folk-euslities zsnd thereby