The Lakeland evening telegram., 1917-11-14
Lakeland'S Need
OF a Band
Discussed By
Music Teacher

Editor Telegram: l nave reau WIFI
much interest the article entitled
1.-The Need of Good Band in Lake
land" by Mr.. Cowden, which ap-
reared a few evenings since in your
paper. What he says about every
home being touched in some way by
1cusic is very true. Also that 6
good band would be of much value
educationally by giving a good class
of music in their concerts and all
public performances. People in gen.
eral cannot appreciate good music
until they have heard much of it.
again and again-in other words,
until they are educated up to it.
most heartily endorse what he
says in regard to music being taught
in the public schools from the pri-
mary grade up. l have often won
dered why sight singing. or rather
what is known as public school mu-
sic, is not taught in our schools in
Lakeland Music should occupy
permanent place IN the curriculum.
and every child required to study it
except those who are tone deaf.
hope to see the day when instrument
tai music, especially the piano and
violin, will be taught in our public
schools as elective studies, the same
credits being given as for any other
branch. This is being done in many
schools in other States. Why COM
pei child to give the best years of
his life to wrestling with higher
mathematics for which he has abso-
lu.ely no aptitude, while he might
make brilliant SUCCESS of some line
of music. if given the opportunity
pand time for study?
I agree also with Mr.. Cowden In
his suggestion Of giving musical
notes Of historical character in
making up concert programs The
value of the lecture recital has long
been recognized in music schools and
musical centers. regret, however.
tina! Mr.. Cowden chose as an illus
tartion of this phase Of musical edu-
cation the unfortunate and doubt
full incident of Schubert's immortal
Screnade having been written in
barroom while he was intoxicated.
| Gave been a student and teacher
OF music history for years, but never
before saw this statement. Indeed,
my indignation has been SO aroused
by this (unintentional, 1 am sure,)
slander Of one Of my best loved COM
posers, that 1 have consulted four
musical authorities and have failed
to find this statement in any OF
them.
l would he had related the pleas
antei and more characteristic story
OF his playing on the violin in school
when little more than eleven years
old. He played so we'll that it put
him on a level with boys much older
than himself. One of them turned
around one day to see who it was
playing so we'll and found a little
boy In spectacles named Franz
Schubert. The two boys became in
innate and one day the little fellow.
blushing deeply. admitted to the
older boy that he had composed
nuch and would do still more IL he
could get the music paper.
Poor Schubert, All of his shor,
lie The only lived to be thirty years
cidj he suffered privation. but al.
though most Of the time he was cold
ana hungry, yet musical compost.
tions ranging from the simplest song
10 the great symphony in C.. which
vas performed for the first time ten
years after his death. poured from
MS pen as joyously and spontaneous
iy as song from the throat of our
own mocking bird. Although his
'lfe was SO short, his compositions
number over eleven hundred, many
OF them of exquisite beauty. Bait
2en' IN his History of Music, saws
composing was the handspring OF
his existence. and he often wroto
Gown his ideas while in converso-
CONTINUED on Pare ~