The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1918-11-07
MRS. HI. l.. WATERMAN
CLUB PRESIDENT
Elected by Woman's Club to Succeed
Mrs. E. B. Smith-Recital OF
Ultra Modern Music by Mrs. Blake.

In the regular meeting of the Brattle-
boro Woman's club in the Unitarian
parish house yesterday afternoon Mrs
II. l.. Waterman was elected president III
place of Mrs +. Burr Smith. who re-
signed on leaving town. Mrs. H. c. Rice |
was made first vice president and Mrs.
c. c. Fits second vice president.
After the business meeting Mrs. Fran |
els p Blake gave delightful musical |
program of ultra modern music by |
French, English and American composers,
De Busy, .Faure La Forge, Cyril Scott, |
and others. She was assisted by Mrs. |
Arthur Brasor in a group OF songs sung
in French. Mrs. Brasor was at her best.
and added greatly to the program.
Frederic c. Adams also sang a group
of songs, ending the recital with the new
war song, The Americans Come, which
completed delightful afternoon.
Mrs Blake prefaced her recital with
an explanation of the laws of music
used by so-called ultra modern compos-
ers She said in part:
Percy Granger says some people
treat the hyper modern or futuristic
music as though il were a strange ami
NAL distantly related if at all to former
types. 1t is no doubt as regards harmony
that the most advanced" music differs
from its forbears. When one considers
that the same dissonant chords used by
futuristic composers have been handed
down by the masters and We're used as
passing chords in the 10th century and
as there are no rules in music, but laws,
these modcrnists feel that fair trial
| should be given their efforts and that
this music is a sufficient basis for new
| laws.
| The dominant seventh chord was orig
mated and founded by Montverde in
! 1901. If this chord or so-called dissonant
chords were good enough TO be used in
short duration as passing chords by Bach
and Mozart the same kind OF chords may
| be good enough for longer duration as in
dependent individual chords, and as
| Montverde defended the free use of his
! dominant seventh chord. so ultra modern
composers defend the existence OF any
kind of dissonant chords, and as there is
no limit to such combinations they bring
in futuristic chords that cannot be
analysed according to our present har-
monte system. l. it any wonder having
our basic laws of harmony, all chords
being resolved and harmonic modulations
falling pleasantly on the ear, that our
musical sense seems offended when we
hear these dissonant chords one after
another. for modernists do not prepare
or resolve dissonanceS 1t is essential
to know that these composers employ a
new scale differing from the regular
diatonic scale composed of tones and
half tones DeBussv, Ravel and D'Indy
employ scale of whole tones, Schonberg
another. while Scrahine uses another,
so we realize that these writer's have
their foundation for so-called futuristic
music.
t Whether this new form of music is ac-
cepted in years to come as have been
the works of the old masters is a topic
I Of much consideration. Granger says
what Is novel today becomes normal to-
morrow. as it is a twist or distortion
t that is desired since il always fascinates
. in the field OF art.