Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-01-05

Everybody is a music critic. There
is no other form of human endeavor
that lends itself so easily to criti-
cism as music; and the multitude in
cludes: The amateur who plays or
sings and has a little musical knowl-
edge, the cultured" person who
blandly tells you they have heard
al! the big artists, and are there
fore posted on everything musical
that has happened since Nero play
ed the fiddle; the one who used to
have a good voice before it went
back on them; the one who used to
sing in the Choral Society or some
other free-for-all organization; the
one who knows absolutely nothing
about it, and so on ad infinitum,
Then, of course, there is the one
who knows-the real critic-and in
the larger musical centers, most COR
daily hated. He is disliked because
he has the uncanny knack of picking
out the shortcomings of the artist
or musical composition. Many art
lists get along finely in concert un-
til their eye lights on the music
critic; then it is only by a supreme
effort that the mind can be kept on
the performance of the music, be-
cause there are visions of the morn
ing paper wherein will be written
victory or r. l. p.
If the latter soothing inscription
is inserted in the write down, (you
can write an artist up or DOWN the
artist. the lady artist especially,
wants to get her fingers in the crit
| les hair, (now q critic usually
hasn't any hair) and accuses him of
not knowing musical artistry when
he hears it, and winds up by call
ing him sour old dyspeptic.
Artists Unreasonable
Seriously, many artists are un-
reasonable in this matter of criti-
cism. They want applause and
praise, anything else gives them in
digestion. Some of them, however,
are beginning to take a common
sense view of whatever is written,
and the result is artistic growth and
broader musicianship.
Candidly. the critics have been
awfully kind to some who have
| achieved considerable fame and
wealth, although possessed of only
fair ability. Twenty singers could
be named offhand who are sadly
overrated; not only do they lack we'll
| produced voices, but interpretative
ability as well. First class singers
are still scarce, and so ofttimes the
mediocre is accepted and placed on
a higher pedestal than it deserves.
The critic on the large metropolitan
daily hears much music. He gets
music tired and it is sometimes a
difficult matter to explain in print
the qualities and finer distinctions
that separate mediocrity from ex-
cellence.
Coming New Phrases
OF course, there are critics that
vie with each other in coming new
phrases or injecting new and un-
heard words into their articles.
They are more interested in writing
clever article than a true analysis.
1t can be truthfully stated, how
ever, that the professional critic has
compelled a higher standard of mu-
sical art. He has striven constantly
to eliminate the bad and to uphold
the good, but when all is said and
done we heartily agree with Gilbert
and Sullivan that "the critics lot is
not 'appy one."
Let us turn now to the other
kind of music critic, the one who has
heard through curiosity Paderewski
and Caruso, and through necessity
the Ice Man. This sort of critic, at
tending n concert in a small city.
finds mannerisms. and other faults
not directly affecting the music, and
condemns the whole program. This
critic could. make better headway
writing up the Ice Man. Another
fnd5 that one certain high note did
not quite meet expectations. An
other could not understand all the
words. Another is peeved because
the sugar-coated Rosary" was not
given as an encore. Now, this is not
criticism; it is just picking" These
self-appointed critics are thousands
of leagues away from real musical
appreciation, and their entire stock
of genuine musical knowledge and
insight could be stored in a half
ounce bottle. Anybody has a right
to their opinion. and to express it,
but remember that it Immediately
effects ones taste, and reveals to