New-York tribune., 1918-10-20

r.. iot innocent ICcrp1-
''on Tor the masses.
LAlino'her Influence. the proport;ons os
tk tuk"'on we have not yet realized. is in
we great influx here Of Euronenr mn.
s,clans. refugees from war. str;ckon
thp tIhurope. or whatever grade of ABILITY
these th musicians may be. and many OF
th hem are OF the worlds famous artists
S;st,S WY humber OF them is bound to
world ""h husical
a.. WIN The overdue consideration given
20 the European musicians by Amcri.
gan society and the all too frequently
neia estimate of the American mus
elan as .nferior to his European fel.
low professional. this host Of musicians
lHrm'dahle force of competitors with
which the American musician mus
reckon. The American musician has
not yeo won the respect of Euronc
.hough the European has never scornea
the Americans dollars 1t has been q
iavomte pastme for Europeans to cali
the American "unmusical'' and to FIX
us in history as CONNIE rcial." "do,lar dc ,r
mad etc. Yet when hungry our dol
lars are sought by our European breth-
len with no small degree of aviditv
and energy; hence, we have need to
look after our interests as Americans
ana. while giving them generous vel
come, learning lessons Of patience and
.n','rougnness from them, yet we must
al! see to 1t that we in no wav fall
behind Them in musical attainment. as
we are assured that we are the wiser
III the knowledge of the needs and de-
slres Of the American public, and with
more certain permanency of resi-
oencc here We are likely to possess a
Deeper sincerity in our work, looking
tiitions.
There is none too lively an interest
here, even among our own American
musicians, IN the recognition of the
American composer. American music
IN ITS moro serious phases has not vet
had ITS proper acceptance. Even among
our better class teachers and public
artsts, the American composer has been
grossly neglected. This is not merely
a local condition; it reaches through
the country. Our singers represent the
only class of public artists which has
with any real patriotic and musical
breadth Of mind recognized and ex-
plotted the worthfulness of American
compositions. Pianists and volinists
are particularly slow in this matter,
while conductors are only recently
aroused to the call Of the American
composer. An index of musical condi-
tions in community is the status Of
orchestra! music. In this matter Amer
lea is making great strides, and where
we in former years had one orchestra
travelling through the country in per-
formance of it's missions we now have
many symphony organizations in the
larger musical centres, and the whole
country is supplied with the highest
class Of symphonic music. But with
all OF this said we have not yet been
aroused to the dignity and Importance
Of the orchestral musician, and our or
chestras are almost entirely aggrega-
tions Of European players.
The American Guild Of Organists
has done Il splendid work in the cause
of American music and American ideals
creased interest in the serious study
OF music, increased attendance at the
singing and solfagsio class and the
serious choral society, then we may
because of its loyalty to the American
composer, as we'll as through the high
standards Of organ playing it has rep
resented.
The war thrill has taken hold Of
many Of our nations musicians, but as
yet there has been 10 serious evidences
of the stressful spell in the matter of
inspiration among our composers.
The ephcmeral works OF the hour,
coming from our publishers, are, with
perhaps the exception Of q few serious
songs, OF no permanent value, and in
nL sense represent l0eaI american
music.
The high place accorded American
ideals and abilities throughout Europe
since the miracles Of speed and eth-
cheney due 20 the war call has reached
to all classes OF men and women, but
we have not seen as yet that music
has been especially "quickened' by all
of this sentiment: that American music
will be Influenced by the war is in
evitable, but whether the profession
will accept the challenge of the hour
or endeavor to raise the banner of
American music to lis righ.ful place is
vet 10 be shown.
If the new idea of Americanism, so
strongly i'll evidence abroad to-day, is
to reach in its admiration to our ranks,
it will be because the American mu-
sican will rise to the necessity OF
stronger faith and g more serious ac-
ceptance OF his responsibility. Ameri-
can music at its best is unknown 70
the ereat mass of Americans or Of the
world. 1t has been hidden, through un-