Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1919-02-16
NJ u S | c
d. HENRIETTA M. Rex.

By HENRIETTA NJ. REEFS.
E(XToU KNOW said the higi
brow, Il have always con.
tended that i is familiarity
with the classics that counts. Every.
one who knows them wiip testify tC
that. They would be opular in Z
more lasting way THAI other music
Il the public had chance to hear
them often enough to really get &C.
quainted with them. The mosi
heavenly melodies are found in the
classics"
But the people won't stand for
your classics replied low brow
At this point the sweet young
thing entered the room.
What is this perfectly darling
tune| she asked, humming a line
or two.
I'm Always Chasi..g Rainbows,
best seller of the season, music by
Harry Carroll" promptly replied
the low brow.
"Oh, no it isn't" retorted the high
brow. 1T is Fantasia Impromptu
opus 90 by Chopin, the middle por-
ton"
q guess I know" replied the low
brow.
rl'il bet you" said the II. B.
"Bring out your music, both of
YOU said the s. y. I.
The high brow played them over.
Oh; it is the same thingw said
the sweet young thing.
Sure enough, there it was. Per-
haps il was borrowed bodily. 1t
would not be the first time that a
composer" Of popular songs had
gone to the mighty strongholds of
the classics for his musical material.
Many a bold marauder has entered
in, kidnapped some lovely melody,
made of her fine harmonic habili-
mcnts only an up-to-date rag" and
sold her into hated bondage with
the most banal words. And the un-
wi.ting pubic, not knowing the
gold, accepts the dross.
f,or is it only the popular COM
poser WHO pn:,oins from the past.
M.ny OF the great composers bor-
ros.1 fcocl other great composers
W,sl.c5t G.,.ng credit where credit
w. cue DE. ussy is said to have
borrowed from Wagner, and it IS a
fact OF history which was actively
brought to the attention of New
Workers by the recent revival Of
Weber's "OberouY that Wagner
borrowed in wholesale quantities
rom Weber. In a rec mt article in
the New York Times James Hume
ker relates the anecdote of the pre-
sumptuous youth who pointed out
to Brahms a theme j on of his
works. which was evidently borrow
ed from Mendelssohn, to which
Brahms replied gruffly, Amy fool
can see that" In another article
Mr.. Huneker puts these words:
Who steals my idea steals trash;
It's something, nothing; Las mine,
it's his, and has been slave to thou
sands; but he that filcies my style
robs me of that which not enriehes
him and makes me poor indeed.
This is reorchestrated to suit the
SMILEY
1t does not seem so great crime
when a great composer is the bor-
rover, for he usually treats lovely
melody with respect, and although
he takes il to a different environ
ment, he still maintains for it high
standard of musical surroundings.
But many composers boldly
acknowledge an outside ancestry.
Any number of the famous eompos7
ers have united fugues and other
large forms of music upon old CHOIR
ales and said so on the music. Dvor-
ak and List went to Bohemian and
Hungarian folk tunes for some q
their greatest inspirations.
Many a program contains NUM-
bees "On theme by Beethoven" or
an old negro melody, on a folk tune
etc. and it is q common method for
one who fearranges old compost
tions or who writes a free tram
seription to another's melodies to
use the two names hyphenated. 1t
wouldn't be any more iucongruous
TO have "Chopin-Murphy" on a piece
OF popular music than it is TO have
number Of the beauties OF the class
les made up to date without it.
Through some unforeseen cir
cumstance, the tickets for the two
rccitals given at the Hotel Fonte-
nellie under the auspices Of the
George Crook Womans Relief
Corps did not reach us until after
The recitals had taken place These
were held Wednesday and Thursday
evening and were known as the
Swain recitals." They were given
BY Edwin Swain. baritone; Philip
Sevasta, harpiss: and Josef Martens,
pianist. Accc-t'~g to the reports
Of others who . there, both pro-
grams were Of a .igh standard, and
furnished great enjoyment to the
listeners. Edwin Swain is said to
be the possessor of voice OF ex-
cellent quality, wide range, and con-
siderable power. He was especially
at home in the brilliant numbers.
eBaIiynure Ballad" The Wag-
oner and aMy Irish Wife" sung
ON Thursday evening were especially
remembered. Mr.. Sevasta proved
himself harpist of both talent and
technic, in the different groups he
presented. Many of his numbers
were said to be of the greatest swift
ness and bri.liancy, testing his viz
tuosity to the utmost. Mr. Josef
Martens. rs piano soloist and
accompani al proved favorite
with his an S~,e