New-York tribune., 1919-04-06
THE PERSONAL EQUATION IN PATRONAGE

asked that the boxes be covered. the
gaslights popped out, called his cab
and then home for cup of tea and
to bed
1t Is melancholy reflection that
such disposition of a subject that
has had its daily whrl on the surface
OF the city's life for six months is at
once the easiest and perhaps most
generally desirable. Let bygones be
oygones. Let those who have received
their big or little need of praise
cherish the memory of it; and those
VINO received disprasc rest content
with their sure knowledge that it was
prompted by ignorance or malice ar
both, or forget it. Next season the
blest and the damned. recruited bv
new multitude of aspirants for fame
and seekers of pelf, will again iostlc
each other on stage and platform TO
make work and worry for the record
ers OF musical doings, and sometimes
delight the souls of those who ,n;r,r,o
discriminating comment with the
record but oftcner fill them with dis
couragement and woe. But even tho
musical critic has delight in the art
whose records he must perforce sat
down, and if at the end of so.so,
ne hnds that he has been chronicline
only small beer he may think it a
duty to consider why it was so. Re-
alizlng that he has been PROTECTING
personal equation into his task. albeit
conscientious and unselfsh one, NAV
ne not attempt an assay of the per-
sonal equation which he has observed
IN the activities of the purveyors and
makers of music? If the season now
ending does not differ in outward
semblancc from the seasons which
have recently passed into history. it
may at least be slightly different in the
degree IN which it has been Influenced
by the motives Of the concert and
opera givers and the patrons-espe-
clally by the patrons. In the present
constitution of the world we are not
looking for large manifestations of
artistic altruism from the practitioners
OF art. There was happy time when
the artistic spirit penetrated all arti
sanship. Handicraft and art were
twins and their products filled the
world with things of beauty-parch-
ments and Parthenons, cupboards and
cathedrais, hinges and helmets, and
IRONS and affairs, staircases and stat
ues, doorsills and dulcimers. That
time is past, and we do not expect it
TO return. We can only wish that in
music there were a broader line of de-
marcatlon between the mere hand
craftsman and the artist or that if
the line which does exist is not recor.
nlzed by the practitioners themselves.
there were fewer people willino
TO help them ignore it. 1t would not
only be better for art itself but better
tor all concerned. The music-lovinc
public would be spared much inf1iction.
medlocrlties much hcartburning. artists
much intrusion upon their territorv
Perhaps the greatest injury is done
to music by the personal EQUATION
projected into it by some persons who
arc Its most generous patrons. We de-.
not mean persons who attend MANY
concerts themselves and pay for their
tickets, but some persons who give
muniiicently toward the maintenance
OF concert organizations. This seems
like an accusation that is both un-
wise and churlish, and the bill of COM
plant must be made more definite and
certain, as the legal phrase goes.
Much good may come from the pat
ronagc of struggling Young artists,
provided they have genius or tho
lofty talent which is akin to genius
On the other hand, much harm can
be done to young persons who are not
specially gifted, but through defective
moral character consider themselves
senluses, by encouraging them in their
deluslon-not only much harm to them
put harm to art and harm to the ar
tlstlc morale Of the public. The stand
ara OF taste is not in the custody of
the multitude who can be persuaded
to attend a concert by the bribc of
gratultous entertainment. 1t is the
Ark Of the Covenant and must not be
profaned. But how shall a musical
performer know whether or not he is
one OF the elect unless he ask the
verdict OF the priests and worshippcrs?
Many embarrassing questions arc
asked of teachers and critics, and tb;s