New-York tribune., 1919-11-09
Are You a Lofty Lowbrow,
In Music or Literature.
Or Just Lowly Highbrow?

Hugo Riesenfeld, director OF the
Rivoli and Rialto theaters, yesterday
threw his piano into the ring, along
with the crushed velour hat that has
replaced the Hammerstein tile as the
musical symbol Of Broadway. 1t was
a pianissimo challenge to the high
brows" Of the musical and dramatic
profession.
In the middle of discussion about
motion pictures, their past. their pres
ent and their hopes, the young theatcr
director, violinist and composer raised
his hands with directorial gesture
that usually stops his orchestra and
exclaimed:
Il can't talk it. can explain it bet
ter on the piano" Whereupon he
seated himself before the instrument,
touched the keys, and the interview
began.
"Do you know this?" he asked, as
he ran off some queer musical jargon
that sounded like q hivver running
over the Santa Fe Trail in the good
old days. The interviewer did not.
THAT is the most famous passage
famous in it's day-from the work Of
seventeenth century composer who
was proclaimed as great His name 1
don't remember; only the teachers
thing know it. | recall the passage
because ! had to learn it in school
He was highbrow composer and his
admirers were the highbrows of the
time.
"Now, do you recognize this" The
tune and words came to the interview
er's lips. Zach, du Lieber Augustine"
the JOY Of many a college songfest,
the refrain of many q banquet. When
/ the player had finished with the piano
for the moment, he continued: "That
was written about the same time as the
h'ghbrow piece | played minute ago
l don't know whether | ought to even
say written. 1t was sung by singer
of the same class as we have in our
cabarets. No. not troubadour; 1t was
too late for troubadours; just a cafe
singer, probably Il clown, who did it
for his food and drink Which do YOU
prefer?"
There was only one answer and Mr..
Resented continued, still illustrating
on the piano:
Even to-day, in the field of music,
I there are musical. or mathematical
highbrows who scoff at everything that
does not conform to the standard set
They can see nothing that is worth
while in the music of such men az
Irving Berlin, for instance, in spite
of the fact that the English speaking
world, and good deal that is not Eng
speaking, knows his music and
loves it. 1t must be of great value
1t must have something that touches
the heart of the people when it can
reach so many and give them great
joy"
He played some of the pieces, still
illustrating his point
II can illustrate it TO you in liter
ature," he went on. "but everybody
knows that what the highbrows admire
to-day the world forgets Tomorrow
and to-morrow's highbrows. trained to
new standard, laugh dt their prede-
cessors. We have our nursery rhymes
our Alice in Wonderland and
Through the Looking Glass How
many of the more highbrow contempo-
raries do we remember?
"ln the motion picture world the
situation is much the same. Persons
who have never seen the best of
modern productions like Grffith's. SEN
nett's comedies or Ince's work, or any
the feature films like The Miracle
Nan sit back in their studios or
clubs and tell you that the films are
vulgar. They may have seen picture
zen years ago or so, or they may have
seen some unfortunate production Of
ne poorer type more recently--they
nay have tried sitting on wooden
'ench and inhaled vile air full of to-
>acco smoke while looking at a cheap
lapstick comedy and decided the mo-
ion pictures were no sight for a gen
tleman. Or they may have seen what
he public regards as an exceptionally
ne film and condemned it because it
lid not conform to the standards of
he spoken drama. whatever they may
re. AS we'll expect the automobile to
onform to the standards of the horse
TO run on the same fuel.
How about music and the films? ?"
ut is not Of my work ] wish TO
peak the little director laughed. 1T
of the highbrows. A hundred wear
fter they are dead the world will still
laughing at Charlie Chaplin, be-
eve"
And as tribute to the highbrows
ne played Chopin's Funeral March"