New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-06-01
IN The WORLD OF MUSIC AND MUSICIANS
means to render a disservice instead
of a service to our country,

means to render a dlSservice instead
of service to our country.
1t is not the object of this society
to exercise undue pressure on artists
and organizations to perform music
by American composers merely because
they happen to be American compos-
ers; many artists and orge nizations
have fostered American works in the
past, and they will continue to do so
if they consider them worthy of per-
formance. The self-respecting Amer
lean composer asks for nothing but q
square deal based on the intrinsic art
value of his work; he neither wants
nor needs patriotic charity.
What, then, is the object of this So
ciety? To widen and deepen interest
In the larger forms of good concert
music by American composers. as
stimulated by artists and organizations
who have championed such music. The
only excuse for those who have not
taken this interest is that the music
IS not accessible in print for study.
A convenient half truth! AS a matter
of fact, considerable number of svm-
phonic and chamber music works of
proven merit by American composers
have been published by certain public
spirited American publishers, and there
IS no reason for assuming that they
Will withdraw their support from the
American composers in the future.
Nevertheless, the fact remains that
the publication of symphonies and
chamber music is unfortunately most
Improbable business proposition in
America. For that reason the Ameri-
can publisher is compelled "nolens
volens" to exclude from his catalogue
many work that may deserve the dis
tinction of publication.
Therefore, this society feels that
the most effective, most legitimate and
most dlgnified method of counterbal-
anclng actual conditions is for the
American composer and his friends to
take matters into their own hands.
The American composer has two diff
culties-the first, getting his compost
tions, especially of chamber music. ex-
pedltiously published, if at all; the sec
ond, finding the musical public to buv
and play them
The first results from the publisher
looking at the composition primarily
from commercial point of view; the
second from the unwillingness of music
buyers to spend money for untried
works of nearly or wholly unknown
composer, especially if he is an Ameri-
can. The case for chamber music is
somewhat more grievous than for
orchestral works.
1t is the purpose of this society to re-
move these conditions from the future
OF the American composer, as far as it
is practicable.
The publishers attitude toward the
we'll known and the unknown composers
and their compositions is natural as a
business proposition, for the publisher
cannot be an apostle and patron for
all forms of musical writing, particu-
larly those which from the nature of
the case can only appeal to a limited
public. Certain broad-minded music
publishers maintain "sinking fund.-
for exceptionally excellent compost
tlons, both for chamber music and
orchestra, but business considerations
compel them to confine their attention
largely to composers of established rep
utation.
Since one cannot expect the publish
ers to assume heavier burden than
their business safety justifies, the So
ciety for the publication of American
Music aims to give to the composer an
added opportunity to have his writings
published and, by the proposed method
OF distribution to its members, afford
some assurance that they will be both
made known and played throughout the
country. Individual artists and mu-
Steal organizations all over the United
States are now giving more and more
attention to American music in nu-
merous and we'll prepared perform
ances. Prizes have been offered and
won, and the public through these
means is beginning to realize that there
exist here in our country composers of
ability, learning and admirably high
ideals.
The society will be able to give a
forceful impetus to broadening the
spread of American music and to the
coordination of the work of those ar
lists and musical organizations New
and really meritorious compositions
will be enabled to reach all parts of the
country comparatively fresh from the
desks of the writer's. Such distribu-
ton must bring them into the musical
evenings of the legion of enthusiastic
amateurs, and the new contributions to
a wonderfully beautiful literature will
be read, studied and appraised by the
players, and in many instances become
valued numbers in their Libraries.
The compositions to be brought out
by the Society for the Publication of
American Music must discloca b;rh