The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-09-04
MUSIC
THE NEED OF THE HOUR
New Type of Composition to Aid the
Worker Called For Mt the
OrcauiSfS Convention.

OrEuntStS 0OnNenttOn.
One OF the outstanding features in
the convention OF the National AS
ISOLATION OF Organists, just held in
Pittsburgh. was an address on The
Organist's Influence and Responsible
ty," by Frank f. Morton. the widely
known acoustic engineer OF the
American Steel & Wire company. Mr..
Morton presented the great need for
new kind of music to be used as a
stimulating force in modern industry
and to be adapted 10 the greatly
changed conditions OF that industry
He urged the organists as an associa-
ton and as individuals, to realize the
pe-ils OF the music famine in this
vitality important field. and to exert
all their influence in encouraging an
output of the right sort of music for
use IN the work shops OF today.
sMr Merton sketched briefly the use
Of IT usic as an aid to industry In
other ages, proving that the toilers
had long recognized it's power to re-
.ieve menral and physical strain ;and
to iishteu labor. He referred par
ticula~ly TO the chanty song of the old
American merchant marine and other
songs that had spurred on the ar
tisans of past centuries and the plan
talon workers OF a few years ago
to greater effort.
in reference to music and its ef-
yects upon the workers of the pres
emit Day. Mr.. Morton said:
The old beautiful, yet practical.
use oi music which l have described
has fallen into desuetude. frag-
ment OF 1t may remain. Music still
inspires the individual workman in
his toll. but the age of the individual
has passed The era of combination,
of gigantic organization for Olympic
undertakings. has gripped us and
music. most potent of forces. Is silent
In the face of the most stupendous
its inspiration has varl-
ished. Today, with the multiplicity
of industries and the tremendous in
crease in the number OF workers,
practically no aid is given by the COM
poser
For scientific agriculture. the old
plantation melodies are not adap-
table; for the vast wooden and cotton
mills Of today the spinning song is
cut of date; the herdsman's pastoral
IS too feeble to combat the cacophon-
GUS chorus of a stockyard; stokers
IN o liners engine room or deck
hands on an oil tanker do not re-
spond to barcarole; roller process
mills fail to chime in with the rollick-
ing ditties of the jolly miller; and
the village blacksmith can sing no
role in the great ensemble Of an auto
mobile factory"
Mr. Morton emphasized the fact
thAt 1t was not music that had lost
,ts power. but the musician--both
COMPOSER and performer--who had
deserted industry. The popular mu-
sic Ct The day ideaiizes and exalts.
no. industry and achievement but
idisness sensuality and .prodigality.
Most of it Is too insiptd to stimulate
any one to the work that makes the
world The musician has gotten
away from life. He has lost contact
with the experiences of the common
man.
Concluding with an earnest plea
for The regeneration OF music along
rhe lines of present day needs. MIR.
Morton said:
Music ia not impotent to ypify
anything beyond the most primitive
activities OF man. Industry is not
unr oetica'. unartistic. unmusical be-
cause its magnitude for the moment
staggers the imagination Of the music
purveyors so that they turn from 1t
70 paitry triffes.
For a time science too lost its
contact with life: perched itself on
an inaccessible peak and considered
Il derogatory to its God-like achieve
ment to be OF practical, human
everyday assistance. But science for
sciences sake has had its day Live
science has become reality. : big
reality. Live music. that win do its
worlds workshopA = = p0eetbtlity Of
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