The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1919-01-21
hen Wisconsin Went the Local Option
Don't Anything but We Suppose that When Wsconsi
scoRcHED
Editor Taken to Task for Suggesting
Yankee Doodle.

Yankee Doodle.
Editor Banner. An editorial in
Saturdays issue OF The Banner is
most unfortunate Il is the spirit OF
Bolsheyism Talk of high brow and
low brow is not opportune. Equal
opportunity for all might show that
high brow and low brow are mere
measures Of opportunity enjoyed by
us or our ancestors. To take the DO.
sition that the artists who played SO
excellently were doing so TO prove
their ability TO render the musical
masterpieces and not because they
wished 10 pass on TO others a part in
their high pleasure is an insult to the
conductor and evidence that the
writer possessed neither musical
knowledge nor ideals
The conductor devoted TO his art
understands music which fact togeth.
er with his ability to train others to
give his Interpretation makes him a
conductor, a musical educator.
OF the present civilized nations.
America is least musical, but had
not supposed We were also ignorant
of the fact.
believe the writer OF that editor
ial would not have recognized Yam
kee Doodle had 1t been taken as a
theme and harmonized for the orches-
ira, and if he had read The title on
the program he would not have
known It the next day any more than
the classical numbers given.
Civilization is all matter OF edu-
cation. To understand good music
and to appreciate il we must study il
and hear Il over and over again. To
the savage ear all music Of civilized
people is funny noise which provokes
laughter.
cannot conceive how anyone
could so utterly fail TO appreciate the
fitness Of things as to suggest that
leader Of fine orchestra, conduc.
tor OF national even International
reputation should offer one classical
selection to show that he could do il
and then entertain the low brows
with ragtime because they had paid
their money Is such conductor
dancing minstrel?
bennington is not lacking in NOV.
ing pictures with its popular music
and its vaudeville, nor is she lacking
in those who know the difference be.
tween an orchestra under Modest
Altschuler aud a local fiddler playing
Yankee Doodle.
The writer Of that editorial after
reading one work OF fiction Of high
order should then turn TO Diamond
Dick Having said one prayer he
hould spend thc rest Of his life tell.
ng shady stories for the delectation
Df the low brows.
I believe he would trade q Rubens
or Titan for red bill poster. if /.
vas big enough, and having hired
French cook would feast on q hunk
ol rye bread and raw onion.
The whole sad mistake rests upon
The assumption that how brows are
Common ana uya 3ahle Of education.
As matter o. fapt based upon obser.
Fations extending over period OF
moro than 80 years OF the closest re.
ations with tens OF thousands OF
children, confidently state that un.
lsuai talent usually occurs among
he children of the poor. the unedu.
Gated the low brows Mozart was
he son of a poor fiddler. Hayden's
.ather was a wheelwright. Beethov-
ems mother was the daughter OF a
,ook and his father o drunken tenor
iinger. and Llszt was 2 bookkeeper's
ON Yet the music they created You
would deny TO their kind and call
hem low brow Il Is not the chill.
lren Of the rich. OF those who make
much display of their culture. their
Owe OF music, and painting and all
Inc arts who appreciate fine music.
beautiful pictures and emotional Eng.
ish bat tho children of the workers.
he common everyday people. Il is
also among them YOU VIII lnd those
carer virtues peculiar to sensitive.
considerable natures imbued with al
lGisiic purposes In life.
That audience was not low brow.
eyen the boys IN the high seats app
irec'ated the program and gave silent
Attention I do not recall having seen
Bennington audience mere enthusl.
lstic Their applause was timely and
generous even getting an encore
IN the final program number. It was
IN education the like OF which may
We have many more
Those who desire the Yankee
Doodle sort have only to stand on
Main Street almost any night and
lear the call through the open win
lows of the public dance halls. There
ire higher things.
Very respectfully yours,
Albert w. Yarney