Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-02-11
Readers Viewpoint
Letters to the Editor on Topics
of General Interest

10 the Editor Of the Evening Public Ledger:
STINT. StolSowskis appeal to Philadel-
phia music lovers TO receive compositions of
the new school, IL not into their hearts at
least into tolerant ears and liberal minds.
Of course promulgated no fresh doctrine of
art appreciation. He simply voiced-frst at
Saturday evenings concert in the Academy
and later in an interview in the EVENING
PUBLIC LEDoER-the old truth that art,
while it il eternal, is mobile never fixed, in
constant iux and not crystallized. But it is
a truth, needing frequent iteration.
When art becomes fixed in immutable
forms. when its ideals turn to crystals, no
matter how perfected and beautiful. IL will
have ceased to grow. Evolution is the prin-
ciple of living art vitality is in the capacity
Tor change and progress. In music as in
others OF the seven arts" evolution and
growth are attained only by pioneering and
experiment The pioneering does not invari-
ably lead to new lands of enduring beauty /;
many of the experiments are failures. But
they are worthy of attention, consideration
liberation, these adventurings from familiar
moorings and accepted havens. for they rep
resent the spirit of quest and of growth.
We may be profoundly attached TO the
permanent beauties which have won and
held the rank Of classic, we may find 1t mem
tally disturbing to give countenance to the
toppling over of ancient traditions and the
development of new techniques. but it is
only by approaching them open-mindedly,
with impartial attention and consideration,
that we aid in the progress of music
or any other art
In the democracy of art every innovat ton
Is entitled to its hearing. The Bourbons have
never learnt this--but they never learn any
thing and they have nothing to forget this
side or Brahms! Tho pity Is that they are
Jealous propa ga ndists of their cult of limited
vision, and their gospel is constantly seeking
and gaining converts among those who
would wish to be fair. Doubtless what Mr..
Stokewski said will leave the gospellers OF
static art gelidly unmoved but to the fair
mndedness and sweet reasonableness of tho
others may be commended, as stimulative of
thought and provocative of fairness, this
point he made:
Philadelphia must appreciate the spirit
OF the new In music else musically 1t will
20 backward. There can be no standing
still.
1t does not matter at all whether, we
relish Scryabin, or Stravinsky. or Ornstein
at first or even further hearing; II does
matter that we accord recognition to the
fact that here are composers following the
prerogative of the creative artist and ere
ating-creating something different from ac-
cepted forms. creating something that the
test of time may seal with definite approval
and which may be the classics of n later
era. 1t Is folly, faulty. fallacy for each in
diVidual of us to set up the Zeitgeist.
Inc chronicles or music prove this we
have but to recall the Piccinists' offensive
against Gluck, Wagner's struggle for his
later enormous success and virtually world
wide acceptance, Debussys hard path to
performance and recognition. The critics
who condemned them, and for the matter of
that every innovator of every art the audi
tors who walked out of the halls--they are
gone and forgotten. But they have their
SUCCESSORS, In whose ranks fair minded music
lovers will not wish to be included. These
can perform no greater service for art than
to give heed to Mr.. Stokowsli's plea for
open -mindedness and -mindedness. He
does not ask us to cherish the modernsts
II their works contravene standards.
But he does ask us to hear ther works and
measure them by our standards. Nothing
could be fairer. W. r NJ
Philadelphia, February 10.