Mountain advocate., 1920-11-26
ABOUT DIFFERENT
KINDS OF MUSIC

People do not generally stop "a
realize that there are a. many
kinds Of music as there are ktndn
OF literature. Thus, a symphd
OF Deethoven's may be compsx
TO drama of fShakcspoaro's In To
conception and scope. n0cturne
eof Chopin'g may 1nd its analogue
IN Keats or Shelley poem; one "
Schumann's "noyeliettes" may be-
lilSened to short story by De
Maupassant; and &c would not be
hard 10 classify the popular music
Of the day with the general run OF
magazine fiction.
II was not SO long ago that had
a conversation en- train with a
fellow coninutcr IN which we
touched on muEicM subjects. Hi3
wife played the piano wonderfully
.'by ear" he could manipulate the
banjo quite skillfully, and fhsy
owned phonograph Mentionius
some of his new Re-Cscations,
he asked me questions about the
composers of the music. He was
surprised to learn that I had the
composers classified In my mind No
specialists OF one kind or another.
That is, some were essentially
song-writers. some were best as
piano composers. others could not
write for the voice but we're wig
ards with the orchestra. more
could write operas but not SYM
phonies. there were composers
who could write dance music only.
etc, etc. 3s.p
My companion interrupted me
dozen times in my disqulsition.
and at the end of IL expressed
himself as immensely enlightened.
IT never gave the makers OF
music much thought he said.
and l had always supposed that a
composer could write anything
along the line he pleased --songs,
dances, symphonies. sonatasG and
all The rest. But I see a, great
light now"
"You thought writing music
was something like doing up jelly
the same substance with merely
a change in favor, eh?" ! asked.
Well" ne answered. 81 think
music. puzzles lot of people.
They wonder why one thing ia
called a 'capJ ice,' why another is
a sonata why 'nocturne' is
called that; they wonder what Is
the difference between a symphony
and suite, and a thousand other
why's"
No doubt he is right. A post
card addressed to the editor OF
"Along Broadway" echoes my
commuter-friend in the following
words: -
"T would like you to explain
fully by way of Along Broadway
the difference between classical,
ragtime and jazz music; also,
what is syncoration?" z
Again, comparing music with
literature, the term classic" Has
about the same Significance in
both arts. First, II is work that
has stood the test of time, and
meets with. the approval Of sue
ceeding generations of mankind.
And. in the ease of music, ii de-
scribes certari forms which were.
developed and adopted by, the
great composers of the eighteenth
century The sonata and SYM
phOny are examples of the5e forms.
In the nineteenth century rose
the Romantic School" as opposed
to the Classic School," but the
Romantics" themselves are now
called Classics" because Of the
enduring quality of their music.
Ragtime is a style of music
which came into vogue about
twenty-five years ago with the
rage for "coon" songs and cake
walks. It is based, for the most
part, on syncopation. Now synco-
patton is the shifting of an accent
of tone or cuord by tying II to
another, usually weak beat be-
ing tied to Il strong beat; In this
way interrupting tie natural order
of accentuation IN the given time
of composition 1t introduces
an irregular pulse in the musis
which lends .pectedness and
piquancy TO It. Among the fam
Gus composers Schumann was par
ticularly fond OF syncopated effects.
His symphonies are full of synco-
patton. is little piano piece,
"WaruIu is an excellent example
of this a,ylC ui music. So. Is the
well-l.r0"n Hafceuse" from 10
cely D." g.: 1oil"d. Jazz. on the
other haEd represents the utmost
libeity in music. :!mply depending
on the taste "a ingenuity. of the
composer OK poformer. who may
introduc2 guy startling effect ne
pleasoI Ia tlie course OF a coU.l'si-
tlon It's Cl..rm is it's appt"ent
spontaucit an1 rcckless eaiety.
Many despite j2zh as tle degeW'ra-
lion ca huel" Z" ao1 OF drunken
larscGy' Alil eher1 are Others
who def2GJ i Il nav departure
in the toaa. art. ard one thai may
lead to great things - ti.e fn' re,
inusicallV sDaoktnp