Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-08-31
CoNSTANTIN Won STERNBERG
On the Influence Of Jazz

TAZz is not only one of the most perncious
= influences in our music and musical life,
but it also spreads its blighting effect to the
very woof and fiber of our social moral,
ethical and esthetic fabric, in the opinion
of Constantin Won Sternberg pianist. COM
poser and an active writer on musical mat
ters.
I'VE have always had jazz or its equiva-
lent said Mr.. Won Sternberg. "At one
time or another in our history we have
some counterpart of this vulgarity in our
music. One time it may have been THE
Arkansas Traveller or its equivalent, then
we had ragtime, now we have jazz.
Probably jazz in its present form will
pass in the near future, but something else
will take its place. The trouble is funda
mental one and until good music is more
universally regarded as a paramount factor
in our everyday life we shall continue to
have it.
''The problem Of jazz or its equivalent is a
battling one. Not only has it undermined
this. country in regard to the musical taste
OF its people, but it has recently extended its
baneful influence to the European countries.
Englind, France and Germany in particular
have fallen victims to the craze. Italy, /
am not so sure of, and Russia is a splendid
bulwark against this invasion.
Japan has too much Of the innate artist
III llS Oruluury people 10 SuCcuulD 10 ETlb
musical virus and the other Asiatic countries
don't make so much difference. They have
little music to spoil
II unhesitatingly lay the onus for our
musical deCadence, as shown in jazz, on
the men of the country. The cave man still
exists in music, with his innate prejudice
that it is a feminine subject only and not
to be taken seriously by his sex.
Women Have Better Taste
Women for the most part want and
strive for the best in music, but they are
compelled to sacrifice their desires to tho
wishes of the men. For instance, the young
girl entertains several young men In her
home. She plays an air by Schumann or a
Beethoven number for her guests. That's
all right, but don't you think it's a little
heavy| one or moro of the young men says.
Can't you play US something hvelierT
Now in this group one of the young
men may be her potential husband The
young woman loves her music, but she does
not want to offend and drive away a well
come suitor. They have not that thing in
common, but there must be harmony. So
she makes the sacrifice and plays something
unworthy, that more nearly pleases his
uneducated musical palate.
''She later gets even with him when she
marries him. She then has more power than
she formerly had. She has landed her hus-
band, SO she asserts herself little more.
Then the young man escorts her to the
opera or to an orchestral concert or to some
other musical function. But he does 1t now
to please her, not because he wants to.
"As a striking proof of what i have been
saying, ] have in my musical schools lilo
pupils. OF this number, fifty are young
men, the rest are girls.
1.-THE average father is anxious to see
his children better educated than himself
in everything except music. He considers
it a thing of frilIs and usually sends his
girls. il any one. When he does send them,
he wants to hear the music he likes and
understands, not the uplifting and en-
nobling kind which the teacher would have
his pupil master, That, to the average man,
is 'highbrow stuff
"And the result is that he often interferes
with the work of the teacher, directly or in
directly, to suit hts desires or limited knowl-
edge of the subject.
Musicians BrOadminded
'The hope for better influence to curb
the jazz tendency rests in the more ex-
tensiye education musically Of the boy.
There is an impression that musicians are
in favor OF musical training and against
all other forms Of education. That is en- =
tirely wrong, Most of the greatest artists
of our time are men Of broad culture and
education, practical men, well Uniformed
men, widely read and SStEN(Ye men of
the world.
''Paderewski, as we las Aksu
his place as a national DuntrIl
In Poland. Josef HoffN Pbnfy -
Of the greatest artists N slds toe