The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1920-12-13
MUSICAL TASTE
IN j. S. RISING
SAYS CREATORE
Believes 1t Will SurpasS
Europe's Some Day-Finds
Standard Higher in South
Than in Any Other Section.
BY JAMES GABELLE.

Bearing a wonderful resemblance
to Balzac in his older days, with the
long, sleek black hair, the short
clipped moustache and even the
slight wart above the moustache
Signor Creatore with his short, heavy
body strongly recalls the French
master Of prose. even to the slight
cast in the right eye. He is a man
of many experiences, Is the signor
many of which were acquired in his
10 years residence in this country.
THE standard of musical taste Is
steadily rising in this country" he
declared, putting vigorously on a
panatela. Some day It will be
equal to If not superior to Europe
or the different sections OF this
country the South has more general
musical culture than any other. You
will find more sincere appreciation
of good music here than you will
elsewhere. know that there will
be larger turnouts to some big opera,
or some opera which rejoices in a
celebrated singer, in the East, but
that is curiosity not appreciation
For loving understanding Of music
you must come to the South. Even
the negroes in the South have more
appreciation than many people in
other sections.
Jazz Is Musical Crime.
"The musical crime in this coun-
try is jazz. 1t not only destroys the
players-museally, but 1t debauches
the hearers so that they can not ap-
preciate good music. The popular
ity of this farragonade of sound has
done great harm to genuine musical
culture. Publishers encourage it for
the reason that it is born today and
dies tomorrow; therefore they get
rich. They care nothing for beauty
or melody just so they can make
their millions.
"As a nation we have been too
busy commercially to look into the
artistic or musical side of life. You
See itlterjeeted the noted musician
s6iecttns another pAhatela inGH care.
fully clipping the end, II say we As
nation, for I am natnralized
American and very proud of my
country. We have piled dollars upon
dollars, millions upon millions, in
time we shall turn to music, art,
literature and then do big things
there. We are in the position of a
man who is building a house, when
the house Is finished there will be
time enough to think Of the furnish
ing of 1t.
The Trouble.
"The trouble with modern COM
posers Is that they make labor OF
music instead of it being a pleas
ure. They make a difficulty of de-
lightful things. II a man were to
compose a poem filled with long
difficult technical words that poem
would be very little read. 1t Is SO
with much of the modern music. One
reason that Beethoven or Bach are
so very modern today although they
are a product of a past century is
that both did big things IN a simple
manner.
"The standard of music Is con-
stantly rising in this country and
musical appreciation Is rising with
1t. This is shown for one thing in
the support the symphony orchestras
are receiving all over the country.
For years Mr.. Higginbotham paid
all the expenses of the Boston or
chestra amounting to over $4,000
yearly Now the orchestra is not
only self supporting, but is really
paying little over expenses. The
same holds true with the Philadei-
phia orchestra. 1t Is paying its way
and will soon be on a footing with
European orchestras In that re-
spect.
Il was in Memphis two seasons
ago and was delighted with the
splendid reception accorded me. We
had splendid audiences and carried
away wonderful memories of the
gracious hospitality that has made
Memphis famous all over the coun-
try. l am planning to repay their
kindness by trip next year when
I shall have a number of new operas
that l feel sure will delight the mu-
sic-lovers of this cultured and mu-
sic-loving city"