The Washington times., 1920-07-25
'HARD|NGBLEW HORN.
IN MARION BAND.
Occupants of White House to
Date Not Men of Note in
Musical Sense.

On 1.-TWO lusAl "" N''N
trombone and on the marine parade,
as one OF the. Three Little Maids OBJ
served. But Senator Warren q. Hard
ing outdoes Nanki-Poo. lie has con-
fessed that as a member OF the Marion
Ohio Silver Cornet Band he performed
on the alto horn and doubled on the
tuba. If Senator Harding, Is elected
he will have the distinction of be-
ing the FIRST President with musical
accomplishments proved in public,
for our Chief Executives, whatever
their other artistic gifts, have not
been men OF note In a musical sense.
There is tradition that George
Washington was something of yir-
tuoso on the flute, but recent in
vestigator. Miss Frances X. Grant, has
discovered aa letter from the first Pres
ident to Francis Hopk inson, composer
of Hail Columbia" in which Wash
ington regrets that he can neither
sing nor raise a single note on any
instrument to convince the unbeliev-
ing" The stern and rock bound
Adamses were equally free of melodic
achievements, although John Quincy
Adams did manifest lyrical tenden-
cies in his almost forgotten light
verse.
One OF Thomas Jefrerson's biograph-
ers hands down subtle bit of two
edged musical criticism in the remark
that "his violin was a never-ending
source of delight to him" Benjamin
Franklin not only played harp, guitar
and violin. but also devised an elab-
crate set OF musical glasses known as
the "armoniea," which he hoped would
displace the piano as household an
noyance. Perhaps that is why Frank
lin never became President.
Abraham Lincoln never has been
thought of as musical yet singing af-
fected him deeply. John c. Freund,
editor of Musical America, tells
story. hitherto unpublished. which he
heard about twenty-five years ago
from an old negro servant in the Lin
coin family. One day. when the cares
and sorrows of State were unusually
heavy, Lincoln walked through the
streets of Washington. his head
bowed in thought and his hands
clasped behind him. On passing a
schoolhouse he heard a group OF chill
dren singing. He stopped. took Off
his high beaver hat. and stood silent
ly in front of the building, listening
to the song. AS he listened, the heep
lines Of care left his face ana he
burdens. Then the song ended and
Lincoln continued his solitary stroll
through the byways Of the Capital
General Grant is the victim or
many anecdotes which exploit the
non-esthetic side of the man. the
famous tale about knowing only two
tunes-"one is Yankee Doodle ana
the other isn't"-has been applied TO
him, anad David Bispham in "A
Quaker Singers Recollections tells
how on one occasion the general was
compelled to sit through a glee club
concert. The enthusiastic hostess
asked the Pesident what song he
would be pleased to hear and the
answer was: Anything you please
madame / don't know one note from
another"
Grants tone-deafness and indiffer-
ence contrast sharply with the attl-
tude of Rutherford B. Hayes. who was
a devootee of folk songs. Shortly be
fore his marriage Hayes wrote let
ter to his fiancee in which he OBJ
served that with no musical taste
or cultivation myself ! am yet so
fond Of simple airs that I have often
thought l could never love woman
who did not sing them.
More recently music has been find
ing a home in the White House
chiefly asserts Mr.. Freund, through
the influence OF f,the women relatives
of the Presidents. President Mckin-
ley was not himself a musician, but
his niece, Miss Mabel Mckinley, was
a successful composer, and even made
headline Appearances in vaudeville,
presenting her own songs. Mrs. Taft
is a great music lover, and it is said,
made several concert appearances in
her youth.
Theodore Roosevelt used to lament
that he had no musical accomplish
ments, and it is reported that he could
not carry a tune. On his tours about
the country he was wont when in a
reflective mood to hum; listeners
finalaly identified the tune as Garry
owen" However, he liked to hear
Chopin, Schumann, and Brahms played
on the piano, and on one occasion he
characterized Walter Damrosch's set
ting of Danny Deever" as "a bully
song"
The present regime has been excep-
tionally musical. The President, ac-
cording to David Bispham, has "a
tenor voice of considerable power and
sweetness" and his daughter, Miss
Margaret Woodrow Wilson, has won
for herself a recognized place on the
concert stage.
Miss Wilson deserves great credit"
commented Mr.. Freund, mot only for
her own achievements as a musician,
but for her generous aid to young
American musicians. Her White
House musicales have not been de-
voted to the appearances of singers
and instrumentalists already cele-
brated, and the young and talented
unknowns have found hospitable re-
ception there" 80