The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1920-01-02
AMERICA DEMANDS
ALL SUNSHINE"
STATES SOUSA
Reaction From War Turns the
People Away From Solemn
Themes, Thinks the Great
BandmaSter.

They want ali sunshine John
Philip Sousa, famous bandmaster, de-
clared in answer to a question as to
the present state Of musical taste IN
America. The American people do not
want the solemn music. they do not
want the shadows"
This present-day insistence upon
none but cheerful musical themes Is
a reaction from the war. according to
the opinion Mr. Sousa expressed
Il attribute 1t to the fact that they
have Just been under the stress OF two
or three years OF war, with all Its SOL
emn emotions, he said, Now they
do not like the heavier selections,
mad number OF the more serious COM
positions In my program when | began
this tour, but ! had to revise II to give
more room TO lighter themes There is
only one serious selection on the pro-
gram | will give here tonight"
The celebrated director arrived In
Memphis Friday morning and was In
terviewed at the Hotel Gayoso shortly
after his arrival. He is here to give a
concert at the Goodwin Institute FRI
day afternoon and another at night.
He also spoke at the forum luncheon
OF the Chamber of Commerce at 1880
o'clock
Concerning the musical development
in America, Mr.. Sousa asserted that
the United States during the past %
years. And the development is stead
lily going on" The American public
has never been so generally interested
in music as today, he said, "On this
tour i have played TO larger audiences
than ever before. | have been travel
ing about this country In musical or
ganizations for many years. and have
never seen larger crowds at musical
performances"
The interviewer broached the subject
of Jazz and secured some highly In
teresting observations from the band
master. jazz and other so-called pop
ular music travels In cycles" he said.
we had the gayOtte, then the waltz,
the cake-walk, the twO-st0p, and now
we have the Jazz ami the one -step" !"
These kinds OF music. ne said, are born
like the lap wing. flutter their little
life and are gone. But underneath
this frivolity there is the music which
endures," said Mr. Sousa. '''rhe mu-
sical fads die one by one after short
life, and give place to another, Can you
tell me what was the popular song hit
OF two years ago2 No, you can not,
But you can teDB ne about 'Traumerei,i
you can tell me about the Spring
Song and the Star-Splanglsd Banner
| There is music which endifttis forever
just as there are bookR which endure.
| Jazz is merely exaggerated ragtime,
! Mr.. Sousa explained. and II Is named
| from the nomenclature of modern minA
strelsy, being an abpreviation OF the
slang term, Jazz bau," which the min
strel performers use to designate some
| thing full OF life, noisy and quick. II
| is the antonym of "hoakum" the ac-
tors slang name for sob stuff" such
as the uniting Of father and mother In
| the fearful last act by the innocent
| babe.
! There will be popular music, or the
| ephemeral musical fads, az long as
| men love nonsence," said Mr.. Sousa
There are moods in which person
| demands intellectual music and moods
| in which he Is content with such music
| as the college boys sing on lark
such as Saw Off the Old Wooden
| Leg.
| Music is the one sensual pleasure, Mr.
| Sousa continued In which man may In
dulge himself without limit and escape
| destruction. THAT Is an old thought, -
he said. But there is no other sensual
| qualification in which man can not
| easily indulge TO his hurt"