New-York tribune., 1920-02-26
Are Americans Musical?

Are Americans Musical?
Is New York the most musical
city in the world? Or is it the least
musical? There is evidence looking
in both directions, and it was all
brought to the front of discussion by
the highly successful Music Week
which New York enjoyed. Other
communities are planning similar
exhibitions and celebrations. Echoes
of the local festival still are rever-
berating. There is no question Of
the volume of interest and musical
activity throughout the nation. But
ere Americans really musical?
The most obvious items that pre-
sent themselves here are the list of
concerts and the record Of opera.
These are appallingly large. So far
as quantity goes this has surely be-
come the musical center of the
world. And we think it would be
the consensus Of expert opinion that
in respect Of quality also there is lit
tie anywhere to surpass the best that
we have to enjoy.
Against this direct evidence the
critics of our musical ability set our
undoubted lack Of widespread musi-
cal training, technically speaking.
We have been neither singing peo-
pie nor a playing people. The Amer
ican home heard very little music
until recent years. There was the
daughter who played "The Maiden's
Prayer" or "Narcissus" or Men,
delssohn's "Spring Song" There
was some elementary hymn singing.
There was Brother Bob's mandolin
converted to Sister Violet's ukelele
in recent years. Solid musical ef-
fort, either in voice training, the
learning of any instrument or
choral singing, was the extraordi-
nary exception. We had developed
no national folk-song since the negro
spirituals; and these were all but
ignored.
These criticisms are all true, and
yet tho concert record Of New York
is not an isolated and unrepresenta-
tive fact. To the contrary, it is
true indication of widespread re-
birth of musical interest in America,
due entirely to the mechanical music
SO foolishly disdained by some musi-
clans. 1t is not with a musical coun-
try like Italy that America of to-day
is to be justly compared. The fair
comparison is with America Of a
generation ago. Any such checking
up will reveal the very real progress
which music week" is recording
wherever it is held.
The supercilious folk who suspect
ed Canned" music of all sorts of
evil influences lacked faith in their
art as a matter Of fact. There is
only one way to develop taste in any
art, and that is by saturating ones
self in. it. To learn rules, or hear
an occasional concert, or memorize a
few pieces on a piano after years of
dlsagreeable endeavor, is not to be-
come musical. The beauty Of
the player-piano and the talking
machine artistically speaking was
that they laid down no rules what
ever. They simply filled the Ameri-
can home with music-good, bad, in
different, as the taste of the owner
elected. Taste does not remain sta
tionary, however. There would be
no progress in any art if it did.
Music develops its own standards; it
improves ears, comprehension, taste,
as 1t goes along. That is the ex-
perlence and testimony of every one
who has watched the progress of
mechanical music.
The development of community
singing is an interesting by-product
that confirms this view. So in it's
way Is the revival of dancing. And.
best Of all, here, as throughout this
whole renaissance of music in Amer. !
lea, pleasure is the motive and goal
OF those who participate. We should