Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-11-04
HEppA VAN DEN eEEMT
On Music and The Criminal

"N wv
YTNllE effect OF music on the life and mood OF
L the man in prison Is as intense as it IS
intangible To many hardened criminals
it IL the single remaining phase of their
cxstcnces that is inviolatc and inviolablc.
and If its influence is extended and cncour.
aged 1t will become an effective agent oil
salvation. Such is the belief of liedda van
den BecInt. director OF the Eastern state
Penucntlary Band when yesterday hhd 'nc
Leopold StokowsEi.
"Music for its own sake is n secondary
consideration with U.S." said Mr.. Van den
Bpemt. II understood that five minutes
after l had taken charge of the band at the
prison The urinary consideration Is some
thing that / cannot adequately put in
words. though I suppose 7 might call 1t the
genius Of music. the ideal which guides the
men who create music whether good or
mediocre. The grade Of tho music does not
so much count for that after all is matter
Of culture md n relative thing.
..yos,o-do,.s oo,ccrt ,r,s n foir cnourh
o,.,In af 'ro, 10 noritnnt;,-v hand can
IN"'rTu IN " no,rt 60 ,nt ,bot MANY hands would
Io-o Sorc ;,nmoosnrohiv bettcr and thot
uuNe uonG ''Iliic"rH.noS i I .oa,,oLi, or,n
. S"e ,at w. "r ,,,orors rnt Intn tIn c"ncnrt
o'Ior,.h;nc ouo tboi tbor had - giro ;t-and for
W. . oroon. no {, coye thcno iov IA do
~ o WIZ It ;s trt,o ono"sb 20 sav that idcoIism
ia 800 ontnnr orirnino1s CrJminols in
,>.i,a,, n,a ,o., of,op oooJ hut nauo lly ho
L .T.o so,,,o orJ o., bo sorvoJ Ly II
IT,. no n.iIoanU 80 b. oorrod tbot n,oLc
ni' ~ nrto,,.o w Ioss diaic,,t ~ bnar
snu @ "t"s .t ot u nnnI rooorJs 80 ho liant t%at
h.;n HGn ',S.' fn dav e 80 frcodon, cIoscr
o''"s ",' u"'
10 Delong 10 the prison paI'u 'h"E cH'uii
few material anVantases' Guy one VIII
get no more ei 'nell ."l rl"!iub =" !nC,
utmost limit OF MS nDiNty th"h by Playing
merely paSSlveF WEI Wei'' .. .o
| n.y. then; VIII thesc fH'h prepare SO
| patiently ana dlhgentiE TOT concert, con
cern themselves so jealousy about its sue
cess, and be lnordnately proud when they
| have accomplished IL: thlnK u Is because
| for many OF them music Is the only existing
| truth. have seen men 70 whom the taking
Of human life has been commonplace al
most ut the point of tears in detection over
having SOUNDED an nat IN the wrong
| place. J nave deeply Wounhrd u burglar Il
| feelings by reminding MN that lie was out
| Of time.
| IA prison band presents wholly unique
| problem In musical organization. 4 def
| initc number OF musicians Is seldom avail
| able, and consequently the band is wanting
| in equilibrium. In professional orchestra
| members are seldom missing on the night
| Of n concert, but should it happen trained
| substitutes C0nld bc hired at regular union
| rates. With us, it man il lost because
! he has served out his sentence or because
| he has broken n rule that has caused his
membership in the band to be forfeited
there is none to take his place. Yesterday
We badly missed couple Of clarinctsts and
flute player. There w"r", when took
| charge Of the band a year ago. three mon
| in the pcnitcntiury who had had somc ont .
side training in music. Onc Of these PLAYED
| with a circus band and another with n band
in some European army.
| 'ThankB to the generosity Of a prominent
assorted set Of instruments. but tho n,,ttnr Sra
Of rcpnr presents an occasional difcuItv
| Ordinarily, when n musician disc discowo[rs ",s y ,
that he needs a new G string for his Violin