New-York tribune., 1921-03-13
@Aa oGzzA,
Mezzo- S5NyN1o

s1ce, composition and technical appre-
ciation." The editors enumerate many
music schools of prominence which
came into existence between 1855 and
1885 and mention large number of
teachers who came into prominence
within the period. Also the founding
OF organizations like the Oratorio So
ciety of New York. Apollo Club of Chi
cago, Cincinnati Festival Association,
the Thomas Concerts In New York. the
Harvard Musical Association (1S65-'e2).
which prepared the way for the Boston
Symphony Orchestra (1881), the Sym
phony Society of New York (1878>, the
Kneisel Quartet (1s86), the holding of
great festivals Of music such as the
peace jubilees in Boston (1s69 and 1922,
the Handel and Haydn festivals, the
Cincinnati May festivals (1873), the
New York festivals Of 1881 under DR..
Leopold Damrosch and 1882 (also IN
Chlcago) under Theodore Thomas, and
the growth of musical libraries.
The rise of American musicians as
performers, composers or conductor.
is recorded. "Most of them secured
extended discipline abroad, usually in
Germany. Their number. the variety
of their interests and the scope of
their professional influence rapidly in
creases, so that even before 1900 the
phrase the American school became
perhaps prematurely frequent. OF
those first appearing after 1860 the
most conspicuous were Buck and Paine;
Of those after 1870, Chadwick, Foote,
! Gilchrist and Gleason; of those, after
1880, Mrs. Beach, Kelley, Mcdowell
and Parker; and Of those after 1890,
Converse, Gilbert, Hadley and Oldberg.
Six of them have now died, but none of
them before 1900. Much Of the most
creative work of all these dates from
after that time. 1t is not. therefore,
the bulk or the absolutely original
quality of American composition be-
fore 1900 that arrests attention
except the remarkable work Of Mac
Dowell-but the fresh, ambitious,
thoughtful and confident spirit that
animates it,"
Establishment af German Opera
The editors treated tho period be.
tween 1850 and 1880 80 comprehensively
in their survey that they found little
calling for comment in the decade be-
tween 1880 and 1890-nothing Of sig
rificance, indeed, except the establish
ment of German opera at the Metro
politan Opera House (season 18S4'85).
The chronological register bulks large,
however. In the Anal section there is
short discussion of the American
school Of composition which is worthy
of reproduction. We therefore give it
in its entirety:
The question is by no means new, but
it's serious discussion is comparatively
recent. The claim has been pressed
that here, as in many other countries, n
national" type should rest upon some
thing in the nature of folkmusic
Among several possible illustrations of
such music two have been specially con-
sidered. On the one hand the songs of
tho negroes of the South have been
emphasized. Thoughtful attention to
these began at the time of the Civil
War, and especially about 1870, when
the original Jubilee Singers" were
heard at homo and abroad. Of course
the picturesque sentiment in such
melodies had been felt long before and
artistically used, as, for example, by
Foster as early as 1876. But in 1885
negro themes were put to orchestral
use by Chadwick, and in 1894 more
ostentatiously by Dvorak. Since then
the latent richness OF this vein OF
melodic and rhythmic ore has been
diligently searched out by many COM
pcsers, with results most interesting
and often impressive
| On the other hand, the songs of the
Indians Of the West have also been
emphasized. Attention to these was
first called by the original study OF
Theodore Baker in 1s82--a study which,
in part, inspired the drafting OF Mac
RDowell's "Indian Suite" some ten years
later. Since 1901 the value Of this
source has been valiantly upheld by a
! circle Of enthusiasts led by Arthur