Evening star., 1921-08-28
Mention


President Harding. Thomas A. Edi-
son. DR.. Henry Van Dyke. James NJ
Beck. solicitor general of the United
States. Lieut.. Commander John Philip
Sousa. and other notables. paid high
tribute to the art Of music at the ban
quet held recently in Philadelphia in
celebration OF the thirtieth anniver-
sary of the formation Of the Phiiadel-
phia Music Teachers Association, ac-
co1dtn& to aQS account that appears
in AesXaEuse number Of q prominent
musical journal
President Harding's letter. which
was read. by Mayor J. Hampton
Moore Of Philadelphia to the five hun
red guests assembled, was addressed
to J. Francis Cook. president Of the
association. and was as follows:
ITO the notable gathering OF musi-
quet of the Philadelphia Music Teach
ers' Association will be glad to have
my greetings and felfcitations ex.
tended. I feel that such organiza-
tions are carrying on a work for the
culture and the broadening OF Amer
ican interests which deserves our
heartiest appreciation:
WARREN G. HARDING"
Letters were read also from Harold
Bauer, David Bispham. Thomas A. Edi-
son. Leopold Auer. and addresses were
made by J. M. Beck. Mayor Moore. Mrs.
Florence Earle Coates, John Philip
Sousa and DR.. Van Dyke.
Dr. Van Dyke. who is regarded by
many as the most eminent essayist Of
today and who was at one time the
American minister to Holland, made
q notable address in which he said,
in part. part: 49,, .,... .o,.. -
from which music may be regarded:
First, from the point Of view of the
composer. There it is, I suppose, more
or less Of a science-not altogether,
but still it is so. Then, from the point
Of view Of the performer. There 1t is
not exclusively with you predomi-
Of view Of the listener. Then. IL it be
good music, 1t Is a pure Joy and q
joy forever.
NOW, I come to the last class-the
class of those who can listen to music
with the most keen and enduring de-
thing more out Of it II understood
the technic of it; and yet. perhaps. on
the other hand. the appeal to emotion
may be less direct, less simple, in a
way. less moving than Il isl do not
difference between music and that
form Of pseudo-music which I may
call English sparrow music, because
1t has no rhythm, nor melody, nor
harmony, but Just is an informal noise.
a definition Of Jazz.' which has re-
ceived some approbrium and some
abuse, but at all events considerable
publicity. I was mfsquoted as speak
ing of jazz music-there is no such
thing. There is music and there is
fo ~
good music. Of course. but that is not
jazz I have said that jazz was in
vented by demons for the torment of
imbeciles, but I did not mean that
jazz was a modern invention. re-
freshed my memory before | left my
description OF banquet that was
given In Athens by Calistratus, an
Athenian gentleman OF more wealth
than taste. Plutarch says rs much.
and this Calistratus introduced g
effeminate and lascivious tunes. and
the guests leaped from their seats
and danced, showing that music IL
more intoxicating than wine to those
who will only use it. Now IL that was
is. Plutarch goes on further to say.
in an indisputable passage. which I
commend to you to read generally be-
cause II is full OF good stun. that it is
worse than the tntoxfcatton OF wine
because it begins to affect the soul.
"The wise Greeks made music .
part OF their educational system.
Their trivium consisted Of grammar.
logic and rhetoric; their quadrivium.
which lead practically % what We
call our master Of arts degree. con-
sisted. Of arithmetic, geometry. as
tronomy and music. Music was put.
in other words. upon q level with the
highest activities and studies Of the
human mind. Music had q place in
the system Of those ancient directors:
had place in the making. Of man
hood. in the training Of rounded.
perfect, accomplished man: I am .
great. believer in the educational value
Of music as music. believe that 1t
requires and calls ont the finest facul-
ties and powers df the human soul.
AS for Its performances. 1t does not
require peculiar nneese and attune.
ment and precision and well being Of
the human body. A man must be in
good shape to play we'll or to sing
we'll; q woman must be At In order to
make music with her Apgers or with
q & .FH