The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1922-08-23
THE STAR SPANGLED BANNER

The Star has many times been mao.
weary by the attempts Of morons IF
thar is bad enough name to call them)
70 substitute something else for the
Star Spangled Banner as the national
anthem. Consequently it is glad to
copy the following from the Times
Union:
Every now and then someone with
nothing in particular to do decides TO
start a movement to abolish the Star
SpangIed Banner as a national an
them. It has been tried unsuccessful
ly every year or two in the past CEN
tury and no doubt there will be crit
les rising every little while for an
other hundred years who will talk Of
the anthem as altogether unworthy
and undersirable-and the bands will
continue to play and the school child
rem will continue to sing the more or
less inspiring song. The critics get
ting into print recently have declared
that the Star Spangled Banner is I'M
singable, and here they were wrong
for admitting that it is not easy-the
tune" composed years before Francis
Scott Key saw by the dawn's early
light" something that pleased him, is
fairly good music, judged by the rules
ard regulations. What ever may have
been the words of the drinking song
to which the air was first welded it
has become internationally known
since adopted by the United States
and there's no good reason for making
change.
Played by a military or naval band
the Star Spangled Banner is more
than ordinarily impressive. 1t has
both appeal and resource, and the
climax, when properly approached is
really fine. AS a song-or anthem,
the air is often set too high and the
finale marred by evident straining of
the voice which is altogether unneces-
sary. For a male or mixed quarteta
the key selected can easily be such as
to display to good advantage all the
voices, the harmony being broad and
satisfy even to the least musical;
there is but the shade of a minor in
the whole theme, and this emphasizes
broadly the eXultant major Ct the
principal passages.
Recalling the efforts that have
brought discredit upon the quality of
our national anthem, from a musical
viewpoint, it seems certain that the
singing is usually started by a tenor or
soprano, who pitches too high and
leaves out the majority in the more
brilliant figures. For a strong bari
tone lead the key of A flat, major, is
about right and the compass, one and
a half octaves, gives good excuse for
strong finish, provided the singer
does not try too hard to bring out the
! sc" on "brave."
! AS to the poem, most certainly in
spired by patriotism and retaining the
crudities of composition which should
never be considered in such circum-
stances, it expresses admiration for
the flag of the country and an abiding
faith in its significance. Few of the
millions who hear or sing the anthem
know the whole poem-the majority
| scarcely know the first stanza, and
/ even during the wartime it was
generally deemed advisable to distri-
/ butte copies of the words" when the
/ Star Spangled Banner was to be rem
| dered in public. AS some in defense
OF the anthem have lately said it is
! fully as interesting as the majority of
national anthems and doesn't contain
anything nearly as Objectionable as
some foreign patriots express when
! singing their national song.
! Until there is another war it is I'M
likely that a great deal of attention
/ will be given to the Star Spangled
Banner, except on shipboard and in
! barracks or camp, yet it should not be
forgotten, and good, bad or mediocre
| i should find response in the hearts
/ OF Americans when heard. Soldiers
and sailors have to stand up, at salute
when the band plays it and citizens
can we'll afford to do that much-war
time or peace time. Probably a more
musical, more easily sung and more
up-to-date anthem could be written,
| but no one has convinced the public
Of such accomplishment as yet, and
We can well afford to continue to
SAY can you see" etc, and not be
ashamed of the song that applauds
/ Old Glory.