The New York herald., 1922-10-08

east of Poland. Look for the COVER
and Kiev. Somewhat further to the
east you come upon the country OF
the Don Cossacks, who themselves
have been modified by contact with
the Kalmuck races. Many OF
these Mongol halfbreeds penetrated
Ukrainia and exercised some infiu-
ence on it's racial characteristics,
its art and even it's religion
Semitic influence Seen.
But a still more potent influence is
the Semitic. The Jews entered Rus
sia through Poland in the time of the
Crusades and rapidly spread eastward
through Lithuania, Courland and the
Ukraine. The Jews have from an
cient days possessed music of indi-
vidual character, notwithstanding the
fact that their tonal art, like that OF
the negro, has invariably reflected the
style of the music of the surrounding
races We know practically nothing
about Egyptian music, but there can
be little doubt that some traces of it
came down with the beautiful Hebrew
chant.
Without going further one sees here
the processes leading to the forma-
tion of a marvelously rich alluvial soil
from which folk music might spring.
But, of course. folk music begins as
folk song, and there must be a liter
ary basis. OF this little seemed to be
known till the end of the seventeenth
century, owing to the fact that the
Russian authors weakly copied the
pseudo classic style of France. But
the romantic movement swept into
Russia and the nation began to take
notice of its own opulent treasury OF
peasant songs. The ancient bylinas
began to be printed and translated
into German and the vast wealth of
legend and folk lore slowly became
common property. 1t is not necessary
to refer to the Russian legends and
semi historical fables. From the lat
ter come some familiar operate ma
terials. such as those found in Boris
Godunov' and Prince Igor" Instru-
mental music too, has found inspira-
lion in the old tales such as that OF
Stenka Rain, the famous robber of
the Volga. There are also large num-
bers of religious poems in which are
stored the medieval beliefs of the Rus
slams and which furnish materials for
a study of comparative mythology and
folk lore.
Out of such sources a vast and
varied folk music naturally grew. 1t
S. not essential now that lovers of the |
songs of peoples should be invited to |
make a special study of the lyrics of
Russia. We have heard much Rus
sian music and are likely to hear much |
more. for the presentation of Russian |
art is industrlously continued in these
days when it's creation seems to have !
been ended by conditions in which art |
cannot thrive.
Ukrainians More Cheerful.
The characteristics of the Ukrainian |
folk songs will probably not impress |
the average hearer as far different /
from those of Great Russia. though /
they are declared by some authorities /
TO be more optimistic. Possibly cli-
mate may have had some force in Civ
ing moods of cheerfulness to many OF |
the songs, and possibly also the popu-
lar beverage of the Southern peasants
permitted .arger degree OF mirth and
laughter in "the cold gray dawn of
the morning after"
However. one collector found that
out of ninety-six melodies taken from
all parts Of the empire sixty-one were
in minor keys, seventeen in major and
the remainder mixed. Cesar Cui mon
lions the prevalence or tho key Of II
major without the ,, nat i'm other
Ids the Lydian MODE. and OF - /
:-ej". without tho c sharp and It
sharp. known to ecclesiastic nomencla-
ture as the Dorian The employment
ol such scales suggests the possibility
t~ age long influence of Greek church
music on the songs of the people.
The shadow of the cathedral can be
seen on the folksongs of both Germany
and France, and in the same way Il
would be found falling upon that OF
Russia. The use of the ecclesIastic
scales in Russian song, however, is not