The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-03-29
AUDIENCE HABIT
!, IN MUS|C| IS
DEPLORED
Nina Brodrick Price Says Ac-
cusation of commercialism
Only Too True.
Bv NINA BRODRICK PRICE.


We have been accused of being
q nation of Commentaries, hardly
q proud boast, when America can
purchase the rarest art treasures
of the world and can outbid all
musical centers in securing the
finest talent. This very fact un-
fortunately proves the accusation
to be only too true and is develop
ing in us that serious social disease
known as the audience habit"
So says Mrs. Harriet Seymour,
founder and president of the school
of music which bears her name,
author of How to Think Music"
and what Music Can Do for You,"
and one of the founders of the
Music Settlement in New York.
!. Has Studied Abroad.
!. Mrs Seymour is product of the
old school, being a gold medal pupil
of the Royal Conservatory of Music
I'm Stuttgart. Like many great dis
coveries, however, her method was
born of necessity, the necessity of a
mother to interest her own children
in what was so dear to her heart,
and what she knew to be funda-
mental part of their education.
! The methods which taught tech
nique before the art of listening
and feeling music, made music, ex-
scept for the talented child, night
mare rather than a joy. Instead
of the old idea that lessons must
be aimed entirely at performance
4. and technical exercises, Mrs. Sey-
mour's method emphasizes the i'm
portance of listening and under
standing, the primary essentials
OF music.
This new music education has
been in progress for seventeen
wears. and has been the means of
revitalizing the. work of thousands
of teachers. and in instilling the
love and appreciation of music in
/, the hearts of countless children
and students.
Wrong Kind of Technique.
Music is or should be the CO.
ordinator or harmonizer of the
everyday life, the home as well as
the nation, yet how few know tllesl
real value of music? 1.-THE root of
the trouble lies in the lack of
preparation for motherhood, SAYS
Mrs. Seymour. I'VE are just be-
ginping to treat intelligentIy and
with common sense this most i'm
portant subject. Instead of teach
ing the girl the fundamentals of
music which she could pass on to
her children or use to enliven or
harmonic the home life, we en-
couraged her to acquire an amount
of technical skill. which depIetes
her physically. being the wrong
5 kind of technique, and which en-
sables her only to play music that
is over her own head as well as the
heads of most of her family and
friends"
The pieces which a girl learns
at such cost Of energy and time.
to say nothing Of her fathers
e'scketbook. are forgotten and laid
aside as soon as she marries. Ask
any convention of mothers about
their musical education and YOU
viii get the same answer from 80
per cent of them. They never
seemed to get anywhere with their
music, so they dropped it,"
Mechanical Music Helpful.
! The piano players and victrolas
nave done wonders in supplying
music to homes that would be
otherwise devoid of the influence
OF music, but no music means as
much to individuals as that which
they create themselves.
Through all the ages the necas.
slty OF music as a fundamental
part of education has been felt.
The wise Plato said: 1.-The education
OF heroes shall be gymnastics for
the body and music for the soul.
Begin the education with music"