San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-01-14
Music and Musicians
BY PENELOPE BORDEN.

engagement at the Century Theater in
New York, during which time hundreds
were turned away.
The company is en- route to the Pa
cific coast, where it will play an an
nual engagement in Los Angeles and
San Francisco. after which it will sail
for Havana, where it will appear at the
National Theater.
- ~ ~
The Tuesday Musical Club resumed
regular meetings, January ., at the home
of the president, Mrs. Eli Hertzberg.
Mrs. Alfred Duerler, vice president,
presided in the absence of Mrs. Hertz
berg. Letters were read from Miss
Bertha Berliner and Mrs Oran Kirk
patrick, two mCmb RS who are studying
singing in Italy.
Characteristic dance music was the
subject of the program. With brief
time for preparation, Mrs. Walter Wal
tbali assumed the leadership made va
cant BY Miss Alice Simpson. Her sue
cess brought her l. rising vote of thanks
In her paper upon the subject, Mrs.
Walthall declared dancing to be the
mother Of music, a studied and rhyth-
mical movement of the limbs adjusted
70 the measure of a tune. Dance rhy-
thin and dance gestures have exerted
powerful influence on music from pre-
historic times TO the present day. In
ancient times it was generally an ex-
Dression of religious, patriotic or mill
tarv feeling. The Romans and the ORR
entails had their dancing done by hired
ohoronfar of tho
dance has declined with the progress
of civilization, and is now nothing more
than n social amusement and an agree
able spectacle at public entertainments.
The earliest dancing was pantomomc,
adventures of the chase. or combat iml-
tated with some primitive musical ac-
Compartment. The Australians imi-
tate the frog and kangaroo, both leap
ing animals. Dancing became part
of ancient religious rites. The Bible
is full of illusions to dancing. Our
own dances are formed from the medi-
aeval dances of troubadoures and men
nisingers. This period produced the
slow. walking dances of the aristocracy
and the wild and hearty dances OF the
peasantry. Orientalism influenced the
dance of Spain when MOors weretin pos
session from the Eighth TO Fifthtcenth
century. The "ser-a-bende" of Turkey
became the sarabande of France and
Germany, the most dignified OF all
dance forms. Dances of the peasantry
began to appear in classic form. The
gigue of Spain and Ireland, (jigl ex-
tended to symphonic times. every finale
of Haydn and Mozart holds the spirit
OF it. The gavotte was originally a
mountaineers dance in the city of Gap:
in France, where the women were called
cavottes. Paris adopted it as a social
dance. More than 80 years ago a
dance craze swept over this country
similar TO that of today. Mozart said
that he who could not create good dance
music was no good composer. Bee
thoven and Schubert wrote dance music.
Also List, Chopin and Brahms, even
Wagner wrote waltz in "Die Meister-
singer"
Mary and Leon Walthall, piano pu-
nils of Miss Evelyn Harvey. played
Schuberts March Militaire" in IL
lustration Of this oldest form ct secular
music. Schubert wrote the march in
honor OF the Austrian Imperial body
guard ms an expression of the spirit
Of the body Of proud mobiles and men
selected for height and strong physique,
superbly uniformed. The youthful plan
lists played the number with surprising
accuracy and gave the impression that
San Antonios musical future is in safe
hands if there be many such earnest
musicians among the children.
A talented young violinist, Felix 81.
Clair. pupil Of Julien Paul Blitz, played
Sits "Tarantella" in illustration OF
this dance Of Southern Spain and Italy
which originated in the ancient belief
that the poison from the bite Of ia
tantula produced a delirious mania fol-
dancing which aided nature N throwing
off the poison. The dances were stimu
lated by the widest. fastest music which
could be produced. Gradually thu
dance was adopted as a local feature
of festivals and fetes and the music wa
shaped into the present well known
form. Master st. Clair played with ad
mirable technical skill and evennes
of tone. Mrs. Nat Goldsmith, as &C
companist, used the artistry and ex
ceptional gifts which are always dis
MAYED in her work. The number hat
to be repeated.
Miss Evelyn Harvey played Chopin
waltz in G flat. Op. 20 and Paderew
skis CracOvienne, a difficult lllustra
ton Of a peasant dance of Cracow. Mrs
Walthall touched upon the waltz, a
the chief dance of the Germans an
stated that English dances were for tn
greater part importations. The mlnue'
called our own National dance, had II
origin in the court of France durin
the reign of Louis XIV.
Miss Ethel Order. pianist, playe
Cyril Scots "Danse Nigre" and Dett
"Juba Dance" as examples Of the neal
, est approach to folk music in the Unite
! States. The tunes to which the n
2 groes dance can be reduced 10 tf
/ Dentatonic scale, the scale of musici
!, instruments still in use in Abyssini'
Nubia and other countries Of Africi
e Speaking Of the present Gay dance
= the turkey trot, tango and the late
y Jazz dances, Mrs. Walthdl declared Il
dance craze not merely an incident b.
: an epoch influenced by the education
= tours of the Russian ballet, with r
vlowa. Isadora, Duncan, Ruth st. Den
+ and Maude Allan.
/ - ~ ~
n A delightful concert and operetta
y being arranged for the evening of Jal
e uary "a, at the Ursuline Convent Il
: the benefit Of the Queens Daughter
/ Some of San Antonio's leading IN
T sicians are giving their talent to tn
cause. including Mr.. and Mrs. Dav
n Griffin, Mrs. Fred Jones, Mrs Zulen