San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-01-07
Music and Musicians
BY PENELOPE BORDEN.


is the revival of the folk song in the
free Poland of today. Deeper even
than the scars it left, the soaring hands
of war dug into the secret traditions
of the Polish people and excavated un-
told treasures of war songs, love songs
and characteristic dances. 1t was these
songs of an illustrious and melancholy
past, folK songs handed down from re-
mote shrines and rekindlcd with mod
ern vernacular, that the Polish sol
diers sang in their late struggle for
frcedom-not the "Madelon" or Tip
perary" of the Western Allied troops.
Save in that half-legcndary nation
which existed in neglected village, field
and wood, Poland herself was almost
unaware of her rich and unique musical
inheritance. The intense reaction and
outburst Of patriotic feeling that the
war with its dazzling premise of vic
tory, independence and national develop
ment called forth, swept aside all the
exotic and pretentious music that had
crept in from the Western world, and
boys coming from remote and isolated
communities, in their time of stress
and exaltation, instinctively found in
their hearts and on their lips, the loved
old tunes. Just before the battle of
who had seen the dim face of these
Polish boys around the campfires and
had heard them singing before going
nto action, wrote, Il thought l had
never heard such beautiful songs so
beautifully sung
The poignancy of these airs reused
the ardor of the sophisticated and thus
sprang to new life national litera-
ture of music-a most beautiful and
remarkable collection. They poured in
from every province. and into each old
song was poured the hot fluid of spon-
taneous words and verses. imprOvised
by soldier groups and individuals They
arose even from the pagan and the
earliest Christian sepulchres One ma
jestic chant, white apparitiOn from
the eleventh century, was adopted,
words and all by the Polish army in
France. "Bogu Rodziga" is song
of Polish knighthoOd, a song to the
Virgin Mary. Poland's patron saint. |
supposed TO have been composed by ST. !,
Woiciech, and used as a familiar battle
chant as late as the Sixteenth Century. |
a translation of the words, which are
said TO constitute the oldest document |
in the Polish language. is. roughly
Mother of God. Maiden Glorified of
God, Mary; Through Thy Son. the |
Host. Mother Emancipated. Mary Re- |
veal to Us; BestOw Upon Us, Kyric
Ell"
The nation suddenly discovered that |
IL could sing. and nesting fragments |
of melody took wing from mountain and |
valley, from old manuscripts and ar
chiyes, and in the mysterious way that
thoughts are fused in time of spirit
ual tension. They melted into the
awakened and receptive consciousness
of the nation. The most sensitive me-
dunn in which 10 trace the psychology
OF the Poland Of today is in the songs
that the war has summoned TO life.
In times of peace the tavern is the
center of village life and each province
has its individual dance-the maZur.
oberek. kFakOwiak being the most dis
tnctiye. Of these. the mazur, n formal
dance of elaborate figures is the most
widely known, and as in most Of the
Polish dances, is apt TO end with a tr-
Late to the musicians. The following
are characteristic words of a we'll known
maZur. Heel plates. strike the shark.
for the maid is worth it," and "heel
plates. worth it or not. come on fas-
ter. strike the sparks Hey. you fid-
dier, you will go TO Heaven and the
bass who sits near you. too and the
cymbalist also. for he knows how to-
found. You will go TO Heaven and
the basso will also, for he knows how
10 humble"
1t was TO such an accompaniment
that Chopin made his debut into the
world, born in the servants quarters ad-
Joining the palace of family of great
MOBILES, IN the noise and confusion OF a
village festival.
The "krakowiak" is second only 10
the mazur in popularity. 1t comes
from the region of Krakow and is
danced in the most elaborate costumes
that can be provided. There is more
Sateliness and less abandon in this
dance, the form of which Paderewski
has used in some of his best and most
characteristic compositions. During the
var. 1t was sung and danced bv Nine.
Sembrich. Adamo Didur. and Mr.. and
Mrs. Ernest Schelling Mt one of tbe
large Polish benefits given in New
York. II was in playing for the village
dances in her native Poland. that the
incomparable Scmbri made her musical
debut. and it was as a violinist, and
not as singer.
1t has often been attempted TO Is.
tablish definite standard of require.
ments in regard TO church music and 10
present to other directors and the pub.
lie basis for selecting wisely from the
great mass Of published anthems and
solos, designed for use in the church
services.
While some Of the best music publish
ed is written TO Biblical texts. or adam
tations from the Bible. there exists also,
some very inappropriate sentimental
literature, regarding both text and
music. which seem TO maze a ready ap-
peal to congregations.
Operate music. which is rarely shifted
TO the requirements of either the SER
vice or the choir, adaptations and ar
rangements of popular ballads and even
more or less characterless form of
"rag-time" has found its way into the
church where it does not seem 10 strike
the slightest discordant note in the ears
Of the music committee and congrega.
ton.
And here lies the great danger TO
those who supervise the church music
snd who desire that music shall fulfill
its very important mission in the
church. The best sacred music has n
quality that is inherently religious.
cutie apart from the words TO which
il may be sung. No one. with the
slightest feeling for musical values.
could ever mistake 40 rest in the
Lord" for instance. or any of the fami-