Evening star., 1924-06-01

just sweet sixteen. The great Grieg
looked over some of her compositions
at her mothers request and became
enthusiastic, firmly refusing for some
time to believe that she had never
had single lesson in harmony. At
| last he admitted she must have been
born with harmony" He advised
her to go to Berlin to study. but she
married instead. and il wasn't until
seven years later; when the youngest
of her five children was nearly a
year old. that she finally arrived in
the German capital and began study
with Wilhelm Berger. She then gave
concerts in London. Copenhagen and
| Paris. In the French capital she
spent two years hearing all the or
chestral and operate music she could
go to, for Grieg had told her: You
are original in your music and your
novel IDEAS must not be spoiled by
the teachings of others Instead go
listen to the best music you can find -
Nine. I-undS programs have always
been only of her own compositions
but she has been assisted by leading
artists. among them Fritz Kreislcr
and Nine. Cahier, who were on her
program at her first American CON
cert at the Waldorf-AstOriaH Hotel, in
New York. in 1902. Nine. Lund spent
much time in this country until 1912,
when she returned to Europe TO cele-
brate the twenty-ffth anniversary of
the publishing OF her early compost
tions with series of ten concerts in
Norway. Then she went to Paris
until the war broke out, when she re-
turned to the United States until
1920. Nine. Lund had two sons fight
ing on the allies side in France dur
ing the late conflict. and she herself
did camp work with Mrs. Newton D.
f'aker. In 1919 she was director of
music at d normal school in North
Dakota, but i'll health made her re-
fall she gave orchestral concerts in
Norway, London, The Hague and in
many cities in the United States
Now. however, she is here not alone
as musician. but as delegate TO
such conferences IS the international
League for Peace and Freedom and
"a correspondent for Christiania's
leading paper.
Nine. LiInd is a socialist in political
views and stanch supporter of the
new broadening life opening to
women of the world. She feels that
of America, for she has studied docu-
ments that prove the truth Of the
legends about Lief Ericsson and his
men, who landed on these shores in
the year 1000 b. c.
Il am sure from proofs in the Vati-
can that Christopher Columbus was a.
least not unaware of Ericsson's ex-
pedition to what is now America"
said the Norwegian lady. with smile.
In speaking of the native American
music, Nine. Lund said:
Il cannot express too forcibIy nv
interest in the Indian music and the
negro spirituals which are so dis
tinctively American; also. / think
jazz is quite appropriate when used
as dance music. although It soon be-
comes monotonous; but I do believe
that there is one kind of American
music that is dercgatory to progress
along musical lines. That is the
type of sentimental songs such as
Carrie Jacobs Bond writes. Mrs.
the tritely sentimental side of an au-
dience and there is nothing big or
fundamental in their work 1t is
the cultivation of taste for such
compositions that keeps many de-
cidedly talented young composers
starving in hall bedrooms. AS for the
ultra -modern school of music as rep
resented by Ravel and Cyril Scott
fine: but Schoenberg and Ornstein-
terrible!
american music in general is me-
lodious but too sentimental. Amer
leans are clever in finding interesting
harmonies. modulations. and making
unique orcheStrations. Most American
singers seem to have naturally beau
tiful singing voices and the choral
obbligatos for many vocal arrange
ments with one outstanding. soloist
have found particularly interesting
America, is SO young that your music
like everything else. lacks atmos-
phere, but 1t would seem as though
with your wonderful country. blend
ing of nationalities, and decided orig
inality. the United States should pro-
duce the most marvellous music in the
world