The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1926-05-07

Particularly interesting and appro-
pirate in keeping with National Music
week, now being observed, Is the fol
lowing address given Wednesday noon
ut the meeting Of the bismarck Ro-
tary club by Jason +. Wait, organ
list ut the Eltinge theatre:
"Tone is an impulse or vibration of
the air which is perceptiblc to the
ear" Musical tones are intervals
of sound which range from the deep
est to the highest pitch susceptible to
the human ear. The succession 81
tones or their combination in pleas
ing manner, either through the use
Of the human voice or instruments.
constitutes our word music. Tones
in combination fall into two grades,
ma jor and minor.
To human hearers music has al
ways embodied the inner feelings OF
the producer, or has carried sugges-
tions which implanted themselves IN
the conscious or subconSciouS MINDS
of the hearers from which suggeS-
tions came characteristic reactions.
As an example--thc Rhythmic beating
of toms toms and the weird pulse
stirring wailings of reed instruments
have caused frenZied mental reactions
from the dawn Of time even to today.
Ancient people dashed with these
sounds in their ears INTO carnage or
religious rites like madmen. Today
any one Of you subjected to long
continued listening to those pulsating
sounds might become equally made
Music has been termed the univer-
sal language but that is II misnomer.
Music has always existed, but, as
languages and art and PHILOSOPHERS
have changed through environment
and social growth, SO also music has
changed The groupings of sounds,
now covered by the term harmony.
and the types of instruments EN-
ploved. have been keeping step with
the needs of their hearers through
out all time. The type of music
cravcd by the ancient Assyrians. who
flayed prisoners alive to use their
skins as drum heads. Of necessity
would be different from that of IA
modern audience gathered to hear Il
symphony orchestra.
Ancient Music
According to u consensus of musical
authority ancient music developed
through three well marked groups.
Like the periods Of early geological
development Of the earth the devcl-
opmcnt Of each period remained and
was absorbed into the succeeding
period to make a complete creation.
First Stage
RHYTHM and musical sounds were
first produced by man through the
clappng of hands or stamping of
feet, by using drums, cymbals, bells,
and the striking together of sticks OF
which the survivors are castanets and
the "bones" Of the musical troupcs
This we may term the age Of percus-
sion.
Second Stage
Man, typified by the god Pan, dis
covered that he could produce sounds
by blowing through reeds and pipes
Of wood. Today we have flutes ant
flagcolets, oboes and bassoons, clari-
nets and host Of other wind
blown instruments. Thus came The
age Of wind.
Third Stage
Then man discovered that tone.
came after striking or picking upon
taut strings of metal or other sub
stances. So ancient is this last stag,
of musical development that 1t l.
interesting to note that the Egyptian.
attributed the invention Of the Tyr,
and harp to Thoth. To go farthel
back into the discovery of the prin
ciple Of stringed instruments is ;
vain cropping. First amongst stringet
Instruments came the Tyre and harl
which when touched produced singh,
tone from each string; then came The
Lutte which has a neck board will
ridges for finger control of diff
ferent tones from each string; am,
finally there emerged through thu
wears the instruments which in evo
luton became our banjos, violins
cellos and the humble ukulele. Thi
was the age of stringed instruments
AS old mother earth after its ST!
periods of creation was ready for it
development by man, so too music
after its three periods of creation
was ready for its employment by man
Ancient Uses of Music
Prehistoric man and his descendant
through countless ages employed
music in one or another of its stage!
Of development to quicken the pulls,
in rites pertaining to religion, to war
ito fune rails, to periods of pleasure o
to the dance. The latter word mus
now receive somewhat longer dis
cussion, for in every one of the afore
mentioned rites the dance and music
were so entwined that to eliminat,
one obliterates the other. The tern
"The Dance" covers those motion
and gestures which indicated emo
tional motives, whether used ages be
fore Abraham came out Of Chalde'
and countless of his descendant
danced before the Lord. or by un
known races in the western hemis
phere in their feasts of the solstices
That the dancers might produce TIL
steps or bodily motions necessary t.
convey their meaning, rhythm was es
sential, and the use of musical instru
ments was Imperative.
Imagine for brief time the myriad
feasts and gatherings of men which
have been enhvened by the gesture
Of dancers and the sounds of drums
trumpets, flutes, reed instruments
cymbals, tambourines, and castanets
Gaze at the procession Of music-ac
companied dancers of ancient Egypt
where the upper classes did mo
dance. at the long robed men, who
hand in hand, solemnly revolved abou
a central altar as stars about the SUI
In ancient IuOGHieid, anu " III
Greeks who danced in honor of thei
gods--is it not a glorious pageant?
Homer named Apollo "Orchestes" 0
1.-THE Dancer" Could more cogen
argument be put forth as to the init
mate relationship of the two art
than this ancient word from whic
our word orchestra is derived?
At this point it is pertinent t
state that Aeschylus, Sophocles, an
Euripides composed music to set OF
or accompany their classical work:
Can you imagine anything NOR
bizarre than to witness an archai
Greek festival, where to the sound
Of drums, reed instruments and Gym
balls. elephants appeared and wake
- 1asxas, nE oa,se fi4xhf ,nr,