Evening star., 1926-12-26


tucked away into the flles
OF history as only another reference
volume in the progress of the human
race. With it might we'll be listed
the statement that the United States
is an unmusical country. For its
age, as compared with other coun-
tries of the world, it is the most
musical of all countries. Also those
who blandly wave this statement
about our "unmusicability" most fire.
quently in our faces are the newest
of newcomers who arrive in this
country to take eagerly of all it can
give them.
1t is only a little over 800 years
since the seasick Pilgrim Fathers
staggered from the shelter of their
little bark onto the solid wharf that
nature provided in the rock on
which they landed" In 1880. when
Roger Williams and his small group
of early American associates were
tramping the wilds of New England
and founding an initial unit of what
is now far-famed as New England
culture-in that same year Pales-
trina's music was admired in Italy
only from the point of view OF
fine antiques collected in museums.
TO quote a historian, and the ora
torio and opera were being stimuli
taneously experimental with. Caris-
sini was a leading composer OF the
day in Europe, admired even in
France, hostile as that country was
10 Italian music at that time. And
-. IIn.1r,rh Srhuafy x1yhn
had travelled much and studied more
in Italy, wrote some beautiful songs,
though he suffered among others in
the 'misfortunes of the war that dew
astated his fatherland. During this
period instrumental music was hav-
ing an amazing development in
France on the clavecin and lutte, in
particular with the progressive
musicianship and genius Of the
Couperin family, comparable to the
illustrious Bach family of Germany.
In Italy the violin became supremely
important and the sonata b1ossomed
forth.
This century fathered the families
of great viol makers-the Amati,
Guarneri and Stradivari. Biagio
Marini 1885 1o60) is given as the
composer OF the first sonata for
solo violin, "Affetti Muscali," pub
iished opus /, 1917. At the end of
that century Maria Veracini &C
quainted England-mother country
to the Pilgrim Fathers-with the
violin and won first recognition for
its abilities there. In Germany at
this period there was much definite
influence of the developments of
clavecin and violin in France and
Italy, respectively. yet far more was
written in that period in Germany
for the organ than for either of the
fore mentioned instruments. Johann
Kuhnau 1880 -l722), immediate pred
ecessor of Johnann Sebastian Bach
as organist and cantor of the ST.
Thomas Church in Leipsic, wrote
chamber sonatas in several parts for
the clavecin, like those which the
Italians had hitherto composed tor
the violin Ca great novelty.
1t is particularly significant, though
perchance coincidence has much to
do with the matter, too, that the tlrst
choral group developed in the United
States to such point of perfection
that it could be taken abroad and
won lanrels on its merit in the Eu-
ropean countries, was the Harvard
University Glee Club. developed i'll
that same New England that was
barren bleakness 800 years ago.
TUE to the requirements for more
II time to adjust varied nationali-
ties and even races into this tre-
mendous melting pot Of a country:
the United States may have seemed
slow in creating a musical folk lore
that is distinctive. Yet it has such
folk music in amazing quantities and
of varied substance. Although con-
siderable research has been done in
the field of American Indian music
and much authentic material col
lected by discriminating and accu-
rate searchers, little has been done in
utilizing this material in truly mu-
sicianly works to date. Charles
Wakefield Cadman, in his songs and
one opera, "Shanewis," has become
prominent in this field. and Thurlow
fieurance and even Frederic Logan
also have used tribal melodies for
songs. But the American equivalent
of the Russian Glinka or the Hun
rarian Bella Bartok is still to come
10 light. Incidentally Hungary, land
of the Magyars, dates as a country
into the dim ages of early civiliza-
ton, yet Mr.. Bartok. who has really
developed a national art in his native
land. was only born in 1881.
Another branch of American folk
music that is coming prominently
TO the fore at present is the negro
music, generally typihed by the
spirituals and marvelously exempli-
fed in Washington recently when
the Hampton Institute Choir. under
Nathaniel Dett-the negro composer
who, with Burleigh, has done a
great deal in the musicainly handling
of these melodies-sang program
that was an excellent example OF
choral training, as we'll as presenting
some of this folk music in its finest
form most convincingly.
There is the pioneer folk music
Of the Middle Western prairies-
Covered Wagon Day" melodies
with the "buckwheat notes." etc.
There is the folk music of the noun
taineer folk of the Carolinas and
Tennessee, with its definite individ-
uality. There is the French Cana
dian folk music. and again, in the
South, the bayou songs of Louisiana
All of these are American folk
music material. tentatively touched
by native and other composers. but
still wide. rich field for explora-
ton. Of the European composers
who have used American melodies
effectively in works of real merit