Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-09-21

players than there are great
women composers In the entire
history of music, in all times and
countries, there has never been a
woman able to write first-rate
music"
The above is the opening para
graph of Prof. william Lyon
Phelps new book, Music re-
Gently published by Dutton--a
small, eagerly constructed trea-
tise, whose underlying idea sug-
gests that although music may
be the manly art, it is for many
men something of a bore, since
they do not know how to appreci-
ate it or, more specifically, do not
know how to listen to it,
This paragraph comes, however,
as a considerable shock, because
1t is so absolutely and undeniably
true. Hastily summarizing the
history of musical compositions,
skimming over the names of the
great, and even those who are
not so great, one looks in vain
for women whose musical works
stand out in any age, generation
vi CNC4l ACGc1AiEs oil dllkG DIS IL iIldY
seem, an art appreciated, and most
vigorously enjoyed by women
an art which in this city is only
conSpicuouSly fruitful through a
talented feminine group - has
been neglected in the field OF
composition ever since the first
notes of music broke into ciYiliza-
ton. Just as in painting the
RembrandtS, TitianS and Velas-
queues have had no equals in the
opposite sex, so in music the great
offerings of the past have been
muted and hushed under the 9TH
erwise nimble fingers of the ladies.
Thus, although st. Cecilia stands
forth as the figurehead of music,
Solemnly attending to the silent
strings of her harp, the general
run of her musical co-patriots has
been of the stronger sex, and her
influence seems to have turned
more-at this time-to vocal or
instrumental expression than to
the bars and notes torn from a
pen. While such vigorous person
alities as Cosima Wagner inspired
the great, and as early as the
thirteenth century Queen Eleanor
of France. (later of England) was
battling for the cause of music as
one of the earlier troubadours, the
general trend of lyrical outpour-
ingS has veered away from femi-
nism into the ruthless but in
Spired hands Of man.
x X
WHIT q proF DLaI,>e v1&t4nv L.,
els the females of the Spe-
cies," he sheds a tear over man
for not knowing how to enjoy
good music. He says that he was
one Of the great army that sleeps
mentally at symphonic pro-
gram, and only by applying him.
self to listening did he become
as he.is nova great music lover
He says, Il reached this state of
bliss, not by study! not by read
ing books, but simply by listening,
listening with all my might.
II am not a musician. I can
play no musical instrument. The
first thing I do when I get to
heaven will be to learn the piano.
I shall spend the first million
years on the piano. 1t will take
me about that time to master the
piano"
However long it may take Prof.
Phelps to learn the heavenly pi-
ano, the fact that he has mas
tered what so few men seem able
characterization over music-is
a lesson that most men would do
well to emulate. Whether women
are more susceptible to proper
music digestion by heredity, or
whether men are just plain lazy
or too heckled by business worries
TO fall into a suitable frame Of
mind - whatever - it seems as
though the former were we'll
ahead in the race Of musical APP
probation.
PROF. PHELPS brings out other
novel thoughts in this alert
essay. of his. He reminds his
readers that music is a splendid
tonic for the mind-a grand slim
illus for despondency-and highly
recommended by many physi-
clans. He takes the sixteenth
chapter of I Samuel in the
Bible as the first indication of
music healing in the case of nerv-
GUS melancholia. He says, Music
can drive out of the mind I'M
healthy depression and fill it with
beauty. 1t is like opening the
windows in a close room and let
ting in pure air. Music is har-
mony in every sense of the word;
it brings harmonious melodies and
it restores harmony TO a distract
ed mind. Great music is not only
inspiring and refreshing, it is pos
itively restorative"
For man without the musical
pale, so to speak-a professor of
English and a notable man of let
ters-to speak thus of what to
him is relaxation, and at the
same time one of the greatest of
the arts, is no mean tribute. The
fact that Prof. Phelps is anxious
for others less fortunate than
himself in musical education to
benefit by what he has learned
only by persistency and concen-
tration is. it seems, exceedingly
generous Of him. He proves that
most Scoffers of music go wrong
scoffers of really important and
beautiful music-becauSe they be-
lieve that in order to appreciate
, it they must browse amidst must
cal libraries and tie themselves to
the candle of learning through all
hours of the night Although
fundamentally and for the ulti-
mate satisfaction of the average
person, 1t is well-as in anything
to study up on a subject that he
r7lanS IN e0iOv still if is not vita