Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-08-02

bhony" Mr.. Astin not only revives echoes
Nf the many pros and cons which have shot
verbally into space since some claimed that this
symphony belongs to America and others that
r does not-but he seems to have had hand
In the pie-and more Of Q hand than many.
perhaps, suspect.
While some authorities, or neo-authoritieS,
have decided that except for random gleanings
Of tire folk songs Of our country the "New
World Symphony" was conceived by Dvorak
entirely in his own mind, Mr.. Astin seems to
have fostered the growth Of this composition
more materially than one would suspect For
IN 1893, when Dvorak was milling around for
some kind of background against which he
could build his intended new work, Mr.. AStin
says that Edward Orchard, then o correspond
emit for the New York Musical Courier, wrote
TO him, told him of the composers plans and
asked him If he wouldn't send Dvorak all the
unwritten Negro melodies at his command
This Astin did. He sent Dvorak 10 and "sug-
gested folk songs on one OF which, Massa
Dear he built his largo"
The importance Of the above may be verified
by what Astin next says II received an auto
graphed letter from Dvorak thanking me kindly
for my assistance sold that letter seven
Years ago to q lady for S."
Unfortunately this" letter has not been 10
Dated. He had placed it ON exhibition at the
local music store Of Phillips 81 Crew and .
lady came along and when she offered him
the IS he accepted it. Commenting on 1t now.
the letter has gone. And so has the lady. The
fact remains, however, that Dvorak received
The songs sent him, that he wrote and thanked
Astin for them, said that they had been Of
much help to him. and later wrote AStin two
more letters, when the latter asked II he
wouldn't write IAN easy tune" to "The Star
9pangled Banner" which Dvorak, quite nat
urallX refused, saying he would. have done it
II he had been citizen OF the United States,
but since he wasn't he was afraid that he
might offend the people.
"a STM declares that the New World Sym
~ phony" is American. He insists that
critics who say otherwise don't know what
they're talking about. He says: when you
dress up spontaneous Negro music ana country
breakdown fddling it is hard to recognize
them unless you have been saturated with it."
When questioned about the material he sent
Dvorak, this veteran composer and champion
or the Southland Che is q Georgia cracker'C
said he had included Ben Bolt" "Massa Dear"
sfOld Folks at Home" Hard Times" "Mock-
ing Bird" and kentucky Home" plus others
Which he doesn't seem to be able to remember
Curiously enough, Astin, although consid-
Nrably excited over the fact that so many per-
Sons disregard the American aspect Of the
New World Symphony" linking it more with
0voraks Bohemian culture and continental
musical education, is much more interested, it
Aeems, In the fact that THE Star Spangled
Banner is too difficult for children to sing in
Ehe schools, and that there Is no such thing
Is "jazz" Chat it is ragtime, nothing else),
han he is in what may be an important link
between himself, the Southland and the New
World Symphony"
IA /AEN questioned recently about whether he
wv thought he had any influence on Dvorak
Ia the writing Of what Is sometimes taken to
p the first attempt to nationalize American
music, Astin replied II am not prepared to
&ay how much influence had on Dvorak. In
&is first letter he said that he was seeking o
foundation ON which to compose O. New World
Symphony" and said my Negro songs were
&ery valuable to him as they suggested our nat
NfG spontaneous music, suggested several
american folk songs. one Of which 'Massa
Dear he used in his largo movement don't
&now If my suggestion prompted the use Of
= but I believe it did" He goes on to say:
have heard the symphony through several
Mmes and while did not recognize any Of the
Mnwritten Negro melodies (these were the ones
Id wrote out for Dvorak), did recognize the
lyle, which is pure American. 'MASsa Dear
Has the only melody that Dvorak stuck to. and
be made it beautiful. don't understand why
She critics wish to kill his influence"
"A STN no doubt means by the latter that
IN hH regrets this symphony has not been
more closely allied to our national music. While
first erroneous reports were circulated
throughout this country that Dvorak had
Written it during his Summers visit to Spill
&llle Iowa, by now 1t has been recognized that,
Except for some Of the orchestration, the COM
&oser wrote it In the Winter Of 1893 during
&ls stay in New York. Since then critics have
more or less alienated the work from our
music. John Tasker Howard said recently:
@Probably all he Dvorak) accomplished was
give q Bohemian's impressions Of America,
md in pliantive moments to voice his own
omesickness." But couldn't, perhaps, this So
Alled ''homesickness" have been o closer I'M
#Rht into 'plaintive" unwritten Negro songs
Ouch as those supplied by Astin than merely o
hungry feeling for his homeland? Possibly So