Evening star., 1933-12-24

its understanding-mu Is "the organization
of sound toward beauty" Though he believes
that the enjoyment of music is an instinct, he
is certain that the instinct may itself become
an art by adding to instructive human reac-
tions the experience of Others" For the music
lover who has some knowledge of the technique
of music, THE Art Of Enjoying Music" with
Its large fund of information about the fun
damentals of time. rhythm, melody, harmony.
tone color and musical forms, and its many ex-
ampleS, will prove an invaluable companion in
the study Of musical appreciation. Mr.. Spaeth's
inclusions broad as his definition and
range from ecclesiastical music and the great
symphonies to modernism and jazz. The ref
erence value Of the book is enhanced by q die
tionary list of composers, with annotations q
glossary of musical terms, a group of queS-
tions on each chapter, and a good index.
PROTESTANT CHURCH MUSIC IN AMER
ICA. By Archibald T. Dawson. Boston: E.
c. Schirmer Music Co.
~ HISTORY Of Protestant church music,
" from Puritan days, when the palmer
~ forms were insisted upon to the present
time, when almost every type is accepted, Is Q
long task for q research historian. DR.. Davi-
son. professor Of music at Harvard University,
disclaims any such undertaking. In his small
book he attempts merely to discuss attitudes
and conditions which now govern our church
music; to make clear certain powers and hmi-
tations Of music in general which specifically
apply to the present problem; to define, through
technical analysis the main features of sacred
rs opposed to secular style; to propose an ideal
Of Protestant church music; and finally, to
state what means and material are suitable for
the realization of that ideal" In an appendix
he presents four brief lists Of hymns, anthems.
organ selections and junior choir selections. DR..
Dawson believes in the spiritual efncacy Of
beauty and thinks that the democratization Of
in tiy,aoc he
loses its imaginative and suggestive qualities
which make It valuable as an aid in religious
services when it is restricted by prejudice or
becomes too secularized Fear OF retaining any
thing in service used by the Catholic Church
and the demand for "the sense of mans six
day life in the world" to be preserved in vor.
ship are both enemies of the best church music.
worship in great measure gains in value
exactly in proportion to its remoteness from
the secular" The book Is an excellent piece
of specialized musical criticism.
TWENTIETH CENTURY MUSIC. How 1t De-
veloped- How to Listen to 1t. BY Marion
Bauer. New York: @. p Putnam's Sons.
~HE taste for modern music is not usually .
III natural taste with those who love classical
~ music 1t must be acquired, often slowly.
and during the process perhaps many concerts
are spoiled for the learner by the presence Of
modern numbers. The author of this book
attempts to help music lovers to exchange old
ears for new" to explain the progressive and
reasonable evolution" of twentieth century
music from music Of the past. The break with
the past is not as complete and radical IS IT
often seems. There have been innovations in
the past and prejudices have gone with them.
when the Chinese scale Of five steps (penta-
tonic) was increased to seven, about 600 Be- it
was thought the final doom of music had been
sounded" Today composers feel that the
diatonic scales have yielded ell that is possible
and are experimenting with new and ultra-old
scale formations" The same revision Is going
on with melody. harmony, counterpoint, rhythm
and musical forms. Miss Bauer, who is asso-
ciate professor Of the department Of music Of
New York University, calls the first part Of her
book Looking Backward" !" and in it gives brief
critical survey of music from the beginning of
the modern era in the seventeenth century to
the realism Of Richard Strauss in the late nine
teenth century. The second part, Looking
Forward" begins with the impressionistic
methods of Debussy and ends with modern
American jazz. The book is intended not as
scientific treatise, but as a practical guide In
the appreciation of modern music for the music
lover and concert-goer. The text is illus
trated with examples CT such twentieth century
composers as Debussy, Ravel. Scriabin, Stravin-
sky Kodaly Schoenberg, Nilhaud, Gutenberg
and Critics.
BESIDE GALILEE Diary in Palestine. BY
Hector Bolitho New York: D. Appleton
Century Co.
~HE author proclaims tbs "the unpublished
Ol diary of Gentle, struggling against his
inherited dislike cf the Jaws, while travel
ing amongst them in Palestine" 1t is more
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