Evening star., 1934-06-24

however, WIcU i aSk lllcHl IL lilcy
cannot carry a tune, if they know no
songs, they always know Yankee
Doodle Little Grey Home in the
West I Hear You Calling Me- or
other melodies of this calibre and at
least can recognize The Star Spangled
Banner They have, then, some
musical consciousness which, by the
right emotional methods, could be
fostered into appreciation of some
thing finer.
This cannot be done in day. The
serious student of music appreciation
must hear compositions played over
and over again. If he listens carefully
and repeatedly the music begins to
take design and form, and he discov-
ers elements that appeal to him and
which may recur in other pieces" He
was asked if it would not take a gen.
Grafton to attain the results he sought.
His answer was: by no means. Four
or five years of application will work
wonders in the development of musi-
cal taste. And it is never too late for
such education to begin. A person of
any age may develop love OF music,
although, of course, children are the
more plastic. But even a year can
make great difference in an audi
ence. I have played in a city one year
and returned the next to notice ap-
preciable progress in this direction.
Those whose lives are barren Of the
rich enjoyment that comes from ap-
probation of music lack a means of
emotional and intellectual satisfac-
ton that cannot be duplicated
From another interview with the
celebrated pianist, Harold Bauer, can
be cleaned some inspiring thoughts.
When the question was put to him,
DO you think that one may gain a
genuine understanding Of music with
out being performer in some ca
pacity?" He answered, mo, believe
that ability to perform music is in
Separable from complete comprehen-
sion and appreciation Of 1t. A COM
munity cannot be considered musical
if it is divided between a few per-
forming musicians and number of
people who are merely entertained
by musical performance.
Love Of music and admiration for
brilliant performance are two differ
ent things. Occasionally they are as
Soclated but it Is a mistake to assume
that they cannot exist independently
Of one another. I have frequently
met with amateurs of very modest
technical means who, nevertheless,
ere more capable of rendering the
musical sense OF composition than
many highly successful public per-
formers. The truth is that each can
learn something from the other. Mu-
sic Is not to be regarded solely in the
light of a personal accomplishment
| but rather as a human activity which
must be shared with others in order
to achieve its purpose, The greatest,
the most vital impression we can
receive from art In any form is when
we say to ourselves, This Is what I
have always felt and thought, and
now I know how it can be ex-
pressed"
With the drowsy Summer weather
inviting one to deeper and more fanci-
ful thought. the time is particularly
propitious for the study of music
This is the only time in our busy
American life that the atmosphere sp-
proximates that of the simple. easy
existence Of earlier days with its re-
ward in the bloSSoming of musical
genius. Since We are more in need
| of general musical culture than the
discovery of genius. the music lover
be he student, parent of students or
merely a music appreciator. should
utilize these restful days to put him.
self still more in tune with the great
melodies and their creators.