Evening star., 1936-02-15


Tn hermit of much travel, I have BEEN
able to enjoy the cultural arts, IN all
parts of the world.
While in Europe, I visited all the
principal art centers and enjoyed the
great symphony concerts given In those
centers. I found, on their programs,
the masters of past and present Eu-
rope. also found that each country
fostered and exploited its own natlve
talent. found this condition prev
alent throughout South America and
the Orient.
"I have travelled from the Atlantic
TO the Pacific in this great United
States, have heard practically all the
great orchestras. In scanning tnem'
! found the personnel Identical WIN
those of Europe. especially when the
conductor from some foreign land ap-
peared to conduct the concert. l
have scanned the programs with great
care and have as yet, with but a rev
isolated instances, failed to discover
anv American composer on these
programs.
II happen to be well acquainted
with a great many exceedingly hne
native musicians and composers whose
works are most worthy Of considera-
tion. What is the matter with the
American public? Why this apathy
toward their own marvellous talent?
Do they realize the musical life OF
their country is being snuffed out oy
their indifference to this foreign
invasion?
"Music Is a universal language and
should not be confined to national
boundaries, it's true! But does the
United States OF America not consti-
tute a part of the universe?
"a high tariff has been placed on
foreign luxuries imported to this
country. Will music have to be con-
sidered a commodity before anything
Is done to protect native talent? Is
there an answer to this?"
THE same question asked IN this
letter has been uppermost in the
minds of most American music lovers
for some time. Composers themselves
SpSdh vi b4AC 1C6ACNS "AANA'
their musical creations receive at the
hands of those whose position in the
musical world could assist them in
becoming known.
Whenever an American composer
Is featured on a program the fact is
announced with pride, and the good
work ends with that. When trying
to arrive at an honest judgment Of
the case, which has to do not only
with the composer of the moment, but
the musical future Of the country, the
entire question revolves around the
character Of our national life and IT.
influence on the type Of thought thai
gives birth to great musical creation
and musical appreciation.
IF the American public does not in
dorSe its own composers it is because
In the main they fail to give that In
ward emotional satisfaction and men
tai stimulus which the composers OF
other times and countries provided so
abundantly that it still operates with
apparently inexhaustible potency. This
is not so much the fault of the COM
poser as it is the result of the man
ner of living which has grown up in
this country and which is its strength
and weakness.
The American composer is the re-
suit of his environment, and if he has
not been able as yet to surmount that
influence and reach ahead of it, it is
not his fault entirely. Our manner Of
living today allows little or no time
for meditation or for a submersion In
the abstract things that engender
poetry and music. The days are full
of the stultifying struggle of compe-
tition, and the tired minds and nerves
crave distraction in the evening leis-
ure hours. And the distraction must
take the form of something new, ex-