Evening star., 1938-05-01

ACSuilCCtloA VI type OI music winch
has been the inspiration of the great
est musical composers in other lands,
and brings before the people Of this
modern country the wealth OF re-
sources which lie at their hand for a
like inspiration. 1t gives a compre-
hensive view Of the many elements
which could be turned to the fashion,
ing Of national music.
The practice of having musical
folk festivals has been in operation
for some years. The interest in folk
music has been awakened by the en-
thusiasm of few outstanding musi-
clans who, by chance, mostly were put
on the trail Of an art which has been
active yet practically unknown to the
general public since this country was
first settled. What these pioneers in
the search for folk lore found has
proven to be of such value that they
have devoted most of their time to
writing down. in a form that may be
preserved, the quaint and lovely
music which was the precious pos
session of inhabitants of out-of-the-
way corners of the land, and which
has been kept in existence only by
being handed down from one gener-
alton to another.
MOT all of it. Of course, can be
named Indigenous American
music. Much Of it has been brought
from the various European countries
which contributed to the citizenry Of
the United States. In many cases it
remains almost intact, and its rela-
ton to the folk lore of its mother
country is easily discernible, yet again
1t has undergone changes which the
circumstances under which it thrived
here have caused. But whatever its
present state, it Is a beacon that
flashes back into the past, lighting up
the obscurity which masked the early
musical life Of the young Nation.
The collections Of American folk
music are rapidly assuming consid-
erable proportions. In the begin
ming it was customary to select only
tunes which were melodious or of
some musical value. Now, it Is being
recognized that whatever the charac-
ter Of the music, it has an important
bearing on the entire picture of the
times which the assembling OF folk
lore attempts. Within the last few
years these collections have been put
into special anthologies, such as cow
boy songs, Negro spirituals, work
songs, logger songs and the like. Again
they are classified as to sections of the
country. with Maine, Vermont, the
Virginias, the Ozarks being the prin-
cipal sources of supply.
Exhaustive studies Of the history Of
individual songs. have also been made,
and these have brought to light many
interesting facts not really related to
the music at all. In some cases hazy
knowledge Of the progress of migration
has been clarified and a better un-
derstanding Of the social and historical
conditions arrived at through tracing
the life Of some old song. Almost every
old and authentic instrumental piece,
song or dance, is q milestone in the
story Of our national development.
A MERICA has much to contribute to
what is designated folk music that
is colorful and unusual There are,
first and foremost, the Indian music
and dances and the Negro spirituals
In this rich repertory is woven not
only the tradition Of these peoples, but
all the emotions which surged through
their lonely and difIicult lives. This
music reflects the very soul Of the
most elemental Of the many types
which make up this country and is,
therefore, the truest in the sense Of
its unvarnished honesty and sincerity.
It has proven to hold a high artistic
value. because it springs from depth
Of feeling which unconsciously directs
it to an art form.
Then there are the cowboy songs,
which are only to be equaled by the
same type in the South American re-
publics and the songs # the American
lumberjacks, and soldiers, sailors and
miners songs. These have q distinc-
tive American trait, and as such have
their place in the collection of folk
music. The ancient music which Is
found practically unchanged in the
Carolinas, the Virginias and the New
England States Is a part Of that greater
field of folk music with which the
countries Of Europe are 80 richly en-
dowed.
As far as America goes, the nomen-
clature Of "folk" music is not entirely
correct. It was first given to the
music which developed In peasant
classes In eontradistinction to that
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