Year: 1872

A musical friend sends to the Ad
vocate the following reflections on this
subject:


Having for several years been an
humble servant OF the musical fraternity
in Maryland, both practical aud theoret
icai, it will probably not be uninterest
ing to some Of your readers to have u
few words from this standpoint. have
labored in some communities with not
very satisfactory results for the proper
execution OF music, until recently To
particularize the localities 10 which the
proper flow in musical ecution is SO
obviously neglected, would be hazardous
in the preservation of common respect
IN some Philharmonic Association. Our
choirs aud musical organizations, gen
orally, that consist OF members who
hive limited aud rather indefinite
knowledge OF the rudiments Of practical
music, apart from well regulated Rhythm
proper accent aud emphass-the in
dispeusahle Stor=ando, requisite in all
chorus singing, not occasional, but per.
petual, together with the several grades
OF tone in their proper places-the
Largo and Presto movements with all
Of their appendages, have arrived at
such proficiency that they eau be no
further instructed. Deficient they are,
aud, as general thing, deficient they
In A.
properly gives the true Sfor=dndo as
the fundamental of beauty in chorus
singing The humble writer has for
tcu years been constant student of
music, under the instruction of the pro
found theorists Of America aud Europe,
AID can see ahead more to be learned
than has yet been acquired Musical
theory opens to the mind avenues for
pleasant reflection, and is an inexhaus
table exercise for the prolundiIy Of
human thought. Notwithstanding its
depth, and the inevitable perplexity
Involved, in its course, fresh beauties
are constantly opened to the mind,
which render it an incessaut stimulunt
to the student intent ou intellectual
culture, aud the attainment of science.
How beautifully does it unfold TO US.
step by step, our natural attributes, aud
that which does aud does not accord
with our appreciation Of harmony and
progression About eighteen months
ago, DR.. Lowell Mason, then in the
seventy-seveuth year of his age, said to
the writer, Il have given my whole
time 10 the study of Music for more
than fifty years, aud am not done yet
The most Of our students here finish
before theJ get far enough TO beget a
lively interest in the science. The year
before last we had Two students from
Maryland, 10 the New York Normal
Music School, but last year there was
but one there from Maryland. The
only thing that remains for our eacour
agement III the progress of musical at.
tainmeut is, we have few who are en-
gagged in the study of countcrpoint and
general musical theory at home Some
OF them are, If permitted by smiling
providence, destined erelong to shine as
bright stars in our first class Musical
Fraternity. But | was going to state
that, recently, We who have been labor
ing for reform in musical performance,
aud for the introduction of deeper fun
damentai rules, have been more success
full Truly the index to success is con
sfaacy IN c6ort But some communities
we have Tor the present to pass by, on
account OF their imaginary proficiency,
the bane Of partial and imperfect ac.
qnlrement. In some parts Of the coun
try around, the singers might rightfully
have shared the report made to the
National Musical Congress in reference
to the state of music in Baltimore The
report was that the music was rather
low, aud Jealousy was given as the main
cause OF it. have mentioned these
things merely for the statement of facts
as they are; not for the purpose Of
touching the feelings Of any one. An
impartial comparison of our Choirs aud
Musical organizations herewith some
exceptious-with those in other parts
of the country will cause every one to
coincide with me. Ii you should hear
from this source again, the theme will
probably be varied to a topic more
pleasing HARMoYIsrA.