Music Trade Review

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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
THE
RAGTIME OCTOPUS.
""THE resolutions passed at the recent con-
vention of the American Federation
of Musicians declaring war on rag-time,
which, according to President Weber, "has
put the standard of music in this country
to the lowest ebb," has been the subject of
innumerable criticisms and editorials in the
daily and musical press during the past
month. To quote Mr. Weber further: "The
public taste is becoming spoiled. It is the
duty of the musician to fix the musical
standard and it is our purpose to eliminate
'rag-time' from that standard. We have
often tried to suppress this hashy stuff, but
no concerted action has ever been taken
until now."
It will be interesting to learn how the
Federation is going to "suppress" this musi-
cal insanity. Within a recent period ob-
servers have noted that rag-time has been
dying a natural death. The attention now
lavished on it by this eminent body of
players is destined, however, to give it new
life.
The popularity of rag-time reflects, un-
fortunately, the public taste. There is no get-
ting behind this fact. Water will not rise
higher than its source. In politics, hundreds
of thousands of good citizens want a clean
and honest administration, but the major-
ity, apparently, on election day desire other-
wise. So in the matter of musical esthet-
ics. There are millions of people who want
good music, at least music of a higher stand-
ard than rag-time, but the demands of the ma-
jority—as reflected in the sales of rag-time
publications and the demand for such compo-
sitions in the music halls—would indicate
that the public taste is not only "becoming
spoiled," as Mr. Weber puts it, but is al-
ready spoiled beyond redemption.
Rag-time has in very truth had a demor-
alizing effect on the country, and, person-
ally, we would be glad to see it shelved
for all time. But we are catholic in our
tastes, and rather sympathize with the
broad views of Win. H. Sherwood, the
eminent pianist, as recently expressed, when
he says:
"I myself do not see why people who have
a great deal of care and trouble and little
joy cannot be allowed to amuse themselves
in their own way. If people want to be
amused and find enjoyment in rag-time,
why should they not be permitted to enjoy
it?
"There is truth and soulfulness, to a cer-
tain extent, in rag-time. It is new and
original—important factors in popularity.
"Although I have been educated to play
and appreciate music of probably a higher
class, I still do not wish to depreciate the
merits of rag-time. It has great original-
ity in rhythms and accents. It can present
airs in far more variegated rhythms and
catchy accents than classical music, and that
is what makes for popularity.
"Rag-time has its merits in cheering peo-
ple up. Should we in music always play the
most ponderous essays by classical masters,
or in literature devote ourselves to serious
works and tragedies, or on the stage see
only the most serious dramas, excluding
comedies and farces?
"If we should do one, we should do the
other. And since humor is recognized as
a necessary part of literature and comedies
are worthy of a place on the stage, so rag-
time should be given a place in music, where
it fulfills the office of amusement better than
any other kind."
Indeed the more we go into this question,
the more we realize that rag-time has as-
sumed a somewhat national phase. So much
so that in some of our foreign possessions,
as well as in other countries, the residents
have come to consider "A Hot Time" and
a few other Ethiopian "raggcrs" as nation-
al anthems. As a prominent writer cleverly
puts it: The whimsicalities, the weak-
nesses, the very depravities of a people are
reflected in their national music. If the
music has not the human and fallible qual-
ity, it misses the point altogether. We should
be very far from saying that the rag-time
melody is representative of the American
character, but it does represent one phase of
it—the cheerful, restless, loose-jointed, no-
account side, which must not be forgotten
in making up the estimate. "Unkempt, dis-
reputable, vast," the American has the rag-
time in him at the same time that his soul
echoes with the symphonies of the very
worlds in their spheres. We need not- ex-
pect, perhaps for a hundred years, the musi-
cal composition that shall express both the
grandeur and the triflingness of the Amer-
ican spirit. Nevertheless, as a beginning,
we might perhaps properly ask of these
critical musicians who condemn a weakness
of the popular taste a few really meritorious
compositions along the lines that trouble
them so much.
There is, however, a bright side to the
rag-time affliction. For instance, why should
not some American composer do as much
for rag-time as Liszt did for the Gipsy jigs of
Hungary? This "kind" of music illustrates
the characteristics of the people and could
be developed in some such way. No doubt
the current rag-time ditties which have a
negro foundation, whether or not the orig-
inal compositions of negros, are intrinsi-
cally inferior to the Hungarian czardas or
the Bohemian melodies upon which are
based some of the best of Dvorak's delight-
ful compositions.
Nevertheless, why not work along evolu-
tionary lines and dignify by a classical cloth-
ing what is now a source of anguish? We
have, unfortunately, a national weakness for
"resoluting" against the numberless evils In
political and social, and now musical life—
in other words, we apparently prefer (on
paper) to destroy than to build up. This
is not progression. It does not remedy a
wrong—if a wrong exists.
" W E ARE COniNQ BROTHER JONATHAN. 1
*T" HERE will be no lack of visiting virtuosi
*
the coming musical season. Among
the new pianists to be heard are Eduard
Zeklenrust, the famous Bach interpreter, who
was to have come here four years ago, but
cancelled his contract; and Martha Girod, a
Frenchwoman who is a pupil of Leschetizky
and Essipoff. Among the familiar artists to
return are Josef Hofmann, Harold Bauer,
Ossip Gabrilowitsch, Josef Slivinski and pos-
sibly Ignace Paderewski and Rosenthal.
Fritz Kreisler will be back to play the violin,
and there is some probability that Eugene
Ysaye will also come here in January, as ne-
gotiations to that end are now in progress.
An American violinist named William Worth
Bailey, who has played with success in Eu-
rope, will be heard as a virtuoso in this coun-
try for the first time.
He is blind.
Jan
Kubelik is not likely to come until his mana-
gers reduce their demands for his services
to some reasonable figure. They are not
willing to let him come to America for less
than $1,000 an appearance, which is some-
what too steep even for our billionaire coun-
try. Kubelik is repeating in London now the
great success he made a year ago, and was
triumphant in Italy during the past winter.
Mme. Lehmann is anxious to return here
next winter to sing in concert, and there are
innumerable others just as anxious provided
they are guaranteed the necessary green-
backs. It is already evident that we will not
be "short" on artists from abroad, next sea-
son.
NOVELTIES:AT LEEDS.
T"* HREE novelties are programmed for the
Leeds (Eng.) Festival. Mr. Coleridge-
Taylor will present his cantata "The Blind
Girl of Castel Cuille" set to Longfellow's
words. M. Glazounow contributes a memo-
rial cantata to a Russian painter, which has
been already heard in St. Petersburg, and
Dr. Charles Wood a work for bass soloist
and orchestra, "The Dirge of Two Vet-
erans." The novelties, therefore, are hardly
of a festival, or at any rate of a very festive
character.
The programs for the entire festival have
been conceived as representative of the music
of the Nineteenth Century. Thirty-eight
composers are represented, including twelve
Britons, fourteen Germans, five Frenchmen,
four Italians and three Slavs. Chopin and
some of the mid-century opera composers
are not in the list. Among the important
works to be heard are "Messiah," the sec-
ond finale to "William Tell," the first finale
to "Parsifal," Beethoven's Mass in D, Bach's
"Wachet Auf," and Verdi's "Requiem."
But more than half of the entire programs
are orchestral.
COLLECTINQ^FOLK SONGS.
D USSIA has set an example to the world
in the matter of a proper appreciation
of folk-songs. Her geographical society
sends out commissioners, one literary and one
musical, each year into a particular district,
where its members mix with the people at
popular celebrations of all sorts and note
down words and melodies. The last en-
deavor resulted in fifty-two examples, with
which the agents returned to St. Petersburg
in triumph.
DVORAK S NEW OPERA.
A NEW opera by Antonin Dvorak, en-
^ * titled "Rusalka," was brought out, on
March 30, at the National Theatre at Prague
with success. The score of the new work,
which deals with a popular Czech legend,
is both melodious and highly effective from
a dramatic point of view. Supported by
efficient interpreters and a picturesque mise-
en-scene, the performance met with the en-
thusiastic approval of the audience.
The new Prince Regent Theater in Munich
will be opened to the public on Aug. 21 with
a performance of "Die Meistersinger."