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THE
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RAGTIME FOR NATIONAL MUSIC.
British Writer Holds That National Music of
America May Spring from That Source—
Would Mean the Elimination
of Much
Worthless Dross.
"In ragtime, for those who have ears to hear,
are seeds from which the national music of Amer-
ica may ultimately spring," is the interesting sug-
gestion made by a London Times contributor re-
cently. He was commenting on the charge made
by Arnold Bennett against American dilettanti that
they "never did and never will look in the right
quarters for vital art."
"They are imitative, with no real opinions of
their own," Mr. Bennett continues. "They asso-
ciate art with Florentine frames, matinee hats, dis-
tant museums and clever talk full of allusions to
the dead. It would not occur to them to search for
American art in the architecture of railway sta-
tions and draughtsmanship and in the sketch-writ-
ing of newspapers and magazines, because they
have not the wit to learn that genuine art flour-
ishes best in an atmosphere of genuine public de-
mand."
"Mr. Bennett proceeds: "The sole test of a mu-
sical public is that it should be capable of self-
support. I mean that it should produce a school
of creative and executive artists of its own, whom
it likes well enough to idolize and enrich and whom
the rest of the world will respect."
On all this the Times writer remarks that no
doubt there is at present one class of creative and
executive artists whom the public of the United
States are disposed to idolize and enrich, namely,
the composers and singers of ragtime.
"Can the world also respect them?" he asks.
"Character and vigor earn respect all the world
over, even when the character is unpleasant and
the vigor misdirected. Now of the character of
ragtime, there can be no doubt that it is abso-
lutely characteristic of its inventors. From no-
where but from the United States could such
spring. It is the music of the hustler and of the
ieverishly active speculator.
"If a national art is to spring from ragtime,
much dross will have to be cleared away in the
process; much vulgarity and senselessness will have
to give place to a finer ideal.
"We look to the future for an American com-
poser, not, indeed, to the Perkers and the McDow-
ells of the present, who are taking over foreign
art ready-made, imitating it with more or less suc-
cess, and with a complete absence of vital force, but
to some one as yet unknown, perhaps unborn, who
will sing the songs of his own nation in his own
time and his own character.
MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
"It is not suggested that ragtime as such will
develop into a great art, but that ragtime repre-
sents the American Nation. Will it not be pos-
sible to suggest to some composer of the future
to follow a greater and more developed means,
which will also represent the American Nation, out
of which will grow up an art which will be really
vital, because it has roots in its own soil?
"America has waited too long for her own
music," concludes the writer. "Her serious musi-
cians must cease to look abroad for inspiration and
turn their faces homeward."
DEATH OF WM. F. APTHORP.
William F. Apthorp, dramatic and musical critic,
who was born in Boston sixty-five years ago, died
Wednesday at Vevey, Switzerland. He was grad-
uated from Harvard University in 1869. The next
few years were devoted to musical studies, and
until 1872 he taught music in Ryan's National Col-
lege of Music and the New England Conservatory
of Music. Mr. Apthorp was in charge from 1872
to 1877 of the musical department of the Atlantic
Monthly, during which period William Dean How-
ells was the editor. He became connected with
the Boston Transcript in 1881 and continued to
write for that newspaper for twenty years on
musical subjects. Mr. Apthorp also edited Scrib-
ner's "Cyclopedia of Music and Musicians," and
was the author of "Musicians and Music Lovers."
"By the Way" and "The Opera, Past and Present."
WANT SHEET MUSIC
AGENCY.
I have established a central agency in Buenos
Aires, Argentina, for the exploitation of musical
instruments and sheet music in South and Central
America, and am desirous of gettinR in touch
with a good line of SI1KET MUSIC, and specially
for orchestras and military bands, to represent
in that territory. I am representing Argentine
Publishing Houses and have a very fine selection
of "TANGOS CRIOLLOS" and of different Span-
ish music, as well as of my own publications.
Offers will be submitted on application. Publishers
having novelties in orchestra music are requested
to send samples with invoice.
Send catalogs and full particulars to ADOLFO
APFELBERGER, C.-isilla de Correo 1970, Buenos
Aires. Argentina, South America.
and all the troupe gathered on the stage to discuss
the strange affair. Everybody is laughing about
the mistake.
WORK FOR THE UNDERTAKER.
Story of "The Dead Eyes" Leads One to Be-
lieve That Only Man of Somber Calling Can
Get the Proper Spirit of the Piece.
"Die toten Augen," or "The Dead Eyes," is the
title of a new opera by the famous German com-
poser Eugent d'Albert, which will be produced
at the beginning of next season. The text is by
Hans Heinz Ewers, and the theme one of poeti-
cal sadness. The new work will be staged in one
long act. The central figure is that of a blind
young Greek woman, who lives on the scene and
in the time of Christ's entry into Jerusalem. The
New Testament incident forms the background oi
the whole work. The Saviour himself will not be
AN ODD HAPPENING.
portrayed in person, His presence being expressed
by the music and the phantasy of the work.
A dispatch from Geneva tells a good story to Touched by the healing hand of Christ, the blind
the effect that when the curtain went up in the woman regains her sight, and her eyes, filled
theater at Boudry, near Neuchatel, for the final act with the light of love and passion, fall first upon
of "The Chocolate Soldier" recently, the actors a magnificent Roman, whom she believes to be
and actresses were astonished to find that the her husband. Her husband, however, is really a
crowded audience had disappeared during the in- most repulsive figure, and it is in giving expression
terval, and that they were playing to an empty
to the conflict of emotions in the woman's heart
"house."
when she discovers her mistake that the music
of the new opera finds its vent. The finale occurs
As the audience had been very appreciative in
at sunset of the same day. The woman, troubled
the three first acts, this sudden and wholesale de-
and disturbed in spirit, stands gazing into the
sertion was inexplicable.
After making inquiries, it was found that a blazing glory of the western sky until she again
printer's error was the cause of the mystery. In becomes blind, and regains her peace of heart.
the program it was stated that the comedy was
in three acts, instead of four, and the audience, who TO LOOK AFTER_SHEET MUSIC HITS.
had never seen the piece before, left the theater
(Special to The Review.)
dissatisfied with such an abrupt ending.
Philadelphia, Pa., Feb. 24, 1913.
As there was nobody but the employes—who
Early in the season the Weyman firm arranged
were also surprised to see the curtain rise again—
tc have a man stationed permanently at Atlantic
in the theater for the last act, the play was stopped City to look after the sheet music "hits," realizing
that a great many professional people were always
MILLION COPY HIT
at the resort and that this would be profitable.
The songs that he is pushing are "If T Said Please,"
"Irish Eyes" and "Nashville, Tenn."
Down By The Old Midstream
NOW PLAYING IN NEW YORK
Four Big Musical Successes.
At the Globe Theater
ipper"
"The Lady of the Slipper
Book by Ann Caldwell and Lawrence McCarty.
Lyrics by Tames O'Dea.
Music by Victor Herbert.
Also New Hits
New WHEN WE WERE SWEETHEARTS New
New
UNDER THE OLD OAK TREE New
New
WAY DOWN SOUTH
New
New
RAG RAG RAG
New
New
THAT SUBWAY RAG New
New
FRANKIE AND JOHNNY New
TELL TAYLOR, MUSIC PUBLISHER
NEW YORK
CHICAGO
Don't fail to order these Songs
My Dixie Rose
Who shall Wear them
You or I, Love?
Gasoline
At the Lyric Theater
"All
For the Ladies"
Book and Lyrics by Henry Blossom.
Music by Alfred G- Robyn.
At the N. Y. Hippodrome
"Under Many Flags"
Conceived by Arthur Voegtlin.
Book by Carroll Fleming.
Music and Lyrics by Manuel Klein.
All the Music Now Ready.
Only one Story the
WALTER JACOBS
167 Tremont St,
BOSTON, MAS&
Publisher of
"Kiss of Spring," "Some Day When Dreams Com* Tru*'"
And Some Others World Famous.
OLIVER
DITSON
COMPANY
BOSTON
NEW YORK
Anticipate and Supply Every Requirement of Music Dealers
M. WITMARK & SONS
WHITE-SMITH MUSIC PUB. CO.
Witmark Bldg., 144-148 West 87th S t . N. Y. City.
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PUBLISHERS, PRINTERS & ENGRAVERS OF MUSIC
Main Offices: 62-64 Stanhope St, Boston
Branch Houses: New York and Chicago
Roses Tell
'Mid the Purple Tint-
ed Hills of Tennessee
You Can't Repay the
Debt You Owe your Mother
Meet Me in the Twilight
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