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50
THE
MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
NOVEMBER 16,
1918
and the words are pure trash.' But I got over
that.
The New York Sun Prints an Interesting Argu-
"When I sing 'God Be With Our Boys To-
ment Defending the "Star Spangled Banner"
night,' I am not offering musical intervals of
as an Entirely Appropriate National Anthem
much or little charm, or words of literary or
non-literary value. I am singing something
An interesting defense of the "Star Spangled
that everybody left in this country is singing
Banner" as the national anthem and some excel-
with me. Their hearts are touched, their
lent comments generally on the subject of pro-
deepest, strongest feelings are stirred—neither
viding a new national song that would possess
they nor I care a hang for the so-called artistic
all the much-desired qualities in the matter
merits of the piece. The song has been taken
of both words and music appeared recently in
entirely out of reach of criticism—it is not good,
an editorial in the New York Sun. The edi-
but great. And every people the world over
torial is well worth reading, especially by those
has put itself into its war songs and made those
who are finding fault with the "Star Spangled
songs immortal.
Banner," and is as follows:
" 'Over There' is another fine example. I
From time to time we hear criticism of our
can assure you I have cursed it in my time.
national anthem. It is alleged .by the many
But 'Over There' now has the significance of a
who know what they like that the tune "goes
nation behind. It isn't a song—it's a defiance.
too high" and that everybody does not know
And every woman who ever heard her soldier
the words. The few who know all about art
sing it, whether he was at Plattsburg or Upton,
DEFENDS THE PATRIOTIC SONGS
insist that the music and the words, measured
has put the power of her prayer and her deter-
by artistic standards, are alike unworthy to ex-
mination
into it, and the beauty of her sacrifice.
press the soul of a great nation. In all these John McCormack Declares That There Is No It is no longer open to discussion by musical
Such Thing as a Bad Patriotic Song, No Mat-
criticisms there may well be a good deal of
sybarites.
ter How Apparently Senseless the Words
truth. But as against them we have two cer-
"What is the song that more than any other,
tain and simple facts which criticism is power-
until
now, has represented to America the mem-
In discussing his work in raising $100,000 for
less to remove. The first is that "The Star
ory of her great national girding up and con-
the
Red
Cross
through
his
personal
efforts,
Spangled Banner" was written a century ago;
certed action as a people? As bad a piece of
the second is that it has been generally identi- John McCormack, the noted tenor, in the Red music as was ever written: 'A Hot Time in the
Cross
Magazine,
tells
not
only
how
he
has
en-
fied with our patriotism ever since.
Old Town To-night.'
There are, perhaps unfortunately, certain listed in the war for the work that he is best
"I saw the British soldiers marching past
capable
of
doing,
but
emphasizes
the
essen-
things which no amount of money and brains
my
London house, in the early days of the
and energy can produce promptly at will. You tiality of music, and particularly of patriotic war. They marched to music that a few short
songs
at
the
present
time.
He
says
in
part:
cannot improve a tradition or a tree. You
months before had been bandied around music
cannot, as G. K. Chesterton has pointed out, "Nobody must feel that music is among the non- halls, that hadn't a respectable friend in all
essentials.
The
world
needs
it
more
when
it's
grow a beard in a fit of rage. Neither can all
England. But when I heard it then, and heard
the king's horses and all the king's men achieve in trouble than at any other time. The sol- the tramping of the soldiers, with some of them
diers,
and
the
mothers
and
wives
and
sweet-
overnight a nation or a home. The most that
hearts and children of soldiers, get more of the singing to their bands, I got a thrill that I've
can be done in haste is to begin these things.
breath
of life from it than the man in the street never in my life got from any other music.
Their growth requires, whether we like it or
Suppose I'd seen my son marching past to
has
any
notion of.
not, the deliberate effects of time and fortune.
one of those tunes—what kind of patience would
"I don't mean the music the soldiers march I have had with the man who told me, the
There must be in the country a score of com-
posers any of whom, given a happy inspiration, to, either, though it is so important to them next time I heard it, that it was 'musically bad?'
could make the melody we need. There may be that if they can't get any other they make their My son is still playing with his toy soldiers, but
several poets who, feeling the American spirit own, no matter how long the march is, or how other men's sons are marching to 'Tipperary'
and abstaining from verbal perversions, could heavy the packs.
and 'Madelon' and 'Over There.' "
"And I don't mean the average, interesting
form that feeling into a poem.
But suppose now the perfect song were writ- music that musicians make a lot of fuss about,
Consult the universal Want Directory of
ten, great enough and popular enough and in peace times, and that gives such pleasure The Review. In it advertisements are inserted
American enough to fulfil our whole desire. of a different sort. For myself, I don't care free of charge for men who desire positions.
Suppose it were as fine in all these elements as if all the music in the world should cease to
the "Marseillaise." Even so, before it became exist till the war is over, if they will leave me
Two Sensational English
national in any sense it would have to be na- the patriotic songs.
Ballad Successes
"Bad ones? There is no such thing as a
tionally loved and sung. And you can lead peo-
bad
patriotic
song.
I
don't
care
what
their
ple to music, but you cannot make them sing.
Then it would have to become mellow with musical values were originally, nor what kind
many memories and tinged with the associa- of balderdash the words are—give me a song
that has been sung by a people at war, and I
have a song that has been hallowed and sancti-
C. C. CHURCH & COMPANY
60 ALLYN ST., HARTFORD. CONN.
fied by feelings so much greater than any ever
Successors to CHURCH, PAXSON & CO., New York
roused by mere musical and verbal perfection
that there is no longer anything in the world
with which to compare it.
The Song of the Moment
T. B. Harms & Francis, Day & Hunter
"That is a seasoned and experienced opinion.
62 West 45th Street
NEW YORK
I started by thinking that the average patriotic
song was as bad as—as you thought it. Con-
cerning some of the songs I now love most to
BUY YOUR MUSIC FROM
sing, T have said: 'These are musically vile
DEFENSE OF NATIONAL ANTHEM
tion of innumerable hopes and heroisms and
despairs.
Let us by all means write our patriotic
hymns. Then we shall have to watch and wait;
and some day, perhaps, one of them may come
to mean something to us. Meanwhile, we shall
have plenty of such mushroom popularities as
"Over There" and "Tipperary" and "Pack All
Your Troubles in Your Old Kit Bag." And
mushrooms are perfectly good and wholesome
food. As for "The Star Spangled Banner," that
represents fairly the best that our nation of the
last hundred years has been capable of appre-
ciating. Its successor will have to do more
than merely represent our possibly improved
modern taste. It will have to be recognized
and appreciated, which is a matter of happy
chance. And it will have to take on tradition,
which is a matter of time.
" SOMEWHERE A VOICE
IS CALLING"
"THE SUNSHINE OF
YOUR SMILE"
"KEEP THE HOME-
FIRES BURNING"
('Till the Boys Come Home)
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41 East 34th St.
NEW YORK
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