Scan 8
Musical Courier 1893-06-07: Vol 26 Iss 692, 1893
107 lines. Read by computer on 23 September 2026, twice; the two readings disagreed in places. Printed page 9. See the scan on archive.org.
A town on its own line is one of the directory's headings. That is where the town on a maker's page comes from.
1translated him into Hindustani, and have begun to give representations of his plays on the boards. The only character in Shakespeare which the Hindu is fitted to play by nature is "Othello," but they get over the difficulty by flouring their faces.
3Not long ago, I learn, one of these native companies put on "Macbeth." All went well till the duel scene between "Macbeth" and "Macduff," which was proceeding in a gingerly, mind-you-don't-hurt-me way, when suddenly "Macbeth" dropped his sword and began to buck jump all over the stage, shrieking, "Wah! Wah! Bapri bap, what for you hit me on the fingernail, you black baboo? Ram ram sita ram, kya kurega, I am entirely destroyed, damnations take you!" This naturally rather upset the gravity of the audience, who applauded "Macbeth's" impromptu skirt dance to the echo. After the injured finger had been bound up, and the actor consoled with a large mouthful of betel nut, he came on and deputed a subordinate to finish the fight, while he sat and explained the business between the puffs of his hookah. "Thus is the immortal Bard ruthlessly mutilated by an enlightened race!" exclaims an eye witness.
5* * *
7From Ernst Legouvé's recently published recollections I cull the following interesting story about Thalberg and Malibran. The great pianist with the polite touch was not often aroused, but could play if forced to. Just read this, which first appeared in the "Critic:"
9"Mr. Legouvé has a great deal that is interesting to tell about Malibran. On the occasion of her second marriage she asked Thalberg, who was one of the guests, to play. 'Play before you, madame,' said Thalberg; 'I could not think of it. Besides, I am too anxious to hear you.' 'But you'll not hear me, Mr. Thalberg; I am not supposed to be here at all; it is merely a woman dead tired with the fatigue of the day. I haven't a note left; I should be simply execrable.' 'So much the better; it will give me courage.' 'You insist upon it? Very well, you shall have your wish.' She was as good as her word. Her voice was harsh, there was not a sparkle of genius in it. Even her mother remarked upon and chided her for it. 'I can't help it, mamma; a woman only gets married once in her life.' She evidently forgot or ignored her first marriage, ten years previous. 'Now it's your turn, Mr. Thalberg.'"
11"He had not been married that morning, and the presence of such a listener putting him on his mettle without unduly exciting him, he drew from his instrument all that wealth and suppleness of tone which made it the most harmonious of singers. As he went on, La Malibran's face gradually changed, her lack lustre eyes became bright, the mouth gradually expanded, the nostrils began to quiver. When his last note had died away she said: 'Admirable! Now it's my turn.' And forthwith she intones a second piece. But this time there was no appearance of either fatigue or listlessness, and Thalberg, absolutely bewildered, sat watching the transformation without being able to believe in it. It was no longer the same woman, it was no longer the same voice, and all he could do was to say in a low voice, 'Oh, madame, madame!' She had barely finished when he said animatedly: 'Now it's my turn.'
13"Only those who heard Thalberg on that evening may perhaps flatter themselves that they have known the 'whole man.' Part of La Malibran's genius had communicated itself to his masterly but severe style; he had caught the feverish passion of her soul. Currents of electric fluid ran from his fingers over the keyboard. But he could not finish his piece. At the last bars La Malibran burst into violent sobs, she hid her face in her hands, she shivered from head to foot, and we had to carry her into the next room. She did not remain there very long; in a few moments she reappeared, with proud uplifted head and flashing eyes, and rushing to the piano, she exclaimed: 'Now it's my turn.' She resumed that strange duel, and sang, one after another, four pieces, increasing in grandeur as she went, unconscious of everything around her in her growing excitement, until she noticed Thalberg's face bathed in tears as her's had been."
15Wern't those delightful days when people cried at a piano recital? Nowadays people go home and die after one; but you seldom hear of tears being shed. Our nerves are stronger than our grand mothers' and grandfathers', say what you will.
17* * *
19I went to the Calomel Club the other night, but that is a story that will keep until next week, as Rudyard Kipling did not say.
21They Disagree with Dvorak.
23IN both Europe and America the tongues of musicians have been wagging vigorously over Dr. Antonin Dvorák's bold declaration over his own signature in the "Herald" that the coming national school of music in America must be founded on the negro melodies. Already the "Herald" has presented by cable the views of great European composers, and the press of New England—notably the Boston "Herald"—has been hard at work gathering opinions on the fascinating subject.
25Nearly all of the utterances of musicians concerning the great Bohemian composer's proposition seem to have been made in ignorance of the fact that his American surroundings have in less than a year influenced his composition, and that the new symphony which he has just finished reflects the sentiment of negro melody.
27The following letters speak for themselves:
29To the Editor of the Herald:
30NEW YORK, May 22, 1893.
31In an article which appeared in last Sunday's "Herald," entitled "Real Value of Negro Melodies," the eminent composer, Dr. Antonin Dvorák, states:
32"I am now satisfied that the future music of this country must be founded upon what are called the negro melodies. This must be the real foundation of any serious and original school of composition to be developed in the United States. * * *
33"These are the folk songs of America and your composers must turn to them. All of the great musicians have borrowed from the songs of the common people. Only in this way can a musician express the true sentiment of his people. He gets into touch with the common humanity of his country."
34At the risk of being taxed with presumption I would submit the following reasons for not sharing the opinion of so great an authority.
35Although exceedingly popular, negro melodies cannot be considered as being the folk songs of America, because they do not express the "true sentiment" of the people, having been composed by slaves, who, although born in this country, belong to a distinct and separate race, possessing an idiosyncrasy still lacking among their white brethren, descendants more or less remote of various nationalities. Negro composers expressed mainly the sentiments of their enslaved companions, their joys and their sorrows, which their white masters did not share.
36If our American future composers are to follow the example of the great masters who "borrow from the folk songs" of their respective countries "because it is the only way to express the true sentiment of people," will they express the true sentiment of our people by borrowing from pathetic or merry negro melodies? I do not hesitate to answer negatively.
37It is further asserted that:
38"Many of the negro melodies—most of them, I believe—are the creations of negroes born and reared in America." That is the peculiar aspect of the problem. The negro does not produce music of that kind elsewhere. I have heard the black singers in Hayti for hours at the bamboula dances, and as a rule their songs are not unlike the monotonous and crude chantings of the Sioux tribes. It is so also in Africa. But the negro in America utters a new note, full of sweetness, and as characteristic as any music of any country.
39"Negroes as a rule are innately musical, a fact which has been demonstrated whenever and wherever they had an opportunity to develop their natural gifts." The doctor undoubtedly ignores that the negroes in Cuba, Martinique, Guadeloupe, &c., have also produced many simple yet pleasing melodies, bearing a local color, as they are necessarily influenced by the language of their owners, the climate, customs and surroundings, as well as by the degree of moral training they had received. If those melodies are not so numerous and the sentiments expressed are less varied than those we possess in this country, it should not be overlooked that American slaves were at least fortunate enough to be cast among an energetic and enterprising nation, a quality which no one will attribute to the Cuban or French creole planters of Martinique. While it cannot be denied that the musical standard of the Haytians and Africans is of the very lowest order, it is due to the fact that they are absolutely left to their own resources and do not come in contact with the civilized world. There is therefore no room for comparison. American industry has also transformed an ancient African instrument still used in Hayti into the modern banjo, which has played no small part in helping the American slave to create some of his most original and pleasing melodies.
40It is noteworthy meanwhile that from the day of their emancipation American negroes have ceased to produce "pathetic, tender, passionate, melancholy, solemn, religious, bold and merry melodies." They are no longer slaves whose hearts were filled with anguish when ruthlessly torn from their wives and children to be sold at auction by their mercenary owners. They no longer sigh, pray and yearn for freedom—hence no more pathetic and tender melodies.
41The present generation of negroes would turn up their noses at the childish joy their parents displayed when their masters gave them permission to sing, dance and clap their hands to their hearts' content—hence no more bold and merry melodies.
42But, whether pathetic or merry, these melodies are a thing of the past. They are exclusively reminiscent of the dark days of slavery, of the sufferings of a persecuted race. Doubtless American composers will find ample material to build upon the rich and undeveloped negro themes of days gone by, but they cannot consistently furnish the basis of an American school of music, as they do not express the true sentiment of the American people.
43To obtain this result we will have to await until a number of generations have passed by, when thorough fusion between the millions of our naturalized citizens has been accomplished, forming one heterogeneous mass, with a well defined idiosyncrasy.
44Then and not before will our composers be able to establish a true American school, if, however, they are fortunate enough to count in their midst one musician possessing the genius of Dvorák and capable of leading the way.
45There is such a think as nationality in music, maintains Dr. Dvorák. Undoubtedly, but it can only be found among nations established long before the discovery of America—nations full of historical events and traditions handed down from generation to generation. He believes that if our musical students will only work hard 'the natural voice of a free and vigorous race' will soon be heard. If talent, aptitude and serious study are the only requisite qualities we might also expect with equal reason that our numerous gifted painters, sculptors or architects should form an American school of painting, sculpture and architecture. Would it not be preposterous to expect the realization of such hopes while art in all its branches in America is still in its infancy?
46The different views expressed by some of the most prominent European musicians since the "Herald" gave publicity to Dr. Dvorák's theory are mostly hypothetical and do not throw much light on the subject. Anton Rubinstein's opinion, however, conveys pretty accurately the general impression:
47"If there is a great literature of negro melodies Dvorák's idea is possible, but I think it fantastic."
48Severe, perhaps, but true.
49LOUIS MELBOURNE.
51NO. 40 VIRGINIA AVENUE, POUGHKEEPSIE, N. Y., May 28, 1893.
52To the Editor of the Herald:
53If we want information we go directly to the New York "Herald." There seems to be wide spread interest in the future of the negro melody in America. As an old New Yorker I had many friends among the Christy Minstrels. Poly Gould, Pierce Ray, Tom Vaughn, the incomparable George—what music they gave us! Ray still lives, I think, in New Jersey. He would probably agree with me. What melody has any darky "ever evolved from his inner consciousness?" As a matter of fact all the celebrated negro melodies were composed, songs and music, by white men, notably at their head Steve Foster. "Old Folks at Home," "Nellie Was a Lady," "Massa's in the Cold, Cold Ground" and many others were written by Foster and others North. The popular story was that Foster had a trunk full of old music from which he took his selections. For example, "Old Dog Tray," from one of Dibdin's sea songs; "They Tell Me Thou Art Dead," "Katy Darling," from the opera of "Romeo and Juliette," and so with others. Northern minstrels would travel South and give concerts, the darkies in the cities would "catch on" and the melodies would be adopted over the land everywhere with great celerity.
54Yours respectfully,
55PHILIP CLAYTON ROGERS.
57NEW YORK, May 30, 1893.
58To the Editor of the Herald:
59In your issue of Monday last it appears that Dr. Dvorák says that the negro melodies will serve as a basis for the future national style of music of this country. This idea may be original with Dr. Dvorák, but George F. Bristow advanced that theory ten years ago and was laughed at for it. Bristow's idea was that the American school of music would take more of the character of negro melody in the South than the so-called negro melodies sung at minstrel shows. In support of this idea one has only to be present when the negroes are gathering in cotton. If Dr. Dvorák should hear those negroes sing at this particular time he would hear something which would amaze him. To prove Bristow's claim to being the first to put forth this idea, about five years ago he wrote a piano piece called a "Walk Around" (a decidedly original composition). Also in a new symphony Bristow has put a "Breakdown." So you see it is only just that as Bristow, an American and one of our best musicians, should be recognized as the first to put forth this idea.
60Very respectfully,
61A. THOMPSON.
63Dvorak and the National Tornado.
65WE have a great musical genius dwelling among us. He was imported for the purpose of implanting upon one of our great conservatories the seeds of America's future greatness in the musical world. Antonin Dvorák came to us from Bohemia, a country which Shakespeare declared had a seaport, and which some of our worthy musical leaders have told us has produced in Antonin a bigger man than Wagner.
66Antonin has given us a few real surprises during the last few weeks. Instead of asserting that European musical culture should be fed to our young musical world, he suddenly discovered that we possess a marvelous musical bonanza in our negro melodies, and told us that instead of
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