Scan 23
The American history and encyclopedia of music .., 1908
8 lines. Read by computer on 8 September 2026. Printed page 3. See the scan on archive.org.
1the wonders of which we admire and delight in today, and the end of which we well know has not been reached.
3It will be observed that among all peoples there has been a reaching after variety of effect in musical sounds, and it is to this desire that the multiplicity of different instruments, with their diverse powers of expression, is to be ascribed. In civilizations other than Christian and in the case of savage tribes where there is little to be said through the medium of music, because it is certainly true that music will not live except in the atmosphere of a social order which is spiritual in its foundation, musical instruments are of the simplest order, having the most limited range of effect, and differing from one another by the broadest distinctions only.
5It is not difficult to see why there has been, as history makes clear, a continual movement forward toward the perfecting of musical instruments, for it was inevitable that the widening and deepening spiritual life of men without bound vivified by the new love and hope which had come to them, should demand a means of expression adequate thereto. The old instruments served the ancient need, but could do nothing to sound forth the joy and praise of a new day with its unknown possibilities of blessing. For the new wine new bottles were needed, and thus began the long period of effort and experiment carried on through generations by one earnest worker after another, and always with the one purpose to provide an instrument of greater beauty of effect, more practicability of handling, and sometimes also something new and different from its fellows. Under Christian civilization, at least, the universal demand of men is for movement forward; that which we call progress. Things and conditions do not satisfy us; we would have them other and better, for we have seen in our souls a vision of that which is complete and perfect, and though but feebly grasped, we cannot be content, but must strive to realize it.
7It is possible that the musical instruments of other days and of past generations of men were, speaking broadly, as satisfactory to them as are those of our day to us. They did
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