Blazing New Trails
When the history of Women's Musical Clubs of America is written it will be proved and admitted, that the greater burden and honor of advancing knowledge and taste in music have been borne and earned by the women of the country.
While the eastern cities with their compact build and relatively close communications, had an established musical culture quite early, the western three-fourths of our country was musically, more or less, a wilderness.
The last twenty or twenty-five years have seen a wonderful change. Almost every community of any size now have their musical clubs, and their work has told, even if the handicaps were many, and environments unresponsive or unappreciative. Musical knowledge has been disseminated, interest in and reverence for musicians living and dead has been stimulated, and communities have come to realize that music is an integral part of universal human culture, representing the noblest expression of exalted sentiment and intelligence.
Having lived for many years in various sections of the west and having had communications with many teachers and musicians from sections outside of the larger centers, I have come to the conclusion that our pioneer period is about over; that new and better work should be planned for the future; that new trails should be biased by the musical amateur workers of the nation.
The aim and object of this article is to offer some concrete suggestions for planning the work for our musical adolescence and in all humility talk to all the faithful musical workers throughout the land, through The Etude.
A very curious condition exists in America in direct contradistinction to old Europe, where music culture has been a matter of slow and natural evolution, going through the various stages from the beginning. In America we have, so to speak, commenced at the end, and we have to catch up with the middle and the beginning. I mean by this, that it is the modern and ultramodern music, that is best known and popular in America.
The beautiful music of more remote periods is much less known or appreciated. To prove this, I would only mention that of all the symphonies that might be played by an orchestra on a western tour, the Tschaikowsky Pathetique will be demanded in preference to any other; of all the operas, La Boheme, and other modern Italian and French emotional works; and no pianist's program would be acceptable without a Liszt Rhapsody or similar compositions of exceptionally florid or exotic nature. The mission or task of extending and widening the country's musical horizon naturally and primarily falls to the women's musical clubs everywhere, and along this line it is that I will venture some suggesting thought.
One must admit that the average club program very often is somewhat cut and dried, in every place of course limited by the amount of real talent available; hut the main part of every program invariably consists of solo songs. In fact, the craze of every one who has dabbled a little in music, is to sing a solo, until this craze has become an abomination and a farce. Put the brakes on that. It does not bring the musical results desired, and while it may serve as a pretty individual gratification, it does not materially advance the knowledge of real musical art. Think of some serious literary club for instance, that would devote itself to the study of the "best sellers" ignoring literature as a whole! Remember the admonition of Schumann, that no one can become really musical, without the learning to sing in harmony with other voices and hold one's own part true. Of coarse I have often heard of the ridiculous injunction of so-caled vocal teachers to their pupils against singing in a chorus or singing in groups, but should not, and ought not, concerted singing be cultivated to a very much larger extent, than it is now? Who has ever heard of a violinist or a 'cellist objecting to play trios or quartets, or even to play in an orchestra if the chance offered? Is not this the reason that the player of an instrument, as a rule, is a better reader and all-around musician than the average singer, because in the course of his study and musical associations he has learned to hold his time and tune in playing duets and the like?
I know many singers "who never sang a duet with anybody in their lives," and who, consequently, were debarred from the delight and privilege of knowing the pleasures which Mendelssohn, Rubinstein, Brahms, Goring-Thomas, Kjerulf and many others have given to the world. Duos and trios, that will give the greatest pleasure and gratification, abound in the older operas.
Things of this nature require a little more trouble and circumspection in their preparation, but no musical club should operate along the lines of least resistance and expect fine results. Wherever possible, and truly it is possible in most every larger community, stand behind and encourage actively the formation and maintenance of choral and community singing societies in choral singing, which has had such a hard time to flourish all over the West.
I would also strongly recommend the clubs to form symphony groups for the study and performance of the classic symphony and larger instrumental forms. In almost every city there are enough instrumental amateur musicians who would be delighted to join such a movement. Within the clubs there is usually any number of members who can. play the piano or organ acceptably. The classic symphonies are all available in arrangements for piano, reed organ, with strings and other instruments added as available .
I would also strongly recommend the clubs to form symphony groups for the study and performance of the classic symphony and larger instrumental forms. In almost every city there are enough instrumental amateur musicians who would be delighted to join such a movement. Within the clubs there is usually any number of members who can. play the piano or organ acceptably. The classic symphonies are all available in arrangements for piano, reed organ, with strings and other instruments added as available.
These arrangements are very effective. The organ represents the wind instruments; the piano supports and strengthens the harmony; and with strings added, and, perhaps, a flute and a clarinet, one may have a result that is musically gratifying, and much superior to the usual two-piano eight-hand arrangements, which must, of course do, if nothing better can be had. " In this way way the people might become acquainted and even familiar with the great classics, without having to travel to the great centers, where the big orchestras sojourn.
Permit me also in this connection to mention that it is very feasible to have each community become familiar with the orchestral instruments, their characteristics and their employment in the orchestra by the means of the sound-reproducing machine records that were designed for this very purpose.
Let us make this nation a music-loving nation and a singing nation, not alone a solo-singing nation. In the great war, it suddenly struck home that we were not a singing people in comparison with every other nation. And we have during the past two years realized for the first time, what a wonderful exhilaration the singing of songs together is. And the singing in the soldier boys' camps contributed marvelously to making a homogeneous body of our young men going to Europe.
In concluding, allow me again to express the fervent wish, that in this great reconstruction going on in all things, the musical clubs of the country may be found not wanting in progressiveness and desire to go on forever, "blazing new trails," even if, for us they sometimes lead back to the beginning of things.