National Music Research Articles

Preliminary Announcements! Music Supervisors' National Conference. The Philadelphia Meeting

Preliminary Announcements! Music Supervisors' National Conference. The Philadelphia Meeting

Rhythm in National Music

Rhythm in National Music

Rhythm in National Music

Modern music is derived from two sources—the music of the church, and the music of the people. The one was the result of rules and principles carefully laid down and strictly adhered to, the other was the instinctive expression of emotion and fancy; the one was the work of the highly-trained professional musician, the other came into existence we know not how; the one depended for its effect on elaborate contrapuntal devices, the other on its rhythmical melody. The music of the Church was slowly built up to the state of severe perfection we find in Palestrina's work; the music of the people attained truth of expression, as it were, intuitively. We are able to trace the growth of what may be called scientific music from Dufay to Bach. We have no such knowledge of the music of the troubadours, minnesingers, jongleurs, gleemen and bards, and we are frequently in doubt whether the specimens we possess are genuine transcriptions or whether they have not been altered to suit the ideas of the musician who wrote them down. And yet it may be doubted if we owe more to the music of science than to the songs of the people. Rhythm is the very essence of the art, and it is to the folk-music that we are indebted for rhythm and all that results from it. Without this element we could never have arrived at our modern form so obviously founded on balance and proportion. Without it our scale system might never have been attained, for it is not difficult to see how the introduction of cadences must have influenced tonality. Indeed, we actually find on comparing the two kinds of ancient music that the folk-music much more closely resembles our present system. Again, it is to the folk-songs that we must turn when we seek for characteristic national music. It is no doubt true that there is a marked distinction between the Church music of different countries, but this distinction arises more from the diversity of Church services in different countries than from a variety of musical idiom, whereas in the case of folk-music the musical idiom unmistakably varies in different nationalities, making it perfectly easy even for the casual observer to distinguish, for example, between Hungarian, French, and English music.

The Development of National Opera in Russia

In the paper which I had the honour of reading before the Musical Association in January, 1900, I spoke of the innate musical genius of the Russian people, and of their blind, instinctive groping towards a desired end—the foundation of a School of National Music. I showed how the ideas of Varlamov, Cavos, Lvov, Verstovsky, and other musicians at the beginning of the last century, tended continually in this direction; but how none of them—gifted amateurs as they were—had been strong enough to achieve their purpose. Finally, I related how Glinka, with the intuition and power which belong to genius alone, caught up the spirit, not only of Russian music, but of the music of the neighbouring East—and in “A life for the Tsar” and “Rousslan and Lioudmilla” realised the long dream of a national epic opera.

The National Music of America and Its Sources

The National Music of America and Its Sources

Notes on Indian Music

Of all the Indian arts one of the most popular is that of music, and perhaps of them all the least known to Europeans. Almost every one who has been in India knows that native music exists, but there are comparatively few who recognise the deep hold that it possesses over Indian minds. Europeans, as a rule, leave India with the idea that the national music of the country consists only of noise and incessant drumming, varied, perhaps, by nasal drawling—equally repulsive as unmusical. That there is a real musical art—with an employment of various scales, abounding in rhythmical beauty and full of passionate expression, seems to many almost incredible. And yet this is so.

The Foundations of National Music

There are musicians who hold that what are termed National characteristics in music are due solely to the peculiarities of the languages, instruments, and scales used in different parts of the world, and that therefore the style and characteristic phrases of a national music are not the outcome of the character and peculiarities of a nation. They tell us that the deeper feelings of mankind are alike all the world over, and that consequently the peculiarities of national music are only national in the narrow and superficial sense of the word, and are therefore unworthy of adoption by composers of distinction. It will be my endeavour to show, however, that the many distinct peculiarities found in the music of various nations have a deeper significance than is commonly supposed. Whilst of course the same emotions are common to all mankind, some nations, owing to their surroundings and vicissitudes, experience certain emotions more frequently than others, and such emotions finally leave their permanent imprints on the whole nation and form what is called a national character. I need hardly say that, viewed from this standpoint, the subject is a very comprehensive one. It embraces the physical and mental peculiarities which distinguish the different races of mankind; the history of the sub-division of races; the resultant character and temperaments produced by the mixture of races; their gradual formation into nations; the alterations in language consequent on its corruption and development; and the effect of climate on religion, mode of thought, customs, and institutions. Obviously I can but touch on these points, but I trust with sufficient clearness to show their relative importance. As my subject is somewhat complex, I should like first to explain what I mean by the terms “race,” “nation,” and “character.”

New books

Through the Heart of Asia over the Pamir to India. By Gabeiel Bonvalot. With 250 Illustrations by Albert Pépin. Translated from the French1 by C. B. Pitman. In two volumes. Pp. xxii., 281, 255. London : Chapman and Hall. Sierra Leone; or, The White Man's Grave. By G. A. Lethbeidge Banbuey. London : Swan Sonnenscbein & Co., 1888. Price 10s. 6d. The Kingdom of Georgia. Notes of Travel in a Land of Women, Wine, and Song; to which are appended Historical, Literary, and Political Sketches, specimens of the National Music, and a compendious Bibliography. By Oliver Wardrop. With Illustrations and Maps. London: Sampson Low, Marston, Searle, and Rivington, 1888. Price 14s. A Historical Geography of the British Colonies. By O. P. Lucas, B.A., of Balliol College, Oxford, and the Colonial Office, London. Vol. I. Oxford : Clarendon Press, 1888. Pp. 191. Great‐Circle Sailing, indicating the Shortest Sea‐Routes. By Richard A. Proctok. London: Longmans, Green and Co., 1888. Pp. 16, double column. Realistic Elementary Geography, taught by Picture and Plan. By W. G. Baker, M.A., Lecturer at the Training College, Cheltenham. London : Blackie and Son, 1888. Pp. 128. Elementary Theory of the Tides. By T. K. Abbott, B.D., Fellow and Tutor, Trinity College, Dublin. London: Longmans, Green and Co., 1888. Pp. 41. Pictures of Native Life in Distant Lands. London : George Philip and Son, 1888. Price Is. 6d.

A National Musical Association for Wales

A National Musical Association for Wales

The Higher Training of Church Musicians and Choirs

I take it for granted that I am in sympathy with the object of this Association in bringing before you one phase of musical work, which is of national interest, for discussion—viz., “The higher training of church organists, choirmasters, and choirs.” So large a proportion of our musical youth aspire to enrol themselves in the service of the Church, that the training they receive becomes a momentous question for our future as a musical nation.

The National Music of the World

The National Music of the World

The Literature of National Music

The Literature of National Music

The Literature of National Music (Concluded)

The Literature of National Music (Concluded)

The Literature of National Music. Treatises (Continued)

The Literature of National Music. Treatises (Continued)

The Literature of National Music. Instruments (Continued)

The Literature of National Music. Instruments (Continued)

The Literature of National Music (Continued)

The Literature of National Music (Continued)

The Literature of National Music (Continued)

The Literature of National Music (Continued)

The Literature of National Music (Continued)

The Literature of National Music (Continued)

The Literature of National Music (Continued)

The Literature of National Music (Continued)

The Literature of National Music (Continued)

The Literature of National Music (Continued)