IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) *>s* X 1.0 I.I 1.25 121 112.5 1^ liitt III 2.2 " 2.0 1.4 1.6 .1 I w» Photographic Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, NY. 14580 (716) 872-4503 ^•N-^- y •ir^ ^^ \\ "'9)'''.^ <" «^V"-P » % 1? '-t ! V ir*! ^4 CIHM/ICMH Microfiche Series. CIHM/ICMH Collection de microfiches. Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions / Institut canadien de microreproductions historiques Technical and Bibliographic Notes/Notes techniques et bibliographiques The Institute has attempted to obtain the best original copy available for filming. Features of this copy which may be bibliographically unique, which may alter any of the images in the reproduction, or which may significantly change the usual method of filming, are checked below. L'Institut a microfilm* le meilleur exemplaire qu'il lui a 6t6 possible de se procurer. Les details de cet exemplaire qui sont peut-dtre uniques du point de vue bibliographique, qui peuvent modifier une image repror, as Ihcy call it, the "scratchiuK" -of iiuarti-ltes, (luintet.s, and like compositions of the best writers. I am one of that uumerous class who, while possessed of no musical knowledge, and (my professional friends mii;ht say) very little nnisicnl taste, yet. can extract a j^reat />r. I'very one gets from music only what he brings to the hearing of it. To me it suggests poetical images. Your mind. I suppose, doesn't rise ai)ove pigs and ehickeiis. /?a//(»t. Parks, you haven't made much by your elabor- ate onslaught. Par/.s. I have made all I wanted. I didn't say these things were suggested to me. I only say, why should they not be, as well as Crabbe's poetical images ? CraMr. Well, there is really no reason against it. Music has no defining power ; it only suggests vaguely. //azr/. You are evidently not a believer in descriptive music. Crahbf. Decidedly not. It is nonsense to say that music can describe, wiien it. is necessar)- to write a pro- .rramme to tell vou what it is meant to describe. It is simply begging the questi.ni to say that the programme is only a guide to the listener, to tell him what emotions he is to call up. as though emotions were like organ stops that can be ' ' drawn ' ' at will. The programme is an ad- mission that the music is unequal to the task. If music can describe one thing, why not another ! If a storm, or a ship sailing— in six-eight time of course— why not the /■//,• " Si-nitilt C'/ii/>." t9 ilfuU) ij^nore Is that make ilic-y won't fit ly. Hutwliy lliL- venerable the luin^ay : COWS, or the s acliieved the " of a sheej). ■an enthusiast ,vhat he l)rin^s letical images. )ve pigs and )y your elabor- dn't say these y, why sliould nages ? an against it. gesls vaguely, in descriptive ie to say that to write a pro- :lescribe. It is the programme what emotions .ike organ stops ■aninie is an ad- task. If music If a storm, or sc — why not the conduct of a diimer part> ! with, let us say, a maestoso for the brass, to "suggest" roast beef; a p.issionale tremolo on the strings f." 21 sh in the nan, CrAhho, at notion for askud many onal friends. was an easy cniarks thai 1 disposed to • in llie pulj- siblc tt) liavv rile first dif- lers. It is a n reail vocal ler K'eat dif- .' lial)ility of from people Jart from all ny proj^ress le witlionl a al ; all chil- li a tliin;^ as JUgh of had ig labor and money to inaki' more, hy trying to teach rhihlroii with nninnsical organi/atioiis to sing. The only way is: get a good miisieian ; pay him well ; let liiiii alone ; let him sift out all the ehildren with neither ear nor %'oicc ; — the result will he worth having. Crahbf. I have never yet heanl a school class sing in wliieh there were not sonu- who growled away on oa- note, or sang a fonrth or fifth helow the melody. Wiio ever heard a school class sing as well as the worst hoy- choir ? I never did. Dr. (ioodiitaii. Do not certain jirofessed trainers of rliil dren's singing classes claim that all childien can he taught to sing, if the process is comnieiicid early enouL;li ? Crabbc. Oh, yes! There are people who say they cm teach any one to sing who has vocal chords, tongue, and teeth. Ikit defend me from such singing. I suppose any one with hands and eyes may he taught to dauh canvas or spoil iiiarl)le ; hiit is it worth while? Then wh\ try to make ])eople sing, to whom nature has denied the lirst requisites? As Dalton says, there is enough of h.id sing- ing in the world already. Dr. (loodotan. You gentlemen may be right ; hut don't they have music taught successfully in the .schools of many of our cities ? Dalton. If we may believe the newspapers, or the re- ports of school-boards, yes. Hut I have never heard it. nor have I ever met a capable niusiciaii who has heard any school-singing that possesses the least artistic value. To vary Crabbe's idea, put toget' '.-r all the choir boys in the city, and you will get a chorus such a- no school in the country could furnish. The comi)ariso-.i may seem unfair, but when you consider that three month's training will make a boy, with ear and voice, a good choir-singer, and three years in the public .school will not make a pro- 22 The " Scratch Club." niiscuous class sing half as well, the apparent unfairness vanislifs. Ilanel. Perhaps the amount of time devoted to practic- ing may have something to do with il. Dalfoii. That inequality vanishes when you take into account the difference between th. difficult anthems sung by the one, and the simple, generally stupid, little songs sung by the other. No ! the difference is to be found in the fact that, in the one case, boys with voice and ear are trained by a good musician, and in the other, a crowd, many of whom have neither voice nor ear, are mistrained by a pi;rson lacking all the necessary qualifications. Dr. (joodinan. Well, it is evident to me that you mus- icians are "down" on music in the schools unless it should be taught in the way you have indicated, which is, I fear, at present, and for some time to come, too Uto- pian to hope for. To change the subject, let me hive some of your views on church music ; how can we make it better- ? Crabbe. Oh, forbear I The subject is too hopeless. I only know one way ; that is, convince all i people to whom Providence has denied a correct ear and a good voice, that it is an indication that Providence does not consider it tluir duty to sing, also, all those who have good voices and ears that it is their duty to learn to sing properly — a labor that Hercules himself could not per- form. Dr. Goodwan. We all know we can expect no help from such a pessimistic growler. What do you say, Dalton ? Dal ton. The improvement of church music can only be attained by a process that would reach through several generations. It would have to begin in the schools, sup- posing it were possiljle to have music taught there in the way I ha\'e indicated. If children were taught to appre- )parent unfairness [(-■voted to practic- en you take into :ult anthems sung tupid, little songs is to be found in voice and oar are le other, a crowd, ar, are mistrained talifications. lue that you mus- schools unless it : indicated, which to come, too Uto- )ject, let me have how can we make 3 too hopeless. I all 1 people to t ear and a good jvidence does not I those who /lave ty to learn to sing ;lf could not per- :pect no help from ou say, Dalton ? music can only be I through several I the schools, sup- lught there in the e taught to appre- liic " Scnitch C'lih." 23 ciate good music — I don't mean classical nuisic, that bug- bear of the ignorant — Init music of a more refined class than the negro minstrel song, or the vulgar comic opera melody ; also to appreciate the difference in style that will make one kind of music appropriate for secular, an- other for sacred purposes, we might hope in time for the growth of a healthy popular taste in clunvh nuisic. Dr: Coodiiiaii. Won't you explain wiiat you mean by " appropriate style " for each kind of music '' Dalton. In secular music, beauty and ai ti.stic cKcellence are the prime objects to be sought. In sacred music tliese tilings should be carefully subordinated, or kept out of siuht altogether. It should be characterized bv fervor, not passion ; dignity, not dramatic f)rce; simplicity, not ornateness ; above all, it should never descend to mere prettiness. Cnibbc. O shades of Phillips and .Saukey I and ye ! ye innuinerous hosts of composers and coinp>ilers of .spiritual songs, who sweep up "melodies" from the coulisses cf the variety tiieatre and the " temples " of uegnj minstrel- sy, where will be your occupation should this ever be? Parks. Crabbe declaims like " Pythoness possessed."' Dr. Goodman. He does injustice to a ve.>- worthy and useful class of writers ; men who have a' complished great good in their waj-. Crabbe. Oh, I thought our object was to find out how to improve church music, not to decide as to the amount of good any class of men have done. Dallon. It is a subject I approach with diffidence ; but I think it is doubtful if the emotions roused by such music are of a nature permanently to affect their subjects. However, l)e this as it may, there can be no doubt that dignity and grandeur better become public worship than ' eentimentality and maudlin sweetness. The " Scmich Club," Dr. Goodman. Why is it that the Romanists and my high church and ritualistic brethrcMi have so nuicn better music than any other churches ? It seems as if" the nutsic Rrew worse in proportion to the tlieological freedom of the cliurch. /hi/loii. I think this can he easily accounted for. In proportion as the conduct of pu])lic worship passes out of the control of the educated it deteriorates. Now in *.he churches you .specified the clergy have the sole control of every part of pulilic worship, and they are prepared for their work by a .special training, of which the study of music forms an important part. Hence they not only recognize the fact that nutsic is an important part of public worship— this all pretend to do— but they art on their be- lief, and spare no pains or labor to make the music woi ihy of its high mission. Crabbe. vSpoken like an oracle. Now for the other churches. Italian. All other denominations and shades of denom- inations are culpal)ly remiss in this matter. They pre- tend to attach great importance to tlie nnisical part of their ser\aces, but never take one step towards making it worthy or appropriate. In their colleges for training ministers the study of music is ignored as a trifling occu- pation more befitting "worldlings " than men engaged in the serious business of religion. In their churches the music is left to the control of what -is called the " nuisic committee "—men who may possess every gift and grace, save a little knowledge of the affairs they are supposed to administer. Crabbe. Oh, it would upset the patience of Job, the non- sense talked about music— the coolness with which ignor- ance praises or condemns. Your music committee will call " St. Ann's," " London," or " Dundee " stupid, old- ttmmtL^- The " Scratch Club:' 25 iiists and my ) imitii better s if the music reedora of the iited for. In passes out of Now in '.lie )Ie control of prepared for the study of liey not oidy part of pul)lic / on their l)e- nusicwoi 'ly 3r the other es of denom- . They pre- sical part of ds making it for training trifling occu- n engaged in churches the 1 the ' ' music ft and grace, ! supposed to fob, the non- which igtior- mmittee will .stupid, old- fashioned, pokey, and go into raptures over " When the swallows" or ' Robin Adair," converted into good Chris- tian tunes. The authors of a long line of glorious Scotch and iMiglish psalmody must make way for the namby- pamby .sentiment and clap-trap jingle of — well, I won't say who; there are .so many it would be invidious to name one. All musicians know whom I mean. Dr. C,oodina)i. Why don't the organists tr>- to bring al>out a better state of affairs ? Surely it would be possi- ble for the choir-master and the minister to work together harmoniously for such a ]>urpose. Hazel. Would it? If the minister is a wise man he carefully leaves the music to the committee, confining himself to vague generalities about " congregational sing- ing" and " plain choral music," and so on. If he is not wise, he takes sides with the committee, and he and they look on the organist as their natural enemy ; a sworn foe to everything "pious" or "'spiritual" in church music. If he is very foolish, he will take sides with the organist and attempt reforms, with the certain lesult of pulling a hornet's nest about his ears. Dr. Coodnian. I am ashamed to sa>- that I belong to what you call the wise cla.ss. I am mortally afraid of both organi.st and conunittee. I am sure my organist is a good musician, and has very just and proper notions about church music. IJut the committee seem to regard him as .some .sort of a dangerous animal that nui.st be closely watched and constantly snubbed, lest he should scandalize the church by some unimagined innovations. Crabbe. Or dance them all to perdition, like the " pied piper of Hamelin." I think your committee do well to be watchful. Who can tell what "heresies, false doc- trines and schisms," glazed over with good music, like sugar-coated pills, an emissary of the evil one in the shape " Scnitrh Chibr of an organist, might administer to the unsnspecling flock ? Ha~d. O bosh ! be serious. It seems to mc thai it never occurs to a committee that it is possible a nuisician may have juster notions about the proprieties of public worship than even they. Many people seem to think that when a man becomes a musician he forfeits all claim to the possession of common sense in all other affairs of life : is, in fact, a sort of inspired idiot. Crabbc. Don't you think a good many musicians act in a way to give color to such a belief? Daltou (indignantly). No; there is no class of men to whom so much injustice is done in jiopular ajiprehension. People at large class all musicians, from the educated gentleman to the mere fiddler or hornblower. together. Who does so with lawyers, or doctors, or even with shop- keepers? I am sure that, take the highest class of resi- dent nntsicians in any of our large cities, you will find a class of men that, for general intelligence and informaticm, will compare more than favorably with any other class in the connnunity. I am sure the conversation of half a dozen musicians is far more intellectual than that of the same number of brokers or merchants, whose souls have no ideal beyond cent, per cent. Hazel. Come, come, Dalton ; you are getting warmer than there is any occasion for. All sensible people are of the same opinion, and the opinion of the Philistines is not worth minding. Dr. Goodman. We have wandered far from our subject, which is to me at least a very interesting one ; but I am afraid it is too late to resun^e it. I mean to think it over, and at some future time will have a lot of questions to ask. Good night. it: c unsuspecting to nic that it iihk- a nuisician ietic'S of pu1)lic :m to think that ;its all claim to ;r affairs of life ; nusioians act in class of men to r apprehension. 11 the educated lower, together, even with shop- st class of rcsi- , you will find a md information, ly other class in nation of half a than that of the hose souls have getting warmer ble people are of Philistines is not rom our subject, g one ; but I am to think it over, of questions to FOURTH EVENING. Dr. (roodmau Reads an Old Sermon. DR. (iOODMAN made his appearance this evening, anned with a volume, and in response to the inqui- ries of the club as to its contents, replied : " It is a volume of sermons by an Ivuglish Nonconformist divine of the last century. There is in it a sermon that would, I think, entertain you. It appears to have been called forth by the visit of llaydii to London in 1790. The good man seems to have thought it his duty to warn his people against t)ie .seductions of the concert room in moving terms. If you wish, I will read some of it after the even- ing's music." This being warmlv as.sented to, the Doc- tor, after the " scratching," read as follows : " Dear brethren, you will find my text for this morn- ing's discourse in the third chapter of the prophet Daniel, part of the ftmrth and the whole of the fifth versL's, where you will read as follows : ' It is commanded, at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of music, ye fall down and W()r.sliip the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath setup.' My subject naturally divides itself into the following heads : I'irst, the occasion on which this vast assembly was gatliered together : second, the instruments of music mentioned in the text ; third, the use of instruments of music in public worship ; lastly, the use of instruments of music as a means of an. n^ement or dissipation. " Figure to yourselves, my hearers, a large open plain (2;) 28 The " Scratch CM." - i or meadow, green with the early growth of grass, bright with the blossoms of blooming flowers. The fervid sun of the eastern elime is slowly rising above the distant hori- zon, but what is the sight his blessed beams reveal? What is the meaning of this dense array, this gathering of the nuiltitudes, this mighty concourse of interested spec- tators? The serious, awe-struck faces forbid the notion that it is a gathering of merry-makers, a parade of plea- sure-seekers; but look! what is this that rises proudly, towering above the i)lain, glittering in the moniiiig sun- beams, awful in its mute-menacing, mysterious grandeur? 'Tis the image of burnished gold, the god of Nebuchad- nezzar, the vile idol of unbelief, the unclean thing that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up in his pride to affront the fair face of day with its hideous assumption of divin- ity. Look ! Why turn the faces of the multitude, with eager glances, all one way? Behold I in all his glory, in his pride, in his wraitonness, in his blazing golden chariot, surroutided by a glittering throng of courtiers, forth rides Nebuchadnezzar, the lord of Babylon, to .see with his own eyes that the decree he made, in the lust of absolute power, that all should worship the golden image, is obeyed. " My theme to-day forbids tha*; I should dwell on the heroic conduct of the dauntless vShadrach, Meshach and Abednego, though it were far more congenial to contem- plate than the subject on which I nuist enlarge ; sweeter far it is, dear brethren beloved, to dwell on tiie actions of the just than to explore the devious doings of those who depart from righteousness. But needs nmst be that the watchman on the wall gives timely warning to careless dwellers at ease in Zion ; and in our day the ever-wakeful Enemy, lying in wait for souls, taking on him.self the foiin of an angel of light, in the eyes of some who, having eyes, see not, — he, I say, has beguiled many un.stalile souls, by sweet strains of .sounding brass and tinkling cymbal, and has invaded even the sanctuary with the cor net, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of music, until our places of swe;;t conununion have come to resemble the plain of Dura in everything but the golden image. Let us, my hearers, be found with the Shadrachs, tl fi V SI l"( ti ti o ii Si \\ n d S( fi P n P g tl n: P' b ft o1 t£ k ni ol St ai (li P: fi; tl ?' iz w C{ C ?rass, bright c fervid sun distant hori- anis reveal ? gathering of crested spec- d the notion ade of plea- ses proudly, iiorniiig sun- is grandeur ? f Xclnichad- n thing that de to affront ion of divin- Ititude, with his glory, in Iden chariot. s, forth rides with his own of absolute n image, is dwell on the Vieshach and il to conteni- "ge ; sweeter le actions of of those who t be that the g to careless ever-wakeful iself the foiin who, having iny unstable and tinkling with the cor- md all kinds )n have come Lit the golden e Shadrachs, The " Scratch Chib.' 29 the Meshachs, the Abednegos, protesting even unto the fiery furnace. But list ! a herald in gorgeous garments is preparing to .speak. The murmurings of the multitude sink to silence as, with haughty step, he ascends the plat- lorm whereon the golden image rests. He takes his sta- tion and, in stentorian tones, delivers the royal proclama- tion to the a.s.sembled peoples, and tongues' and nations, commanding them to bow down and worship the golden image when they hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer and all kinds of music. "Before proceeding with this scene, we will, in a few words, discu.ss the nature of the instruments of music mentioned in the text, from which we may perchance draw some instructive lessons. TlK>e instruments are of several kinds : instruments with strings i)lucked by the fingers, like unto the ' la.scivious lute ' spoken of by the play writer (whose works none of you, I trust, read ; the reading of such books being necessar^• only to the com- plete furnishing of the Christian mini.ster, taught and guided by grace, that he may be the better fitted to con- trovert the insidious evils they inculcate). Next, instru- ments blown by the breath, which is the life of man that perisheth. Ah ! why should he waste this precious breath, which is his life, in blowing seductive sounds from the instruments of his own devising, in piping that others may dance? Next, we have v.hat the heaven- taught apostle u.ses as the figure of all that is most worth- less, the '.sounding bra.ss and tinkling cymbal.' Can we not recognize here, beloved, in this train of instruments of music, doubtless .set down by the prophet for our in- struction, an antitype of what the devotees of the world and the flesh— I had almost added, of the devil — in our day call an orchestra. Good reason have they to feel proud of the origin of their orchestra. Its inventor, its first patron was the good-despising Nebuchadnezzar, and the first recorded orchestral performance took place on the plain of Dura, some two thousand j^ears ago, and signal- ized the setting up of a hitherto unknown form of devil- worship. Ah ! it behooves us to look carefully into these carnal gratifications, these ticklings of the fleshlv ear. Can a thorn bring forth figs ! Can an association of vag- 30 The " Scratch Ciub." H I'll '1 rij V abonds, of reprobates, as it is too well knowji al. these fiddling and piping musicians arc, bring forth works meet for repentance, or help to raise the burdens Irom sin- laden souls, discourse they n 'Ver so sweetly with their cornets, and sackbuts, and psalteries, or, as we would say, their flutes, their fiddles, their hautboys? I do vio- lence to your sanctified understanding, dear brethren, in asking such (luestions, and will now resume the main thread of my discourse. " What was the occasion for which this motley array, this gathering of the lees, this convocation of the men of Belial, this orchestra was gathered together? Our text is explicit on this point. It was to add to the imposing solemnitv. It was to lend the aid of sweet sounds to the pronuUgation of a Iving faith. It was to temper by its tuneful softness, to awe by its blatant noisiness the hearts (if the i)eople to accept a neW religion ; or, on the other hand, to rouse by its vigorous strains the enmity of the carnal heart tovvard all who might hesitate to fulfil the mandate of the king. And how it succeeded in both these offices we know too well. Of all that countless throng but three stciod erect, and they were three despised Jewish captives. And again.st them the people raged and the countenance of the king grew dark. Who shall say how much of this was traceable directly to the strains of these emissaries of the iCvil one, these diabolical dis- coursers of dulcet sounds, this orchestra ? See to it then, ye who grow rapturous over the strains of Haydn and Mozart, that ve are not partakers of the sin of Nebuchad- nezzar. Let the great ones of the land, in whose houses, at whose feasts, are the harp, the viol and the lute, see to it that thev add not to their condemnation, that they have spoken fair and hugged to their hearts these ])esti- lent purveyors of sounding symphonies, with their rabble rout of pipers and fiddlers, all the spiritual descendants of the king of Habvlon's evil crew. Oh, n.y .soul is moved to her depths when I see the thoughtless people throng the gates that lead to the concert room, to listen with feigned estasies to the strummings and thrummings of a Havdn or a Mozart, the while they treat with light scorn the' sweet sougs that we raise, ' making melody in our ii riu " ScraUlt Clu/i." 31 wn al. these 1 works meet us troin siu- y witli their IS \vc would > ? I do vio- bretlireii, in lie the main lot ley array, )f the men of ? Our text Llie imposing lounds to the emper by its ess the hearts on the other nniitv of the ; to fulfil the ;ded in both lat countless iree despised pie raged and .'^ho shall say he strains of labolical dis- ee to it then, Haydn and )f Nebuchad- 'hose houses, the lute, see on, that they 5 these ])esti- 1 their rabble escendants of oul is moved )eople throng listen with minings of a ;li light scorn lelody in our hearts,' if not in our lips, as we pour forth with untaught fervor our hvnuis of praise, trusting alone to the instru- ment with which the Creator has gifted us, unpolluted by the accompaniment of the cornet, llute, harp sacklml, psalterv, dulcimer, organ, or any other ot the many kinds (")f music. As saith the poet Burns, Inmsell I tear nmegeneratc. 'perhaps ' Dundee's' wild warbling meas- ures rise, or noble ' lUgin ' l)eats the heavenward tlanie.' What piping of llutes,' or groaning of organs, or rasi)ing of fiddles can give any delight to the earnest soul that breathes her praver in ' Dundee's wild warbling meas- ures,' or bits her'voice heavenward in jmiise on the wings of 'noble Ivl.gin ' ? Hut 1 weary you and will pass on. Man is a composite creature, ])ossessed of three avenues through which temptation may as.sail him : the avenue of the tlesli, the avenue of the spirit and the avenue ot the will. The first is the path by which enter all the h)wer, coarser forms of temi)tation ; the second is the ])ath ])y which enter all these more refined forms of temptation, to which tlie world gives the name of fine arts to fulfil their scml-destroying mission, by diverting the affections from the more serious spiritual affairs of life. Now, doubtless, Nebuchadnezzar had in his employment many eminent music composers who strove with each other to .secure his favor and countenance by catering to this sensual love of fine art, which he doubtless possessed in an eminent degree ; it l)eing one of the things that those in everv age wdio desire to be distinguished above their fellows', or who fill exalted stations, look upon as a crowning proof of their gentler nurture. lie, then, knowing full well the power of this profane music on the unregenerate heart, acted with the wi.sdom of the children of this world, when he chose it as the signal for this act of idol woiship. He was deeply skilled in the human heart and knew that the m'> -al nature of the hearers l)eing undermined bv its apjjcals, they would be the less likely to offer resistance to his ccnnmand, to worship the jiro- duction of a sister ' fine art.' Ah ! how true it is, if the door is opened to one evil, a legion swarm in. This will- destroying, soul-unnerving music opened the door, and was forthwith followed by the idolatrous bowing, and 1 ^Jtm n 3* Thr" Scratch CIii/k this by tlic loosing; the evil jiassions of ra^c- ai.d hate a^ainsi thesleadlast Hebrew children, Shadiaeh, Meshaeh and Abedncyi). " /v. (iooiiinaii. (I will skip iiis denunciations of music \i\ church and i>roceed to his exordium). ■' Heloved, I iiave been led to make these remarks by tile arrival of one in owx mid>t whom the whole world wonders after, calling him a divine i^eiiius. insjjired, and I know not what else. 1 allude to the (,"iennan musician, Haydn, who is sojourning for a sjjace in this, the modern Halnlon, to hear whose music the vain people, ever weariless iii their search after some new tiling, thronj.; nightly to the concert room. Tnie, we lia\e no plain of Dura in our midst, with its visible, pali)able image of gold set up : but we have a worse image in our hearts, the love of being thought more refined and ' cultivated.' as tlie phrase is, than our fellows, peojde of taste, peo])le of fashion. How many deluded souls Ixiw down to this grim idol, moved thereto by ihe stnuns of this modern musical magician ; how many, though loathing in their secret soul this horrid mixture of groanings and S(|ueal- ings, and soul-affrighting sliocks of sound, called a syiu phony, I believe, yet vvitli smiles, profess their love for it, and thus bow down, fearing the scorn and laughter of their associates ! Brethren, I look with fear on these things and would affectionately warn you lest you enter into temptation. Go not near, slop your ears and ily lest ye be taken in the net. Look abroad and .see the moral (larkness that settles, deep as night, on those lauds where ])rofiine music is most cultivated. The infidelism of (lenuany, the impiety of France, the superstition of Italy ; then look at our own hai)py land, with quiet vSab- baths, made vocal with the sweet notes of psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Would ye lose, wimld ye barter away these things? No ! then beloved hearers, shun the concert i-oom ; look on the siren sound of sackbut and psaltery as an invitation to bow in false worship. Would ye have music ? Sing iwalms, raise your voices in sweet accord ; but beware these flutes and fiddles. Finally, let lis inc lioi fiec: sus hea the afti .sen swi out / vat esti / as t L res] wit peo i jiot ( wh( all / thii har L moi wic I ami to 1 to t The " Scratch CM." 33 ji;e ai.fl hate ih, Mcsliacli ms of music rciiiprks l)y wliok- world iisj)irc(l, and an musician, , the nioderu |)ei>ple, ever lin^, throng no j)lain of )le iuiaj.';e of II our hearts, ' ciiltivated.' taste, |)eo]>le li)\vn to this tliis modern iiin>^ in their ^ and s(|ueal- alled a syni- ir love ibr it, hiughter of L*ar on these ;st you enter s and fly lest ee the moral ! lands where infidelism of ]K'rstition of Lh quiet vSab- alms, hynnis Id ye barter ers, shun the sackbut aiid hip. Would )ices in sweet Finally, let us all search our hearts to discover if we have any secret inrliiiation .ind fleshly longing for these sinlul gratilica- lions. What deep longing oi' man's nature can l)e satis- fied l)y the notes of a fiddle? Can a hnn^;ry soul fnul sustenance in the tones of a Hute? or a broken heart he healed by the j^roaning of a grumlio? [an old name for the violoncello]. No, these things can feeil no aspirations after a higher life ; but while they soollie with soft and .sensuous sweetness, surely send us, with ever-increasing swiftness, down that W(H.'ful way that hath its end in outer darkness." Dr. Goodman. Hut enough of the reverend gentleman's vaticinations. Von see, though, how yon nnisicians were esteemed bv some worth\ people of the last century. nallo)!. I fear that kind of people is not yet as extinct as the dodo. Cnibbi'. I had no idea that the orchestra was of such respectable atiticpiity. Quite likely it was not original with that grazing monarch. I .shouldn't woiuler if tlie peojile marched away from the tower of Babel with bands — " of sackbut, ])saltery " — and so on. J/arjii. The old gentleman had a great opinion of the ])Otency of music, to saj* nothing of its malevolent effect. Crabbe. What a curious tendency the human mind has, when under the influence of one set of ideas, to look upon all others as useless if not wicked. Dr. Goodman. Ah, well, after all, it is a very difficult thing to decide how much of the world's amusement is harmless to the jirofessed seeker of another world. Crabbe. There are too many crooked, cross-grained moralists to whom the very word amusement savors of wickedness. Dallon. Kvery one ought to decide for himself what amusements he can allow himself without deterioration to his morals ; if only he would stop there and not try to make all the world cut their cloaks by his pattern. wam^HUtimmmmk (»' ; 1. 34 The '•Smitih Club." Dr. CooJnian. True, (l..ul)lk'>->, l«iit llic iiUL-stiun ol charily sUps in t<> modify this riuht ; after scttlhiK the first point, every man shidc of vocal, Dalloii, of instrumental, ami Crabbc, sometimes one sometimes the other, as his inclination or love of opposition led him. l)t . (iooiiiihiii. N'olhing sow can say will convince me that any mere con-.truilioii of wood, catgut or wire, ca,. etpial the instruuRiit dcvisid b\- the Creator, in ijuality, power or exi)rcssion. Why do instrumentalists sa>' of a player that he makes his instrumenl sing or talk ? Ciahlw. I am afraid your respect for the works of the Creator may bias your judgment somewhat. The only way to judge of the comparative merits of the natural and artificial iuslrumeuts is, to look on each as a mechanism for the production of simtul, and ccmipare their range, power, ([uality, and so forth. Physiologists and acous- ticians tell Us that the voice is a reed instrument of the haull)oy species, that is. a double reed. Its range is re- markable, when we consider the limited means by which the sounds are produced ; the same is true of its power ami ." W' to preach. Do you remeiiibL-r in one of our discussions, I think on fugues, something was said about ilie right kind of music for certain words, or something to that effe(-t. I would like to hear more about it, wliich is of greater importance in the combination— poem or music? Dalton. The poem, of course. If it were not, it would be a gain ever>- way to "sol-fa " all vocal music. Crabbc. Judging from most of the singing I have heard, I should say the words would better be left out ; but I don't think the singers are of your opinion. Dr. Coodman. Why? what do you mean ? Crabbc. I mean that the majority of singers treat the words as of no imroicance, and slur them over, or chew them up, or swallow them whole ; anything but sing them. Dalton. You are descending from principles to per- sonals. I am sure you know what I mean. Parks. Dalton ; I thought you considered instrumental music far ab()\e vocal. How can >-ou say then that the words are the most important in the combination ? Dalto:u It is a case in which the "greater nuist serve the lesser. ' ' Dr. Goodman. What ! Is music greater than poetry? Dalton. In a certain sen.se, yes. It takes up expression where poetry drops it, carrying it to a region beyond the reach of poetry. As a teacher or educator— the higliest province of poetry— music is totally wanting. But where mere expression of emotion is concerned, music can take poetry up on eagle wings and carry it be> ond the clouds. Crabbc. Providev., of course, that the poem can "sit" on the eagle's back, or that the eagle will " fit " its back to the poem. After all, it is only a small class ol poems that are suited to musical illustration ; they must be lyric : descriptive, didactic, philosophic poetry — the highest clas.s — is utterly unfit for music. It is only the poetry of en: ba \vt eU ki ce: H cl( pe ha h? is w oi til tb ki qi ci h( h; n o a «li >ur discussions, ibout ilie right lething to that it, wliich is of )oem or music ? ■e uot, it would music. inging I have cr be left out ; jpinion. n? if singers treat • them over, or ything but sing nciples to per- 1. ed instrumental y then that the linatioii ? iter must serve than poetry ? :s up expression fion beyond the ;or — the higliest ng. But where music can take , ond the clouds. 3oem can " sit " 1 "fit" its back 1 class ol poems ?y must be lyric : ry — the highest ily the poetry of f/ic " Scratch Club." 69 emotion that, like the linnet in the fable, can mount the back of your eagle and be carried above the clouds. /;/-. C.oodiiHin. When \ cm l)egan. I did not think you were about to hang such a graceful pendant to Dalton's eloquent remarks. Parks. Strange that he shoi.ld for he is one of that kind who think eloquence only another name for insin- cerity, and call it " gnsh. Crahbc. No man, by t:-king vhought. can be eloquent. He must first be earnest ; then, if he has anything to say, eloquence will come of itself. I don't mean anything personal, Dalton. Dr. Gcodiiian. It is doubtless true that many people have the feeling Parks mentioned. It may be that they have a latent consciousness that the proper province of art is in art ; hence its methods are misplaced when dealing with more serious subjects ; the too eloipietit preacher is open to the suspicion that he is more conscious of his art than concerned about his message. I agree with Crabbe that all real eloquence is an outgrowth of earnestness. I know of nothing more unpleasant than the artificial elo- quence of the professional elocutionist, when the pronun- ciation of every syllable, every motion of hands, feet, or head, is the result of a rule, and is never varied from a hair's breadth. Crahbc. Dalton said once that the "conversation of musicians was more interesting than th:it of brokers or other business men ■:' ours, this evening is more xfuark- able for " wandering " than for interest. LMton. That is the chief pleasure of conversation, touching a hundred subjects, lingering with none. Parks. Sipping the sweets of countless flowers. Crabbe. Skimming the milk of countless cows. Dr. Goodman. Well ! that is a metaphor with a ven- geance—fitting conclusion to our evening's conversation. SIXTH EVENING. Musical Prejudices! Cms evening was spent discussing "Musical Preju- dices." Crabbe was in his element, and contrived to say something disagreeable to ever>'one present. The conversation became interesting after he had delivered himself as follows : Crabbe. In no part of music has prejudice had a larger share than in the deference paid to great names, even b}- good musicians, and, of course, by amateurs who wish to get credit for knowing what is what. This deference is either the result of timidity and a desire to be on the safe side, or of a mistaken idea that, because a composer is great, all his works must be equally good. But if ic is true that " Homer sometimes nods and Shakespeare wrote more than one dull play," there is nothing derogatory to the genius of Bach or Handel, Beethoven or Mozart in saying that they have all written' some things that the world could very well spare — things that are stumbling- blocks to the weak, things that delude the humbugs into feigned raptures and make the unlearned, but humble- minded, long for that inner light t'lat enables others to see beauties in what seems, to their aull comprehension, such mighty poor stuff. Dalton. I protest against applying the word ' ' stuff ' ' to ( 40 ) th( tin by is asl it wl hi: fai as wc sa; as an " The Scratch C/iib." 41 Musical Prejn- , and contrived present. The had delivered :e had a larger lames, even by rs who wish to lis deference is be on the safe a composer is . But if ic is kespeare wrote derogatory to 1 or Mozart in hings that the are stumbling- humbugs into I, but humble- es others to see ehension, such ord ' ' stuff ' ' to anything that the great men you have mentioned — at least, Mozart and Beethoven — ever wrote ; every note should he treasured as a ])rccious legacy l)y the world. Ila~(I. Vou may api)ly it to the rest, but you can't sliow nie a note b\- Handel that the world can spare. Grandeur in musical conception began and ended with him. Ever since, there has been an increasing prominence given to the merely passionate and sentimental, or, as it is called, the romantic side of music. Crabbc. No writer has reached such a pitch of dignity and grandeur as Handel, I willingly confess ; but, I must add, I don't think any other has written so much that is insufferably tedious, and .so, far from filling the conditions we agreed on the other evening, as necessary to the union of words and nuisic. Hazel. You nuist make some allowance for the taste of the time wlien he wrote. Crabbc. Truth in art is above the fashion of any and all times. The moment you say that an artist is to be judged by the taste of the time when he lived, you saj' his work is not for "all time," but a day. Who wonld think of asl-ing that allowances should l)e made for Michel An- gelo, or Milton, or Shakespeare ? Or, if they require it, it is for their faults or failures, not for the things for which the world honors them. What Handel wrote for his time ought not to live or be counted great, and just .so far as he wrote for his time, he failed in his true calling as a great artist. Parks. But a man must live, and Handel had hard work at or.» time to do so. Crabbc. I am not blaming him lor what he did. I only say that his "pot-boiling" work should not be held up as a model for all ages. He is great enough without it, and great enough to be freely criticized. I 4? Tlie Scratch Club. Hazel. I don't think Jlandcl need fear any criticism that you, or any man living, can make on his work ; let us have some. Crabbe. Well, I think that nothing but the most deter- mined prejudice could make any one profess to admire the unmeaning, interminable runs with which his music is overloaded. Take, for example, the opening solo in the "Messiah;" nothing could be more beautiful than the first part, " Comfort Ye My People," perfectly adapted to the words, simple and chaste ; but does anybody realh- like the second part, " Every Valley," when the process of exaltation is made audible, if not visible, by the long " division," as it was called, on the word exalt? Dalton. It is a case of exalting the music at the expense of the words. Crabbe. Another good example, the solo " Why do the Nations ; " there is some artistic fitness in the run on the word "rage," but when the word "anointed" is made to drag through awother serpent-like succession of sounds, the effect is almost ludicrous. But the ludicrous is fairly reached in the chorus, " All We, Like Sheep," where the word ' ' turn ' ' is set to such a lively run that it suggests the picture of a flock of sheep capering merrily, in giddy fashion, on their lund legs, and rather proud, and not the least bit penitent, at their turning their own way so cleverly. Hazel. It is rank blasphemy fo speak that way of Handel's music : no musician should, no matter how he thinks. Crabbe. There it is ! Keep on lying, rather than shock established prejudices. I jirefer to tell the truth, or what I think to be the truth ; I don't even hesitate to say that, if one-half of the ' ' Messiah ' ' were left out, the rest would gain by the omission. arj " The Scratch CluO." 43 any criticism his work ; let he most deter- ; to achiiire the 1 his tnusic is iig solo in the tiful than the :tly adapted to nybody realh' ;n the process e, by the long :xalt? at the expense "Why do the the run on the ited ' ' is made sion of sounds, icrous is fairly :p," where the lat it suggests rrily, in giddy id, and not the r own way so c that way of matter how he her than shock truth, or what ate to say that, the rest would Hazel. Defend me from " Handel " improved by Crabbe. Crahhc. Bacli and Handel lived at the close of one and the opening of another epoch in music. They had a great deal of the formalism, not to say "pedantry," that was the chief characteristic of the old — notably of the Belgian school — with whom the construction of an enig- matic canon, or an ingenious doul)le counterpoint, or an upside down or wrong end foremost imitation was looked upon as a supreme effort of genius (the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries were nothing if not pedantic). But in spite of this formalism, both of these men, being gifted with superhuman genius, were able to rise far abo\e the " nvanner " of their day and to produce works that, un- touched by time, will ever remain the most wonderful monuments of the art. Parks. Whew ! What a burst ! Crabhc{\w\. noticing him). The great work that Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven did was to free music completely from all artificial bonds and make " beauty," not "con- struction," its ideal. Dal/on. Therefore I maintain that that glorious trium- virate are the supremest representatives of the art, their work its most lasting monuments. Crobbc. Vou include everything they wrote? Dallou. I'A'ery thing. Crabbe. I think I know .some things by all three that the musical world is quite content to forget. Possibly they were " pot-boilers ; " if so, I, for one, object to being compelled to admire. Dalton. But you must remember that these men grew great by degrees. Haydn had to evolve the " form " be- fore their greatest works became ])ossible. Crabbe. Don't you .see? you admit the whole of my argument. Tried by the standard of " perfection in art," 1 ■WMI " The Scratch Cluhr all their tentative work, l)e it never so interesting, wust fall short. It is by their mature, fuUy-cieveloped work that we must jud^e them ; the interest in the rest is his- torical or biographical rather than "artistic" in the highest sense. Haul. You are never satisfied unless you can find spots on the sun. Crahhc. Well, we know the spots are there and are an inseparable necessity of his constitution. nallon. Hut why descant on them ? Ciahbc. Hecause it is just as necessary to a proper un- derstanding of the sun to see the spots as to see the radiance. I like to think that the greatest men were, after all, men of like passions, faults, and failings as our- selves—not impo.s.sible monsters ; the knowledge of their failures increases a thousandfold my sympathy for tlieir successes. Dr. Goodman (who has been a silent listener). We can feel no sympathy with ab.solute perfection, either of good or evil. Angels are above, devils beneath, human sym- pathy. It is only where we recognize the capability for either, and the struggle to rise from the lower to the higher, that our sympathies are aroused. I am very much pleased with your saying that the very failures of genius should move us to a closer sympathy with their successes. However, I have always thought your ' ' bark ' ' worse than your " bite ; " but I must away. I owe you all a very pleasant evening. corr all I scrij autl: "] scrip the 1 cordi to in em a I^eps buhr itG3 ; rest i 111!^, must i"elojK'(l work le rest is liis- stic" in the \-o\\ can find here and are a proper un- is to sec the st men were, tilings as onr- ledge of their athy for their ner). We can iither of good human sym- capability for lower to the I am very ry failures of hy with their your ' ' bark ' ' . I owe \o\x SEVENTH EVENING. Crahhc Reads a Tianslalioii of an Eirypdau I\ipyrns. CHIS evening was devoted to the hearing of a long let- ter, read by Mr. Crabbe, which he had received from a friend of his, a learned Kgyptologist, attached to the British Museum, with whom he maintains a regular correspondence. This gentleman, a Mr. Wormall. spends all his time and ingenuity in deciphering i)apyrus manu- scripts and hieroglyphic tal)ii.s, and is looked up to as an authority in such matter,. Mr. Crabbe had obtained the promise from him that, if ever he met with anything con- cerning the music of ancient Egypt, he would connnuni- cate it to him. This letter was the result of this promise. Mr. Crabbe was pleased to say that he thought it might prove "a valuable contribution to our discussion of church music ; " but, as usual, we could not tell whether he was in earnest or was merely indulging his satirical vein. The reader must judge for himself. "London, Nov. 4th, 18—. " Mv Dear Crabbe : " I have lately devoted mucli time and study to a manu- script, unfortunately very nuich damaged, l)elonging to the reign of Menoph-a king of the sixth dynasty; ac- cording to Manetho, but, as modern research would .seem to indicate, of the seventh dvnasty, although even mod- ern authorities are divided. You may consult Elx^rs and Upsuis for the arguments in favor of the sixth, and Nie- buhr and Rawlin.son for those in favor of the seventh ( 45 ) The" Scratch Club. dvnastv I incline, for several reasons to the opinion of the Vonncr. although I n;rant inueh NveiKhl to lie ar-u- K^nts of the latter authorities ,.arlK-ularlv the discover) bv Niebuhr of a cartouche at the site ot the city of Isa- men a uauie eviclentlv conipouiulecl of the uaine ot the LoVlciess Ss aud the root of the word Meuoph the ua.ne of the king in unestiou. This root ' Meu is the name of the mvthfeal flmuder of l^gypt, ami was j.orne by ^he kings who claimed descent trom him. >•< ^v this c t seems to have been built in the time o the sev...t dyrsty possil)ly l)y this v..Ty king Menoph. who gave t t^ "name Isamen to perpetuate his achievenK.U a d Im devotion to Isis. This cartouche in (luestion ^vas carxc on one f the pillars of the propylon ot a temple now r ias. and bears the name of Menoph. with a stateme which the former authorities thus translate: Huilt in honor of the memory,' etc. This would be conclusive Sic^ were it not that the latter -'thonties h.ive t^ijw grave doubts on its accuracy, chuming that^ it should fead ' liuilt that the memory sh.nild be honored, etc The first ranslation is de..-idedly in the past ; the second is rather ambiguous, but the well-known scholarship o the latter authorities entitles their opinion to grave con- Weration ; but I am afraid I bore you with this kmg div cussion of a subject that is only of niterest to professc Egyptologists, so I will at once proceed to my translation of^Uie papyrus, occasionally adding such notes as may help you to understand some of its allusions : ' Bv command of the chief priests have f. P^^-'tll^JJ; m-hn' the scribe, set down in order, for the iist.uc- S^if ^s^ who'come after, this ^^f^^^^^^ sioiis which arose during tlie reign of M^"«P'^- ^^'"/^ '^. Kings Ruler of Upper and Lower hgvpt. Lord ot tl ic i otos^'e c(I will oniit the long string of titles, Nvhiclii. epeated every time his name is introduced),, winch d s- seSsSns resuUed in the overthrow ot the ancient schoo s of the musicians and the establishment of the never-to-bo- tooluch lauded (this is one word in the original s_ac ed music which we now en oy under the favor of our Dread W Menoph (King, etc., etc.), iu this his city of Isa- d;i 111 ai ill re ra \Vi 111 sc 111 til til til P' al sn til P^ Pi of til \v of h( te fil te til of V.' di ta ^'} w ar The " Sinifrli CIii/k" 47 ) the opinion of 111 to llic ar^;u- Iv thf discovery the city of Isa- he name of the noph. the name ' is the name of IS home hy the Now tliis city of the sevv^.ith )ph, who K^ve it •vcment ami his ition n-as carved I temple now in ,itli a statement slate : ' Hnill in Id be conclusive ties have thrown r that it should )e hon'ored,' etc. Dast ; the second II scholarship of ;)n to sj;rave con- ;ith this lon^ dis- erest to professed to my translation :h notes as may iious : lave I, Phe-thar- for the instruc- icle of the dissen- Menoph, King of rypt, Lord of the cJf titles, which is ,nced), which dis- le ancient schools of the never-to-he- le original) sacred avor of our Dread is his city of Isa- men, where dwells and is worshipped the grert godtlcss I'hthah (probably the Demetcr ol (Week, and Ceres ol l,alin myllii>l()j;y ). In all the world is the fanii- of oiii li'inple si>n.ad, anf, ami other pnrions spices. I-'ollowin^; the piiisls walk llu- ihicf nnisic-ians, wlio also hcloiijj to the priestly caste, reverend men with snow-white hair, dressed in Kl'^t<-'"i"K white robes j^irded with golden girdles, each one l)eariii^( on his left arm a ^^olden fonr-strin^;ed lyre, in his ri^ht liand an ivory plectrum wherewith he strnck the sout diiijr slrin^;s. In their train followed the jjlayeis on the -yinhals, the sistrnm, the crotalnm, and tlie (Inte. In their company walki'd the singers, beautifnl yonths and maidens, whose dnty is to sin>; the hymn to the j^oddess or to make loud music with voices and instruments while the pritsts move in mystic dance round the feet of the j^oddess. When the dance is ended, and the offerings of flour, mai/e, barley, and onions are laid on the altar in front of the goddess, the youths and maidens, led by the ciiief musicians, sing the ancient hymn to the music brought down to the earth by the great i'hlhah herself, as it is taught by liie iiriests. Now this ancient music is of four sounds, sacred to the gods, that may not be used for any ])rot'ane ])uri>ose with- out incurring their resentment. (This means, I suppose, that the oldest ICgyplian music was constructed in a .scale of four sounds, probably what was alterwards known as the Pythagorean tetrachord.) Loud rises the sound of voices aiul instruments as they sing this hymn in the hearing of the goddess and of the expectant multitude : " Great Roddes.s I'hthuh, Giver of fruitful seasons, Mother of life, hear ! Thy suiile ripens the fields ; Thou j.;ivest plenteous harvests ! Bearer of the lotos flower, Deign to accept the maize. The onions, the barley we hr?." 49 )lciiiii jirorcs- 1 fill tlic va>t >L', aiul olliir ilk tin- iliiul' iNtf, rivi.'ivii(l iti'iiiiiK wliiu- iiariii^ on liis i^lit iiaml an 'lin}r slriiiKs. :ynil)als, the iL'ir c-onipany lidens, wliosc L<> make lond ■ priests move *. When the nai/c, barley, the ^oddi'SS, usirians, sinj^ n to the earth jy the jiriests. sacred to the pnrpose with- ns. I suppose, -ted in a scale rds known as the sound of hynni in tlie t nuillitude : The peculiar mitic peoples, called parallelism, doe> not easily accommodate itself to om ton>j[Ue. ) Soon as the sound of the music i-eases, tiie sacred llanie and smoke luusl from the mouth and nos Irils »)f the >;odde>s, and the people, with holy awe, pros- trate themselves, as lhe\' whisper : " A iire^ent ^;o;hts ; others, better informed, said by the goddess herself— to add three notes to the old scale (making;, I suppose, the scale called by the Oreek> the scale of conjunct tetra- chordsj and to invent melodies conformed thereto. There- upon great uproar and ilisseiision anjse in tlie schools of the musicians. Many — and they were venerable men — denounced the new soni^s, sayini; tlifv were lewd ami un- seeuUy tor the worship of the );oddess, appealing to the senses by their wicked beauty ; also saying, the goddeSH will withdraw her presence if the vain inventions of lin men are intruded into her sanctuary. Many — and they were younger men — saiil thiit the goddess had wearied of the old song, and hence h;id inspired Mhi-nem to invent a new song. Also, they said, "If the new song is nu)re beautiful tiian the old, it is, theiefore, the more worthy to olTer to the goddess." But the ])riests, as yet, said nothing pul)licly, but said among themselves, " Wait ; we must first see will it ])rotit our temple. It nmst be good if it brings more i)eople to our services. We will wait." Nor did the goddess vouchsafe any sign of her pleasure. When the dissension was at its height, the priests, to set the matter at rest, gave conunand that at the next S(»lenui service the new song of the nuisician Mhi-nem should be sung, that all the i)eople might see and judge whether the goddess w(mld accept it or not. ' At the apjiointed time a greater nudtitude than ever presented themselves at the tem|)le gales, for the rumor of the dis.sension, and of the beauty of the new song had spread aI)road over tlie whole land. And many ])ious came, fearing the goddess would be offended. Many curious came to .see what would ha])])en and to hear the new song. So tlie treasury was filed to overflowing, and the hearts of the priests were glad, as they said one to another, " With thi? wealth we can spread the fame of our -^^^ Scrah-k Club.' goddess through the whole earth, until all peopUj believe in her and us only." And now, as ever l)efore. tlie solemn procession of priests, and r.utsioians, and singers entered the temple to the soinid of flutes, and cynd)als, and all instrun'ents of music, and moved in mystic dance nmnd the feet of tlie goddess, and swung their smoking censers ; and, when they liad ended, rose the song — the new song of Mhi-nem — from the clear voices of the youths and maidens, while the playeis on the flute, and cymbals, and sistrum, and crotalum made loud nuisic ; and when the hymn was ended, and the waiting nuiliitude gazed with awe upon the goddess, suddenly, with more brilliance tlian ever, forth burst the sacrec. flame and smoke from the mouth and nostrils <>f the go Idess. and the people fell on their faces and critd. " A. pre it -it goddess." ' Then spake the priests : "It is the will of the goddess that she be served with the new song, as has been made l^lain in the sight of all men ; and forasmuch as the new song is liked by the people, wh'ch has caused greater multitudes than ever to r^r■!embl^ themselves in her tem- ple, to the honor of the goddess and the spread of our religion, we therefore give commandment that all such as are skilled in music shall diligjutly seek out and ir.vent such new so igs as they may, that our religion may (here there is a piece torn off) the whole world be 1)rouglit related to any other scale, and \vc would have to do as it is said the Greeks did — tune our instru- ments Ml whatever key we wished to play in. The .second re :son, and the best, is that the tempered scale is the .scale of Bach, Handel, Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Mendels- sohn, and the whole host of those who have raised music to its high place among the fine arts. I will back their ear and taste against all the acousticians, armed with all the sirens, and Sa^'art wheels, and resonators, and tuning- forks in the world, as to what sounds well and what does not. Crabbe. Whew ! Keep your temper, Dalton. Dalion. Oh, I can't, when a man who measures and analyzes sounds tells me he can improve the scale that has furnished to the world the deathless creations of 54 Tim " Scratch Cinl)." musical genius. " Let the shoemaker stick to his last." Sounds, no matter how pure, how swett, are not music. There is mcjre music in the worst " scratched" quartette of Mozart than there would be in the most faultless en- harm .nic " rendering " of— well, the major part of mod- ern American church anthems, let us say. Crabbc. Oh, lame and impotent conclusion ! Your in- dignation evaporated too suddenly . Dr. Goodman. I had no idea I should rai.se such a tem- _ pest. I am almost afraid to ask any more questions, but haven't the acousticians explained the composite nature of sounds, and the origin of chords, and made some very curious discoveries of what are called, I think, residual tones ; that is, sounds that remain in the ear after the sound that excited them has ceased. I was told by a well-known physicist that this discover^' had important bearings on melody. I understood him to mean that a melody would be agreeable when its .sounds were linked by these residual tones, and the reverse. :|^. Dalton. To begin with the first part of your questmn ; Yes, Lhey have explained the composite nature of sounds ; they have not quite explained the origin of chords ; for instance, the theory that the minor chord is formed b^ - combination of the overtones of two roots, '''he reason- ing by which it is attempted to prove this would be iust as conclusive if applied to a theory that it was a combina- tion of the overtones of three roots.' Thus the chord C, E b, G results, they say, from a comljination of the over- tones of C and K i^. True, G is an overtone of C and also of E !?, but C and E !? are overtones of A t? ; then why not say that C, E b-, G is a combination of the overtones of A i?, and C? Again, C is an overtone of F, El? of A b!, G of C, then the chord of C minor is a combina- tion of the overtones of F, A b, and C. This sort of rea- son: tioii old exp he ( tlia pre] Z torn her / Mo due Tit froi col( I Gi\ an Th of J ind wo tioi fes ( ex] the l)Oi loc am J % Tlie " Scratdi Club." 55 his last." not music. ' quartette ultless en- rt of mod- Your in- uch a tem- :stions, but site nature : some very ik, residual r after the ) told by a I important mean that were linked r question ; > of sounds ; chords ; for brmed b^ _ "^'he reason- uld be iust a combina- he chord C, of the over- f C and also ; then why le overtones : of F, Et? a combina- ; sort of rea- soning may be made to prove anything. After all, ques- tions like this are only of interest to the acoustician. The old explanation f consonance is sufficient ; that is, if any explanation is needed. The musician knows what sounds he can combine, the u'fiy is of no more importance to him than the chemical processes by which his pigments are prepared are to the painter. Dr. Goodman. Well, what about melody and residual tones? Ma}' there not be some gain to the musician here ? Dallon. I will believe it when I hear such a melody as Mozart or Mendelssohn have made constructed by a de- duction from this theory. As well expect a picture like Titian's or Raphael's to come into existence as a deduction from the undulatory theory of light and the vibrations of colors. /;;-. Croodman. I think your views might be thus stated : Given, a science ; deduce an art ; impossible. Or, given, an art ; reduce it to scientific terms ; equally impo.ssible. There is. therefore, no science of music, or of painting, or of sculpture, or of poetr>% but all these arts are, in a sense, independent of the material world, although ba.sed on and working through matter, in accordance with the limita- tions of our present existence, even as the highest mani- festations of the intellect and the will are forced to do. Crabbc. When the artist finds the material wherewith to express his ideal, his concern for it is ended. "Why" is the question of science, not of art. Art admires the rain- liow, and is content with any or no account of it ; science looks on it as an illustration of the unequal refrangibility and dispersion of light. Dalton. Crabbe has been reading Hugo, and has im- bibed some of his antithetical, epigrannnatic sententious- ness. 5^' The " Scratch CIu/k" Parks. "Words of learned length and thund<-rous sound." Crabhe. Dalton, you said sotnething a while a^o on the vilmilions of colors ; it has su>,^gesled a hrillianl discovery to me. It uiiRht he of great help to the iniinl rs if they were familiar with these vihrations, for instance, say, of "Titian's red." If they knew this they might he able to " tune up" some of their reds to the right pitch. Why should not the i)ainler " harmoni/.e " his colors ac- cording to the ratios of their vibrations, as well as the musician his sounds ? I think I have discovered a profound principle. There must be a harmony of colors, precisely like the harmony of .sounds. Painters have been working in the dark. If this theory were elaborated it would put an end forever to all crude, inharmonious blendings and contrastings of color. Some one tried to make a color symphony once, but failed ; it must have been through ignorance of the "thorough l)ass " of color. I believe his symphony " went " equally well backwards or forwards. Parks (sotto voce). Must have been like Wagner. Ocr/Vv. Eh ! what ! Don't interrupt me !■ I will give you an outline of my theory. The pitch of each color being determined, its compass would be the number of shades of which it is capable— its pianos and fortes, its different intensities. As there are three primary colors, we might have three scales— the natural, red, the color of lowest vibration rate. Natural, we call it, because " ce- lestial rosy red" is the pleasantest of all colors. Then the unnatural, yellow, the jaundice color, shade of envy, jealousy, and .so on. Last, the supernatural, blue. Hu- manity has already discovered that this is the right key for the supernatural. Witness the familiar sayings : ' ' Every- thing looks blue," as an antithesis to "Everything is thund< rous a^o on the X discovL-ry I IS if llicy ice, say, of t be able to itch. Why colors ac- as well as iscovered a y of colors, inters have L' elaborated harmonious one tried to nnist have ,s " of color. [ backwards u;ner. 1 will give f each color number of id fortes, its niary colors, the color of because ' ' ce- )lors. Then ade of envy, ., blue. Hu- rif^ht key for jj;s : " Kvery- iverything is ///( " Scriihh Club." 5; rosy," or, as we sa\ , such a one looks " blue," when we would say he looks as far as i>ossil)le from his natural condition. J need not muUii)ly illustrations, but will only refer to "bine Monday," "blue Idazes," "blue stocking," "lilue ruin." Diilloit. For pity's sake, stop. When _vou get hold of an al)snrd notion you are like a colt turned out at grass. Crabbe. I am serious. I see dimly the outlines of a glorious science that will do for ])ainters what thorough bass has done for musicians. Your sui)ercilious cavils will not hinder me from developing it. Hazel. vSilence is the best soil in which to rear such delicate ])lants. Crabbe. With my usual generosity, I wanted all my friends to share in the glory of this discovery. You have missed your best chance for immortality. I .shall begin the study of optics to-morrow. This is the plan on which I shall work : I will question all my lady friends (who know more about it than the ])ainters, and are not ham- pered by any "theories of color"), and. by comparing their opinions, will construct my tal)le of contra.sts and combinations ; then determine the vibration rate of each color ; and then — the rest is easy. Palton. Don't go on. Some of us might try to antici- pate your discoveries. Better — Crabbe. vSlop ! I have changed my plan. I will study ojitics first, and deduce my rules for painting from the laws of liglit and color. This will give a scientific basis to painting, and will be in the line of those philosophers who say the rules of musical coniiH)sition can be deduced from the laws of acoustics. Just think of it ! The day may come when we will be able to .state a symphony or picture in algebraic symbols, and there will be nothing left for those troublesome, conceited creatures, who think ■H 58 The "Scriilih Club. they are " inspired," to do but to translate the fonnuke of the niatheinaticiau into notes and colors. Hazel. I begin to see what you ore taking such a roinid about way to arrive at. Parks. He made it up before he came here, and is lr\- Ing to pass it of}" as "extempore." Palton (coming t)Ut of ' re\eiie). What the ))lays and toys of childhood are to that happy period of life, art is to children of ;i larger growth — a something to which the emotions and Ihe imagination can give themselves up without any (juestionings ; a loophole, through which we get glimpses of a world in which tiie hard pitiless laws of science are unknown. Or, science binds us to the uni- verse of matter; art sets us frve. :i:id introduces us to a world above the laws ot matter. Crabbc. Or, .science is the school where the stern mas- ter, with hateful textbook, sways his birchen sceptre, and spares not, lest he .->liould spoil the child. Art is the Cliristmas pantomime, where the ordinary rules and re- '■•po.isibilities of life are abrogated, where the turkeys run about ready-cooked, with knife and fork under their wing, and the loaves nnd fishes come in at the window or down the chimney without the intervention of the baker or fishwife, and — Dalloii. Do you think you have improved on my dis- course? Crabbc. By no means. Would I had that poetic gift ! I have oidy brouglit it down to ordinary understandings. Dr. Goodman. What has possessed >ou two this even- ing? You have had a talking match all to yourselves, and have been .sparring nearly all vl.e time. Haze) ^ooks as if his thoughts were in cloud land, and Parks is asleep with his mouth open. Revise hira, Hazel, and let us be off. fai nu H; bu a*; prt sio gO( wr he fonmike ch a round - and is try : ))la\'S and ife, art is to ) whicli the msclves up h which we litiless laws i to the uni- ices us to a C! stern mas- sceptre, and Art is the Lilcs and re- turkeys run • their wing, ow or down le baker or 1 on my dis- poetic gift ! erstandings. o this evei.- yourselves. Haze! ^ooks rks is asleep i;d let us be The " Scmlclt Clubr 59 ffazcl. I have been dreaming with my eyes open ; per- haps I will tell you my dream — or parable, let me lall it — sometime. Da/Ion. GiMjd ! Remember, we are to have Hazel's parable first tiling at our next meeting. Crabhc. Will you "o[kmi your parable " on the piano? as you don't play the harp. Dr. Cioodnian. Hold your railing tongue, and come away. Parks, ".shake off dull .sleep," and join us. Crabbe. Parks looks like an anaconda just fed, or as I fancy the prodigal son did after he had made a "square meal " on tlie fatted calf. Dr. Goodman. Oh, slux:king ! You are intolerable. NINTH EVENING. AMore Discussion on Vocal and Instrumental Music, AS soon as the playing was over this evening Mr. Dal- ton called on Mr. Hazel to produce his parable, but Hazel excused himself on the plea that he had been too busy to finish writing it, but would, without fail, read it at the next -neeting. The conversation, after various ex- pressions of disappointment, gradually settled to a discus- sion .p instruments and their combinations. Parks. Why is it that so few have succeeded in writing good strings compositions, even among those who have written good oi)eras and good orchestral compositions ? ;i| M Go Till- "Srmti/i Cliibr Dalkm. Simply becausL- it is so much harder to be in- tcrestitijj; with only four strings. The nuiltiplied contrasts of (|iiality in tlie tone of tlic instninK'nts in a full orchestra serve to cover ])MUcity of ideas, and will even give effect- iveness to coinnion]>laces. Crabhc. Vonr modern composer understands that well. Whenever he feels that his audience are getting sleepy he skilfully brings in a solo passage for the cyinl)als or a flash of lightning from a piccolo, to rouse them and make the injudicious exclaim, " How fine ! " Dr. (nwdnuxn. In what order do sou musicians rank nutsical compositions ? I mean, what do you consider the highest examples of the art ? /hiNtvi. Well, I suppose Parks would put opera first ; Hazel, oratorio. My iirivate opinion is that the compo- sititms for string instruments alone fill the highest place ; next, those for string instruments and piano ; then the symphony ; then the oratorio ; then the opera ; after these, the deluge of music that covers the world. Hazel. I think you draw the lines too hard and fast ; an oratorio of Handel or an ojiera of Mozart is as great a woik of genius as any string composition in existence. Palton. True. But I base my classification on the fact that only a few — and those the greatest — have succeeded in this form ; and it is a confirmation of my opinion that those who have succeeded in this form are also the greatest in all other forms of composition — the string composition, with or without piano. The oratorio, the s\mphony, the opera, the mass treated like an oratorio — these all suggest the names of Haydn, Mozart, lieetho- ven in the first rank ; Mendelssohn, Schumaini, Schubert, who, if not in all respects in the first rank, are very near it. I purposely omit Handel, as he lived before the days of chamber music in its modern forms. Now the multi- a I> \> ei f( ni ai si ni m tl VJ til ai it; ev lo at an T' Till- "Scratch Club:' 6i to he in- 1 contrasts 1 orchestra ivL' elTcct- that well. : sleepy he il)als or a ami make :ians rank •nsidcr the per a first : he compo- lest place ; ; then the era ; after d. and fast ; is as great existence, on the fact succeeded Mnion that e also the -the string ratorio, the m oratorio rt, lieetho- , Schubert, e very near re the days • the multi- tude of writers who have attained a deservedly hi^Ii rank as opera writers is a proofthat it is, (•()ni])are(l witli' writing a good (juartette, an easy thing to writf a good opera. Crahbc. \ tliink tlie hest test is the comparative j^opu- lanty ol tlie various forms of composition. A thousand like an opera whc-re a hundred like a svmphonv or an ..ratorio or lour like a (piartette, because the merit of art hears always an inverse i)ro].ortion to its i)opularit\ . Parks. lUit if it is tlic mission of art to j.rovide refnied anuisement, does it not follow that the form of art that provides amusement for the largest numl.cr, provided it IS not immoral, is the best art, and the worthiest to be encouraged ? Paltou. I have said uotliing about encouraging any form of art. Tlie qu.-stion .it present is, " Which is tlie most refined form of this amusement?" if it be only an amu.sement. I blame no one for not liking (luartctte mti SIC, I merely pity his lack of a sense that gives me so much pleasure. Dr. Goodman. I am glad you are not one of those rabid musicians who look upon all the world who do not accept their dicta as fools and willfully blind. Hazel. In which category do you jnit the concertos for various solo instruments with orchestral accompaniments ? Dalton. With a few exceptions, I don't like any of them. I particularly dislike the combination of liiaiio and orchestra ; the piano suffers too much in the union. Its powers of expression are so limited and its .sounds ,so evanescent. Crabbc. Yes ; the orchestra always seems to stoop a long way down to encourage the poor tinkler. Daltou. Then there is something crude and mechanical about the form of the concerto : the alternation of ,solo and tutti, with the same theme, grows monotonous ; in- SJ£l 62 The " Scrakli Cluh." ,lcf(l, the audic-nce Kciurally s^tin lo Uiiuk tlu' luttis are put ill to tiivc tluiii an oppoiluuily to apphmd, a» opinion in which the soloist too oltcn coiiifidcs. Ifazel. Ihope you don't include all concertos in your strictures. Dnilon. I said at the heKniuiitiK that there were some exce])tions. Cnil>l»\ Hazel, you are an excellent l)ufrer to break the force of Dalton's sweeping; criticisms, Pallou. There is hut one instrument that can hohl its own a^^ainst the r)rchestra— that is the voice. Parks. I remenil)er you said once that the voice was not to he compar.-d with other instruments, it was so inferior. Da/ton. All artificial instruments form a republic, of which the violin is president. The human voice is not a member of this republic, and therefore not to be judged by its laws. ParL's. That sounds like an admission of its superiority. Dalton. It does not follow that because it is indepen- dent of the rules that govern other instruments that it is therefore superior; independence sometimes means infe- rioritv. Crabbe. Yes ; for example, college boys are not held accountable to the same laws by which grown men have to regulate their conduct. Dr. Goodman. What is your opinion about instrumen- tal solos? Do you include them in the same category as the concertos? Dalton. I think the piano is the solo instrument par excclhncc. if for no other reason than that all other instru- ments require an accompaniment. But there is a better reason. It is the only instrument in which melody, har- mony, accompaniment, and expression are under the con- trol wli I I ( liki / ( lik' Hi {\k aiK sel cai ex; fur ter wo pic coi ad wi COI is let ral in ye qil JL- wi sw The "Sinttili Clubr ^>3 • tuttis are :in opinion OS in your were some J break Iht.' m hold its c voice was it was so c'publif, of ice is not a he jmlged superiority, is indepen- ts that it is means infe- re not held n men have instrumcn- category as trument par Dther instni- ; is a better iielody, har- ider the con- trol of one r.iiiid. Il i^ Hk' only single instrument on which a complete composition can be played, Hazel. All of which !■> c(|nally true of the orKan. nallon. Vcs ; barring the e.\p^es^ion. Ciabln. Oh, yes, says the shoemaker, " There is nothin^{ like leather." rarks. What do you mean ? Cnihbf. Why, y