Good Sense About Music

Ia a recent issue oï the Detroit Tribune te found thiis excellent article ia regard to tlie popular feelimg respectiaig musical programmes given by the orchestras, ehoral waioas, etc. The sontiment oí a large majority of the pcople is o well expresscd that it is a iileasuire to reproduce it: The teinaci'ty wirtih which the most of proiessional inusk-iuns cling to tlieii' time worm and traditional ideas regardiing the electiion of their programmes ís sometliiing ■vonderlul to behold. The questiou novcr seems to arisc u minida of motst of them as to whether thoae who listen to the music would DiOft ierliaps enjoy soniitihing Uetti'i'. but they go thunderlng along on the same oíd lines, taking the ground presumably that if the people dan't like iit, their business is to leani to lïke it and thiat the dut y oí tlie musiciian is to indícate an appreoiation for the so-called higher standard. A gooid illustration of the above statements was seen recently in this city at a monster labor raass meeting at whfch a well-known orchestra bad been engaged to play several selecti'diiis. It might have been presutned tfaat the p teces selected wouM bare berai oí a diameter too snit the atüdience; bnt no. Tliree oï the most dilfficiilt aaid most incomprehensible conip'ösitkms tliat could hare been eli'oseoi weiM! the ones which were ren(iTs'd for tlie deleütatiou of an andieaioe that would have appreciated to tlve fullest extent some simple melody, but -niiifh, as it was, fidgetted and yawned and fiinally aróse m open protest and the musie stopped. It was' not the fauit oí the rendering. The teehnique was excellent, but that audi einee didn't knoiv anythSng abowt technique and didn't appreciate -what skill aaid labor were represented by tlie music that wa beiing played. Another musical orgamization, fully equal m reputatiion to the one reïerred to, was present the same evening and was greeted with storms of applause, simp ly because it ch'ose ainother line of select iona. It is well classical music that all coupeert audiences are not made uj) of the people who attend labor mass meetiaigs, Irat all in all, is it not so that the same spirit is discernible in 'nearly all larg audiences ? The only difference is that the people are more cultured, wnú while perhaps they do not appreciate the music the more, thiey are aJfraid to air their opinions for fear of seemimg to know less than soone oaie else who in also restrained by the same fear. By no meaos is trashy music wanted, but1 it is easily sem what a wave oí relif is sure to spread over án audiemce wheo gome musieian, a little more untrarnmelled than his fellows, makes a selectiiom boirderinig on the popular. It is thus that the people express tlieir wishos, uneonsciously, pea-liiaps, at every concert that is given, and tte pirofessiional muelcians should listen and oomprehend -what t'hey are sayiing. Certam classes oí music w-hich are useful in enabling the skill oí the musfcians to' be guaged are not really musical. They should never be played before large aud enoee, as ttey are in reality nothing but g-ymnastic performances which aní oaly be appreciatcd by those who know from experience, tlie tremendous strain entailed by tlveir renderiing. The season is rapsdly approaching wlvem a distimct elass oí music wilj le d'emanded m t-hfe city and indeed throughout the country at largej wMeh ia re q ui red but little at all otter times of the year. Campaign siiogiing is referred to and without doubt such music will be looked ior even to a greater extent than usual' duri.ng the coming summer and fall owidiK to the fact that tlils is president ial year. Tliie effect of a political mass meetilog is always enhanced by a few patriiotic eomge interspersed here amd there to wake up the audienöe which perchance has íallen asleep under the soporifie influente of some speaker more loing-wimded than elcquieat. Kefiuement of style te not specially cultiivatfd or wanted, butf on the whole suoh audiences are able to appreeiate good harmony cvea tiiJough applired to the rendering oí Limes of which make up is ehiefly the local "gag." Mius.s 'Lydia Stanger has gone tp Ohlicago ior permanent residence with a brotlner. July 20 i.s titue date set ior the Arm Arbor Rifles to give the ir excursión tO Put-im-Bay. Th,e allotment oí lots in the Miller addiitión will take place June 30, in the opera house. Miss Cora Gillett, whpi has been visking Mrs. D .C. Fall, returned home to Jackeom Monday. Col. Dea.ii save a talk at a campiii' rii Detroit Monday eyening. It is iici(ï!css to say that iit was a good talk. Thie actiion of the council in allowlng tiue saloons to keep open until 11 oViock p. m., Siaiulanl time, i.s receivimg seveire crltlclsin from many Citizems. The Courier job departmeait and bind ery te puctbed to its utmost in an oii ■deavor to keep up wilth the rush oí work ior the past few weeks, necessitating the putting on of fifteen more hands and even then eompelled to keep a large part of the f orce workinï nigMe.