Music as a Human Need
A PLEA FOR FREE NATIONAL INSTRUCTION IN
MUSIC.
BY
Alma Webster Powell, A.M., Mus.B., LL.B.
Submitted in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements
For the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy
in the
Faculty of Political Science
Columbia University.
NEW YORK
1914
This work is gratefully dedicated to my husband,
Mr. A. Judson Powell
Copyright, 1914, by Alma Webster Powell
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGE
Preface 5-17
PART I.--THE THESIS.
CHAPTER I.
Music as a Human Need 19
CHAPTER II.
Music and Motion 31
CHAPTER III.
Group and Individual Reaction to Music 41
CHAPTER IV.
Toneurology: A New Branch of Study 56
PART II.--THE INTER-REACTIONS OF MUSIC AND NATIONAL LIFE.
CHAPTER V.
Italy (1800-1913) 61
CHAPTER VI.
England (1800-1913) 68
CHAPTER VII.
Germany (1800-1913) 71
CHAPTER VIII.
France (1800-1913) 81
CHAPTER IX.
United States (1800-1913) 91
APPENDICES.
Appendix A.--Questionnaire 97
Appendix B.--Sources of Statistical Material 99
Appendix C.--Tabulation of Foreign State Subventions 101
Appendix D.--Notes on the Tabulation of Foreign State
Subventions 103
Appendix E.--Communications 112
Appendix F.--Bibliography 138
Vita 143
Index 144
PREFACE
It will be observed that in the following pages political and economic
events are presented in their aspect of emotion-producing forces in
social pressure, with but scant attention to their other values. An
artificially selective process must also be acknowledged in that, of
those events only such as seem to have produced a direct emotional
reaction upon a people have been considered. Those long continued
economic movements which produced no sudden changes have not been
taken into account, because what may be termed their disturbing
effects were too gradual to allow of their being included among
specific emotion-making forces[1]; slow changes are not sensed by whole
peoples. Uneducated masses, especially, do not become conscious of
progressive movements until their effects are so apparent as to require
consideration by reason of aroused emotional reaction. The history of
a slow transition, therefore, may be for the scientific purposes of
this investigation unimportant as compared with the somewhat dislocated
perturbance, which resulted at the moment when the events under
consideration were happening, and calling forth a reaction definitely
emotional. Moreover, at such a precise moment, the events may have
been raised to social consciousness, not as they appear to us in the
clear afterlight of scientific attitude and historical accuracy, but as
popular concepts of the moment, having power to arouse intense national
emotional reaction; similar recent popular waves of feeling, due not
to facts as they are, but to popular conceptions of such facts, will
readily occur to each reader.
With this warning that not the dignity of history, but the intensity
of public emotionalism is within the purview and area of our
investigation, we may proceed to a statement of the method and of the
general thesis.
The method to be pursued, is to examine contemporaneous and concurrent
public events and emotion products, as expressed in Music.
The results indicated may be given a preliminary statement as follows:
1. Agitation is a cause of pulse disturbance.
2. Sufficient agitation produces fatal disturbance of bodily rhythm.
3. All strong emotions are disturbers of rhythmic motion throughout
the body.
4. Rhythmic motion, too often disturbed, leads to abnormal mental and
physical conditions.
5. Civilization constantly “disturbs” the bodily rhythm.
6. The political and industrial troubles of a nation are signs of
national “disturbance” of rhythm.
7. Music, closely expressing the emotional life of each period, is
the unconscious application of a remedy to a human need of rhythmic
stimulus.
These points are part of the general thesis, which may be stated in the
following terms: MUSIC IS A HUMAN NEED, INCREASING AND DECREASING WITH
SOCIAL PRESSURE.
The tendency of a group in each stage of human development, is to
produce Music fitting the character of the social disturbances of
its time, and communities which most fully meet this need of rhythm
by national culture of Music, tend to preserve for longer periods,
the serenity of the public mind. Thus it will be seen that national
control and support of Music may be assumed to be a national duty. This
control and support will aid in the preservation of a healthy state of
the public mind. Such a condition will make more effective all other
efforts for the abolition of discontent, disease, vice and criminality.
National culture and support of Music are effective means of exercising
social control, because of the calming influence of Music upon
disturbed thought. Such an influence is a most necessary one at the
present stage of mental agitation. Established within disturbed zones,
national institutions for free musical instruction would place a check
upon strained intellectualism, with its brood of idea-monstrosities,
since Music would cause a relaxation of mental concentration. It is a
matter of experience, that relaxation of tension generally accompanies
the yielding of the excited mind to musical rhythm.
Furthermore, there are other and not inconsiderable arguments for
the national support of Music. On account of the great expense of a
musical education, much promising American talent is now deprived
of cultivation. To all persons evidencing marked musical ability,
and showing themselves worthy of aid, this rich country should give
national support.
American national instruction in Music is also a duty to American
industry because such instruction would open the employment field in
Music to American wage earners. Some idea of the amount of private
business along this line may be gained from the following:
MUSIC IN THE WEST.[2]
If music seems a needless luxury to some, what will they think of
the cold economic fact of Chicago spending $30,000,000 in one year
for musical instruments of all kinds, sheet music, music-books,
musical supplies, and music lessons? This figure is “based on reliable
information,” says Mr. D. A. Clippinger, in _The Musician_ (Boston),
and he intimates that this yearly expenditure of one Western city
is only typical of what the great expanse of our country beyond the
Appalachians is doing. It will be observed that this sum does not
include what is spent to hear music, but to gain instruction in it.
At present America is obliged to depend both for her best Music and
musical instruction largely upon foreign talent. With national support
of her own talent, this deplorable condition would soon cease. This
would also free Americans from absolute dependence upon private
institutions.
Music has also become an important industry, employing a vast number
of agents. It is high time that this employment were placed within
reach of American labor. Such an end can be attained only by furnishing
adequate training for this skilled work. At present foreigners are the
agents for the satisfaction of this need for rhythm in orchestras,
bands, hotels, restaurants, church choirs, studios, clubs, steamships,
operas and at social functions. An important wage earning occupation is
thus out of reach of our own talent.
It may be argued that considerable expense is already incurred by
municipalities and states, for training in musical appreciation in the
form of concerts, public school instruction, park bands, etc. These
expenses are admittedly very large and yet what is their productive
value along the line of musical instruction? What is the real value,
for instance, of the many thousands of dollars annually expended upon
public Music in a city like New York? The educated listener finds the
programs faulty, falling far short of a true expression of a composer’s
idea, while to the uneducated hearer, it is principally a diversion
of his attention, without teaching him anything. The establishment of
musical departments in colleges will never be able to meet this crying
need. The majority of the institutions which depend even in part upon
tuition-fees received from their pupils, reach the least needy of our
people, and sometimes the least talented. Where the industrial shoe
pinches the hardest, there is where the national social or political
danger lies, and there is where the need is greatest. Where the social
pressure is most felt, there is formed a mine of musical diamonds.
Neither the city nor the state can so control musical development, as
to produce a national type in musical composition. Music is a universal
need, passionately craved by the nation’s children. Hence our federal
government should attend to this demand, which is becoming more and
more insistent every day, indicative of a national want. We venture the
not idle prophecy, that the whole American nation would cheerfully
bear a tax, for so good a work as the establishment of national free
schools of Music all over our land. That European countries have
recognized this need is shown by the statistics which will be found
below.[3] These statistics were very difficult to procure, and are
rather surprising in content.
A copy of the questionnaire sent out will be found in Appendix A.
The nations from whom we expected the least expenditure for musical
culture, were found to be the most lavish. The United States stands
apart from the world’s array of musical patrons. The recent interest in
Indian and Negro Music may, however, prove an entering wedge to a wider
cultivation of our national musical resources. Our State universities
and our public schools are institutions of which the nation is justly
proud. Why not open your arms a little wider, generous America, and
take into your embrace your own fair musical child, now so weak and
puny, but full of promise for the future? The hope of the writer is,
that this cry will be heard by the nation’s head.
With such national support in view, we have gathered our statistics.
City ventures are not considered; park bands, military bands,[4] new
buildings for national musical academies, in short, all outlays for
Music not tending to contribute directly toward the musical education
of the people under consideration, are omitted. Thus the large
contributions of cities for public entertainments are left out of our
calculation entirely. The United States has not fallen into line with
European countries in national culture of Music, but probably this is
simply because the attention of our nation has not hitherto been called
to Music as a health measure. Too much ink has flowed in describing
Music as a diversion, as an amusement, as an ideal, as a superfluous
luxury, whereas no greater physical and mental need exists, than the
unconscious physical need of rhythm, the conscious physical need of
Music.
The world, it is true, may not at once accept the theory of “rhythm”
herein set forth. An investigation of it, however, would bring about
some new and interesting discoveries, in regard to unsuspected effects
of Music upon the nervous system. In any case, Music is a wonder worker
which should now occupy the attention of sociologists, psychologists,
and physicians.
Music has been generally regarded as the language of the emotions, but
it has never been determined why these emotions, having art, poetry,
the dance, and many other means of partial expression, so insistently
require sound for complete self-realization. The beat of the pulse
and the measure in Music are similar rhythmic expressions, but the
close relation of one to the other has heretofore been ignored. Yet
groups have a pulse; history has a pulse; the phenomena of the physical
universe have a pulse; all life manifestations are demonstrations of
pulse action.
What becomes of the countless millions of musical sound vibrations sent
into space by the orchestral performances in a great city? Are they all
impotent, reaching only to the auditory organs, and dying there? Or
do they actually enter the human system and set to their own perfect
rhythm, all of the discordant motions therein encountered? Do they not
“act as stimuli on the sensitive psychoplasm and effect changes in its
molecular composition?”[5]
All rhythm, however divided, is perfect motion. Rhythm, acting upon
a disturbed motion, tends to impose its own motion upon the discord,
if stronger than the disturbance encountered. This theory not only
imputes a higher mission to Music than has heretofore been realized,
but also accounts for phenomena of organized sound vibrations, and for
the craving of all human life for Music. This passionate desire for
Music is an established fact, and it remains but to show the need of
this inspiring sound stimulus, in order to place Music in the list of
recognized national necessities.
The willing response of Austria, Bavaria, Belgium, Denmark, England,
Equador, France, Holland, Hungary, Italy, Norway, Russia, Saxony,
Sweden and the United States to the author’s request for musical
statistics merits special mention. Prussia alone of the nations applied
to for statistics appeared either unwilling, or unable to furnish the
same regarding her national support of Music. The author shared the
general opinion that Prussia led the world in this field. But although
requested through proper official channels, from several influential
quarters, no response was obtained. A cable from the United States
Consul in Berlin says that the musical “statistics are unavailable.”
The letter from the Minister of Saxony may give some insight into the
real condition of German musical support, and as such it is added in
Appendix E.[6]
The Appeal in this work is for a system of public musical instruction
upon the principles governing our public school management. This would
be a step in advance of the systems of governmental support of musical
institutions, as represented in the statistics included in this work,
which systems generally place a small charge upon those pupils who are
able to pay. All of these institutions admit to full privileges free
of any charge, the exceptionally talented among the poor. The object
of each such institution as we advocate, should be the support, by
the government, of native musical talent, without regard to profit or
loss in the management. Music is one of those sciences which do not
attract the untalented to their study, and, this being the case, little
loss of instruction is involved. The proper study of Music includes so
many of the regular public school studies, and so much of the elements
of higher education, as Psychology, Biology, Sociology, Physics,
Economics, Social Legislation, History, Languages, Literature, Physical
Training, Self-Control, to say nothing of the mathematical studies
included in such branches as orchestration, harmony, counterpoint,
etc., that a model musical college would furnish an education and
culture, far more beneficial to individuals and the group, than is
offered by some of the present systems of education. The immediate
cost would be immense, but the author is convinced that this outlay
would bring quick returns, in decreasing costs for the protection of
the native individual, from many of the effects of nerve derangement
in children and in adults, in lessening discontent, riots, antagonism
between labor and capital, and many manifestations of partial insanity.
In short, such a system is a prime factor in social control, to the
lack of which may be ascribed in some measure the present peril to
civilization.
We take this opportunity to express our indebtedness for the statistics
furnished in each case to the following gentlemen, who, either in
their official or in a private capacity, replied to the questionnaire
submitted, and whose co-operation has been invaluable in our attempt
to present the most recent conditions of State-aided Music abroad:
Wilhelm Bopp, Director of the Imperial and Royal Academy of Music
and Fine Arts, Vienna, Austria; M. Steiner, Minister of the Interior
for Religion and Schools, Bavaria; M. Phillis, Minister of Arts and
Sciences, Belgium; J. Clan, Danish Consul-General in New York, and
Cornelius Rübner, head of the Music Department of Columbia University;
Olmedo Alfaro, son of the President of Equador, and the Directors of
the Conservatory of Quito, Equador; A. W. Twenlyman, of the English
Education Board, London, England; I. Philipp of the Paris Conservatory;
Th. Heemskerk, Minister of the Interior, Holland; Luigi Credaro,
Minister of Public Instruction, Rome, Italy; Ole Olesen, Military
Inspector of Music, Norway; Wm. Thackara, American Consul-General,
Berlin, Germany; Alexandre Lyssakovsky, First Secretary of the Russian
Embassy, Washington, D. C.; (Graf) Vitzhum von Eckstaedt, Minister of
the Interior, Saxony; Bror Beckman, of the Royal Conservatory of Music,
Stockholm, Sweden; L. A. Kalbach, Chief Clerk of the United States
Bureau of Education, Washington, D. C.; Mr. Wm. H. Taft, ex-President
of the United States; Naray-Szabo, Secretary of State, Hungary, and Dr.
Paul Majewsky, Chief of the Fine Art Section of the Royal Hungarian
Ministry of Public Worship and Education, Budapest.
Gratitude is due also for the inspiration found in the courses
of studies pursued under the direction of the following Columbia
professors: Dr. F. H. Giddings in Sociology, Dr. Henry Seager in
Economics, Dr. S. McC. Lindsay in Social Legislation, Dr. E. R. A.
Seligman in Economics, Dr. J. B. Clark, Dr. A. A. Tenney in Sociology,
Dr. R. E. Chaddock in Statistics, Dr. C. Ruebner in Music, and Dr.
V. G. Simkhovitch in Economics. Not one of these courses has proved
superfluous in the present dissertation, and we are proud indeed that
Music, so long considered as a luxury, can show the relations to the
interests which they represent. Especially great is our obligation to
Professors Giddings, Seager, Chaddock, Lindsay and Ruebner.
Our sincere thanks are due, in the gathering of these statistics to
Commendatore Eugenio di Pirani, President of the American Philharmonic
Academy.
FOOTNOTES:
[1] Long labor movements which are conceded to be slow emotion-making
forces are not included.
[2] The _Literary Digest_, January 10, 1914.
[3] Appendix E.
[4] Reference is to hired bands, not made up of musicians trained for
the purpose by the Federal Government. Such training, as in England,
constitutes an important form of vocational training.
[5] Riddle of the Universe, by Ernst Haekel, p. 110.
[6] The highly prized originals of the foreign ministerial letters are
preserved and in the writer’s possession.
PART I.
THE THESIS.
CHAPTER I.
MUSIC AS A HUMAN NEED.
Our thesis contemplates a new phase in psychological and sociological
study, one wherein we must endeavor to estimate the part played in
mental and environmental development, by vibration as the acting force.
In whatever direction we turn, Music is met with in one form or
another. The undoubted fact that Music is not confined to the human
species, but is a part of bird and other animal life, is strongly
indicative that there is something more in Music, than its apparent
pleasurable quality, and that beneath its array of superficial forms,
there must lie some great fundamental necessity for its existence and
functioning. Upon it may depend the preservation of the life of certain
complex living organisms.
Darwin’s theory as expressed in “The Descent of Man”[7] seems to us
not to touch the real source of the phenomenon, and in Spencer’s
“Illustrations of Universal Progress,” the latter’s theory of the
Origin and Function of Music[8] seems to us to omit the greatest
factor in Music. Spencer’s idea is that all Music is an idealization
of the natural language of passion, but the nature of passion does
not in reality lend itself to Music, because passion’s spontaneity of
action forever forbids the exercise of that control which is needed
in the performance of Music. Wallaschek, in “Primitive Music,”[9]
claims that Music is the result of the original rhythmical impulse
in man. This last mentioned theory approaches more nearly the theory
advanced by us in the present work, namely, that Music originates in
man’s _need_ of rhythmical sound-vibrations, for the re-establishment
of rhythmical motion in his own nervous system, disturbed by the
evolutionary increase of mental action not rhythmically employed.[10]
In order to view the subject fully, and in all its implications, we
must retrace the path of evolution to that point, where the living
thing which later developed into the man of today, first found itself
in possession of locomotion agencies and prehensile appendages, and
first began to move about in search of energy materials, with which
to satisfy an inward need of integration. The first thing that moved
began to dissipate its motion, and to “need” corresponding integration.
Rhythm marked this primitive inward action, undisturbed by ideas;
rhythm also governed the external stimulus. This prehistoric atavus ate
when hungry, or when he could get food, his need being rhythmical, at
the time when fruit and nuts offered easy satisfaction of a rhythmic
hunger; he awoke at daybreak, and slept with the sun; rhythmic at all
times.
Now, therefore, this early man’s circulation and pulse must have been
relatively rhythmic, yet there is no record of Music as an invention,
until a new factor arose in his environment.[11] The needs of life
began to suggest partnerships, children cemented parenthood groups,
family groups met and associated with other family groups, still
others were added and the Tribe was formed. Much of the Tribal life
of prehistoric times is a matter of conjecture, but enough can be
learned from the _mores_ of later tribes, to suggest with reasonable
probability some of the earliest tribal customs. Music is a late
invention, but the elements out of which Music is fashioned--rhythm,
motion and sound--constitute the first impulses, the first responses
to stimuli in themselves rhythmic; and the oldest peoples exhibit
traces of the love of sound in rhythmic action. The probability is that
association, with man as with birds, developed a need of communication;
from this need originated the acoustic formation of speech, and speech
in turn brought the first conscious interchange of ideas. Intense
mental action causes disturbed physical rhythm. Physical functions
are not yet adapted to the physical disturbance caused by such mental
action. The organs for the assimilation of the terrific stimuli of
modern life, are still imperfectly developed, as is illustrated by the
inability of the body to cope with increasing intellectuality, and the
consequent alleged increase of insanity in modern times. As the eye has
evolved from the sense of touch to its present power, and may progress
to a capacity for still clearer vision, so has the nervous system
evolved from its single cell, to its present cell multiplicity, and may
develop new cell formations, with which to support changing degrees of
added stimuli.
A departure from established belief will be noted at this point.
Ideas were wonderful and powerful stimuli to the primitive mind. That
extreme tension which causes modern minds to become unbalanced, is
not proportionately more intense, than must have been the reaction
of the primitive mind, to the very first question and answer of
primitive speech. A new stimulus acting upon a new organ produced a new
disturbance--a disturbance of a life heretofore purely rhythmic; and a
part of the internal organic family became separated for independent
motion, became differentiated with a rhythm of its own, differing
as a matter of course, from that old established rhythm of the most
ancient physical life. Right at this point of development, the need of
more or less conscious readjustment was instinctively felt. Internal
rhythm had been disturbed, and man immediately invented an artificial
producer of rhythmic vibration: i. e.--percussion. This sent into his
nervous system uncounted thousands of rhythmic impulses, which tended
to reestablish his disturbed rhythmic motion. To hold that the first
rhythmic inventions are to be looked for in war songs, in religious
rites, or in festal diversions, seems to us to ignore, not only all
of the immensely important prior steps by which such comparative
complexity has been attained, but also to leave the phenomenon of
rhythm-craving, before the invention of the most primitive instrument,
entirely unaccounted for. When the war element enters into tribal life,
there has already been some growth of institutionalization. Home life,
marriage, inheritance, government--these we find already in a certain
stage of development, in the very earliest tribes of which we have
any positive knowledge. The life of these tribes, so similar in all
parts of the world, produced certain disturbances within the original
rhythmic bodily motion. The reaction to such disturbance was exactly
expressed, in the rhythm producers instinctively devised at each stage.
War was the only great disturber of habitual rhythm for ages, and
consequently Music of a character to meet the need of this element was
early invented.
For domestic rhythm-disturbing crises, Music--sound--was often employed
by the tribes. The ancient Chinese[12] used to “sound” the house of a
newly wedded couple, under the impression that in this way the bride
and groom would enter a home “cleared of evil demons”. Here we have
a sub-conscious recognition of the actual driving force of rhythmic
vibration. So, in ancient Japan, war songs were the old expressions of
national agitation. These, accompanied as they invariably were, by high
sentiments of loyalty and patriotism, steadied the rage of war-fever
to a good fighting point, and prevented impulsive, or too reckless
charging.
The Hindus[13] believe their musical scale is an inspiration from
Heaven. Their Music is an expression of religious rather than military
agitation.
When we think of how primitive man at first must have wondered at
all the unknown forces about him, is it not possible to believe that
religious, rather than warlike emotion, was the first to intensely
agitate all early tribes?
The ancient peoples of Aryan stock seem to have been highly gifted
musically. Probably because of their roving habits, their warlike
spirit, or their pursuit of culture, the Aryans developed early and
highly, this greater need of rhythmic stimulus in percussion.
Persian agitation took the form of occultism, as is shown in the
devices on the walls of their fire temples. Their Music was held to be
symbolic. They believed, for example, that Music was like a tree, and
that its tones were representative of fire, water, air and earth, of
the signs of the zodiac, of the planets and even of day and night.[14]
Music becomes combined with ideas in the expression of rhythm, in
direct proportion to the development of ideas in the culture of
the several races. When war ceased to be the chief factor in the
disturbance of bodily rhythm, and still later, when periods of rest
became usual between long wars, the impetus already given to tribes
by the decisive occupations of warfare, and the consequent increased
molecular motion of the organs, turned tribal attention in times of
rest to thoughts of love, decoration and poetry, but chiefly to the
thought of recording the stirring deeds of their heroes in music of
some kind. The Indians have probably sung their deeds ever in rhythm,
though often with an instrumental accompaniment in a differing rhythm,
which common practice must have filled the need of a mental state
“disturbed” by the stimuli of ever present danger.[15]
Rhythmic music considered as a creation of mind and as a need of
the body, the measurement of the effect of musical vibrations upon
human action, is sure to lead the way to a surprising fund of new
knowledge. The number of vibrations caught by the ear in the simplest
drum performance must be enormous, and when it is realized that these
vibrations represent a live force striking the tense nerves, and that
the effects are quantitatively measurable in a psycho-physiological
laboratory, a significant development of psychiatry may be confidently
predicted. It would be interesting to study the differing results of
the same musical environment, upon the nervous reactions of partially
deaf, and of normal beings, to find out how far the subjective and
conscious awareness of certain sounds, affects the objective physical
results of the vibratory force producing them.
Animals are known to be sensitive to the sounds of Music, and birds
even create that which is called Music; this creation on the part
of birds, seems to us nothing more than their instinctive effort to
re-establish disturbed internal rhythmic action.[16] At any rate,
vibration is the fundamental element of Music as of life, and where
Music exists there has ever been an antecedent excitement of some sort.
Complicated intellectual stimuli being absent in tribal life, the
general rhythm was at most periods moderately easy to maintain. Events
of sufficient newness to be exciting were rare. Tribal wars were felt
to be the usual occupation of ordinary existence. So that whether
polygamy or monogamy characterized the marriage relation, whether
woman or man ruled the home life, whether human or animal sacrifices
were offered to one or to several gods, the stimuli met in daily
experiences were very similar in their monotony, and very much the
same in all tribes. Customs were handed down from one generation to
another, and carried from one part to another of the earth’s surface,
but ordinary experiences varied little until, under the stimulation of
steam-driven engines and machines, nations developed the industrial
fever, which seems to characterize modern times. Even today in
localities where newspapers and railroads do not penetrate, life tends
to revert to primitive ideals. The interests of the tribes lay in the
raising of cattle, in the birth of male offspring, in the division
of labor into the search for, and the preparation of, food, and in
the unification of a strong group hostile to all other groups. These
occupations coexisted with a simplicity of environment, unexciting to
the reposeful sense organs, amid a scenic surrounding ever untouched
by artificiality; where village scenes of little variety took place;
where no reason existed to cause abnormal quickness of eye movements;
where occurred only rare shocks to the regular rhythm of the nerve
cell motions. Thus there was little or no need of complicated rhythm
in Music. It will be remembered that Music is a need for that part of
humanity or of any living organism which through reason of its prior
reception of irregular stimuli, has disturbed the natural internal
and independent rhythmic motion, imparted by the mother in the birth
process. An augmented heart action is not harmful at times, even if
it be above the normal, but a heart action which is ever changing its
beat, now fast, now slow, now weak, now strong, tends to derange the
normal rhythmic life motion of the cells, a result caused by modern
multiplicity of irregular stimuli, and observable in modern civilized
man. Great multiplicity of stimuli the tribal man rarely experienced.
His percussive Music was not complex, because the life stimuli were
not complex; the nervous system of the savage was disturbed by but few
mental processes--the simple results of the few and unvarying stimuli
offered by his tribal life.
Approaching modern times, let us see what role was assumed by Music
in the tribal life of the early Germanic races. In those times of war
excitement, when tribes fought like wild animals, and the war spirit
held full sway, the Germans on their march to battle, helmets decorated
with the heads of animals, their big bodies clothed in the simple
_sagum_, chanted their war songs, and kept up a rhythmic beating upon
their shields. This ever visible trend toward rhythmic sound indicates
a subconscious need of it, a need which often annoys us in our
children’s craving for the noise of percussion,--a noise, it may have
been observed by long-suffering parents, which they love beyond all
other diversions. So long as war and religion alone occupied mankind,
and before the human need of rhythmic sound became so pronounced, as
to create the very complicated idea of producing vibratory impulse,
from pleasurable sound intervals, combined with word pictures of human
emotions--so long was mere rhythm in Music sufficient to re-establish
disturbed internal motion.
The Gauls advanced a step beyond the Germans toward musical
organization, by their maintenance of “bands of barders,” who were
described by Tacitus as accompanying the Gallic armies in order to
cheer the warriors.
FOOTNOTES:
[7] Part II, p. 375: “The true song however of most birds and various
strange cries are chiefly uttered during the breeding season, and serve
as a charm, or merely as a call-note to the other sex.”
[8] Vol. II, Chap. 19.
[9] Chapter 9.
[10] If, as Haekel says in “The Riddle of the Universe,” p. 116, “When
the mimosa roots are shaken by the tread of a passerby, the stimulus
is immediately conveyed to all the cells of the plant,” may not the
far stronger stimulus of musical sound be similarly transmitted to the
human cells not directly concerned in hearing?
[11] The octave of half-tones sung by the Hylobates Syndactylus is
merely an effort at speech.
[12] American History and Encyclopedia of Music.
[13] Ibid.
[14] Ibid.
[15] It will be noted that the reference to ideas as “disturbances of
purely physical, molecular rhythm” is used throughout this book, for
it is here claimed that just as the unconscious cessation of breathing
for a few seconds during the writing of an idea, expresses the check
of mental action upon heart action and the circulation of the blood,
so also does the continual reception of new impressions into the mind,
affect the original regular rhythmic movement of the entire body. Hence
thought is a real disturber of rhythm within the body. Similarly, any
burst of anger, fear, or joy is immediately registered in the pulse.
[16] We are aware that Darwin stresses the element of sexual selection
in the bird’s song.
CHAPTER II.
MUSIC AND MOTION.
Music, a recognized but still undirected agent for rhythm maintenance,
is sought and produced in accordance with the disturbance of a
body politic or of a body individual. The musical products of a
nation mirror that nation’s history far better than pen and ink can
laboriously spell it out. Music reaches down into physiological and
psychological needs, and tends to reestablish rhythmic equilibrium,
whether applied to physical organs, or to members of a national body.
And as the aggregates of matter and motion in human bodies combine all
of their unequal, complex, and yet distinct rhythms under one mean
rhythm, which becomes the characteristic rhythm of the whole, so do the
musical products of a nation, during a given time or age, combine their
unequal motions under a mean motion or characteristic, which includes
all rhythmic products and which we see as a characteristic “color,” or
“temperament” in the national Music of that period. And as the mean
governing rhythm or pulse of one being, individual or national, cannot
be mistaken for the mean of any other combination than its own, so
the “color” or “temperament” of the musical products of one country,
is clearly distinguishable from that of the Musical products of other
countries.
In like manner, humanity, that larger aggregate of human molecules,
shows a mean color in the united products or motions of its parts,
the nations. The “tone” of the Music of the Nineteenth century, is
more complex than that of the Eighteenth century, although Spain still
re-establishes her Eighteenth century disturbances with Eighteenth
century Music. England, with few deeply disturbed emotions is satisfied
with doses of early Nineteenth century Music. France applies her own
vivid intellectual sound pictures to her psychological and political
disturbances. Germany finds the panacea for her disturbances in
colors of soul tragedy and strong sentimentality. Italy, until her
recent steps toward modern methods in stimuli productions, sipped her
delightful comedy and her flowery tragedy, from graceful old-fashioned
musical cups. Nineteenth century musical productions in England,
France, Germany and Italy are, we may say, pictures of their several
national “disturbances,” and exact quantitative measurements of the
depth to which the mean national rhythm was disturbed. All of these
musical productions again react upon humanity’s aggregate, and are
combined under what is known as the Nineteenth century mean rhythm, or
age characteristic.
As has been noted above, there are too few data indicative of the
habits of primitive man, for us to learn aught of his Music, but
it is safe to assume that its comparative simplicity or complexity
corresponded with the comparative simplicity or complexity of his
mental and physical life. Undoubtedly, the earliest group complexity
arose with roving habits, the entrance into new environments, and
the subjection of man’s psycho-physical system to new “strains” of
disturbing stimuli.
According to this theory we must define “disturbances” as, such
responses to varying stimuli as unduly accelerate or retard bodily
pulse motion, changing the _normal_ rhythm of the pulse. Examples
are to be found in sudden migrations, outbursts of enthusiasm, wars,
revolts, and even in certain eager intellectual pursuits.
Music is a phase of the evolutionary process. Musical evolution has
also its order: (a) in appreciation,[17] when the primitive human
mind becomes conscious of existing rhythm, of sound combinations;
(b) in utilization, when its seemingly magical effect suggested
its association with the festivities and rites of worship; (c) in
characterization, when it stands on a pedestal of its own, recognized
as a human necessity perfectly adapted to its environment; and (d) in
socialization, when its end as an agent in self-realization shall be
entirely comprehended. Characterization is the mode which Music has
reached today. Socialization is just beginning, and is yet more fully
to be developed with greater understanding.
Again in Musical Evolution there has been an ideo-motor stage of
development.[18] This forceful, aggressive, persistent motor stage was
shown in the rude drums and other rough-hewn instruments of early man.
In its convivial imaginative aspect it has answered to the need of the
ideo-emotional type. The dogmatic emotional need has drawn forth from
that type’s resources the austere musical products of master genius.
Do we not find today in France, Germany and in modern Italy a national
rhythm disturbed by critically intellectual[19] stimuli, which in
turn call forth critically intellectual Music of the most distinct
complexity? Music is both a social and a socializing force, which,
although created by society, reacts upon its creator.
Reviewing the stages of Musical Evolution do we not discern concerted
volition? Does not the mean tone of national musical types show
concerted acceptance of that which answers to national tastes and
needs? The very applause which establishes the modern type, is the
outward sign of an inward intent to embrace that product. Cool and
restrained judgment precedes _that_ acceptance. Any audience manifests
resembling sensations of resembling individuals in that oneness of
criticism so generally exhibited. Clearly indeed in this latter case
do we perceive that reflective sympathy which shows us how like to our
neighbor we are. Then there is the evidence of organic sympathy which
establishes that liking or disliking for certain Music, according
as the mean motion or the rhythm of the Musical sound vibrations,
correspond to a similar combination of motions and rhythms in our
own systems. And is not the affection for a rhythm similar to our
own, stronger than is our liking for one dissimilar? Can a dogmatic
emotional[20] type experience a true affection for, or feel a sincere
need of, ragtime ditties? Could Italy in the early part of the
Nineteenth century feel affection for the Music of a von Weber? Could
Germany in the fever of Franco-Prussian emotionalism feel affection for
the works of Verdi? Paris disliked Wagner’s operas until very recently.
Lest this should seem like an attempt to stretch sociological
terminology to cover territory other than its own, let us continue
our examination. Even in the progress from the homogeneous to
the heterogeneous, Music, in its national parts, though highly
heterogeneous like the integrated parts of the body, is yielding to
the social passion for homogeneity. This is indicated by the increasing
similarity of its ideals. Even Italy in her new awakening is reaching
out toward musical equality with the most complex modern ideals,
illustrating the tendency of all inequality toward final equality.
The Music which answered to the needs of an Ethnic Society could not
possibly re-establish the disturbed rhythm of political groups. The
“gentile family” system for a long time successfully counteracted
the effects of heterogeneous motion attacks upon the calm nervous
structure, by a Music suited to its needs. Only with the decay of
the patriarchal system did groups come to demand complexity in the
re-establishing agency, Music.
Internal disturbances must have been rare in all clan life, surrounding
stimuli being relatively homogeneous, simple and diffused. Paleolithic
man, with his unchanging external environment, had little reason
for internal disturbance. What slight disturbances he suffered were
probably remedied by simple rhythmic composition of some kind: even
babies create a pronounced sound rhythm with any instrument at hand,
and indicate real pleasure derived from what to us seems mere noise.
Sounds produced by non-human beings are mere discharge of surplus
energy, in a creation of rhythmic stimulus, and not conscious sound
combinations in song. Music is a “natural” product of _human_ society.
It must be as old as those integrations of parts in the human body,
which became aggregates of matter and motion, to take care of new
stimuli colliding with the motions already contained. Through lower,
middle, and upper savagery,[21] even before the beginning of speech,
Music must have been at hand, although in its simplest conceivable
form. Music kept pace with the comparatively simple external stimuli of
each period.
With the use of fire and of the bow and arrow in upper savagery, came
a new heterogeneity in the stimuli entering the organism; disturbances
were still simple, but with the domestication of animals, with the
cultivation of plants by irrigation, with the use of adobe brick and
stone in architecture, Music must have gradually increased in its
complexity in order to cope with the new disturbances of bodily motion
consequent upon those changes in man’s reaction to his environment.
Then, with the use of iron in upper barbarism, Music began anew to
exhibit its needed usefulness, as in the Grecian tribes of the Homeric
Age, and in the German tribes of Caesar’s time.
By these times Music had passed well out of the stages of
“appreciation,” into those of “utilization.”[22] Strongly rhythmic,
it contributed to the recreation (re-creations indeed) of bodily
equilibrium! It calmed intense inward motion, or stimulated
flagging circulation in its union with religious rites. From such
accomplishments of later barbarians as poetry, mythology, fine
temple architecture, walled cities, ship building, wine manufacture,
woven fabrics, implements for grinding corn, the side hill furnace
for smelting ore, and many other early mechanical contrivances,[23]
civilization evolved its phonetic alphabet and its literary records,
building the rhythm-disturbing stimuli of civilization. In the
meanwhile the family develops to the point of monogamy, and individual
property rights usher in a new political system. An advanced form of
municipal life in fortified cities having already created the ideal of
city treasure to be protected, the step was ultimately taken from this
to individual property rights distinct from those of the gens.
The fact that Music as we first encounter it is already somewhat
complex, is not surprising when we regard it in terms of motion,
duplicating in principle the construction of the human body. The latter
may also be regarded in terms of motion; for what are bodily organs
but integrations of molecules in motion? The rhythm of a bodily organ
is like a note composed of periodic motions.[24] The various organs of
differing masses and motions, acting together under one chief rhythm,
are but chords of various notes, while that average of averages, the
pulse, registers the governing rhythm of all of these together, as does
the _time_ in music.
With the differentiation of the Aryan race from those barbarians
who were not active in making and utilizing new inventions, certain
re-arrangements of bodily motions resulted which could not fail
to “disturb” old life habits. With artificial rhythm already at
hand, instinct alone would be sufficient to prompt its application.
Appreciation of Music at this stage would mirror only the satisfaction
derived from the hearing of rhythmic sounds, sufficiently varied to
inflame or calm inward motion, without carrying it too far from the
norm. The “gens” system as found in Greece, Rome, and among American
aborigines, as also among the Irish sept, and Scottish clan, would tend
to restrain complex emotions. Such gentes, being consanguine bodies,
descended from the same common ancestor, and having a gentile name,
and held together by actual or fictitious ties of blood, were compact
bodies with institutions comparatively simple. They were like primitive
bodily forms, consisting of motions contained within an outer crust,
and with few distinct inward integrations.
Music, as simple rhythm agreeable to the ear, would fulfill all
disturbance needs of that time, and would itself be a mere contained
motion, with few integrated parts. Only with the beginning of
“rational” thinking or the “interposition of new ideas between
stimulation and the consequent muscular action,”[25] does such
complexity of mental effort induce the integration of new parts with
new motions in order to meet the added strain.
FOOTNOTES:
[17] Giddings’ Descriptive and Historical Sociology, pp. 186 to 212.
[18] Giddings’ Descriptive and Historical Sociology, p. 237.
[19] Otherwise known as rationalistic.
[20] Giddings, op. cit. pp. 238-239.
[21] Morgan: Ancient Peoples.
[22] Giddings’ Descriptive and Historical Sociology, pp. 186 to 212.
[23] Morgan’s Ancient Peoples.
[24] Helmholtz, Sensations of Tone, Part I, p. 8.
[25] Giddings’ Descriptive and Historical Sociology, p. 346.
CHAPTER III.
GROUP AND INDIVIDUAL REACTION TO MUSIC.
_A Brief Record of Experiments._
Music tranquillizes human agitation. We believe that enough of musical
vibration will tranquillize all agitation, whether it be such as is
manifested in abnormal mental, or abnormal physical movements. Music
acts differently upon those low states of motion represented by the
phlegmatic temperament and rural communities. Here music excites more
than it does when colliding with agitated nerve motions. These two
marked effects of music were noticed by the author in the following
experiences which extended over a period of many years, among all of
the classes which compose the civilized group:
From Concerts through Canada and Western U. S.
From three successive tours of the Baltic Province of Russia, with
audiences of the Ideo-Emotional and Dogmatic-Emotional types.
From Concert and opera tests in Germany and England.
From Concert and opera tests in the Eastern States of U. S.
From Concert and opera tests among the revolutionary elements of
New York City, including Coney Island tent life for five months,
lower East Side social work for five years, Brooklyn Working Girl
tests, church, political, and society study among actual audiences
represented by these classes.
More than two hundred thousand people were observed during these tests
as to the effects of music, and the results suggested the following
needs, which the author believes may be extended to the treatment
of many diseases of the mind. Abnormally heightened or abnormally
lowered bodily agitation, or inward motion, “needs” rhythmic stimulus
from highly agitated motion, as in music; the _like_ state of highly
agitated motion in the body responds to the stimulus in calmed motions;
the abnormally lowered bodily agitation responds to the _unlike_
stimulus in the highly agitated motions of music, in excitation: a
perfectly normal body “needs” no music (but such do not exist).
(1) Those social and individual bodies manifesting abnormal states of
agitation “need” contact with such a body of rhythmic musical vibration
as will calm and impose a normal rhythmic motion upon the disturbed
motion represented by the agitation.
(2) Those social and individual bodies manifesting abnormal states of
phelgma “need” contact with such a body of rhythmic musical vibration
as will _excite_ the low motion states, and impose a normal rhythmic
motion upon the sub-normal motion represented by the phlegmatic states.
Above conclusions are offered as a result of the following types of
experiments.
_Experiments Upon the Ideo-Motor to Ideo-Emotional Type._
Desiring to try the effects of music combined with lectures of a
political character, among the lower elements of Coney Island dwellers,
we set up a 60 × 90 ft. tent at the foot of Ocean Parkway, in May, 1909;
600 chairs, a decorated platform, a grand piano and gay flags of all
nations were distributed in their proper places. The subject of all
lectures was _Woman’s Suffrage_, a theme most unpopular at that time
and especially distasteful to a Coney Island mind. The prevailing
religion of the district was Catholicism. The first week was devoted
to suffrage lectures without music. Crowds filled the floor space of
our big tent each night, and from the beginning we distinctly felt
the murmurs of intended trouble. Our speakers were men high in public
favor, but one of these made the following unfortunate remark:
“Catholicism is the curse of the laboring class.”
Then a workingman stood up and hurled uncomplimentary epithets at us
for trying to destroy the laboring man’s only blessing--his faith. A
woman added tears for her beloved church, and a socialist added oil to
the flame by a bitter attack upon religion in general. Before we could
make ourselves heard, a fight ensued which attracted a large outside
crowd. Several policemen finally dispersed the excited audience. Our
broken chairs bore mute witness of the damage, but no intention of
giving up was entertained. The certainty of serious trouble for the
following evening hastened our institution of music in the program.
During the afternoon following our mishap, we were informed by the
police that trouble was brewing for the “tent folks.” With some
trepidation we entered the tent that evening. A large crowd of the
“rowdy” element had gathered by eight o’clock. Four policemen guarded
the entrance, but many very rough looking men crawled under the canvas
at the sides and cast knowing glances at acquaintances.
Our artists for this first program had been carefully chosen, a
soprano, delicate in voice and personality, a genial looking baritone,
an excellent “cellest,” one of our best known violinists, and a pianist
of world-wide renown. We all “held our breaths” in anticipation of
what might happen. The speaker began. Immediately cat-calls and horns
drowned her voice. The air was filled with foul epithets. Suddenly some
one threw a stone which struck the speaker on the cheek. The meanness
of the insult quieted the mob, and an officer removed the offender.
Then in a few words the people were asked to reserve judgment until
after the musical program.
A trio performance for violin, “cello” and piano was given. Whispering
and excited murmurs continued all through this long number, but
when the soprano sang the old love aria, “Ah, fors’ e lui,” from “La
Traviata” by Verdi, a sudden hush fell upon the audience. At the close
of this aria, emotional, tuneful and simple in construction, a storm of
applause broke forth. Encores of ballads followed, and when “The Last
Rose of Summer” was given, with the emotional addition of a genuine red
rose, whose petals were scattered in compliance with the text, women
wept, and men settled down sullenly in their seats. The irritation of
the preceding three days had been reduced to normal rhythmic motion, in
less than one hour of musical treatment. The rest of that evening was
in every way a success.
This was not an unique experience. Musicless lectures were always more
excitable in effect than were those combined with music. So certain
were the results of our combination, that before the end of the summer,
we could discuss any “views” with a mob element, by alternating an
exciting subject with an artistically rendered musical selection. At
every step, music proved its power to soothe, and showed how great is
the human need of its vibratory mission.
Instances of similar effect of music upon mental agitation were
observed in other situations. During a trip across the Atlantic on
the old vessel “Trava,” a dangerous accident occurred during a severe
storm. A panic threatened. The first officer whispered to the author
to sing a song. She started the national hymns, inviting the passengers
to show their patriotism and nationality by joining. First the “Star
Spangled Banner” brought out a few voices, then the “Wacht am Rhein”
swelled the chorus; the “Marseillaise” was then responded to, and when
“The Wearing of the Green” brought forth one lusty Irish brogue, such
a laugh ran round the dining saloon as completely broke the strained
condition and re-established normal rhythmic pulse motion.
The tension of nerve during strikes was reduced several times by
musical “benefits.” Dangerous excitement at political meetings was
often converted into harmless emotionalism under evenings of Eighteenth
century comedy opera tests on the East Side of Manhattan. The
establishment of The Working Girls Club in Brooklyn in 1912 afforded
an excellent opportunity for testing the reviving effects of music
upon tired brains and bodies. One hundred and forty young and healthy
working girls from department stores, telephone offices and factories,
used the club house dedicated to their use and at first evidenced
pleasure and benefit from the classes instituted. But presently
a depressing weariness of aspect appeared, a “trying to learn”
expression, which promised little for energetic application. The law
class dwindled to two members; the millinery class could not attract
more than six students, the cooking class began with thirty-five
and ended with four, the dress-making class held but three pupils:
the class in simple science was not attractive, the language classes
began well, but the girls were too tired to study. Finally we gave
them what they wanted, and what they needed--music. What a change came
over the mental attitude! Monday, Wednesday and Friday nights, singing
individually and in chorus was taught. Three hours of music swept away
all traces of weariness, and sparkling eyes and rosy cheeks exhibited
anew the need of music. All through the year 1912-13 for twelve months,
the opera “Martha” by Flotow was rehearsed, and never was there
occasion to complain of poor attendance, wandering attention, or lack
of interest. A public performance was given in the Spring of 1913 at
Labor Lyceum, Brooklyn. Notwithstanding long days of labor, the girls
did great credit to their leaders’ work in training.
Turning to individual experiments, an instance of the strangely
normalizing effects of music upon abnormal nervous conditions comes to
our mind. A noble minded woman, lately deceased, devoted her life to
the Sittig Christmas Tree Celebration, which annually gave a Christmas
feast of presents, candies, books and entertainment to about seven
thousand of Brooklyn’s poor children. She was so deaf that she heard
with great difficulty, even with the aid of electrical devices. Yet
she could hear softly spoken words, _provided the speaker kept playing
softly upon the piano during the conversation_. “I do not need any
artificial aid in hearing any sound audible to a normal ear, while
music is in the air,” she once told us. Another woman, affected with
continual trembling of the hands, became perfectly quiet and normal in
action while riding in a carriage. In reply to our question as to the
reason for this phenomenon, she replied, “The noise of the carriage
wheels resolves itself into regular ‘beats’ which I cannot help trying
to imitate.” It may be that this is but another illustration of the
“need” of disturbed or unrhythmic motion for “regular beats” or
rhythmic motion. A friend in Berlin was painfully deaf, yet he heard
the slightest whisper over the telephone. His similar normality when
listening to music, suggested to the author to class all rhythmic
co-operated vibrations producing a _continuous sensation_ in the ear,
under the name of musical rhythmic vibrations. This would extend the
realm of musical need to many highly active motions not generally
included in the term “music.” Telephones, railway motion sounds,
moaning of winds, continuous washing sounds of waves, do in fact
produce results strangely similar to those seen in the application of
music. Excitable people are quieter at sea-side resorts, and restless
in isolated mountain districts. We have closely observed the types
of individuals at water resorts in Europe and America. Everywhere the
same type prevails. It is the highly strung temperament which needs and
seeks the “highly strung” atmosphere. We have observed like instances
in nervous university students, who study and memorize best in the
street cars.
_Ideo-Emotional Groups._
In our German experience, the music which elicited the largest response
seemed to be that which impressed emotional pictures upon the mind.
Schuman lieder are of this character: they are full of chivalric
example, suggestion, symbol, shibboleth, and tend to awaken emotional
reactions. In the home circles, the sentiment in music is strongly
expressed. No true German will allow you to heighten the seat at the
piano with a volume of Beethoven Sonaten. You cannot sit upon Beethoven
in a loyal German house.
Even in the grand opera audiences of Germany, the public persists
in manifesting a love for those musical ideas which awake emotions
rather than cool critical judgment. The simple Kinder Lieder can be
counted upon to bring the emotions to view, and unrequited love, the
romantic woes of a god-like hero, or the dainty texts of sentimental
ballads, are as effectual now as they ever were. Russian audiences
are still more responsive to the emotional element in music, but their
temperaments have a strong dash of the Ideo-motor in them.
All through Canada and the Western part of the United States, the
Ideo-Emotional type of music awakens quickest response. Old ballads
like “Coming Through the Rye,” “Home Sweet Home,” “Annie Laurie,” will
bring applause during the preludes, and only in the most complicated
environment is there a genuine response to the relatively complicated
works of Wagner.
In a concert test upon the stone-working Italians at Wappingers Falls,
N. Y., the home-sick Italians were so affected by “Santa Lucia” that
they all closed their eyes and joined the singer, weeping as they sang.
It was reported dangerous for a woman to go alone among these men, but
they sang song after song for us, and escorted her five miles to the
railroad station.[26]
_Dogmatic-Emotional Types._
The Greek Church music and the music of the Catholic Church acts
specially upon the Dogmatic-Emotional types. It is a curious sight
to Americans to watch Russian peasants and officials praying in
the railroad stations before rough altars and highly gilded images.
The candles, always burning, suggest the strength of that command,
authority, dogma, belief, which lies so heavily upon Russian minds.
Under such a burden, the type of music must come within the restricted
range of comprehension permitted to this type of mind. Yet this
enforced religion does not act more sternly upon the choice of music in
Russia, than does the free Dogmatic-Emotionalism seen in Ocean Grove,
N. J. Here you find response to the same musical type that satisfied
Russian audiences of a Dogmatic-Emotional character. Ocean Grove
inhabitants do not pray in public stations, but no car runs on Sunday;
no wagons deliver goods on the Sabbath, the rules which govern conduct
and musical production in Russia, are not more strictly obeyed than are
those which frown upon Sunday amusement in Ocean Grove, or dictate its
musical supply. Strange to note, the Catholic element is more open in
its “desecration” of the Sabbath, than is the Protestant element. This
may be accounted for by the larger degree of Ideo-Motor activity among
Catholic groups, notwithstanding the strength of the Church hold upon
the fidelity of its members.
The Dogmatic-Emotional groups “need” a music to correspond to their
type, and only such music is successful with them. Many years in church
circles have proved to us the real desire or “need” of hymns and
sacred songs, as a satisfaction of this type’s yearnings.
_The Rationalistic Group._
Now we come to a class of comparatively few representatives. It
presents a nearer approach to symmetry in its curve of mental and
physical poise. It responds to stimuli appealing through knowledge
to the higher intellectual processes. Ideals are stronger than their
physical manifestations; the idea is more important than the model;
the type is less affected by common stimuli; it secludes itself in
contemplation, in more cool investigation of its own responses; it
seeks food for mental labor, with time for detailed analysis of that
work. All this means a more normal equilibrium between periods of
high motion and rest; it means that a smaller chance of “disturbance”
is encountered by this type, and consequently a smaller “need” of
_rhythmic_ music. The problem opera will satisfy it. In less need of
marked rhythm, the analysis of new musical form will occupy these
minds, regardless of the lack of either rhythmic or harmonious
effects. The smallness of the Rationalistic group is indicated by the
unpopularity of rationalistic composition. Opera managements produce
the new “rationalistic” works, but they make up their financial losses
by the Ideo-Emotional works like Faust, Carmen, Cavaleria Rusticana,
Madam Butterfly and most of the beloved works of the popular operatic
repertoire.
Thus we see that if music is a human need, it is a need greatest among
the Ideo-motor and Ideo-Emotional types, or among the lower and middle
classes chiefly. The Dogmatic-Emotional type needs a music of its own,
and never fails to produce it. The Rationalistic type, also needs its
music, because its rationalism has not yet extended to an absolute
perfection of equilibrium between dissipation and integration of bodily
forces, and wherever abnormality of pulse exists, there musical rhythm
is “needed.” Even were this theory of musical need not admitted, the
genuine love of music constitutes a need. So intense a yearning,
unsatisfied, cannot be beneficial to the human system. Whether we
admit music as a necessary part of human pleasure, or as a necessary
stimulus to human rhythm of bodily motions, its “need” will scarcely be
denied in the face of its constant demand and supply. Music reinforces
human energy, aids in the control and order of the mind, elevates the
conception of life, and furnishes repose for the overstimulated nerves
of urban communities. Placing music then where you will, it belongs
among those “better materials for storing, conveying and transforming
energy”[27] and its wise application may lead to surprising results,
in the conservation of faculties, now doomed to decay under the law of
diminishing returns.
That some change in the bodily molecules takes place as a result of
musical indulgence is believed by the author. The change in the pulse
rate before and after a musical performance indicates an effect upon
the circulation. The same time spent in listening to a lecture, shows
less freedom from tension. This was shown in the 84 experiments with
working girls. The 103 benefit tests upon revolutionary audiences
showed marked effects in calming power: ten years’ experience in church
choirs, showed the vast superiority of service with music, over service
without music, in calming excitable congregations and in rousing
phlegmatic ones; ninety-one consecutive experiments at Coney Island
demonstrated that music can calm revolt, and change irritation to
tranquillity; over three hundred concert studies in Russia and in the
United States have shown marked increase in the normality of expression
in audiences, after an evening of music, and twelve years of experience
in teaching music, have shown so decided results in greater health and
happiness in pupils, that music as a human “need” appears to us to be
established beyond doubt.
The Federal government of our United States may not be able under its
Constitution to institute Schools of Music, but the states should begin
to give more consideration to State Schools of Music. If the U. S.
Government is constitutionally unable to maintain National Schools of
Music, any comparison with European governments so licensed by their
constitutions, would be unjust and misleading. The statistics given are
intended merely to show what the various governments are doing along
the line of national support of musical culture, and no comparison is
attempted. Our States and cities are expending vast sums upon music.
The contention of the author, however, is that State Musical Colleges
will not produce a national type of music, and that the highest ideal
rests in a Federal control of musical culture. When music can be
regarded as a national need, and not merely as a social diversion,
the Federal government may see its way clear to a Federal support of
musical education. Music as an important measure in social control,
and as an equally important factor in individual health, belongs under
the eye of the national head. With the faint hope that this place will
sometime be granted to music, we submit this work.
FOOTNOTES:
[26] An atrocious murder had been committed by one of this group during
the week and the Mission Superintendent warned us by telegram of
serious revolt and danger.
[27] Professor Giddings’ “Law of Increasing and Diminishing Returns”
would apply here as elsewhere.
CHAPTER IV.
TONEUROLOGY: A NEW BRANCH OF STUDY.
Humanity then must maintain its pulse in a
rhythmic-stimulation-and-repose-for-distribution system. This can
best be done by the greater exercise of the emotional nature, and by
the indulgence of romantic ideals, for emotions are pulse-lifters,
dragging the stagnant life motions up to a normal mean rhythm. The
man or nation, whose pulse is kept most constantly keyed up to the
normal, is the man or nation which achieves the finest results.
Our four national examples, England, France, Germany, and Italy,
demonstrate these emotional products. Germany leads in her quality of
musical (or emotional) output, because she led during the century in
her sufferings, prepared, as they were, by so much of heart breaking
experience during the preceding century. France comes next. Her
national emotions have been weakened in tragic elements by the love
of the spectacular, by the intellectual need of vivid pictures and
colors, and by the assertiveness and pride of an ancestral supremacy,
hard to subdue to the state of tender romance and heart tragedy, which
characterized Germany’s strong and sentimental temperament. After
France comes Italy, emotional, poetic, merry-hearted, making a farce
of tragedy because her century’s life produced so little national
sadness. Only in recent years has it come to be felt that the mean
rhythm of Germany can become like the mean rhythm of any nation, even
of Italy, if the depths or motions are sounded as were Germany’s.
England brings up the rear, her century’s mean rhythm being far below
the high water mark. This is shown by the delicate comedies, and naive
sentimentalism of her music, which are the fit measure of her national
pulse rate of emotionalism.
Music, as a human need, carries us deep into the secrets of life, and
will in time open the way for a new science. Music is not the name for
this new branch of knowledge, as the study would involve an exhaustive
investigation of nervous reactions in their social and individual
relations to sound vibrations. We would suggest the name “Toneurology”
because tone is understood in all modern languages, and “neuros” has
the same advantage. This study would involve research along entirely
new lines, such as an investigation of motions in bodily organs;
mathematical estimation of the vibration value of each pulse beat, and
of the sums of tone vibrations in chords, upon one instrument and upon
many, as in an orchestra; the rate of increase or decrease of the pulse
after contact with tonal force, with approximate computation of the
time that the latter can maintain a normal pulse, and the necessary
frequency of its application. The research student in this new science
must have a working knowledge of physics, biology, psychology,
sociology, harmony, counterpoint, musical history, political history
and physiology, with a new study of the Human Will. We should thus add
a new science to the group of exact concrete sciences.
It is with no little diffidence that we suggest this as a new branch
of study. There are indications that universities adopting Music into
their lists of studies, recognize the need of Music’s closer touch
with scientific courses. If Music is ever to outgrow its swaddling
clothes of sentimental and frivolous superficiality, and mere amusement
conception, it must clearly manifest its scientific dignity, and its
inseparable connection with physics, sociology, biology and psychology.
It must take its place among those studies which encourage scientific
tests and lifelong research. It must leave its hitherto “divine aspect”
on the rubbish heap, along with the “divine rights” of kings, magic,
ancestor worship, and ghost theories. We believe some secrets of life
preservation will be found in Toneurology.
The curious effect of Music upon groups suggests a possible counterpart
of such reaction upon individuals. Music, once regarded in terms
of motion, with laws of motion likewise applied to the bodily
integrations, the path opens out clear and true.
The fact that men, in spite of all the great scientific discoveries,
harden and fade with age, tends to prove that the human body has not
been completely envisaged by any or all of them. We offer here a study
which includes many of the abstract and concrete sciences but directed
towards a new combination, _i. e._, tone and nerve, to be tested and
quantitatively measured under the laws of motion instead of under the
laws of perception and of appreciation. We take Music out of the field
of ideals entirely, and place it upon a level with rhythm establishers,
incident forces, and pulse fillers. Our statistics[28] show the
sub-conscious appreciation of Music as a human need by the countries
represented, and those governments show a larger proportion of
internal unrest where musical provision is small. This test, although
indicative, is far from satisfactory, since no provision, adequate to
act constantly upon the life forces, has as yet been made.
FOOTNOTES:
[28] See page 102.
PART II.
THE INTER-REACTIONS OF MUSIC AND NATIONAL LIFE.
_Introductory Note to Chapters V-VII._
The following outlines of musical productions during the Nineteenth
century in Italy, England, Germany, France, and the United States, are
intended to show how precisely the depth and nature of disturbances are
measurable by the Music of each country. Each musical type pictures the
“need” of the nation in question, and is peculiar to the character of
each human aggregate.
The statistics received by us and presented later in this work,[29]
indicate not only the extent to which Music is now regarded in its
utility aspect by different nations, but also show the protection given
to this as-yet-misunderstood force. In this day of general culture,
the reader’s acquaintance with the main outlines of the political and
economic history of these peoples may be assumed. The Music of each
nation will be seen to picture closely the national emotions consequent
upon the national stimuli.
FOOTNOTES:
[29] The statistics upon which these conclusions are based will be
found in Appendix C and E.