American music has to be grateful to the war for a larger share of attention and appre ciation. The tendency to lay emphasis on the foreign element both in programs as well as in education has been followed by a proportionate higher regard for the American teacher and methods as well as for the typical American features in composition. If Wagner went to medimval Teutonic legends for his themes, why cannot the American utilize the Indian chant and folklore with as superb results? It all de pends upon the genius and equipment of the composer. There is possibly a larger field for the American music-drama in the very com plexity of the American nation and the role it has assumed in diffusing democracy in all lands—a field which offers a richer oppor tunity both for theme and elaboration.
The first effect of the war was hardly in spiring in the flood of patriotic and war songs, only a few of which possessed fair merit. Next followed a change in the concert program, with the Teutonic music less and less represented, and greater prominence given to French, Eng lish, Italian, Russian and even Japanese com posers. Bands of music and special artists from the Allied nations toured the country and did much to increase popular knowledge and appreciation. A number of prominent symphony societies in our large cities were obliged to dispense with their German con ductors.
It was a timely protest against tendencies that seemed likely to injure American stand ards of music when the Musical Alliance of the United States was founded by John C. Freund, whose aim was to add a Secretary of Fine Arts to the Cabinet. A further step was the effort to organize a National Conservatory of Music and Art, which was introduced in the House of Representatives on 17 June 1918. Its purpose was the national control of music and revised standards of music. It was shown that there was no need to pay many millions yearly and educate in music boys and girls abroad, when our own country afforded opportunity for good training, if it could only encourage its students as a number of European nations do.
It was pointed out forcefully that music was more than an accomplishment and a luxury for the rich — it was a great ethical force and as factor in refining and elevating character.' In marked contrast to the attitude of Ger many and England where the music of enemy countries was played and sung, the United States witnessed a boycotting of German music at recitals and concerts — a war measure that had both its critics and supporters. Mr. H. T. Finck mentioned the case of the French govern ment which arranged concerts for the wounded, and allowed the preference for Bach, Beethoven, Mozart and Schumann to be granted.
The war stimulated recitals and musical entertainments for war charities, giving a more cosmopolitan character to programs. It had its effect, also, on community and pageant music in our larger and smaller cities and the development of mass singing in the army camps. Abroad the war possibly encouraged the man agers to produce many novelties at the various capitals — London, Paris, Rome, Berlin, Vienna. At least it had no adverse influence. One in teresting fact might be mentioned — a Welsh composer of much power gave to the public a number of excellent songs, some of which were written in the German prison camp at Ruhleben. If a Bunyan could write in prison, why cannot a singer compose in captivity? One may confidently anticipate a marked revival in popular interest in music after the war -- the efforts made at camp and canton ment, abroad and at home, to reach the soldiers cannot fail to have more than a transient in fluence. The public school is likely to de velop as a music centre and music will prove more and more a factor in public enlighten ment.